15/10/12 I Love Mondays

With the offer on at the yard for a 2hr hack at 10:30am, and desperately needing to have a good week, I signed up and went ahead with another hack. I checked online to see how many places were left, and it said 5: no one had booked in after me, and that presumably meant there were 4 other hackers booked in already. I arrived on the same bus as P, who I’ve ridden with before, and a girl about my own age, MN. We shared chats about our favourite horses, and power-walked to the yard: I think they wanted to check we weren’t going to compete for the same horse! I know P loves Robbie as long as we’re not on a fast ride, MN declared her love for Ripper (whom I saw her ride in the big city Common Ride, and who comes out top of popularity tests too), and I said I’m a recent Gem-convert, but would be happy with Hugo or Starsky either.

We went in, and indeed there were only 5 names in the book including mine. For the first time since my first ride however, there were horse’s names beside each person. P was on Abbi, MN had Ripper… and after my glowing report on Saturday, I was delighted to see that the YO had put me in for Gem without even needing to ask. I thanked her enthusiastically, and off I went!

L was my groom this morning, so brought Gem to the mounting block for me and sorted out the stirrups and girth. We’d a nice natter, but she sadly wasn’t taking us out. I saw AM on Roma and LD on his own grey horse, Nimbus. I enjoyed hacking with AM, but on my one and only hack with LD (the time that I fell off Hutch, actually), we really took off on the Railway Line. I wanted a fast one, as did MN on Ripper, and it was LD we got! To make sure the trek and hack didn’t clash, AM and LD sorted out their routes so we wouldn’t pass anywhere near any of the fast stretches. LD gave us a ride order to fit with speed: Gem and I were called up first as the fast, Ripper in behind me, then any order for the slower Abbi, Whisperer and Dottie.

Gem was looking forward to this morning's hack, and was bright as a button before we even left! :)

 

Along the riverside, Gem was still keen and forward, but was having trouble keeping up with Nimbus’ big stride relative to Hugo’s. Once trotting, she ate up the ground though. It became clear at the end of the river side that we were reversing the usual ride route, so doing the railway line, then coming back via the wood. However, we skipped the turn-off to take the exact reverse loop, and took an entirely different route at first instead, which involved a long, uphill trot that got the horses blowing almost as much as the first uphill canter when going the other direction! The views on the roads were rural and beautiful, but we did have a few housing estates to go through. There were lots of people out gardening, and the route was actually a pleasant one. Again, Gem seemed unflappable – entirely unbothered by pet dogs, kids on swings, and bright coloured bins! (She only went on to have one spook, when one lightening fast squirrel caught her off-guard: I was pleased at that, given Nimbus was shifty all morning and could easily have freaked Gem out a bit).

At one point, LD started to walk on the right hand side of the road and not left. I didn’t go right at first as I thought he was mad. Then, I saw Nimbus get all excited and immediately spotted the gap into a field: I was finally about to get my first ever run in a stubble field (albeit along the grass verge)! We had to move forward to makes sure all the horses were in the field before we could begin. I told LD that Nimbus’ passage was beautiful: it really was, very elevated, but it was done out of excitement and not on request!

I asked Gem to wait, as she was pulling a bit. She was not leaping around like Nimbus however: I’d found yesterday as well that she seems keen but is relatively still with it! As soon as LD gave with his hands, his horse took off, and off we immediately followed! Despite having adjusted my stirrups after my right ankle hurting to what felt like even when at rest, I did not feel even when I took the light seat: I was however, able to adjust for it, and unlike Ransom, I never actually felt concerned about coming off because of the imbalance. I also felt the gear change, us reaching the gallop behind Nimbus, and I grinned! I quickly stopped doing that though, as whole pucks of mud from the tread of Nimbus’ hooves kept hitting me on the face and head, and they didn’t tickle. I had to shut my gob and keep my eyes open to dodge them! lol. I loved it, and Gem had a blast, even keeping up with Nimbus despite his bigger stride. We turned the corner on the field to walk the shorter side, and when we went to turn back onto the road at this corner, Gem and I both looked left longingly, hoping to get to gallop back down the opposite long side, but it wasn’t to be!

Gem was a pleasure, but even though she wasn’t dilly-dallying, I was having to really keep on top of her to stop her falling behind Nimbus at a walk. There was one point where I trotted to catch up, the rest of the ride trotted behind me, and LD just looked around at me and started up a trot too! I wonder if that works with a canter? lol.  When we crossed the road and got onto the path that turns into the old railway line though, Gem suddenly grew a hand taller, covering more ground and at a faster pace without needing any encouragement in walk. She knew what was about to happen, and LD let us know that once the footing changes and it’s clear, we’d be going off with the aim of tearing up the whole of the way.

We got onto the level where the ground changed, and with no one visible up ahead, we hit the ground running from a jog. I had the uneven feeling again, only this time I could feel my legs in slightly different places – one was further forward than the other. I deliberately moved to even them, but couldn’t hold it: it wasn’t natural, as it usually is and should be, so I could only assume my stirrups were definitely uneven (as Gem, me and her saddle had been even together just two days before, but I’d had leather twists to achieve that then). Still, I was secure and did not in any way seem to be impeding Gem – she was going for it! Gem did however sort me out somehow: we came across a puddle, and she did what felt like a skip, but I presume was a flying change. By doing that, suddenly my legs were symmetrical and in the right place, and I felt unshiftable. When we got further down and could see that all the way to the end was clear, LD really let Nimbus go: they got a little distance on us, but not a lot. I’m not surprised that Nimbus covers more ground as he’s taller and his strides are bigger. Gem really turned her engine on and we flew though! Don’t get me wrong, she doesn’t feel as fast as Starsky does, but I think their difference in build in terms of stride-length and power have a lot to do with that. All I knew was that I was soaring along at the gallop, and I was adoring it! I could grin this time too, as we weren’t on muck this time and I wasn’t being thrown gobfuls of anything from Nimbus’ hooves J

The middle section of the hack was glorious: it was like Saturday morning again, but without the drizzle. It was just pure, unadulterated Winter sun! I couldn’t feel my toes, but I didn’t care – I was happy :) We also had the most perfect, collected, active trot at one point: that feeling that we were gliding along the ground together, both of us working hard and getting all the little things right. I miss that feeling from schooling, and I love it when I work a horse out on a hack and get to experience it :)

Coming back towards home, I wasn’t sure if we were going to do the woodland section, because it would involve going down a steep hill that’s pure mud at the moment. I was delighted, as was Gem, when we turned left to go into the woods, rather than straight on which is the usual trekking route home. We had about 4 canters through the woods, one really steady because the going was poor. LD wasn’t worrying about puddles though, so let us go on the canter that hits the lake of a puddle. Gem took it on without slowing, and I gave her extra rein to move her neck into balance and deal with it. The ground’s so worn there’s a drop on the left side of the puddle, and it felt like we’d tackled a mini XC obstacle out on course and at speed! We normally get back to trot for the trail going one-horse-wide at the top of the hill, but Nimbus had only steadied down to canter and I wasn’t going to haul on Gem for the sake of it, so I followed. It was the longest it’s ever taken to get back down to trot on that trail before! lol.

We then hit what’s usually the last trail in the woods: a longish one that, because the puddles are unavoidable, every ride leader does the full length of. Unlike Saturday, there were no fallers, so I enjoyed running along the whole thing, and we opened up into a gallop. Nimbus didn’t gain any ground away from us either. I did however get a big puck of mud that hit my hat, and tipped it down and forward a bit, so it was obscuring a vision. On the plus side, I have learned that I can gallop while holding the reins in one hand! lol. I could have kept it slid forward a bit, but I enjoy taking in the view too much, even when at speed.

We then came to the wall of mud that we had to go down. Nimbus slipped and I thought he was going to fall! I gave Gem the whole rein, holding only the buckle, and leant really far back to try and counterbalance. Momentum was making her go faster and faster though, and I really didn’t want to trot down that big a gradient! Luckily she only broke into a jog, and only near the bottom. We were approaching the hill we usually canter up first thing, and I wasn’t relishing clambering down that either. However, the leader took us a few metres past the turn, shouted “CANTER!” and before I knew it, Gem was away and for the first time I was caught unawares, so got out of the saddle after the canter started! We were on a slope and the ground was soft so it was fairly steady, but it felt exhilarating because it was sudden and it was a surprise. I thought all the canters were already over! Gem did slip in the mud, but found her footing as soon as she lost it, and carried on without her speed being at all affected. I also found myself entirely even on her again, without feeling like my legs were in different places or I’d to reach unevenly to maintain balance in stirrups of different lengths.

I decided not to be greedy and try to take pictures and videos, so my program managed to record the whole of the hack this time! We did 15km in 2hrs, and reached a max speed of over 37km/hr! The graph looks something like this, with the field and the railway line really sticking out. The scale doesn’t go past 30km/hr, so that must have been a momentary max speed measurement that doesn’t show on a time-averaged graph.

I merrily walked Gem home without stirrups, and we crossed the river easily. I got off, sorted the stirrups and girth, and because the yard was busy, I actually got to hold Gem for 5mins. That sounds like nothing, but coming from yards where I could tack up, put away, groom, muck out, turn out and so on, the time with her meant a lot to me. She enjoyed the attention, and clearly had an itchy head. I never let a horse rub their head on my body as I consider it bad manners for a horse to intrude in my personal space without permission, but Gem seemed to be happy when I offered my hand instead. I also finally was able to gauge her height. 16.2hh is about 5ft 6 to the withers, which is the same height at me. Gem’s withers did indeed clear my head, so AM’s right – she is around the 17hh mark, even though she doesn’t feel it! My guess on Saturday was around the 16hh mark. I suppose I’ve never ridden such a light-framed horse – normally I ride boggers, Welsh Ds and Warmbloods, and they tend to have more bone. She’s not the kind of horse I’d choose out of a line-up, but I utterly adore her already. I also chatted to MN about Common Rides all the way home on the bus, and she told me that the speed of a horse on a CR doesn’t matter, as long as you trust it. So, if I loved Gem and felt safe on her, don’t be afraid to book her, and to book her early as she’s so popular.

Here’s Gem grooming Ripper after the ride. You can also see how muddy, fluffy and sweaty she is on the way to the wash bay! J I really must bring my proper camera out on a hack, and my phone camera’s not great.

I’ve a hack coming this weekend, as I’m busy the weekend after: would it be really boring if I asked for Gem 3 times in a row?! lol.

13/10/12 A Gem in the Rough

This week had been an awful week. I’d made a mistake, and paid what felt like a hefty price for it. I need a few days to mope and kick my arse before I could pick myself up and move forward with a smile. Despite the fact I normally ride in a great mood to begin with, I’d still been in a funk come Saturday morning. On Friday night I was determined that I’d have a fast horse, and wanted to tear off at break-neck speed (in the most literal of terms) and just blast away as hard and fast as I could. There was an air of recklessness to my emotion, and I didn’t like that one bit – it’s not like me at all.

Along came Saturday morning, and shortly before I was due to leave the house, my stomach started to churn and I felt rotten. I was determined not to let it stop me, so took a couple of tablets and set off on my merry way. My mood changed a bit however – I snarled internally to myself that I’d clearly be incapable of anything challenging, so should probably just take an easy horse and consign myself to a slow ride. Hutch, Corrie or Frankie – I’d have been happy with any of them at that point.

I’d got to the yard and thanks to the tablets and actually cuddling a few of the horses, I started to feel a bit better. I still hadn’t quite made up my mind about who to request, but the tired and grumpy part of me was disappointed when the trek was called into the office first, and a Groupon rider was given Frankie. It felt like someone had stolen my comfiest, most reliable pair of shoes. It was also my 6 month anniversary at the yard, having had my first ever ride there, a 2hr hack on the Turbo Cob, on Friday 13^th April to celebrate passing my Viva. So, I went in and the YO often does, she did not ask me what horse I wanted – rather, she gave me a horse. The horse she gave me was Gem: a brown mare, and on the favourite list of almost every ride leader I’d ask to recommend me a horse (along with Hugo and Robbie, two other popular choices). The RLs are adrenaline junkies and a recommendation usually means one thing: that the horse is sweet-natured, but a bit of a mentalist that likes to gallop everywhere. I guessed I was getting my faster, galloping ride after all! Someone double checking that Gem’s Pelham had the curb chain on rather confirmed my suspicions that she liked to run too J

A few minutes and a few chats later, and this beautiful ball of brown fluff came out for me. I recognised her a mile away – she’s an unremarkable looking horse, a fluffy bright bay TB with no white markings on her face – just her hind fetlocks, but that shaggy coat hides a cracking horse!  I got on, got my stirrups sorted, and enjoyed some time have a nice scratch with Gem. I tried to guess what height she was, but really couldn’t accurately tell from sitting on her – I’d met her at the mounting block, so it’s hard to gauge height when you don’t meet a horse from the ground. She felt little though – her neck was in proportion to her body, but it wasn’t as long as Corrie’s, or as solid and upright as Starsky’s. I was glad Starsky was my first taste of more ragged speed: retrospect has made me realise that riding big has actually become my new safety zone out hacking (compared to years schooling mostly 14.2-15.2hh horses), and a big neck is rather a comfort to have in front of you when going at speed. Gem actually looked smaller than Hugo, who was lead horse with A’s mum, who I’d never had as ride leader before, though it was hard to compare as I was mounted at the time, and Hugo’s a much more medium-weight build with bone, compared to the finer Gem.

This is the view I was enjoying before I even left:

The ride (me, a teen on Weeza and an older man on Hero) all set off to the river in that order behind AM on Hugo. The river was a bit nuts after the rain: it was higher and faster than usual. Gem had a bit of a slip in it, but never got close to losing her footing. Her and Hugo found a shelf on the far river’s edge that got them higher out of the water and sooner. Weeza, at 13.2hh took a bit more time bless her.

The RL asked who’d been out for 2hr hacks before: it was the man’s first time upgrading from a 1hr, and the girl had been on my first ever hack at the yard 6 months earlier. I said I’d been on loads, but this was my first time on Gem. I asked AM about her, and apparently Gem is her first choice for doing Common Rides on, and if she’d the cash to buy and keep horses, then she’d retire Gem, Hugo and the coloured mare Roma tomorrow, just riding them for personal use. She also said Gem when she arrived had been named Noisy, as that’s exactly what she was.  I wondered if she’d earned her new name because a gem is exactly what she was – I was about to find out J AM also said she reckoned Gem was about 17-17.2hh. I smiled and nodded, not believing a word of it, as she didn’t feel more than 16hh to ride, and her trot stride is shorter than Hugo’s.

Gem’s trot was easy: relatively shorter than any of the horses I’ve ridden at the yard except for Frankie, but not choppy, abrupt or out of place for her size. I had it immediately, and bore in mind good form for rising trot, which Marie’s schooling had made me think of. A friend had also said that in rising trot ‘your bottom should leave the saddle, but not your breeches’. She also told the tale of a friend of her’s that hunts a sharp horse and who says “I can’t rise all the way up on my sharp horse, as I can’t be sure she’ll still be there by the time I get back down again!” Gem is not a catapulter like the bigger horses, so checking that I was light, subtle and loose was easy.

We came to our first canter on the hill, and Hugo was finally behaving like the horse I’ve been told about – the insatiable, speedy galloper who dances with excitement. He leapt into action like he was Lucky, and off I went on Gem. I genuinely had no nerves: while she’d taken off from halt, it didn’t have the lurching, G-force pushing against you in the saddle-type feel that Starsky does. She went for it though, and I immediately felt in the right place above her back.

We got onto the relative flat in the woods, where the canter sections come up thick and fast. The RL checked we were all okay, and made sure we knew where the puddles were. She also told me that Gem’s a notorious puddle-dodger, and on many occasion she’d ended up on her neck because of it. I was glad to have that info: it meant I knew to steer to one side well in advance, rather than let Gem do a wall-of-death around the edge of the puddle like a motorbike, with no notice. The first canter felt at the faster end of steady, and was wonderful: I just wish we’d started earlier, as RL was worried about the later riders making it around puddles (and, to be fair, it’s where another lady and Sophie had parted company last time out). On the slightly uphill canter with the lake of a puddle and tree-down, we were made to walk past the puddle before we started the canter as AM thinks the ground’s a bit soft to the left. Hugo and Gem took it upon themselves to run off and race a bit afterwards, and the sudden rush of speed felt fab!

On the last canter in the woods, the puddles are unavoidable, so we were allowed to canter the whole way along. Gem and Hugo were taking off, whereas Weeza and Hero were keeping their own paces as a pair at the back, just as they had done for every other stretch. I heard a loud ‘WHOA!’ from the man on Hero, I looked around and although he was still on, I passed the whoa on to AM and we stopped a bit sooner than expected. AM was wondering what it was for, as the man was alright. What she couldn’t see through me and Gem though, was that Weeza was now riderless. I grabbed a hold of the mare while AM went back. The girl was fine – despite the fact there’s no motorbiking possible around the puddles, she’d come off in her first ever fall, much to her surprise. She was fine and happy to get on, but admitted to her adrenaline pumping a bit. We assured her that it’s nearly an hour until we get to the railway line again anyway, so she has lots of walk and trot work to help settle them both.

I patted and thanked Gem after every trot and canter. I’d been enjoying her: she felt fast, but without the jerking of Starsky, and without his spooking either. Roadworks, builders, skips, bikes, traffic, barking dogs – not once did she so much as look. We’d a cold, fresh and sunny autumnal morning, and I enjoyed every view and every trot with a grin on my face. Gem was loveable in every pace J

We reached the end of town, and started to descent downhill on the route that takes us to the railway line. Gem was not happy about being second, and kept wandering out to try and overtake Hugo. I spent a lot of time yielding her in, and we got a nice accidental shoulder-in at one point too! We finally got to the railway line, and it was clear: AM’s plan was that we would gallop the whole length of it, even going a bit further than most leaders normally do. Hugo took off like crap off a stick, as did we but without feeling jerky or rushed: Gem is oddly smooth despite not going sequentially through the gears. We’d started early, so were rather fast by the time we’d gone under the first bridge – the noise was incredible!

Just as we’d come onto the second half of the railway line, where it turns a little and there’s a second bridge, we saw what we didn’t want to see – the tail end of the trek. AM was not pleased: treks and hacks are meant to take different routes so that they never meet on canter routes, and the ride leader had taken the ‘hack route’ for her trek. Hugo was not pleased, and while he down-transitioned from gallop to canter, he wouldn’t stop cantering! In all her years riding, it’s the first time AM had a ‘brake failure’ on Hugo. Further down the track that she’d planned, our ride came to a stop. I’d hoped we’d halt and then resume once the trek was far enough ahead that we wouldn’t be anywhere near them when we were charging along. Our leader made us walk and trot though, rather than wait and canter. We caught up to the ride and went past it, and the trek leader was A, my leader’s daughter. She sniped at her mother about why did we need past when she asked: mother quickly let her know that we left the yard first, we’re going faster, and A was the one who had taken the hack route for her trek. Gem and Ransom also nearly kicked the living daylights out of one another, so getting past was fun.  AM even said felt she had to apologise for her daughter’s behaviour. It didn’t bother me – we’ve all been grumpy with our mums as teenagers, and we were getting past regardless of what A said!

The rest of the ride was a happy mix of walk, trot and conversation. Gem was rather opinionated though, and wanted to lead: AM said she’d lead a whole Common Ride if she was allowed! She was happy for me to lead Hugo in walk for a while, but I had to bring Gem back when we got nearer the road: despite listening to subtle rein aids to steer, Gem was ignoring them to stop, so I had to hold her. I hate doing that with any horse, never mind one in a Pelham and curb chain, but she was ignoring me entirely. Hugo eventually got ahead, but every time there was room for two abreast, Gem would try and race past. I wish I’d been out with L, as she’d have let me go side-by-side, and been happy for me to lead in places rather than fight with my horse.

Upon leaving the yard, I’d turned my phone app on to measure the duration, speed etc of the ride. I’d not planned on taking any photos or videos while it was running, for fear of killing the battery. However, we got back to the river and the noise was spectacular – it wasn’t just the usual sound of flowing water. With the water level so high and the flow so fast, the river was making a boom and a whoosh, and because the dry leaves, almost ready to fall from the trees, were meeting the water level now, there was an incredible rustling sound. I saw I still had half my battery, so opened up the video to get the sound: after about 5 seconds, my phone died. As it turns out, the battery was still half full, it had just had a brain freeze. Still, I’m a bit annoyed that my first measured hack was missing the last 15mins or so, and the video I was trying to get didn’t work either. Grr!

Still, here’s my read-out from that hack. I thought it’d be fun to download this, and see how different horses and ride leaders compare in terms of speed and duration. I’d definitely love a side-by-side comparison of a ‘Lucky’ hack, and a hack on the same route with a sane leader and horse instead! lol. I wonder if you can guess where the railway line is, and the canter stretches in the first half? lol. We’d covered almost 13km before my phone cut out, and the max speed measured on the right was 28.1km/hr. I do wonder how Starsky compares, and with a faster ride leader than AM!

I can see the canter uphill, the 4 woodland canters, and the railway line as clear as day. It’s tickled me to see the ‘take-over Hugo’ trots after the short gallop are almost as fast as some of the steadier canters! Lol.

I had a blast on this hack: Gem had gone as fast as Hugo would allow, came back to me when it mattered, hadn’t spooked or shied even once, and had made me at ease from the moment dot. I am convinced she was renamed from Noisy because she has absolutely turned out to be a gem of a horse J

I fussed Gem as much as I could when I got off, but she was taken away rather quickly. I hadn’t even had time to gauge her height! The YO was in the office when I picked up my bag, and I thanked her sincerely – I gushed about how fab Gem was, and how lucky I felt to have been given her without asking, as I know she’s like Hugo and usually there’s a queue for her! There’s also lots of deals on this month, so for even cheaper than my usual cheap hack, I decided to ride on Monday rather than do it for more at a weekend. The YO said it was online booking only, so I did it as soon as I got home, and was happy that there were lots of places left. I enjoyed Gem that much, I was even going to ask for her again only two days later!

So, despite going from a reckless need for speed, to a pathetic ‘I’m ill and incapable’ mood, I’d taken out a new horse, gone fairly fast and had a ball. Gem had not just put a temporary smile on my face, but the hack had cleared my negative mood in its entirety. The power of horse, eh? :D

 I also reflected on how far I’d come in 6 months: I’d gone from adoring Frankie and asking for her as she was fun as well as a known quantity, to feeling nervous riding a truly big horse for the first time, to taking one of the biggest and most complex horses out for a hack and jumped him (Ransom), to regularly galloping at greater speeds on different horses, including not using any potential Jesus straps. It also felt kind of right that I’d started on a little bay Welsh D mare that I fell for, and 6 months later had a tall, slim Irish bay TB mare that I immediately loved too. I’ve bookended my 6 months with two very different but beautiful brown mares, who are are great mirrors of my progress! I’m proud of how far I’ve come so far, and can’t wait to see where this story goes J I also can’t wait to see what kind of rider I am when Common Riding season kicks off next summer, assuming I’m in work and can afford to do one or two by then. I wonder which horses I’ll have fallen in love with by then, and which I’m capable enough to take out… Only time will tell, but I’m smiling about the thought of it all already :D

29/9/12 – Starsky & Winston

This morning, I chose to take L’s advice and ride Starsky – she says I need more experience at the gallop on faster horses to prepare me for Common Rides and to increase my options. When she saw me get on him on the yard she came over and asked me if I’d chosen to ride Starsky or if I’d been given him: I told her that I’d requested to ride him and she told me she was proud of me, as he’s just what I need to help push my boundaries.

Not long later, the YO sorted out who was taking whom on which trail, and I was delighted to have L as our designated ride leader. She wanted to ride Lucky, but typical TB, he is lame from a tiny slip up, so she chose Winston instead. She told me Winston was an older horse, and when I saw his hackamore on top of his age, I assumed he was a quiet ride. I Jguessed wrong… 

L called me up to the front of the ride. She said she wanted ‘the geldings together’, with the two mares Abbi and Sophie following, but not only was my horse bigger and faster than the two behind, I’m also more chat than the two ladies riding. We proceeded across the river without a hitch, and L said Winston had two moods: he could be quiet and slow, or he could show that age means very little to a TB and run around with his nose in the air. With L’s love of speed and her electric bum, Winston was having a ‘Lucky’ day. L seemed to know this in advance, so she asked us all to stop when we hit the woods, where our first canter is (up the hill). She asked if our stirrups were okay, and my suspicions about Abbi’s rider being a bit novicey were confirmed: she’d okayed her stirrups at too long a length on the yard, and struggled in our first trot without realising why. Still, we got her sorted and off we went.

Winston, upon hearing the word canter, tore off up the hill. He’s not just as fast as Lucky, so didn’t get the same gap on me and Starsky at first. Starsky and I still lurched from nothing to gallop pretty much, but I didn’t have the anxiety that came with the adrenaline rush last time out: the lurch wasn’t as harsh, and after coming back smiling from a ‘Lucky hack’, I now felt comfortable with tearing off from a standstill.

Starsky and Winston blew at the top from working hard, while Abbi and Sophie had happily cantered up at their own speed, unconcerned about the race up ahead it seemed. Not much later, and we hit the overlapping canter tracks in the woods. L, as usual, warned us about puddles and checked if we knew if we were riding puddle plungers or duckers, ie if our horses charged through them, or dodged them at the last minute if their rider didn’t steer. After the puddle, we got up to a good lick as the rest of the path was dry, and there’s room at the end of it to come back down through the gears gently. I sat to the canter to bring Starsky back, and while me and L were in trot-to-walk, we heard hoof beats pelting towards us – Sophie was coming at us at speed and without her rider. L went back to find her, while I desperately tried to hold Starsky. Not only was he excited at Sophie cantering about, he was also now ‘lead horse’ and we were on the foot of the next canter track. He was not keen on being still! Sophie started to canter directly towards me, but finally slowed down at the last minute. I couldn’t reach her rein, and despite Sophie saying hello to Abbie, I had to instruct the rider to grab her – she seemed happy to let Sophie continue being lose in the woods, despite her rein being in easy reach!

While I finally got Starsky to settle, L came back and gave me Winston to hold. Apparently Sophie had dodged the puddle at the last minute, and that put her rider out of the side door. I’m not sure why the lady didn’t steer Sophie when she knew she rides around the puddle, instead letting the mare decide when and how sharply to move to the left, but the good news was she was merely embarrassed rather than injured, and was happy to carry on. L got her up, so I gave her back Winston. There was a rock, only about 1ft tall, but was the only make-shift mounting block available in one of the more open areas of the woods. Winston kept moving around though, so I had to bring Starsky in for Operation Body Block. It took a few minutes, but eventually L got back on and we went on our way.

The next canter track pretty much started from where L remounted. However, even in the height of summer, this canter track has a big puddle that takes about 90% of the width of the track. While L had confirmed it was safe to go through as it had been cleared (it’s never been safe to trudge through before), she still recommended choosing a side and steering. (Last time I’d let Starsky choose well in advance, and we’d gone right, as Lucky had gone left so we had to split sides in order to have any chance for Starsky to keep racing them). This time, we weren’t allowed to canter until AFTER the puddle given Sophie and rider’s departure at the last one. Holding the horses was hard, especially Winston and Starsky, but we managed it. In fact, when we got to the puddle, we found a fallen tree: the right side that I’d planned on taking again was now impassable as was the centre of the puddle, so it was left only. The left side’s also cutting up a lot as it’s been the route of choice for most horses all year: I think everyone thought it worked out well that we walked past! Winston then took off like lightning once we’d gotten by, as did Starsky and I. I had thought L might slow up to steady the pace for our faller (as hacks are ridden in line with the weakest member’s capabilities). However, Abbi was being slow enough that there was no racing at the back, and I saw how high Winston’s head was – he was entirely evading the contact and running right through the bridle. L couldn’t have slowed him if she’d tried! Starsky also really curved his neck and put his head down: all I could think was “he’s preparing to buck, and with his powerful backend at this speed, momentum means I’m in for a Thelwell style fall with visible trajectory!” Luckily enough, he was just tucking his chin in to stop the mud getting in his eyes on the loosest part of the track. Phew: I Jwasn’t relishing the idea of bouncing into the mud at the speed! lol. 

The last canter through the woods was glorious: it was flat, and all the puddles were unavoidable, meaning there’d be no walls-of-death to dodge them by anyone. For that reason, L let us open the engine and off we flew! I also made sure that I’d achieved the aim I’d shared with L – to not put my fingers under Starsky’s martingale strap. I usually ride horses with no strap to speak of, so adjust the contact with my elbows to follow the horse’s natural movement in canter and gallop. I prefer doing that – it’s more adjustable, rather than keeping your hands in a fixed position, and therefore needing to have a longer rein so you don’t sock the horse in the mouth when he’s reaching forwards. The Jesus strap gave me confidence on the Lucky hack as the speed and the lurching were new to me: this time I felt really comfortable, so wanted to not  I feltJtouch the strap to show myself I didn’t need it. Well, I didn’t  glued on top of Starsky, no matter how fast we were going, or how suddenly we accelerated!

The country park’s closed for the winter, but the rest of the walk-trot work on the roads was glorious. Starsky was still spooky though, and the same things set him off: the mounting block, the skip, the parked red car (but no moving cars and no parked cars in any other colours). We also met the hack in town and had to pass them. A beginner was on Hutch, and as soon as they’d heard our footsteps, Hutch turned around to see Starsky, looked longingly at us, and whickered. I know that reaction was solely as Starsky’s his best mate, but it was a rather glorious sight seeing a horse look and call towards me, especially one as sweet as the beloved H Still, Hutch joined in with Starsky’sJutch  spook at the skip, and I actually had to take Starsky out of the way to get past Hutch without him following. The poor girl had washing line reins, and despite L making her fix them, she couldn’t have held Hutch if he’d really tried anyway. Luckily we got past, as there’s no way his rider was up for a canter!

We finally got to the railway line, and Winston and Starsky were snorting and dancing, ready to take off as soon as L shouted and the contact was released. We waited for a family to go past us on bike, and no sooner had that happened, than another one appeared. The next family that went past told us that there was a sponsored charity bike ride on: we literally passed over 50 bikes, all along the length of the railway line. There was not so much as a trot to be had, never mind a canter or gallop. At least L was able to phone ahead to the trek we passed to warn them of what they were about to face! Starsky got the idea half-way along the line and stopped motoring, but Winston never settled. He’d got so het up that his neck and under his saddlecloth were foaming. In the end, he huffed the whole way home with L about that. He’d been desperate for a gallop and hadn’t been allowed! Normally, a horse naps going away from home as it doesn’t want to leave, often spinning and planting to try and get their own way. Most horses are happy to go home, some naughty ones even making a dash for it. Winston actually napped on the way home, the whole way along the riverside – he did not want to go back without his gallop, so regularly planted and snorted. The poor chap was going home in walk, and was about to have a cold shower to wash off his sweat! I also rode Starsky with no stirrups along the riverside – something I’d not done before as he’d been spooky and I wasn’t comfortable. I hadn’t let it worry me this time, and I rode him on the buckle without my stirrups to warm-down. I’d had a fab hack, and could really gauge my own progress from my first time on him, and my first truly speedy hack with L.

I got off Starsky, had a few moments with him, then he was stabled. He was on the accessible part of the yard though, so I could still pat him. He also came forward to the door as soon as he saw me, whereas lots of the horses aren’t fussed on over-the-door affection, as they’re usually privately stabled. I got a few pics of Starsky in the sun, and got lots of cuddles in. I left the yard a very happy bunny, and L was pleased with my progress. I’ll definitely be choosing to ride Starsky again – I trust him, even though he is a div about monsters in the hedge! (My OH has however taken the transfer cable to work to charge his phone, so I’ll have to add the pics later). I wasn’t looking forward to waiting a fortnight for the next ride!

22/9/12 – A Lucky Experience

22/9/12 – A Lucky Experience

I got to the yard today, said hello to the horses, and spent the wait chatting with a woman going trekking. Yammering away, the time went by quickly, and we were called into the office before we knew it.  The YO was in control of the book today, and asked who I usually rode: I quickly gave a list of names, omitting Ransom and adding Starsky as I usually do, even though strictly speaking I’ve not ridden him yet. Well, this morning I finally got Hutch’s half brother and partner in crime – 18hh of steely dappled grey Friesian X. I was excited!

L is by far and away my favourite hack leader, and after I’d mounted, I saw her and A with riding hats on. One would be taking the trek, the other the hack. I asked if L was taking us hacking, she said yes, and I literally shouted “WOOHOO!” I hadn’t realised just how loudly I’d done it until the echo came back to me off the stable block. No wonder there was tittering when I did it! YO’s daughter, who also works and competes from the yard, was saying to L “Oh: I guess you’re loved then!” Well, I was pleased and I didn’t care who knew it! There was also only one other person on the hack: a teen girl on Honey, Frankie’s featherless double J

L mounted up on what looked to me like a 16hh bay TB. I had no idea who it was, and she quickly responded: “Oh, this is Lucky!” That immediately struck fear and excitement into me: L is the ONLY person on the yard who’s prepared to hack Lucky out. He gallops everywhere: collected canter is not an option. He’s like a car that goes from 0-60mph in seconds!  My fellow Sunday rider R. had previously told me about an L hack on Lucky I missed out on in July: L was on Lucky, R was on Robbie (very speedy and his favourite horse) and apparently it was being on a race track all the way. I was excited that I was going to have the ‘Lucky experience’, and while my first choices today were Corrie or Hutch, I was glad to be on a horse that I felt I partially knew, as I’d seen him out with our ride before and knew from Hutch that I could ride such big paces.

The morning was beautiful. I’d left the house and it was cold, as there’s a nip in the air in the morning and evenings at the moment. However, when I was at the yard, the sun really got up, and because we’ve not quite changed seasons yet, the sun still succeeded in warming the air when it rose. We crossed the river, with the sun glaring off it, having been able to leave our jackets on the yard thanks to the heat. It was hard to believe that those who’d driven to the yard had needed to de-ice their windscreens first!

A video of the river-crossing the riverside. (The rest of the hack was too fast, and I was too busy making the most of L’s private attention to film anything else):

http://youtu.be/HxeI7G-VMLI

We didn’t trot along the riverside as we usually do, but instead had our first trot on the road to the woods. I’d been so busy chatting to L, that I hadn’t really taken Starsky in during the walking and chatting as I usually do on a new mount. I felt like I knew him! He sprung into life in that first trot, and reminded me of Hutch on the days he’s fresh and keen; a similar sized pace and rhythm, and fairly damn comfy.

The canter hill came up quickly. L halted Lucky to tell us what was happening next, but Lucky doesn’t do standing still. He was dancing and snorting, knowing absolutely what was about to happen. No sooner had she done talking, than L and Lucky were off. I immediately stood out of Starsky’s saddle as I knew there’d be no transitioning up through the gears: he literally leapt into action, and I was glad I was in the two-point seat when it happened! Starsky galloped the whole way up the hill: not like the less fit Hutch, that canters 80% before he slows and bellows. It was ridiculously fast too: much faster than I’d expected or ever experienced before. I felt secure enough though: there really is no better way to ease into galloping a new horse or getting used to galloping itself than doing it uphill! Starsky was knackered at the top though, and blew for several minutes afterwards, bless him.

Once we got onto the level, I told L how fast that felt. “Oh, that’s nothing: the rest of the stretches are pretty much flat, so will be much faster!” I felt a feeling I’d never felt before: joy at that fact that I had a Jesus strap in the form of Starsky’s martingale! (though, to be more accurate, I think I should name it an exclamatory “F**king hell!” strap). I have genuinely never ridden so fast in my life before, and while two pinky fingers under a strap doesn’t do much in the grand scheme of things, it provide a little psychological blanket. Odd, because I’d never ever used a Jesus strap before, and never got the appeal of something so far in front of the saddle to help you stay on. Usually sitting back’s where you want to be, but in the light seat, I can entirely see the value of it!

So, off we popped into the wooded, common-like area where the majority of the canter stretches are. Lucky wouldn’t go around the first corner, and napped so far backwards he was pretty much in a hedge. I offered L my stick, but apparently Lucky craps himself at the sight of one. Believe you me, that horse does not need any more speed or any more nervous energy! lol.

Anyhow, once we’d turned the corner, Lucky took the lead and L asked if we were happy to canter. CANTER MY BLOODY ARSE is all I can say! Lucky went from dancing jog to gallop in one stride, kicking loads dirt into my face and down my cleavage, and I saw all four soles of his hooves in that one move. Starsky followed: we did a halt to gallop transition (I didn’t know it was possible, and I don’t think the official aids are take the light seat, put fingers under Jesus strap, and inwardly pray to yourself).  I’ll be honest: such a huge and fast lurch forward unnerved me a bit, and while I’d gone with it entirely and was balancing perfectly on Starsky I had the thought “Jesus, if I lost a stirrup now, I could seriously hospitalise myself falling at this speed!” The stretch was just long enough for me to bat that out of my head though, and feel glued. L had known today’s pace, so had stopped us to make sure we were 100% happy before the ‘canter’ work began. This stretch ended nicely too, with much smoother transitions-down compared to the G-force lurches on the way up. I wasn’t afraid to tell L though that I was glad of the Jesus strap, and would be using the rest of the way! She made me feel better mind, and told me that she always does as an insurance policy when at that speed, and it’s all the more important when on Common Rides. Since coming home, I’ve found photos of riders using it while galloping him across stubble fields on even the most difficult Common Rides. Phew! lol.

I don’t remember how many stretches we did, as it’s all a blur of adrenaline, but the last one we did before crossing the viaduct was the slightly uphill run, with the lake of a puddle in the middle. Last week we had to slow down at it and go left in trot for Sophie-Loaf, in case she freaked out. L said she’d been through it earlier in the week, so it was fine to go around or through it whatever way we wanted. I said at that speed, Starsky might end up making the choice, but I always prefer to go around it as the minimises the risk of jumping it, slipping or bogging down a bit. Lucky started going nuts, and sort of went up rather than forward as L hadn’t released him yet. That was enough to set Starsky off though, so we leapt from halt to gallop again, with Lucky not going straight in front but had pirouetted off to the side. I thought for a few seconds that I was going to end up being lead horse for this gallop, which L doesn’t mind if it’s safer than holding back and she knows you’ll stop at the right place, but Lucky gathered himself up and got ahead, with Starsky racing him every bit of the way! 

Before I knew it, we’d eaten up half the stretch, and puddle/lake was in front of us. As Lucky had gone left, Starsky went right in effort to get past him. I was happy not to steer as Starsky made his decision early, so moved over at a gentle angle without any motorbiking or suddenness. If he’d started moving a second later, I would have let go of the martingale to free my hands up properly to steer.  Still, we made it though the right-hand side, and despite a comedy duck at the end for a big branch, the gallop continued. In fact, the end of the stretch narrows and has a paving type stone with its corner sticking out on the narrow ascent to the flat. I always at least trot, if not walk up it: Lucky had cantered it, so Starsky did too, but with what seemed like freakily expressive collected strides given how fast we’d just gone. Once up top, the horses immediately relaxed and got their breath back on the buckle. All that adrenaline, and they went back to calmness when they knew the fun was over for a little while J

On Hutch and Corrie, their gallops are smooth and while they don’t feel fast as their feet don’t hit the ground that often, they’re covering ground with their stride, so it has a nice balance of feeling safe and comfortable but still being quick. Starsky however is by far the fastest horse I have ever galloped: never in my life have I gone that fast outside of a motorised vehicle! Starsky not only has reach, but his hooves feel like they’re constantly hitting the ground again to power off, and the engine in his backend is incredible. L said that, while most folk wouldn’t believe it as he’s not a TB-type, Starsky’s actually one of the fastest horses on the yard, especially when on Common Rides. I tell you what, I certainly believed it! Starsky has a 6^th gear (as does Lucky, and I know Ransom does too, even though I didn’t use it when I took him out); they are the powerful, bit scary but rather fun Ferraris/Lambos etc. Hutch and Corrie are more like Jaguars or Mercedes: still an impressive amount of oomph, but with smoothness, comfort and using the regular 5 gears rather than 6!

 I explained to L that I’d really enjoyed the rush, but quite honestly that it had rattled my nerves a bit at first, and while I felt good galloping, I hadn’t got used to the lurching into action like that. She told me that a Common Ride is at least this fast if not more; you typically don’t have transitions then either because soon as you get through the gate safely and onto a field for example, your horse gets going along with the rest.  I explained that I’m a pretty confident rider, and clearly my balance is grand: I was fully capable of going with Starsky when he tore off from a standstill each time, and never felt wobbly or insecure at speed. I also thanked her for making me realise just how much work at the gallop I need before doing my first Common Ride next summer (all being well), and she said one of the things she likes about me is that I have a realistic appreciation of what I can do and what my limitations are. She said it’s just inexperience on such a fast horse I was lacking but she was confident that all I need is a bit of practice going so fast, and if I’m happy to, she’d really like to take me into a field sometime so I could get an appreciation of the maximum speed and how a Common Ride feels!

We talked for ages about my aim to do at least one of the easier Common Rides next year. She also asked me who I was thinking of for my first Common Ride. I said I’d thought Frankie might be a bit old and small to take my weight for so many hours riding even though I like and know her, and L confirmed that Frankie doesn’t do Common Rides. After the Turbo Cob, I knew Hutch the best as a riding horse and probably favoured him, but loved Corrie and Hugo after one ride each on them. To be honest, when I saw the ride come up the Royal Mile, I also thought I’d look best on Hutch or Corrie, as Hutch always stands out, but all the big greys on the day did, even those not in the leading flag-bearing party. L said Hugo was a flying machine on a Common Ride, so he would probably not be a great choice for my first time. He’d been really contained on my hack with M: confirmation that as lovely a person as she is, M’s a slow and boring ride leader!  She told me that Hutch and Corrie were perfect choices for me, and she was confident that both of them would look after me if I was feeling a bit nervous on the day. I was delighted to hear that, but was worried that the men got all the big horses, as many tall, stocky men rode, and needed the tall weight-bearers, whereas at 5ft 6, I can ride a smaller horse. She said I’m a paying customer, that booking a big horse wasn’t a problem as they’d so many different types to go around, and to list both Hutch and Corrie as 1^st and 2^nd choice, so the YO could always work around what horses are requested, if any of them get lame before the big day and so on. That settled me quite a bit, and made me smile J

The road work was a bit more entertaining than usual with a spooky horse. Starsky had napped on the way into the woodland before the first canter, as a cut log of about 1ft long was on the ground. He thought it was going to eat him, poor chap! He’d been fine since, but when we were going through the town, he caught a late glimpse of a skip on someone’s driveway and leapt sideways onto the middle of the road. I was glad there were no cars coming in either direction as we were in prime position to get hit by either! I was happy that I’d been glued to his saddle the whole time though, and I rode him positively so he soon went onwards.  He would later however spook at a parked red car (but not parked cars in any other colour, and never at any of the moving ones coming towards him or past him from behind), own shadow, a stone mounting block, a bird (fair enough – it moved suddenly and noisily) and something I didn’t see at all. He wasn’t so spooky that it ever made me feel insecure in the saddle, or made me nervous to ride him, but it was enough to called him a “buck eejit”, and laugh at his shying and leaping. He always moved on though, and I always reassured him he’d live to fight another day. Silly horse!

The park through the Glen was sadly closed today, for reasons I couldn’t work out. We then went the road-work way to the railway line and I was honest with L: I was a bit nervous about the railway line as when quiet, it’s a flat-out gallop, and I was finding it difficult to fathom that we could be going faster than we did on all of the previous ‘canter’ stretches. I also told her before she could reply that I was, of course, being silly: if I could ride Starsky on uneven ground with giant puddles and bending pathways, this flat, straight run with no big branches should be easy peasy. She seconded my rationale that this bit’s easy, told me I’d done great on a fast horse I didn’t know that was trying to race Lucky, and that those nerves would dissolve with a bit more practice. I knew she was right, but while I’d kept my nerves on Ransom about that stretch to myself when I rode him, I felt that I could open up to L as she cares about her riders, she knows me fairly well now, and she wouldn’t judge me for sharing the fact that I get nervous sometimes.

We got onto the railway line eventually, but there were two sets of dog walkers on it, so we had to walk under the first bridge and on for a while. That was not especially enjoyable: Lucky was desperate to gallop off, dancing and canter pirouetting a lot, and Starsky was ready to gallop off into the horizon too. L was getting to the point where she said she’d take us somewhere else to get a good fast run instead, but when we met the 2^nd dog and his owner on the corner, we could see far ahead was clear.  I don’t know if it’s because you often meet people on this path, or if L was nursing my silly anxieties, but we had an actual walk-to-canter transition here, not a mad leap straight into a gallop. I then felt something I hadn’t quite expectged… Disappointment! I was disappointed that we were cantering and not galloping: while it had challenged my nerves, I’d been getting on well and was high on the buzz! Just as we were heading through the second tunnel though, L opened Lucky up more and off we went. Galloping along there on such a fast horse was easy peasy: the speed and balance were no different to tackle than with a slower horse. I really had been right: if I manage such a fast gallop starting with a sudden lurch, dodging puddles and branches, and on bending paths, going straight and flat was a piece of cake!

While the railway line continues on for quite some time until we reach a main road, the usual stopping point is a few minutes walk from the end. We didn’t stop there this time though! At the usual place to start slowing, L put her hand up, and we got the horses back into canter. Lucky would not stop cantering though, so I kept Starsky in the canter rather than a trot. I gave a go at sitting to it as well, and I managed it! On my last two hacks on Starsky and Hutch, I’ve noticed the difference Pilates has made to my riding. With my back in its natural position (I’ve quite bad lordosis), even the brothers’ big walks move my pelvis so far back and forth, that it just reaches the point where the arching is too much on the backstroke (ie, when the walk moves my hips back and not forwards, I feel my lower back reach its elastic limit). When I engage my core and correct my lordosis however (just as Heather Moffat says you must to ride softly and go with a horse), my spine can flex, and in that supple state, I can go with the movement more and feel no discomfort. I’d felt it work in the trot and walk before, but now I felt it in the canter: with my core engaged and spine more neutral, I could absorb Starsky’s big movement and keep my bum in the saddle. Hurray!

Apart from some trot schooling that I did with L alongside Lucky (she called me up beside her anytime the path suited, which was fab), the rest of the ride was fairly quiet. We talked about schooling on hacks, and I said how it’s really the best way to work on the canter: you can collect in a school, but in true extension, you run out of space in no time. Also, being able to do so is vital for controlling the horse, especially if jumping or more relevantly for my I hope, to have control on a Common Ride. She told me about some collection-extension schooling she’s done on hacks with some of my Sunday friends, so hopefully we’ll get to do that soon. She even gave me some tips for getting Hutch off the forehand if he’s having a ploddy day.  She did say I should be asking for Starsky again though: that the more hoses I get experience with, the better, but being on a faster horse that just takes off had been really good for me today, and made for great preparation for CR season next summer. She said I could even handle Starsky on my first Common Ride, as clearly riding him flat out wasn’t a problem – I just needed more experience at that speed in order to trust my skill more. I was rather tickled that she thought I could handle him J

The walk back to the yard was fab, and although I rode long to let Starsky relax, he remained forward all the way, walking purposefully and voluntarily trotting to catch up when he had to. I didn’t ride home without stirrups though, given he’d been a bit spooky. When we crossed the river and were almost on the yard, I thanked L sincerely. I said “Today was just what I needed: to see how much work I have to do at a gallop before taking on even one of the steadier Common Rides next year, and to be pushed to the point where my nerves undeniably jangled a bit, but not so much I lose confidence. Here I am at the end, smiling and feeling confident thanks to you!” She gave a big smile back, told me we needed to do it again as practice is all I need, and thanked me for a fun ride out. She’s right: when she enjoys it, her clients enjoy it too!

When we finally stopped, D came up to me when I was still on Starsky. L told him to give me a few minutes though, as I’d fallen in a heap after jumping off Hutch with dead toes and ankles last week! D laughed, and I enjoyed giving Starsky lots of pats and whither scratchers while I circled my feet. When I eventually jumped off, I got quick cuddle before D came back over, so I ran Starsky’s stirrups up and loosened the girth. D said Starsky was a favourite of his, and I said it had been my first time, but it was a fast, furious and fun hack, and I’d loved riding him. D smiled and said so many people mistake Starsky for a plod because of his size, when the truth is, he’s a flying machine because he’s so powerful. Ain’t that the truth!

All in all, while I’d a few flushes of nerves, I had enjoyed the “Lucky Experience” that R had told me so excitedly about. I’d relished the pretty much one-on-one time with L too (the girl on Honey only spoke when spoken to, and while we tried to include her every so often, we got little out of her apart from a giant “WHOA!!!!” when Honey’s burst of speed from a walk to  gallop to keep up with us surprised her).  I wish it was always like this, but I do well to have the funds for a 2hr discounted hack, never mind the fee for a  full priced, private one. Besides, for less than two private 2hr hacks a week, I could have my own horse on livery there. That’ll be a much better use of money some day! lol.

15/9/12 Hutchin’ a Ride

15/9/12 Hutchin’ a Ride

I got the yard, chatted to some new folk, and was given Hutch today: I wasn’t asked who I wanted, but I was pleased. I was doubley chuffed however when I got on and Hutch was all pricked ears and trying to set off before the group  was ready (only two other riders, then my fave ride leader L.). I knew immediately I was riding The Hutch Express, and he didn’t disappoint!

Having crossed the river and had our first trot, I let Corrie in front of me as the man riding him was chatting to L and they could barely hear one another. I had to stop at the beginning of the second trot to let him past. Holding 18hh of Hutch was not easy, and no sooner was Corrie past than Hutch launched into a race. We were on a road, and that leaping stride made me wonder what he was going to do, but thankfully it was just an extended trot, and I got him to yield away on the left hand side of the road so that we were safe. Corrie and Hutch were fresh as daisies though, but Whisperer had been called to follow the lead pony, Sophie (or Sophie-Loaf as I like to call her) – a 14hh chestnut baby who was new from Ireland and hadn’t been taken out as hack leader before. Whisperer was being slow, and Sophie-Loaf needed a lot of leg to get anywhere. Thankfully both of these quickly melted away as obstacles!

The first canter was on the hill and as glorious as ever, though Corrie was told to hang back in case Sophie freaked out and threw the brakes part-way up. That wound Corrie and Hutch up no end, but Hutch duly went from halt to canter once released, and I was up Whisperer’s backside in no time. Hutch only made it 80% of the way up before he was knackered and had to trot, but to be fair, he’d broken into a gallop at the start, so it was an improvement in fitness that I could see. Even blowing like a train at the top, he was still keen, and power-walked all the way to get caught up again. In fact, he was finding Whisperer a pain in the arse as she was flicking her tail and pulling her ears back at him, so without asking, he took me off a different route uphill. Whisperer got to the bottle neck first though, so we had to stay behind a bit longer.

At the top of the hill, we have the bridge to the left and the canter stretches forward and right. Off we went, and the first two canters were collected and beautiful: L kept up close together, so there was no charging, and Hutch was too keen to even thinking about going back to trot even with Whisperer so close in front. The next stretch started the same, nice and steady, but Whisperer took a dislike to the puddle and took her sweet time getting around it. However, she also took exception to being left behind once she’d traversed it, and galloped off where the path goes slightly uphill. Hutch’s response to having the space and permission to gallop was “HELL YES!!!!!!!!” and off he took like the proverbial off a stick. It’s just a shame he’s much faster than Whisperer and the stretch causes for a trot at the end because it narrows, is uphill, and there’s some stonework to be negotiated.

We all had a canter or two more, all a bit faster as L was happy Sohpie had settled, and we all a blast. On my last hack, Hutch was on the forehand and finding the balance in the two-point seat was harder because of it; this week it was easy again as he was really working from behind and sitting on his hocks instead. L then called us to walk two-abreast, which Hutch hated: he wasn’t happy being that close to Whisperer’s teeth or to be slow enough to stay beside her, so he power-walked and kept up more with Corrie and Sophie. L said we must be bored on the same routes, how did we fancy something different, which can have up to 15mins cantering if branches allow. She directed the decision at me and at P riding Corrie, because we were on the big horses so would have the most ducking to do. Well, I’m a pro at ducking at this point, so I was happy. L toyed around the decision in her head for a few minutes but then said ‘Screw it: even if we have to walk because of branches, it’s different and it’s scenic!” So, off we went!

The new ride involved no road work whatsoever (bar that piece of road after the river and before the first canter, which is unavoidable). The first half was a route around field edges, that involved lots of horse gates that L or P had to get off for. The brambles and holly hurt (I filmed about 20mins of footage which I need to cut down to a short video, and there’s lots of snippets of me saying “Ouch! Brambles don’t tickle!” and similar choice phrases), but were worth it. Hutch was on his toes, nostrils flaring: I wouldn’t go as far to say he was spooky on this new route, but he was certainly much more vigilant than usual. He had one spook once, while we were along a field, sandwiched in single file between thicket and field fencing. Just while I was having my  left leg pulled backwards and dug into with bracken, Hutch shat himself  at the water feeder, leaping forwards and left, tugging the brambles even deeper into me before tearing them off. I was recording at the time, but clearly his pause somehow as soon as he started to react. I’m almost impressed that I managed to do that, but would have been happier to catch the whole thing on video! I also found the first obstacle that my feet don’t clear with Hutch either – cow fencing:

The biggest stretch of fast work on this trail was along a vehicle path to a gate, with the two flattened trails where the tyres had been. There was a post halfway along that L said we’d slow for in case Sophie-Loaf took an aversion, but other than that we’d be cantering the whole thing but were to stop well in time for the gate even if we thought we could jump it! (A five-bar from the gallop on a huge, powerful horse I’d never jumped? No thank you – I signed up for hacking, not huntign).  As much as L tried to push Sophie, even shouting faster, it wasn’t enough for Corrie and Hutch. Early on, Hutch switched from the left tyre path that the two riders ahead were on, and as soon as we hit the right and had space in front of us, we galloped! It felt amazing: we were going faster than the railway line on the last galloping hack I had, as Hutch was in a livelier mood and the stretch wasn’t as long so he wasn’t as tired; there was also space to pass so no one held us up. The only problem with this was that when we powered up along Corrie at a gallop, Corrie wanted to race too, so cut us off, went into the right lane ahead of us, and Hutch and I had to go back to canter to let them in. P then was fighting to stop Corrie going past Sophie, but it would have been safe to pass as there was lots of room and she was under control. I certainly wouldn’t haven’t been trying to stop Hutch galloping if he got up beside her there as lead horse. I couldn’t ever win that argument! Anyhow, despite Corrie spoiling the fun, it was great to really open Hutch up, and in more open country than along the old railway line. It’s probably my favourite galloping experience so far: I just wished it was longer! It also felt like a snippet of a Common Ride, as it was through fields. I was impressed with Hutch thogh: despite being a Common Ride horse and fresh as a daisy, he did not tit around when we entered open fields. Lots of horses think it’s time for a hooly when they’ve grass under their feet: Hutch was a gentleman, and when he got bored waiting for L and P to get back on their horses, he was happy munching!

Unfortunately, the branches were so dense for most of this new rtoute, that was all our cantering on this hack over, and almost all of our trotting too. Some of the branches were so thick and so low that Corrie and I had to find different routes around the path to make it passable for us: only Sophie was small enough to fit under, and Whisperer followed us through probably would have made it  with Sophie at only 16hh or so. On our usual ride, I know where most of the killer branches are and can avoid them. The problem with putting your head down so the crown of the hat becomes your battering ram when you don’t know the place, is that you don’t know when to put your head up. I had to do some very quick ducking and re-ducking, but thankfully Hutch’s neck is a rather warm, comfy, nice-smelling place to be J

To come off the field-side circuit, we went past our original canter stretches to crossed the viaduct (a bridge we normally cross maybe 40mins into the ride, rather than over an hour into). On the way back, we were just about cantering when we heard a quad bike so loudly we swore it was coming head on toward us. We went from cnater to halt so fast, and I think all of us had a moment of panic about what Sophie would do. Thankfullly, the quad turned out to be on the hill above is and the sound was misleading. It did spoil things a big  though, as it was so hard to tell where it was and Sophie was so nervy, we walked the canter stretches. Hutch was NOT amused!

If you’ve seen the video of my last hack on Hutch, you know that big valley, with all the trees far below the bridge? To get home, rather than a long loop of road work and through the Glen, we hacked down that. valley The step off the path at the end of the bridge was really steep: Corrie did it, and his back legs slipped and careered into his front almost, looking a rather shaky and scary way to get down. I said “No, Hutch, you’re not slipping like that!” so leant back, slipped my reins like an eventer out on the XC course, and actually put my left hand on the cantle of the saddle, that’s how far back I needed to be and how much I felt I needed that extra bit of security! Sure enough, it worked: Hutch made it safely down without stumbling. As he usually does going downhill however, he trotted at the bottom as with his size, the momentum makes it easier for him to come downhill that way. Well, I made have slipped my reins like a pro, but I did not gather them up quick enough: think what happens when you see someone on a four star course with a narrow after a drop but no reins for steering… Yes, we had a sort of ‘run out’!

Having got off the steep edge safely, the path forked into two: the right was clearly often used, and had a nice gap between the foliage from foot to tip. The left however, was a solid rainbow of holly bush (the left and right holly bushes were literally growing into one another), and while a horse may just about scrape under, no rider was going to. I wonder if you can guess which route everyone else took, but which route my racehorse thought would be smart to take as I had no contact to steer, and so that he might cut ahead of Corrie?!  Yes, you guessed it folks! So, to the tune of Rockin’ Around the Xmas tree everyone: “Debra decked her skin with boughs of holly”…TOTAL KNOBBER! It hurt like feckery, and once I was through the bush and still in the saddle (I almost got hung in the bush, it was so dense I could barely push through), all I could do was laugh and call Hutch an eejit. The old me would probably have been left hanging those bushes after deliberately jumping ship, and probably a bit nervous that Hutch was happy to hurt me. Not now that I’m a confident rider: I thought it was hilarious, as did L when she turned round to find out what the cloud of swearing followed by the laughing like a tit was about. It’s because my horse for the morning is a bit of a dude, and a thoughtless but funny knobber underneath it all. I <3 Hutch!

The rest of the ride was downhill pretty much, through forest and even over a narrow bridge, which I expected Sophie to freak out but she was great. While those first 10mins away from the yard were a slow, tedious walk because she kept napping and dancing up front, she’d really settled after that, and while L needed lots of leg, she never refused or looked at much again except the quad bike – she just needed a bit of encouragement to keep going. L was superb in backing her up, giving her confidence, and praising everything she did well. On the way home, we were so early that L actually took time to walk her up to strange things and let her nose about. I’ll tell you something for nothing, if ever I had a green or nervous hacking horse, I would trust L implicitly to hack it out and give it confidence. She’s done it with Sophie-Loaf, with Toby (who was so bad the yard sold him as a non-hacking horse, but L had always taken him out and perservered) and Lucky, who all the other ride leaders point-blank refuse to take out. It’s good to know that when I buy my horse, if I’m still living in Edinburgh, that I have someone I trust if I need to pay for a bit of professional schooling.

I don’t know what it is about riding so much downhill, but my hip flexors were especially sore by the end of the hack, and my toes particularly asleep. I usually ride home without stirrups along the river, but I didn’t today as Hutch was deliberately dropping off so he could trot and catch up, and we were both thinking we would get to canter home like A lets us. Not today: not only has L never lead a canter there while I’ve been out, we were also home 15mins early by my watch. If we’d done anything other than walk back, it would have been worse!  Still, I’m sure there has been or will be days where we’ve been out a bit longer than 2hrs, so I wasn’t complaining. L’s policy is that if she’s not enjoying the hack and is bored, then her clients must be too, which is why she consulted with us and planned a different route out in her head for variety. The enthusiasm for which she talks about her customers and making them happy is second to none: in fact, it’s the type of talk I’ve never explicity heard in the equestrian world before. I was more than happy to have had such a different experience: a slower, more scenic hack with no real road work, yet still a few (albeit unplanned) gallops in there. There would have been much more fast-work too if the branches weren’t so thick. I hope I don’t have to wait months for an L hack again: they’re too good to miss!

We got back on the yard, and Hutch trotted and jogged almost solidly from the river to the stables: he’d come home as fresh as he’d gone out. I took my time to try and get the feeling back in my toes, but it wasn’t fully happening, so I hopped off anyway. My feet landed too close to Hutch though, so I bounced backwards: the first bounce was fine, but the second step led to me overbalancing and I feel flat on my arse! Still, it is better padded than it has ever been sadly, but I got straight up, and as usual, I was laughing. Also, no one bothered when I fell: no on rushed over or shouted was I alright; I clearly was in good humour, and Hutch gave me the most comical “What on earth are you doing woman?!” type look. We also had a lovely cuddle before I sorted his leathers, girth and reins for going away.

I saw down in the sun by the office, chatted to the nice teen who complimented me on Ransom and said not a dicky-bird when I fell even though he was beside me. I was let in to get my bag, and was told I could sit there as long as I wanted as I looked very content! It’s true, I was, but I was in need of a shower and some lunch after such a warm morning. So, I booked my hack for next week (now tomorrow – yay!) and off I toodled, with bruises on my arms and scratches everywhere from holly, bracken and branches. I’m still smiling though: nothing can wipe that away!

My next challenge however, is seeing if I can record video while cantering: so that’s one handed in the two-point position without losing my Blackberry to the forest and a stampede of hooves. I daren’t unless I can find a way of tying my phone to my person though. I have an idea mind you, and just need to find my old lanyard. Watch this space!