NeilM
Well-Known Member
My OH and I found a fantastic B&B with livery this summer close to the Quantock Hills, and as a birthday present for my OH, I took us all down there again for the weekend.
We found some lovely woods when we were there in the summer, so on Saturday morning off we went to explore some more. All was well and going nicely, we had the entire place to ourselves as it had been raining heavily an hour before we set off. Trundling along a track we came to a couple of fallen trees, not that big and certainly navigable, but right across the path.
Harry decided that the best way over the first tree was to jump it. This plan would have been sound, if not for the second tree about a yard beyond the first which would have neatly brushed me right of the silly b*ggers back. I hopped off and H stepped over the first tree and the just managed to squeeze under the second. This immediately posed a problem as Folly is just a tiny bit bigger than H. So I had to turn H round, holding his reigns, get my shoulder under the tree and then lift it so Fol could get under. Imaging the scene, brown pony, rider, second rider of ginger pony all crammed into a small area adjacent to a fallen tree, with ginger pony the other side of the tree, saying "you're not getting me under there!".
On the second attempt we succeeded and both ponies got lots of fuss and were both told how clever and brave they were. Excitement over, now we could get on with our ride.
A little further up the track from the trees, we discovered a muddy stream crossing. Harry was game for it, but kept trying to get into the stream down a sheer drop of a couple of feet. Fol was not keen at all, so my OH hopped off and led her through. At about the half way point, my OH discovered that there was mud, lots of it and the boot she had on were a brand new pair of Ariats! Ah well, that was them christened, now, on with the ride.
Some while later, as we were on a loop, we came to another crossing of the same stream, this one was less muddy than the other. Once again Fol led the way and started to paw at the water (which she has done plenty of times in the past), as Harry and I were getting a bit bored with all this, we rode past Folly and left her splashing in the mud. I turned round to speak to my OH and Fol's body language was that of a horse just about to roll, so I said "you'd better move her she....." SPLOSH. Fol's legs retracted in one swift movement, and complete with my OH she plopped down onto her belly and chest in the mud
At this point, my slightly amused OH became my shouting and kicking OH, determined that she was not about to get the same coating that her Ariats had recently received. In a most impressive movement, Fol raised herself, first her front and then back in a manner reminiscent of a scene from the film 'The Outlaw Josie Wales".
After, that, with the exception of Harry hearing something, getting excited and galloping up a hill flat out, we had a nice quiet ride back to the B&B.
How was your riding this weekend?
We found some lovely woods when we were there in the summer, so on Saturday morning off we went to explore some more. All was well and going nicely, we had the entire place to ourselves as it had been raining heavily an hour before we set off. Trundling along a track we came to a couple of fallen trees, not that big and certainly navigable, but right across the path.
Harry decided that the best way over the first tree was to jump it. This plan would have been sound, if not for the second tree about a yard beyond the first which would have neatly brushed me right of the silly b*ggers back. I hopped off and H stepped over the first tree and the just managed to squeeze under the second. This immediately posed a problem as Folly is just a tiny bit bigger than H. So I had to turn H round, holding his reigns, get my shoulder under the tree and then lift it so Fol could get under. Imaging the scene, brown pony, rider, second rider of ginger pony all crammed into a small area adjacent to a fallen tree, with ginger pony the other side of the tree, saying "you're not getting me under there!".
On the second attempt we succeeded and both ponies got lots of fuss and were both told how clever and brave they were. Excitement over, now we could get on with our ride.
A little further up the track from the trees, we discovered a muddy stream crossing. Harry was game for it, but kept trying to get into the stream down a sheer drop of a couple of feet. Fol was not keen at all, so my OH hopped off and led her through. At about the half way point, my OH discovered that there was mud, lots of it and the boot she had on were a brand new pair of Ariats! Ah well, that was them christened, now, on with the ride.
Some while later, as we were on a loop, we came to another crossing of the same stream, this one was less muddy than the other. Once again Fol led the way and started to paw at the water (which she has done plenty of times in the past), as Harry and I were getting a bit bored with all this, we rode past Folly and left her splashing in the mud. I turned round to speak to my OH and Fol's body language was that of a horse just about to roll, so I said "you'd better move her she....." SPLOSH. Fol's legs retracted in one swift movement, and complete with my OH she plopped down onto her belly and chest in the mud
At this point, my slightly amused OH became my shouting and kicking OH, determined that she was not about to get the same coating that her Ariats had recently received. In a most impressive movement, Fol raised herself, first her front and then back in a manner reminiscent of a scene from the film 'The Outlaw Josie Wales".
After, that, with the exception of Harry hearing something, getting excited and galloping up a hill flat out, we had a nice quiet ride back to the B&B.
How was your riding this weekend?
He was not OH's favourite horse that evening 
