Anyone else disappointed with Newmarket Pleasure Ride today?

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juliette

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Just reflecting on the day and feel a bit disappointed, after really looking forward to today.
Chose the 15 mile option and was stunned to find that quite a lot of the ride was road work, incorporating 2 trips past Waitrose! The signing on the return stretch was non-existent and several of the volunteers helping at road crossing really didn't seem to know whether we were going the correct route back! (They were all lovely just not "in the know"). Spoilt what started out as a lovely ride.
Also quite shocked at how many people started the ride on the fast start canter/gallop route despite not having warmed up their horses. I was one of the few trying to preserve my horses tendons on the walk/trot "slow route" which joined the race course after about a mile and a half.
Nevermind, plenty more Pleasure Rides lined up so just put that one down to experience and avoid it next year.
 
I did the ride 3 years ago and said I would never do it again. We had planned on doing the longest route, but ended up cutting it short to the 15 mile ride. There was so much road work, Dolly got very nappy through the town, and I also found a lot of the concrete "rides" very slippery as they had been ridden smooth.

Mac did really enjoy the long gallops at the end though and tried racing a couple of little arabs. Was a sight to see!
 
I did it and we had an amazing time, I live in Newmarket so knew about the road work. It is more about getting the opportunity to ride on grounds that are usually out of bounds, it is not a 'normal' sponsored ride. I was fairly shocked at some riders, we did the long route and were saving our horses for the All Weather at the Al Bahathri, most people came galloping past us at every opportunity, I saw one horse that had obviously broken its wind the stupid girl had ridden it so hard. Also we did the fast route to start and just trotted it, the reason being that the last time I did the ride my horse could not cope with seeing the horses galloping up the hedge next to the road/railway line in the opposite direction to the one we were going. My horse injured his suspensory this time last year and has had a slow recovery, yet he is very fit and came back from the ride fit to go further and was sound this morning.
 
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Such a shame that you didn't enjoy it :O( We were going to do it but I only came back off holiday on Saturday and thought it may be a bit too much in one weekend plus I was worried about people galloping past us as my girl would of got herself in a right state and probably tried to tank after them, thought it may of been a little dangerous for us :rolleyes:
 
Hi - it was the second time I've done it yesterday and everything that could go wrong, did go wrong unfortunately, culminating with my poor girlie slipping over on one of the concrete paths as two IGNORANT riders thought it appropriate to trot past without calling out first totally tipping my already 'spritely' lady over the edge. Cue 3 skinned legs and a poor distressed horse walked back from the 8 mile option...... Not our day.
However last year, getting to let rip down the mile all weather gallop was without a doubt my horsey experience of a life time.......... Ying and the ying I suppose.
 
Hi Michaela, I actually loved it but didn't do that much as fell of at a good gallop on the "Rowley Mile" so only just started really, I'm fine this morning after having a hot bath with Epsom salts last night, I landed on my head.......the remains of a dead bird spooked my horse and he dropped his shoulder so didn't stand much chance really, the people running the ride were fantastic and picked me up, with a lovely man called Andy Snell taking my horse back for me, I will defo be back next year with slightly stronger brakes and a skull cap instead of a velvet hat......a lesson learned for me.....
Annie XX
 
amc said:
Hi Michaela, I actually loved it but didn't do that much as fell of at a good gallop on the "Rowley Mile" so only just started really, I'm fine this morning after having a hot bath with Epsom salts last night, I landed on my head.......the remains of a dead bird spooked my horse and he dropped his shoulder so didn't stand much chance really, the people running the ride were fantastic and picked me up, with a lovely man called Andy Snell taking my horse back for me, I will defo be back next year with slightly stronger brakes and a skull cap instead of a velvet hat......a lesson learned for me.....
Annie XX
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Ah, the killer dead bird - get them every time!! Lol!!!

I'm going for the stronger brake option too!!! Glad you're ok - see you there next year!!! :-)
 
Laafet said:
I did it and we had an amazing time, I live in Newmarket so knew about the road work. It is more about getting the opportunity to ride on grounds that are usually out of bounds, it is not a 'normal' sponsored ride. I was fairly shocked at some riders, we did the long route and were saving our horses for the All Weather at the Al Bahathri, most people came galloping past us at every opportunity, I saw one horse that had obviously broken its wind the stupid girl had ridden it so hard. Also we did the fast route to start and just trotted it, the reason being that the last time I did the ride my horse could not cope with seeing the horses galloping up the hedge next to the road/railway line in the opposite direction to the one we were going. My horse injured his suspensory this time last year and has had a slow recovery, yet he is very fit and came back from the ride fit to go further and was sound this morning.
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Wish we'd known you were ok to trot on the fast route start! Was "interesting" when our horses could see other horses galloping up the hedge whilst we were asking for walk!!!

Glad to say my horse was sound too.:)

Michaela so sorry to hear what happened to your horse, hope it is ok.
 
Shame about that, local knowledge came in handy I have to say. I think because it is not run by a horsey club etc there was poor information with regards to what the 'fast route' meant. We did most of it in trot, but there were plenty of people walking and it is a better route for the horses when fresh. When we did the slow route two years ago my horse was so confused he ended up refusing to go forwards, broncing in a backward motion and semi rearing (odd but it you had seen it you would know what I meant!). I have to say it was a massive relief to have a sound horse today, I still worry even thought my vets say he is fine now! We are going for the Thurlow Ride next.
 
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