Jenni_
Well-Known Member
Went a bit of a day trip from Edinburgh to Dumfries to take part in their Boxing Day Meet. Felt sick the whole way down and wondered what on Earth I was letting myself in for 😂
We predominately 'do' dressage - I'm one of those horrific matchy matchy bling folk, but we stripped that off for the day and dressed up in our finest plain get up.
She’s a mare that can be a bit backwards thinking and I thought it may either make or break her... apart from being a bit excited and not really wanting to stand at the start she was super- she behaved much better than I thought she would and she loved it. When we set off she gave me a brilliant ride, and the brakes worked!! Really lovely, safe galloper. Even managed to gallop down hill! We bowed out just before 2pm as we had a hack back to the box and she really had been very good and was starting to get a bit bored of standing, so thought it best to end safe, in one piece and on a high. She arrived back at friends yard still full of running and feeling like she could go again.
Dumfries were a lovely, welcoming hunt. There were plenty words of encouragement uttered my way.
It's been a childhood dream of mine to hunt my own horse and not a hireling... but if you'd asked me a year ago if I thought I'd hunt this mare I'd have laughed you off due to various confidence knocks and the fact she is a bit of a handful. I am very proud that my nerve held enough to get me out there! Hoping that this coupled with common riding will get me confident enough across country again to eventually help me fulfil my last tick on the dream list - eventing.
Certainly won't be the last time I have her out - and maybe next time I'll let the handbrake fully off and try a couple of fences
She’s had a tough year with really bad ulcers, and I’m not 100% sure she’s totally fine, but it was nice to see her having fun yesterday!
And doing what an Irish Bog Horse does best... wallowing in a bog
And here she is in her day job - not a bit of mud in sight and me looking less petrified 😂 (jpegs purchased from Equiscot with permission to post)
We predominately 'do' dressage - I'm one of those horrific matchy matchy bling folk, but we stripped that off for the day and dressed up in our finest plain get up.
She’s a mare that can be a bit backwards thinking and I thought it may either make or break her... apart from being a bit excited and not really wanting to stand at the start she was super- she behaved much better than I thought she would and she loved it. When we set off she gave me a brilliant ride, and the brakes worked!! Really lovely, safe galloper. Even managed to gallop down hill! We bowed out just before 2pm as we had a hack back to the box and she really had been very good and was starting to get a bit bored of standing, so thought it best to end safe, in one piece and on a high. She arrived back at friends yard still full of running and feeling like she could go again.
Dumfries were a lovely, welcoming hunt. There were plenty words of encouragement uttered my way.
It's been a childhood dream of mine to hunt my own horse and not a hireling... but if you'd asked me a year ago if I thought I'd hunt this mare I'd have laughed you off due to various confidence knocks and the fact she is a bit of a handful. I am very proud that my nerve held enough to get me out there! Hoping that this coupled with common riding will get me confident enough across country again to eventually help me fulfil my last tick on the dream list - eventing.
Certainly won't be the last time I have her out - and maybe next time I'll let the handbrake fully off and try a couple of fences
She’s had a tough year with really bad ulcers, and I’m not 100% sure she’s totally fine, but it was nice to see her having fun yesterday!
And doing what an Irish Bog Horse does best... wallowing in a bog
And here she is in her day job - not a bit of mud in sight and me looking less petrified 😂 (jpegs purchased from Equiscot with permission to post)
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