Brave pants - first hacking out in a year

[Surbie]

My horse was off work for 9 months. He hasn't hacked out in a year and has moved yards in that time. Horse is a wuss and I can be a bit nervy so don't always manage to inspire confidence. Hacking is something I want to do more of, but is how I had a nasty fall some years ago.

Today I put my brave pants on and went for a short hack with a couple of others. Just a potter around the lanes, but we staunchly went through a narrow & dark hedgey track, past wheelie bins, houses & cars with flags fluttering, sheep, a chainsaw being used close to the track and a very big tractor idling by a field gate.

There were 2 minor spooks (first when a pony stuck his head through the hedge to say hi, one just after calmly going past the bleedin' tractor) and he was on his toes a bit.

I am so pleased with him - he was very looky but he hasn't been out in AGES, it ended on a really good note and all the ditziness was on the way out. And for the most part I did remember to breathe.

Pic added just because he's started letting me come up to him while he's lying down. Previously he's always got up when I'm 10 yards away.

 

[BeckyFlowers]

That's great, well done! I did a little LOL when I read about the pony sticking its head through the hedge. Lovely photo of your horse too.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Congratulations ..keep it up..little and often and I hope full confidence will return.

 

[LaurenBay]

Well done

 

[YatesE]

That's lovely, keep on having fun

 

[Surbie]

Bravest little horse EVER did the little hack around the roads today for the first time at his new yard.

Went past the looong land drain that's being built (cones, flappy tape and plastic barricades) and was mostly calm through his first underpass (some snorting and a small shy at the gutter on the far end and the terrifying drain). Behaved impeccably in traffic, even with an idiot car revving behind him when it couldn't go past.

*bursts with pride* Love, love, LOVE him!!!

 

[BeckyFlowers]

That's so lovely to hear!

 

[Rumtytum]

Well done both of you, he sounds a lovely boy, you are so lucky to have found each other

 

[JenniD]

That's really lovely! He sounds an absolute sweetie. You really are brave I shall have to get some pants of my own!! Well done.

 

[Surbie]

Thank you - I am still pinching myself that I have him. And that he didn't spot I was bricking it through the underpass and at various other points.