Cannock chase trek tomorrow

[Kirstd33]

So excited as daughter and I are off for a 2 hr fast ride at Cannock Chase tomorrow! Feels a bit like betraying coblet and daughters share boy but we have no trailer and coblet is off games currently awaiting a lameness work up so we’re taking the chance to do some thing a bit different. Be an early start but looking forward to it, have any of you lovely lot been?

 

[outinthefens88]

Ridden Cannock under Endurance GB on several occasions. Last was a few weeks ago, lovely ride - a long 32 KM in sideways rain and four degrees though!

 

[outinthefens88]

By comparison when I rode the same ride last year it was 37 rising 38 degrees at re-vet at the end and big ginger lad was struggling to shed the heat despite having over 100 litres of water tipped over him...

 

[SEL]

Are you going with Lisa at the trekking centre? I used to ride over the Chase until we moved south 10 years ago and she'll make sure you have a good ride. I used to have great gallops up the fire breaks!

Lisa has got some cracking horses there now.

 

[Sparky Lily]

Yes, i used to ride on Cannock Chase, many years ago. The trekking centre is excellent. Have fun!

 

[Kirstd33]

Yes we’re riding at the trekking centre! I bought it as a gift for my teenage daughter and she’s as excited as me, I’ve been following her posts on FB and the horses look gorgeous

 

[outinthefens88]

Yes we’re riding at the trekking centre! I bought it as a gift for my teenage daughter and she’s as excited as me, I’ve been following her posts on FB and the horses look gorgeous

The scenery is gorgeous and the terrain is varied. I have been searching for photos of the occasions I have been but sadly I don't have any as on both occasions I have been we were covering the ground at speed and I have needed both hands on reins at all times!

 

[Tiddlypom]

You’ll have a great time . In my avatar I’m riding a horse from the trekking centre on an experienced riders’ morning ride.

Have a read of this thread:-

A fun afternoon's trekking on Cannock Chase

Operation 'get me fit enough to book on a multi day trail riding holiday' has now entered the third phase, after getting rather waylaid over the last year by post double covid fatigue. First phase was this time last year, returner riding lessons in the arena at an excellent local riding school...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

And this post.

I’m another who hasn’t a horse of my own that is fit enough to do anything with other than very gentle hacking, so I don’t venture much in this thread.

However, this (bought and paid for) pic is me yesterday enjoying riding a lovely horse (who was new to me) on a fabulous 2 hour morning all off road ride on Cannock Chase. Despite the desperately wet post Storm Babet wet ground conditions, the team took us on a route which had held up well and we were able to have a number of canters.

View attachment 125631

ETA added a video still
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The pro photographer was out again. I’m always rather when I first sit on a new horse, but as assured she gave me a fabulous forward ride. We were all dressed for it to be wet, but the rain finally mostly stopped just before we got going.

It is just so much fun. I wasn’t the only HHOer out.

ETA Part of yesterday‘s group on the Chase, with half of me and my mare on the far left coming into view .

View attachment 125632

I’ve got 13 more rides prepaid for . Two books of 6 and a single.

 

[Kirstd33]

Thanks both, CANT wait now as despite being owning my own we have no trailer and only really hack off our yard so I’m looking forward to some very different scenery. How were you matched up with a horse? Was that done for you before you got there? When I booked I gave our heights and weights, I’m a bit pint sized so could I ask for something on the smaller size? (My own coblet is 14.1)

 

[Tiddlypom]

There’s a wide range of horses and ponies. As first timers you’ll get first dibs on the horses who are on that ride. You go out to the mounting area where the horses are tied up and the staff will ask you about your previous riding experiences and your preferences. Don’t be afraid to say if you’d like a steadier or a whizzier horse - I prefer steadier.

The horses are all stood up individually to a mounting block and are held while you get on, and adjust your stirrups. It’s very professionally done.

 

[Kirstd33]

Oh my! It was fantastic, 2 hours of fairly fast riding all over the chase on 16.2 handof gorgeousness mare called Arizona! She was forward and responsive but also sensible and sure footed and felt huuuggee after my little 14.1 coblet! My daughter rode the equally gorgeous Lola, a 15.2 section d who right away sensed her nervousness on the first canter and dialled it back accordingly for her to regain her balance. I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone regardless of their own horses, for the beautiful well schooled horses, lovely off road hacking and delightful chat with Lisa the owner and her collection of ladies that also came out. Just pure relaxation and blowing some cobwebs away. We’ll definitely be back there in the summer to see the heather on the chase and the lovely Arizona

 

[SEL]

Oh my! It was fantastic, 2 hours of fairly fast riding all over the chase on 16.2 handof gorgeousness mare called Arizona! She was forward and responsive but also sensible and sure footed and felt huuuggee after my little 14.1 coblet! My daughter rode the equally gorgeous Lola, a 15.2 section d who right away sensed her nervousness on the first canter and dialled it back accordingly for her to regain her balance. I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone regardless of their own horses, for the beautiful well schooled horses, lovely off road hacking and delightful chat with Lisa the owner and her collection of ladies that also came out. Just pure relaxation and blowing some cobwebs away. We’ll definitely be back there in the summer to see the heather on the chase and the lovely Arizona

So pleased to hear you had a good time. Arizona is one of Lisa's homebreds I think from her gorgeous warmblood stallion.

I really, really miss riding on the chase. Too much roadwork around here.

 

[Kirstd33]

Yes that’s her! The stunning stallion Zidane was parading round the front paddock when we arrived

 

[Tiddlypom]

So pleased that you both had such a good time! It’s a great place.

This is me on the lovely Arizona last autumn. She is a sweetheart, and is such fun to ride.

 

[2ndtimearound]

I’m glad you had a good time, @Kirstd33. It’s pretty much my second home! I normally ride there every Saturday morning, but I managed an extra ride on Thursday this week too as I had a week off.
Arizona and Lola are both great, though Arizona is a bit big for my stumpy legs. The wee mare in my avatar is Lisa’s Wispa, who is my best girl. It’s such a fabulous place to ride.

@Tiddlypom, you definitely need to get another ride booked in - not seen you for ages!

 

[Kirstd33]

So pleased that you both had such a good time! It’s a great place.

This is me on the lovely Arizona last autumn. She is a sweetheart, and is such fun to ride.


View attachment 136277

She was amazing and I swear her ears were pricked forward for the whole 2 hours and she never even broke a sweat! Those horses are so fit and really seem to love their jobs, that’s a gorgeous photo xx

 

[Kirstd33]

I’m glad you had a good time, @Kirstd33. It’s pretty much my second home! I normally ride there every Saturday morning, but I managed an extra ride on Thursday this week too as I had a week off.
Arizona and Lola are both great, though Arizona is a bit big for my stumpy legs. The wee mare in my avatar is Lisa’s Wispa, who is my best girl. It’s such a fabulous place to ride.

@Tiddlypom, you definitely need to get another ride booked in - not seen you for ages!

Well I’m only 5ft 3 and 8.5 stone so was amazed when Lisa suggested Arizona but it may have converted me to bigger horses!

 

[2ndtimearound]

Well I’m only 5ft 3 and 8.5 stone so was amazed when Lisa suggested Arizona but it may have converted me to bigger horses!

One of the things I love about riding there is the chance to ride lots of different horses (I’m the same weight as you and 5’4”). Just this week I went from riding Barney on Thursday (who’s a 14hh Welsh B, I think) to Sahara on Saturday (16.2hh Oldenburg), both quite different but equally lovely!