Cotswold Farm Park Fun Ride - yesterday 13/05/12

Lanky Loll

Lanky Loll

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With so many events cancelled and over 200 people taking part yesterday I can't believe I would have been the only HHOer there???

It was a fantastic day for it, the ground was incredible considering the rain we'd had, only really sticky through some of the wooded bits (no jumping there anyway) and in the very last run of jumps - we'd done enough by that point so just jumped the wall into the field and left the last two.

So come on stick your hands in the air if you were there :)

I was on the big bay TB turquise coat / gold hat with my SIL on a little bay warmblood pink/blue BP.
 
Some friends of mine went. I couldn't go as my pone isn't fit enough, but I hacked out yesterday and was quite surprised at how much the ground had dried out, I'm not far from the farm park.
 
marmalade76 said:
Some friends of mine went. I couldn't go as my pone isn't fit enough, but I hacked out yesterday and was quite surprised at how much the ground had dried out, I'm not far from the farm park.
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Shame you couldn't attend, there was an option to take a shorter route but not sure how much that cut off. With all the hills and the warmer weather it did take quite a lot out of them, though thankfully ours finished still walking out and feeling like they'd carry on :)
 
And for those that were there the pics are online already, think I'm going to order mine :)
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/equisnaps/photo?photo_id=7480976090
(although I'm sure it was bigger than that ;) ) I'm a big woosy pants and some of the fences yesterday were bigger than anything Loll and I have jumped before, and she only came out of racing 3 months ago so I was really pleased with her :D
 
Thanks both - I haven't competed for 14 years so anything that I do that results in any kind of frilly (even just for completing like yesterday) results in a big grin :D
 
Mozlar you should definitely give it a go - we were really impressed with the range of fences by height and type and the route as well, varied terrain and lovely surroundings. Our only grumble was there were no refreshments at the half way point - there is a pub offering bacon butties at £3 a pop but you need to be able to go in on foot which isn't very helpful :( There are however decent loos, and a cafe (and facilities for the horses of course) back at the Farm Park.
 
Here in France, the Riding groups offer a substantial breakfast at the half way point.
We, as Organisers, provide a full cold buffet, a little rustic sometimes, a choice of drinks ranging from water, fruit juice, coffee and of course, several colours of the local brew!
The rest of the ride can be interesting to say the least, and to pick up on another thread, the children have to wear hat, lots of adults dont ...grrrr
I think the farm park is the one on Countryfile?, if so, I think its brilliant, would love to give it a go, and just off to see your pictures, well done everyone!
 
JCWHITE said:
Here in France, the Riding groups offer a substantial breakfast at the half way point.
We, as Organisers, provide a full cold buffet, a little rustic sometimes, a choice of drinks ranging from water, fruit juice, coffee and of course, several colours of the local brew!
The rest of the ride can be interesting to say the least, and to pick up on another thread, the children have to wear hat, lots of adults dont ...grrrr
I think the farm park is the one on Countryfile?, if so, I think its brilliant, would love to give it a go, and just off to see your pictures, well done everyone!
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It is the one from Countryfile and I got my frilly from the man himself on checking in :D Being there also means that any waiting helpers have something to do - yesterday they had a food and farming festival to wander round as well.

Your ride catering sounds incredible - the most we usually get offered is a cup of squash and a biccy or piece of cake!

Hat's for all and BP's are recommended :)
 
How 'busy' is it? I want to take my tb to something like this but no idea how he'll behave, do you get a lot of overtaking?
 
really depends on the day, if you go later on, personally I think its less busy because earlier on in the day you get those who just use it for getting their hunters, eventers fit because it is just brilliant. I took my lad for the first time on a fairly busy day - he kind of coped but not sure he would now as has decided that unless his in front out hacking his going to have a complete breakdown! :rolleyes:
 
Dizzle said:
How 'busy' is it? I want to take my tb to something like this but no idea how he'll behave, do you get a lot of overtaking?
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They said yesterday it was the busiest it had ever been with 200 people starting between 9 and 1!

There wasn't much overtaking tbh - we over took a few people but always in walk, it was all very polite ;) there generally seemed to be about a field between each group of people, over taking tended to happen on the "roads and tracks" bits in between fields where no one was really travelling at speed - some people would trot on to gain a bit of space, we'd try and hang back a bit too but then if we couldn't help it would just ask to come past and let the natural pace take us on out of the way.
Have to say I was really pleased with our two - canter and jumped then walked on a loose rein to the next bit, especially as it was the WB's first ever party at 4yo and Loll's first non-racing party in over 2 years (I did a fun ride on her after we broke her in, before she went into training) so I was a little apprehensive that she'd think she was back on the track but she settled straight away :D
 
Hmmmm, think I'll work on building up the number of hacking partners at the yard and then see how we go. I might cub him in the autumn so I want to get him doing something like this first!
 
I don't live far away at all but didnt even realise they did it so often! Might take one of mine along for a bit of an outing next month providing good ground.
 
Doh! Glad to hear it was good yesterday - would be interested to know if the route was very different but difficult to tell I suppose! I'd have like to have been there but my partner in crime was AWOL yesterday :(

IBG - they run most month's - I think they have a break around harvest time but they try and run through the winter as well.
 
I've done it about 6 times now in the last 21/2 years and the routes not differed but there is the option of the long and short route. :)

I was thinking might go next month but he was so well behaved this time bit worried he'll remember it and turn into a monster next time! :rolleyes:
 
Miss Bean said:
I've done it about 6 times now in the last 21/2 years and the routes not differed but there is the option of the long and short route. :)

I was thinking might go next month but he was so well behaved this time bit worried he'll remember it and turn into a monster next time! :rolleyes:
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Pants - thought the route might change or at least alternate by month or something as there were quite a few fences that were not included in the one we did (wired off etc) and when I looked at some of the pics online there were a few taken over fences that I don't remember jumping i.e. June 2011 over the V fence :confused: (unless that was one of the jumps I just shut my eyes and kicked on at :o :p) I'll definitely be going again this year anyway, thought it was one of the much better rides in terms of the variation in fences.
 
to be honest, I wouldn't be able to tell you whether the jumps had changed or not as this is the first time I have ever jumped there :) my old mare couldn't jump and I'm only just beginning to get brave enough to jump small logs, but next time :D

I think some of them looked a bit newer this time though!
 
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