Diary of a Rusty Rider

jojo5 said:
Greymare - what happened to you?
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Hi JoJo5, I was following jen's blogs with great interest as rturning to riding myself aftr an enforced 9 year break following divorce. Long story short got a new horse 2 weeks ago and she had mounting issues which we thought we had overcome as great success for 4 days on the trot then she threw me on yard whilst mounting and I ended up with stitches in my arm, black eye/lumpy nose and soft tissue bruising and torn ligaments to hip/back/leg so been on crutches for last 10 days housebound!! I decided to return her to dealer as I am unable to look after horse for a while, did not want anyone else to get hurt trying to sort out whilst i am laid up and frankly for it to occur again after seemingly being cured and in an 8/9 yr old otherwise very well schooled horse I fear it is a more deep routed problem which is likely to recur at any time, would never totally trust her. Luckily got her from a thoroughly reputable dealer so no real harm done but very disappointing and I am soooo bored!! Jen has been a great inspiration to me and I may do as she is doing before my next venture but having had horses most of my life it is the all encompassing lifestyle I miss :-)
 
Hope you're healing well greymare. How much longer are you on crutches for?

My horse-sharing has taken a knock - as I've misplaced my confidence, they don't want me to share Tom, as they don't want to be worrying about me out alone on hacks. It's fair enough, and they've said there may be a possibility or another horse (who I've hacked out once and is lovely) but I'm not sure.

Had a private lunge lesson today, and will write a report a bit later, but I really liked Tom, and I'm so annoyed with myself that it's not my ability that's let me down, but my stupid head :(
 
JenJ said:
Hope you're healing well greymare. How much longer are you on crutches for?

My horse-sharing has taken a knock - as I've misplaced my confidence, they don't want me to share Tom, as they don't want to be worrying about me out alone on hacks. It's fair enough, and they've said there may be a possibility or another horse (who I've hacked out once and is lovely) but I'm not sure.

Had a private lunge lesson today, and will write a report a bit later, but I really liked Tom, and I'm so annoyed with myself that it's not my ability that's let me down, but my stupid head :(
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Hi there, oh how I feel for you, it can all be so demoralising battling with your confidence/head - I totally empathise. All I can suggest is don't rush into any decisions, the right solution will come to you but equally please don't give up! I am healing well now thanks, black eye gone, elbow sore but nearly healed and nearly off crutches. Signed off until Monday and whilst I don't expect a miracle do hope to take a few steps at least by then. At A & E they suggested a month before I could ride and I laughingly said you must be joking, how about 2 weeks. Doc said ok maybe 2 weeks in a voice which really said 'you'll be lucky!" so it remains to be seen. Not in much discomfort now, just can't seem to weight bear enough on right leg to then move left to step forward, all very frustrating.
Jen, keep up the lessons and I hope you have a real break through, step forward soon but for what its worth I wouldn't take on a horse you are not really into just because it might fit the bill at this precise moment. Wait for the right opportunity and everything will feel so much more do able and fun - after all that is what we are looking for, lots of horsey fun, it is so elusive sometimes, don't remember it being at all complicated like this in my youth! xx
 
Ok, so...yesterday's report.

It was my first private lesson since I started the group lessons, and my first private lesson with Diane since my initial assessment back in May. The first thing that springs to mind is that half an hour feels incredibly short now!

I was on Patchwork, who I'd requested, and he is probably the yard favourite horse, being so good and easy to ride, and incredibly comfortable - in trot, you just feel like you're floating, so a nice choice for a stirrupless/reinless lunge lesson!

We worked on my position, where I need to sit up and on my seat bones rather than hunched forward a bit and on the front of my seat. It made me realise thought that I sit much better without stirrups, as I naturally sit tall and stretch my legs down in order to keep my balance. Guess if I do enough stirruples work that position will become second nature, whereas at the moment as soon as I get my stirrups back I tip forward again.

Diane gave me some tips that I'd not known before, and having been in the group lessons where there's less focus on you, had not been picked up. Mainly that my legs are in the wrong position and I use the bottom of my lower leg rather than the calf to give leg aids. Having done that for 3 months, when I tried using my calf yesterday it was almost ineffective, as the muscle is so weak. I'm also a little frustrated that I've spent the last 3 months relearning to ride, and now I find I've been doing it all wrong and have to start again.

As well as my position, we worked on downward transitions using my seat and legs (as I had no reins!). This was actually much better than the only previous time I'd tried this, and by the end I was getting the transitions pretty much on the marker. Sometimes, anyway.

There was a definite improvement by the end of the lesson, but of course without the very regular riding, I'm probably going to forget a lot of it before I next ride in the school. I'm hacking out tomorrow, so I can practise bits then.

With regards to sharing, I'm still disappointed, but it's not the end of the world. Nothing has changed from how it is now - I can still ride Tom in lessons/hacks, and if things work out with Ernie, great, and if they don't, I can work on my riding and in a few months maybe I'll be ready to share Tom.

Que sera and all that...
 
Just to add actually, my head has been all over the place in the last few weeks, and not just because of the loss of confidence in riding. I've been going through the interview process for a new job (which I got!) and on Thursday had to tell my boss I was resigning after more than 8 years at my current company. Also, I'm organising a big ultra marathon (the first race I've ever organised!) which is in 3 weeks, and along with some other stuff, my stress levels have been through the roof recently. I'm sure this hasn't helped with the tension.

Hopefully, this will all have calmed down over the next month or two, so hopefully my confidence will come rushing back...
 
sounds like you're back on track Jen, and whilst Tom sounds lovely he doesn't sound like the easiest horse to ride, so you're probably right to leave sharing him for a while!

when and where is your ultra marathon? I might try to persuade OH to have a go - he's been back up to running fitness again for a while and is needing a challenge!
 
I'm full for this year, (it actually filled up a year in advance!) but plan to run it next year in July, to make the most of longer daylight, and won't limit entries next year.

It's along the whole South Downs Way and is about 103 miles from start to finish. Minimum qualification will be a trail race of at least 50 miles.

There's a link to the race site in my signature.
 
Hi Greymare, sorry to hear that you had this problem. i had seen in the posts how you were looking for a horse, and then the next thing was that you were on crutches! Are you able to get your money back on the horse with mounting issues? Sounding like maybe a back issue, or something hanging over from a previous rider's mounting style?

It's so important to get a horse that suits you - and over the years I've seen tons of people who get themselves seriously over-horsed (not for a minute suggesting you here - just observing) usually because they are concerned about how they look with the new Showjumping Machine, or Eventing Star. You, I know, have been looking at all sorts before purchase.

Get well soon!
 
How odd.

Why is it that on Wednesday, I was too scared to canter Tom over some poles, yet today I did a 2 hour fast hack, on a very joggy and full of beans Tom, including two full pelt gallops over open heathland, without a moment's nervousness?

Fabulous ride. There were 4 of us - Matt, the escort on a very forward going Cha Cha, an instructor's daughter on a bouncy Apollo, another yard worker on Harvey, and me on Tom. So I wasn't exactly in the company of beginners. Yet even that didn't make me feel nervous.

We did the Esher Common 2 hour loop, except we went a quite fast so were slightly less than 2 hours. Tom was joggy from the start, and was raring to go. But as usual, he was very soft in the mouth and went at the speed I asked. It spattered with light rain a few times, but on the whole we had fine weather.

We did a lot of trotting through the bridlepaths to get to Esher, then had a fast canter up the hill once we'd reached the common. Then hit the sand track on the heathland and we were off, but rather than stop where we usually do, this time we continued on for what seemed like ages to have a really nice long gallop.

Then a breather, followed by another one. Tom was fabulous as usual. Then he jogged most of the way back in order to keep up with Cha Cha. I was feeling so happy on him that we even diverted to pop over a couple of logs (about 6 inches high!). Then when Apollo diverted to jump over a bigger log, I was tempted to follow, but I'd left it too late and so carried on. Next time.

This was definitely one of the best rides I've had recently, and I just find it so odd that I can be so full of nerves one day, yet have not a trace of them today.

Stupid head.
 
I got a call on Friday to ask if I could ride someone else on Sunday as Rowan was going away for pentathlon. That was fine, but I was pleased to note how disappointed I was that I wouldn't be seeing him for 3 whole days. Goodness, I sound like a lovesick teenager!

So today I was on Ernie, who I've only ridden once before - on my first ever hack from Chessington, on the hour route. He was a very good boy, but quite lazy and I had to work hard to keep him walking on nicely. It was just myself and the escort today on Sol, who also had an attack of lazyitis.

We did the same 2 hour route as the last few hacks, but no flat out gallops this time. We did have quite a few canters, but Sol was lazy enough that after 15 or so strides, he'd break back into trot and that would be that. So we had a lots of short canters, but nothing 'proper'.

The lady on Sol did apologise for the lack of fast canters, but it's not all about going fast. The ride did make me appreciate how forward going Tom is though, and I'll try and stick to hacking him out in future (he's currently lame) when I ride a school horse.

It was good practice to be on a horse that needed so much work though, as judging from how he is in the school, Ronan will be similar to how Ernie was. Oh, yes - apparently his name isn't Rowan, it's Ronan. I'm really not convinced I want to be the owner of a horse called Ronan - is it still unlucky to change names?

I'm back on Ronan tomorrow, for the day ride, which as I understand it is basically a mounted pub crawl. I'm ridiculously excited about seeing him again, which usually means it'll all end in disappointment (and tears!). Though given how much my seat and legs are aching after 2 hours on Ernie today, it may end in tears (of pain) anyway!

Oh well...I'll find out soon enough...
 
Hi Jen,
Good luck for tomorrow on Ronan (doesn't have to be almost the 'Barbarian'[is that Conan?], could be a big softie like Ronan Keating.....). You'll have to sneak in a few trial bits like letting the ride get ahead of you, and asking Ronan to stop for a minute to see if he stands, maybe even turning him away very briefly; not doing whatever pace the rest of the ride is doing etc, etc. Of course, it's a balance between listening to you and annoying him when the others are having fun.... And if he is the horse for you, you will know it whatever he does. And for what it is worth, I think you are absolutely right to think that 'under-horsing' is good for you at this point - tons of confidence is what you need. Go, girl!!
 
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Hi I have just done a really lomg reply to you and when I tried to submit it seemed to have timed out. Can I get it back?
 
So I arrived in good time to say hello to Tom and see (with a hint of relief) that Ronan was tacked up ready for me, and that he hadn't disgraced himself over the weekend at the Pentathlon.

I found out there were 11 of us on the day ride, and was a little bit intimidated by riding in such a large group, so figured I'd try and get near the front and pretend no-one was behind me :D

As 10am neared, I got Ronan out and asked someone to take some photos of me on him. We then stood around waiting for ages as apparently the ride wasn't actually going until about 20 past. Oops. Ronan was very patient though and mostly stood still.

As we walked over to the livery yard side, Ronan was being a little lazy, as expected, and I figured I'd have to work hard on him the whole day. But once we'd got all the riders together and walked down the drive, he transformed and started walking out really nicely. Good, good.

He was fine on the road and the bridge over the very noisy A3, and then we trotted/cantered along the path next to the field. He was fine - quite eager, but the brakes worked. As we went along the bridle paths, I took advantage of the riders behind me having fallen back by letting the ones in front go on whilst I halted and made him wait, then did a few halt-trot-halt transitions, between the lead and back groups. He was very good.

Once we'd crossed back over the A3, we went on a route that is new to me (not hard - I've only done 2 there!) and had a few more trots where he was keen but stoppable. I did have to work on keeping him at a safe distance from the horse in front though.

We had a couple of canters on a grassy stretch along the path in the Country Park, and he kept putting his head right down and veering to the side. I was a bit unprepared and puzzled at first, but the next time I just made sure I held his head up and he seemed ok.

We stopped for lunch on a grassy area by a pub, and someone from the yard turned up with sandwiches and drinks, scoffed whilst we held the horses, all of whom were eager to get as much grass in their bellies as possible! Then we remounted, and I was chuffed that I managed to mount from the ground - I've only tried a few times since riding again, and it's not been pretty. Granted I cheated by lowering the stirrup about 6 holes, but most other people had to find something to stand on to clamber on.

I'd initially though we were going to ride out a long way and then ride back again, but it turned out we were doing lots of loops, so that we were never actually that far from the yard - handy I guess in case anything went wrong, and only once did we see the same bit twice.

Ronan had felt a bit tense when I got back on him, but didn't do anything worrying. We were going through a wooded area, when the escorts turned right onto a smaller path. Then was to turn into an 'interesting' decision, as we shortly found ourselevs ducking under *very* low braches, and walking down a thin path, and it became apparent that it was a footpath rather than bridlepath.

Rather than try and turn 11 horses round on a narrow path, we went on, but then the path kind of fizzled out. We had to pick our way through ferns and around trees and more low branches for around 10 minutes, until we eventually found a wide track again. With so many horses, I'm not sure what else we could have done. It was funny, but I ended up with a lot of scratches on my arms and neck, and a couple of the horses (escort and Ronan) were starting to get more wound up.

Back on the bridle path, the escort horse was getting joggy and going quickly, and the 3 other horses ahead would trot to catch up. Ronan became very joggy, and so I was trying to make him walk properly, then trot when I told him he could catch up. Trying, not necessarily winning - he was getting stronger and stronger. At one point, the track went downhill a bit, so I made him walk, but the all the others ahead trotted on, so when I asked him to trot he was some way behind, and cantered instead. And I just couldn't break him to trot until we reached them.

We then reached a couple of grassy tracks, and it was time to let off some steam. Ronan was good, but was getting stronger, and knowing that the escort horse was getting wound up I had to keep him away (by this point I was just behind the two escorts). But it was a nice track, and he was certainly controllable, if harder to stop, and he was enjoying it.

Then on (I think) the other side of the loop, we had another canter. I thought he'd bucked a couple of times before in canter, but no-one had noticed. This time however, after trying to run on, he most definitely bucked - big - and then bucked again. He tried to tank off a bit, but I brought him back and he bucked again - just in exuberance, but they were quite big. He was also trying to overtake a couple of horses, and I mentioned I was having issues so we all dropped down to a walk.

I then checked with those behind me what had happened, and they confirmed he'd done some big bucks, but that I'd apparently sat them well and looked fine. It's odd, as after the first one, when I was still tipped forward, he'd tanked off a bit, and then bucked again. I remember thinking at the time that I was a goner, and would come off, and accepting that must have helped me relax and stay on. How contrary.

After walking for a few minutes, the escort asked if I wanted to canter again and I said it was fine but I'd shout if I was in trouble. This time though, it wasn't me in trouble - Ronan had indeed bucked as soon as we cantered, but then the horse next to me copied and it was his rider to shout out. That was the end of the cantering!

Ronan was continuing to get more wound up though, and was constantly jogging, going sideways, and generally being tiresome. When we had to stop for a gate to be unlocked, as it took some time and he wouldn't stand still, we had a huge gap round us where everyone was keeping out of the way. I do like my personal space.

The escort's horse was also pratting about, and once she'd finished with the gate she came and spoke to me as we were riding along (everyone else in walk, her and myself prancing) and said that the likely reason was that both of our horses were quite unfit, had already been out for hours and were tired and aching, and were just being grouchy. Her words were of some comfort to me, as it was a situation he's unlikely to be in very often, so hopefully he'd usually be as he was this morning - forward, but with brakes.

Strangely, after we crossed one particular road, he went from being drenched in sweat and prancing around, to walking (actively, but walking) and gradually drying off. He then stayed calm until we got back to the yard. I don't know why he suddenly changed, as he doesn't know the area. I guess maybe once I knew we were heading home I relaxed a bit and he pickled up on that?

I was glad to get off, but that was probably more to do with having been riding for 5 hours than wanting to get off him particularly.

The ride gave me more confidence in myself, as he was being silly yet I was coping with it. Yes, a few times I did wonder if I should ask to swap, but never actually wanted to do that! It did make me lose confidence in him a bit. With Tom, I feel completely safe on him out hacking - I can stop him, he doesn't spook etc, yet with Ronan so wound up, and after the bucking and getting strong, I felt that at the slightest excuse he'd take off.

I think I need to make allowances though - he was on a non-typical ride. 11 horses, out all day, with the excitement of getting lost. Plus he'd gone away over the weekend to do pentathlon, and only arrived in the yard 10 days ago. He's still settling in. In terms of getting strong, he was in a plain snaffle and cavesson today, so there's a lot of scope to refine the braking system without getting severe.

I've got a lesson on him on Wednesday, then a 3 hour hack on Sunday. If he's how he was this morning, I'll put an offer in. If he's wound up, I'll maybe have to think about it. I don't want to be in the situation where a few weeks down the line I'm too scared to go near him. But I really can't see that happening - I'm probably just cautious after losing my confidence on Tom a couple of weeks ago. I don't want it to happen again!

In a way, he's even more perfect for me. Last time I though he might be a bit ploddy put hacking, turns out he's not. And he was a lot of fun.

Only mild annoying thing is that he shakes his head a lot, even with a nose net on, which stopped it completely in the school the other day. At the age of 12, if it's a habit, he's unlikely to get over it?

eta - bit of an essay! Sorry!
 
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jojo5 said:
Hi I have just done a really lomg reply to you and when I tried to submit it seemed to have timed out. Can I get it back?
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Oh no! I've done that myself before - so frustrating! If you're lucky, you may be able to hit the back button and it may have kept the text?
 
I've been all the way back through my pages and no luck. I'll do it again tomorrow night on Word and paste it in! Just in case it is useful.............
 
Well, I really really really want to buy him now.

Got to a fairly deserted yard, and discovered that something had come up and C was going to be delayed. I was supposed to be having a private lesson with her at the same time as D's group lesson, but wanting to try and make things easier, volunteered to do the group lesson instead. Perhaps stupidly, as it was doing this group lesson where my confidence started to disappear, as the others are all good riders.

We started off working in open order, and Ronan seemed very different to last week. He'd been quite lazy off the leg last week, but today he was very willing to go forward, and had obviously been used in some lessons in the school over the last couple of days, as every time we trotted into a corner he though we were about to canter.

I was a bit nervous on him at first, partly as he was so forward, but also due to the bucking from the other day. D picked up on this and expressed doubts about me buying him. But once we'd had a few canters, and I realised that although he went quite fast off the transition, I could slow him up and he wouldn't run off/buck me off, I started to relax and enjoy myself. I was tipping forward on him more than I usually do, which wouldn't have helped with the speed, (I think due to nerves) but I'm working on that.

Today's focus was on riding shallow loops, first in walk, then trot, then canter. Ronan was doing them quite nicely, though he is quite weak on the left rein. I was a bit nervous of cantering them, as in my mind I'm back to trying to just stay on the track and maintain canter, but actually, we did it well a few times. He broke the canter in the same place on the loop a few times, but the last time I did get him to keep in it.

We then went over a couple of cross poles/low poles on a figure 8 to finish, and he was lazy over them, but they were too tiny for him to respect, plus I still get het up about jumping and didn't push him on enough.

After the lesson, I felt I'd lost a bit of confidence, but having sat back and thought about it, I didn't. He was different to how I was expecting, which threw me a bit, and I was back in the group where I lost confidence, so I guess I was never going to come out of the lesson beaming at how well I'd done.

D was impressed that I'd done the loops in canter, as she didn't think I'd be able to, and having initially expressed doubts, saw no reason why I shouldn't buy him, providing I understand that I'm not going to immediately go off and do 3ft jumping classes! I'm more than happy to take things slowly - even if that's weeks of schooling in just walk and trot (although by the end of the lesson I'd lost all nervousness about cantering). He's actually an even better prospect than I thought, as I think I can have a lot of fun on him, and won't get bored and look for something else in a year.

I think I've pretty much made my mind up and will ask about getting him vetted. A few people have expressed doubts that he'd pass a 5 stage, but I want to get it done and then review the reasons he failed (if any!).
 
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Excellent news, you describe your feelings so well I feel as if I have ridden the lesson with you, having the same issues myself whilst still so rusty, and I can only say I have nothing but admiration for you and a little envious of how well you are progressing!!! He certainly sounds a horse who will keep you challenged and learning but in a positive way and certainly not too stodgy or boring thats for sure. Can't wait for next instalment, I think you are quite right to go for the 5 stage then review, a thorough vetting is always money well spent isn't it? Good luck, Yay!!
 
Thanks, I'm so excited now!

When I left the yard I still had an element of doubt, but having thought about it the whole cycle home, I'd decided by the time I got back.

I'm about to buy my first horse!!!!!!!
 
Hi Jen, I am another rusty rider as I restarted a year ago after a 10 year break, and I know you from CEC! I was on the hack on Monday (was on Patchwork ;) ) and used to be in the group lessons but I've just moved away from the area. I just wanted to compliment you on the very readable account - its been really interesting reading about someone elses journey back into riding. Anyway, good luck with Ronan if you decide to go for him and have a wonderful time at CEC. :)
 
Meep said:
Hi Jen, I am another rusty rider as I restarted a year ago after a 10 year break, and I know you from CEC! I was on the hack on Monday (was on Patchwork ;) ) and used to be in the group lessons but I've just moved away from the area. I just wanted to compliment you on the very readable account - its been really interesting reading about someone elses journey back into riding. Anyway, good luck with Ronan if you decide to go for him and have a wonderful time at CEC. :)
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Hello! I remembered you from before when I saw you last week - hadn't realised you'd moved from the area. Have you found someone to ride near you? (If not, move back!!!).

A lot of the day riders from last week went out today for a 3 hour (8 of us) and Ronan was a star! Report hopefully later, as I've still got Thursday's lesson report to do...:o
 
Brief, as I'm behind with reports and can't remember all the details anyway!

Was on Harvey today - I'd asked for Patchwork but he was needed for a private lesson :(

Harvey and Patch are the 2 yard favourites, as they're so good with beginners, but also for more experienced people. Oddly, though I've only ridden Harvey a few times, we've never clicked. He's very chunky and feels quite stiff to me, and rides big. On the other hand, for a confidence giving ride, he's great.

This lesson was a bit of a mixture in terms of confidence. My confidence on a horse improved, but confidence in my ability sank a little. There were just three of us - a helper on a green pony in front, myself, and then another rusty rider on Tom.

We did a lot of stirrup-less work, probably for more than half of the lesson, and including cantering circles without stirrups. I've only cantered without a couple of times, and as Harvey is quite big-striding, I was a bit nervous about bouncing off. So of course, as I do when nervous, I tipped forward. This did however give me a definite improvement to make, and I manage to almost lean back to get the transition and for a lot of the stirrup-less work.

My steering went to pot though. I don't think Harvey helped me much (at all!) but trying to cut corners, but it made me realise that despite Tom and Ronan being weaker on the left rein, it's actually me with the bigger problem - I seem to have little strength in my left leg. If a horse falls in on the right rein, I can usually push them back out and straighten them. On the left, I just struggle. How can I improve this out of the saddle?

The girl on Tom was doing well and he was going really nicely. This made me feel rubbish, as she hadn't ridden for 3 weeks, and was in the lesson when I fell off and Tom was being dilly. I felt a little pathetic that he was going so well for her, then felt more pathetic fro trying to compare myself to her.

S said to me that if I only take one positive from this lesson, it was that things clicked for me when I sat up. (I just need to do it more often!).

I did take another (huge?) positive though. I normally get a little het up when jumping, but for some reason, on this lesson, I was just very matter of fact about it, and didn't get nervous. As a result, instead of worrying about folding from about 6 strides out (over 2ft, lol) I just went over the jumps as if they weren't there. It was a bizarre, but calm, feeling. And I got a better result. Obvious really.
 
So, today! I loved it, from start to finish.

When I arrived, I saw Tom was tacked up and Ronan wasn't, and thought that maybe something was wrong with Ronan and I would be riding Tom instead. Disappointment was quickly replaced with relief, as I knew that I would have a good ride on Tom, but wasn't sure how Ronan would be. It turned out that I was on Ronan, and he just hadn't been tacked up yet.

I was a bit apprehensive at first, as I wasn't sure if I would get the Ronan from Monday morning, or the Ronan from Monday afternoon. I got a bit of a mixture, but in a really good way.

Again, he was very forward, and I kept myself up at the front. He looked at a few really scary things (cars) but didn't actually spook, and was feeling really good. We had a canter early on, and the brakes were much better with a dutch gag (second bottom ring) compared to the snaffle. I know everyone on HHO hates dutch gags, and no-one uses them (!) but the difference on Ronan was hauling on his mouth, fairly ineffectively, last week, and taking a gentle check every now and then today.

There were still 8 horses out today, and we were doing another long ride, so I wasn't sure if the same issues would happen again, in terms of him getting wound up. Having the brakes made me more confident that he wasn't going to tank off, which then helped him relax, and in fact he barely got wound up at all.

He was actually very controllable in all the canters, and we only had one exuberant big buck, which I'm rapidly learning to enjoy. I love that he has a little spark about him, and that he's so forward going when out, and that he's also responsive. I love him.

We went on some familiar tracks, and also some new tracks further out in Oxshott, which helped me to mentally put the routes together. Whenever I ride somewhere new, I realise just how fabulous the hacking is from Chessington. 3 hours, yet we crossed just a handful of roads, and rode along one residential street, the rest was all off road. And this within the M25.

I was chatting a lot to the escort, and was pleased to discover that she thought very much along the same lines as me with regards to hacking - just because the ground is suitable for cantering doesn't mean you have to, a 'canter' doesn't always have to be flat out gallop, and most importantly, that horses should get used to walking and trotting on the usual canter sections, rather than always think 'GO'. She invited me to hack out with her and a few others on Sundays once I've bought Ronan, and she'll teach me all the routes and the little loops etc to add on/short cut. I'll definitely take her up on that offer.

The whole ride was good, but the best thing was that Ronan gave me back my confidence in him. Last Monday afternoon, when he was being silly, I didn't know what he would do, and was nervous that with the slightest excuse, he would bolt. Today he felt bombproof. This was one of the best rides I've had this year - probably up there with the 2 hour hack on Tom a few weeks back, and knowing that he will soon be mine just made it all even better.

He is probably now the horse I have most enjoyed riding, prossibly ever, and I'm about to buy him.

I can't wait.
 
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