Dramatic hack!

[Shantara]

Who ever said Happy Hackers just plod around the country side was lying!

I decided to take Ned a little further today, it was mainly fields so I figured it wouldn't be too hard on him.
We went to a country park, where horses are allowed around the edge of the lake I've ridden there before, but not on Ned.

It all started really well, he was calm and stood while I got off to open a gate (usually I don't, but it was impossible to do from his back!) AND then let me back on again

He was really good in the fields and on the roads. We reached the park and I thought we'd have a nice potter around and then go home and for a while we did...

...until the swans came.

I hadn't accounted for all of the water birds! He was perfectly ok with them until a flock of 6 swans took off, then landed again! It was an awful racket and something that he's never ever seen before!!
He stood and stared in horror, then grew 10 hands and started dancing on the spot!

To make matters worse, a mobility scooter came past! (they were fabulous, stopped but kept talking so Ned knew they were human!) He was practically galloping on the spot by now!!

Though I am so so proud of him. It was obvious he was terrified and wanted to bolt, but he contained himself and walked, even if it was a rather quick walk!


We got back in one piece!

Before the Swan attack

Thankful to be home!

 

[Love]

Bless him, what a handsome boy he is!

 

[Madam Min]

Awww we had a hack bit like that a few weeks ago, nag had a total melt down at sofa with a dingy on top ( both had been fly tipped into a hedge) we got past eventually and to be fair something like thats not an everyday occurrence!

 

[webble]

Well done both of you he is lovely, I like your ear covers

 

[TrasaM]

Oh no! Not the fearful horse eating swans! Asbo cob was the same about them. Almost jumped out of his skin when they suddenly appeared behind the hedge in the flooded field next to him last year. He's been a bit off birds ever since

 

[Bucks Fizz]

Sounds eventful! Haven't encountered swans when riding before! Whereabouts in MK was this just out of interest?

 

[Shantara]

Hehe, glad Ned isn't alone in his swan hatred!!


Bucks Fizz - It's in Emberton park, near Olney

 

[Shantara]

YUK YUK YUK!!!

Just been to see the ponies and it is VILE out there. Very spooky too, I couldn't see them, just 4 glowing eyes :O
I can feel a MW rug coming on :\

 

[Bucks Fizz]

I don't know that side of MK but sounds nice (apart from the swan attack!), it's probably doable from where I am so might give it a go one day

 

[Shantara]

I don't know that side of MK but sounds nice (apart from the swan attack!), it's probably doable from where I am so might give it a go one day

It's not a big hack, but it's nice! You can go around the park and across the fields to make it a bit longer when they're dry, they're FAB to gallop

 

[Wobblywibble]

We used to regularly encounter swans, going round the edge of a lake in a country park. Always on the way home so we had no choice but to go past. Many shut your eyes, hang on to a bit of mane and kick moments happened, specially when they had cygnets, but once they would NOT get off the path so my friend got off and herded them away, whip outstretched whilst I and the two horses just watched in disbelief.

 

[Bucks Fizz]

It's not a big hack, but it's nice! You can go around the park and across the fields to make it a bit longer when they're dry, they're FAB to gallop

It's about 6 and a half miles from me so plenty of exercise there and back! Will probably wait a couple of months until it gets too cold to rain - don't like to get caught in a downpour on a long hack!

 

[Brummyrat]

This brings back painful memories! Out riding in our local park one sunny sunday morning a few years ago we encountered a swan in full take-off mode. My boy completely lost it and I was dumped on rock hard ground before he disappeared into the sunset. The bruise on my bum was black for weeks afterwards!

 

[foo2]

Reminds me of a hack not so long ago when I took my boy out, we'd stopped on a bridge over a river when he spotted a swan swimming downstream....he was a little a spooked when it 'disappeared' under his feet but when it decided to fly out the other side, the sound was so loud we both got spooked! Ended up getting home quite quickly...