Excited/nervous

Crosshill Pacers

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 May 2012
Messages
1,338
Location
Lanarkshire
Visit site
Last night I popped over to the yard (see blog for background) to muck out and my boss tells me that he's 'had the saddle' on Big Mac. Big Mac is approximately 17hh (we haven't officially measured him) and built like a brick outhouse. He is what I would describe as a 'whomper'.

Anyway, my boss has decided we are going to ride him. He looks 'quiet enough', and his hopples are rubbing slightly despite being 63 inches when he's in harness. He wants him to develop a strong pace instead of the flat canter/wobble he's doing at the moment on the corners, and thought riding him, coupled with jogging him free-legged, might be good for him.

The problem is at the moment, we can't find a girth that's long enough to get around him! I think I might have one at home, so I plan to root around this weekend and find it. If that fits, I have volunteered to 'have a go' on him :o I think when I said that I was dizzy from all the straw I had been launching around the place. I don't know what came over me. Six months ago I was too scared to get on my own horse.

Now I'm nervous because I'm going to be riding a new horse, but also kind of excited because this is the sort of thing younger Sarah would have done. I used to ride out for my boss when I was 16 and never batted an eyelid at whatever horse he put in front of me. I also think he's trying to condition me for the saddle races, which I have categorically said I am not doing. He seems to think that Big Mac is the perfect size, seeing as I'm so concerned about my weight!

I'll keep you updated via my blog as to how Big Mac and me get on with our riding adventures :eek: wish me luck!
 
It's just been reintroduced under British Harness rules for 2013...it's common under Wales & Border Counties rules (I entered my mare in Caersws last year on a whim and got my friend to ride her, I found the whole thing almost too funny to watch for some reason!). I've got a photo somewhere, will dig it out.

They raced under saddle in BHRC up until six or seven years ago, my boss' daughter was the last winner of the saddle race in Appleby, drove up from mid Wales, rode their home-trained 10-1 outsider and romped home :) apparently there was a major accident at Tir Price where someone was seriously injured though and that sort of put the scuppers on it.
 
B&A - I managed to find the pic:

picture.php


Technically she's not racing at the time the photo was taken (she's going the wrong way for a start!), but as I explained to her rider I was too busy laughing at my poor Big Ears during the race to focus on taking a photo!
 
Top