Going on fun rides alone?

I went to one at Rother Valley, nearish meadowhall, and it was really good. It was run by Sports Endurance and was well organised despite the rubbish weather. I went with 3 others, as mine has a melt down if she is on her own, but there were lots of single riders.
 
RubysGold said:
Do you/have you been to a fun ride alone?

I really fancy going on some fun rides next year, maybe join the Endurance group for their non competitive rides. But I don't have any horse friends :(
Is it a REALLY bad plan to go alone??
I kept eyeing them up last year but not going because I couldn't get anyone to go with!

I would love to go on some of these rides in the countryside!
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I have always gone on my own. Just make sure you take a bum bag with a vetrap, a mobile phone (and put the event organiser/secretary's mobile phone number in your phone under 'Ride' in case you run into trouble). Also take a penknife as a bare minimum. Maybe that's me being over cautious but I have good reason.....it took me a long time to go on fun rides after losing my first horse as a result of a fun ride where a ditch was in disrepair (it was an old hunt fence) and it has all grassed over and my horse fell into it severely lacerating his fetlock joint. Three weeks and three operations later we sadly lost him.

But I decided that the fun far outweighed the risks, and since then have only ever seen one other accident in all the years I have been going. I would rather go on my own, as I love the feeling of just beign me and my horse. We can canter when we want, walk when we want, jump what we want and at what speed we choose and the exhiliration of having a nice safe canter over a grassy track, or up a hill is such a lovely feeling. When I first used to take Bailey he would spend the whole ride trying to catch up with the horse in front of him, but then when he caught up with it he'd pass it as if he'd not even seen it and then look for the next horse in the distance. since then he's learnt to chill, and now if there are a group of riders cantering up behind us I will just shout "carry on cantering past if you want" and he will just continue to walk without a care in the world. Sometimes I will join in with them, but he's fine then if you take a step back and let them go off into the distance.

What I would advise is that you always have your mobile phone with you, and if its your first time wear a body protector. I must admit I always wear a body protector and a event riding hat in case I fall off - my horse can be very spooky and won't worry about jumping a three foot hedge but would spook at a 1ft high straw bale - this has happened before and I fell off!!

But you are never really alone as there are always riders within shouting distance if you get into trouble, and riders pass you about six or seven times on a two hour ride (10/12 miles).

I think once you have been on a few you won't ever look back. Enjoy!
 
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Hippona, pm me if you need an extra set of hands with loading :) Would be fab if we could go on some of the rides :)

Applecart, thanks for the advice, very good advice! Will definitely take those things with me :)

Danceswithcows, I don't mind them on the other side of the fence but if they can reach me I have panic attacks. Luckily my horse doesn't since we have to ride through a field of them to leave the yard!
 
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