Kallibear
Well-Known Member
We (Toby and Miss Impossibly Stubborn Mare (see my other rambling thread) went to the beach yeasterday and had a brillaint time 
Poor mite hasn't had much done for three week (had a couple of days off after a Common ride, which turned in a couple of weeks due to the rain) so on wednesday I thought I would be a good idea to take him jumping (despite the fact he's done a total of one course in his whole life, due to lack of facilities
) and yesterday we went to the beach
He was minding his own business, munching grass in a temporary field with Piper, when he was kidnapped by Auntie Alison (who is special and therefore allowed to touch him unlike most people), dragged out the field unbrushed and wearing just his skin and bundled into a trailer. Towed 6miles down the road, dragged off the trialer again, Kalli loaded into 'his' side and dragged back on the trailer and towed 20miles to the beach. Day not going well so far on Planet Toby......
Unloaded and he discovered he was at his almost favourite place (after the his field obviously)
Much excited dancing whilst being tacked up (mainly because Kalli has gone off round the corner to practise her 'leaving other horses') and off we set.
Now someone (mentioning no names like Auntie Alision) had forgotten to check the tides, so we arrived an hour before high tide
So no lovely flat gallopy places for us 
After a bit of a wander along the beach
we went for a little paddle. Or three.
Toby is NOT a fan of the waves (or water at the best of times) so I'm really pleased how good he was about getting his feet wet. Thankfully Kalli is a real water baby.
We had much spooking at the waves
We've been to the beach plenty of times before but every time he insist on sampling the water
And everytime it never tastes nice
Kalli has this wierd thing with splashing in water - she LOVES it. No intention of rolling, she will just splash and splash and splash, changing legs as she gets tired. She's been known to stand for over half an hour doing it before finally being forced out.
Other leg
Toby's not impressed with being splashed
Once Kalli had been dragged about out the water we went for some little canters. Or 6. We basically went up and down the beach about 10 times, cantering whenever there was space (loads of people out and about)
Ground was too soft really for them to go fast (very hard work for them) so instead Ali tried to get Kalli to canter through the surf and got herself SOAKED. Toby has more sense.
As the tide was still coming in (and our cantering space getting smaller and smaller) we went back into the water, much further out. Note Kalli STILL splashing.
After much discussion, bribary and eventaully down right blackmail I finally persuaded Ali to come swimming. There's no way toby would have gone by hiself, so I wanted to go, Ali had to come too.
So, off with the boots, sock and saddles
And on bareback. Which was fun since toby's never been ridden bareback before (far too sharp!)
Neither of the horses have been that deep before so we went out then came back in, then went out a bit further etc
Kalli STILL splashing
And finally right out
As silly as it sounds, as soon as your feet touch the water you feel really safe because the 'ground's just feet away.
Actual swimming bit is on video which I can't get this laptop to compress enough to upload.
And coming back in - waters's still not drinkable Toby!
Toby was less than impressed with being wet
so I got off and let him have a roll, which he enjoyed immensly
And feeling much better, depsite the sandy nose
Then finally it was home time.
Lovely and clean and shiney after a good brush but not too pleased at having to go home
Thank god we've brought a change of clothes for us - much sand found where sand should not be!
Then they were all loaded back in and taken home, hosed off (which despite being surrounded by millions of gallons of wet stuff just an hour earlier, was the most horrific things Toby has ever had done to him ) and off to bed.
And yes, the beaches in Scotland do actually look like that. Water was warm too!
Poor mite hasn't had much done for three week (had a couple of days off after a Common ride, which turned in a couple of weeks due to the rain) so on wednesday I thought I would be a good idea to take him jumping (despite the fact he's done a total of one course in his whole life, due to lack of facilities
) and yesterday we went to the beach He was minding his own business, munching grass in a temporary field with Piper, when he was kidnapped by Auntie Alison (who is special and therefore allowed to touch him unlike most people), dragged out the field unbrushed and wearing just his skin and bundled into a trailer. Towed 6miles down the road, dragged off the trialer again, Kalli loaded into 'his' side and dragged back on the trailer and towed 20miles to the beach. Day not going well so far on Planet Toby......
Unloaded and he discovered he was at his almost favourite place (after the his field obviously)
Much excited dancing whilst being tacked up (mainly because Kalli has gone off round the corner to practise her 'leaving other horses') and off we set.
Now someone (mentioning no names like Auntie Alision) had forgotten to check the tides, so we arrived an hour before high tide
So no lovely flat gallopy places for us After a bit of a wander along the beach
we went for a little paddle. Or three.
Toby is NOT a fan of the waves (or water at the best of times) so I'm really pleased how good he was about getting his feet wet. Thankfully Kalli is a real water baby.
We had much spooking at the waves
We've been to the beach plenty of times before but every time he insist on sampling the water
And everytime it never tastes nice
Kalli has this wierd thing with splashing in water - she LOVES it. No intention of rolling, she will just splash and splash and splash, changing legs as she gets tired. She's been known to stand for over half an hour doing it before finally being forced out.
Other leg
Toby's not impressed with being splashed
Once Kalli had been dragged about out the water we went for some little canters. Or 6. We basically went up and down the beach about 10 times, cantering whenever there was space (loads of people out and about)
Ground was too soft really for them to go fast (very hard work for them) so instead Ali tried to get Kalli to canter through the surf and got herself SOAKED. Toby has more sense.
As the tide was still coming in (and our cantering space getting smaller and smaller) we went back into the water, much further out. Note Kalli STILL splashing.
After much discussion, bribary and eventaully down right blackmail I finally persuaded Ali to come swimming. There's no way toby would have gone by hiself, so I wanted to go, Ali had to come too.
So, off with the boots, sock and saddles
And on bareback. Which was fun since toby's never been ridden bareback before (far too sharp!)
Neither of the horses have been that deep before so we went out then came back in, then went out a bit further etc
Kalli STILL splashing
And finally right out
As silly as it sounds, as soon as your feet touch the water you feel really safe because the 'ground's just feet away.
Actual swimming bit is on video which I can't get this laptop to compress enough to upload.
And coming back in - waters's still not drinkable Toby!
Toby was less than impressed with being wet
so I got off and let him have a roll, which he enjoyed immensly
And feeling much better, depsite the sandy nose
Then finally it was home time.
Lovely and clean and shiney after a good brush but not too pleased at having to go home
Thank god we've brought a change of clothes for us - much sand found where sand should not be!
Then they were all loaded back in and taken home, hosed off (which despite being surrounded by millions of gallons of wet stuff just an hour earlier, was the most horrific things Toby has ever had done to him
) and off to bed.And yes, the beaches in Scotland do actually look like that. Water was warm too!
Last time we went (during that heat wave last month) it was cold and driving a gale!!! It was nice at home when we left......
