S_N
Well-Known Member
.. I am doing. You guys will probably laugh at this post, as it's not a serious competition, but I didn't really know where else to post this...
On Sunday, Berry and I did the Newmarket Sponsored Ride in aid of the Macmillan Nurses (we raised £220) and well, what can I say? Berry is simply AWESOME!!! But I'll get to that later!
Bear in mind that there were 3 distances - 8 miles, 15 miles and 20. The 20 mile being the only one that takes you up the proper all weather gallops, the 15 goes round the town and up Warren Hill and the 8 basically encompases the National Stud and both Newmarket Racecourses.
I went on my own, as the friend I was due to go with couldn't for various reasons. I was dubious about this, but as the charity is one I especially care about, for personal reasons, I went. I actually managed to tag along with a couple of people, much to Berry's delight - gave him more excuse to be bad lol!
We set went through the start and gave our numbers in and went through the gap in the hedge that leads onto the Round Course, that goes around the National Stud (I wanted to ride round there the whole time I was working there). We agreed that cantering was the order of the day - que Berry bouncing around sideways, sticking his head down and broncing (sp?) and trying to buggar off
Very funny! So we had a decent canter and some walking and then more canter and came out onto the Newmarket July Course.
We had been warned that the photographer was by the devil's dyke and as there was noone infront and noone close up behind, we decided to canter past - we all managed to stay in canter till we were past him and then as one, the 3 of them decided this was FAR to slow and buggered off
Was very funny!!
We then had a long walk across the back of Newmarket Heath and though the town and out onto Warren Hill.
Got to the top of Warren Hill and came out by Warren Place (where Henry Cecil trains), crossed another road and then I rode Berry through some starting stalls!! He thought that was FAB! He was a little spooky right infront, then bounced in and bounded out LOL! We then came to where we had to decide if we should do the 15 or the 20 mile...... Yup, you guessed right - we turned right and did the 20 mile We walked all along this bit, we decided that we should preserve our mounts and our seatbones LOL!!
We then ventured into the trees and came out at the Animal Health Trust, crossed the Bury road and came out onto The Limekilns WOW!!! SOOOOO much wasted grazing lol! At this point I thought that I may have done too much with Berry, as he wasn't in the least bit inspired to be a fool with all this space and was beginning to plod
However, I knew if I got off out there, I would not be getting back on again, so decided to see how he went. I told the peeps I was with, that if they wanted to crack then don't let me stop them, but that Berry needed still more of a breather. They were happy to walk though, so I just let him plod on, buckle end - which is actually the best way to ride him and him stay relaxed.
We walked all the way up the Limekilns and then turned left, following the hedge row - for some reason, this woke Berry up and we performed a fabulous rendiiton of the charge of the light brigade!!!!! Honestly I am not quite sure if I have EVER been that fast!! He was on a mission!! We FAB race all the way along the hedge line to the railway track/A14 (though of course we didn't hop on any trains, there was ruddy HUGE hedge at the end - rather glad tbh!!)
We walked then, or tried to Berry was up for another gallop - talk about 2nd wind!! So they walked, whilst I jogged and bounced, all the way back down the other side of the Limekilns. We then crossed the main road that joins the A14 North/East of Newmarket and found the all weather gallops
It's a long time since I have ridden on any kind of surface and even though we had been riding on beautifully manicured turf, this was AWESOME!! The surface started in amongst some trees and went round a corner and suddenly opened out! YEEEEEE HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I seriously had NO control, but I didn't give a damn, what with over 8 furlongs (1 mile) of gallops ahead of us, I figured he'd stop at some point LOL!!!!! I tell you those furlong markers come up pretty damn quick!! I wished I'd timed him !!!!! Honestly, I think that Berry is a Champion Racehorse in the wrong bloody body - must be very frustrating for him!! We eventually pulled up at about the 6F pole and once his breath was back, proceeded to bounce some more - it seemed like the further we went, the more fun Berry had!
When we were riding back through Newmarket, the heavens opened!! Honestly, the only time I have been so wet and not in the bath/shower, is during water fights!! I had to rescue my phone from the puddle in my non waterproof coat pocket and put it in my breeches pocket in the hope that, that would suffice
Walked all the way back through Newmarket and came out on the Heath again, by the Rowley Mile Course. This signifid the final mile and Berry's feet hit grass again and guess what - he started bouncing!! So we canter, galloped, cantered down to the National Stud and proceeded to bounce through the lorry park (the last time I was in that field I seem to remember cursing a horse I couldn't catch lol) to the trailer. I managed to half fall out of the sadldle and cling on to it for dear life, as my knees had vacated the vicinity and Berry jsut started to stuff his face on the lovely grass LOL.
I tried to find the pro pics, esp. as they will not be online, but couldn't see them
Thankfully, having spent the journey home infront of the heater in my truck, my phone is now working again..... I really thought the rain water had finished it off!
I'm going to contact the oprganisers, as there is a chance that he might be the oldest horse to have completed the 20 mile. Which would be very cool! He is at least 24, could be 26!
I have NEVER been so glad to have booked a day off work though, as I was on Monday - stiff me - never
Berry on the other hand, came trotting happily up the field the following morning for some carrots. His legs are fine and he is in fine fettle!! That horse just ROCKS!!!
You can tell by Berry's ears what he thinks of these monsters!
Approaching the starting stalls
The limekilns - we rode the hedge/fence line of this!!
The All Weather Gallops
Cookies for getting this far.
P.s. For some reason I feel like I should apologise for posting this in the CR, but this is the closest to a competition that he is gonna get at his age!
On Sunday, Berry and I did the Newmarket Sponsored Ride in aid of the Macmillan Nurses (we raised £220) and well, what can I say? Berry is simply AWESOME!!! But I'll get to that later!
Bear in mind that there were 3 distances - 8 miles, 15 miles and 20. The 20 mile being the only one that takes you up the proper all weather gallops, the 15 goes round the town and up Warren Hill and the 8 basically encompases the National Stud and both Newmarket Racecourses.
I went on my own, as the friend I was due to go with couldn't for various reasons. I was dubious about this, but as the charity is one I especially care about, for personal reasons, I went. I actually managed to tag along with a couple of people, much to Berry's delight - gave him more excuse to be bad lol!
We set went through the start and gave our numbers in and went through the gap in the hedge that leads onto the Round Course, that goes around the National Stud (I wanted to ride round there the whole time I was working there). We agreed that cantering was the order of the day - que Berry bouncing around sideways, sticking his head down and broncing (sp?) and trying to buggar off
We had been warned that the photographer was by the devil's dyke and as there was noone infront and noone close up behind, we decided to canter past - we all managed to stay in canter till we were past him and then as one, the 3 of them decided this was FAR to slow and buggered off
We then had a long walk across the back of Newmarket Heath and though the town and out onto Warren Hill.
Got to the top of Warren Hill and came out by Warren Place (where Henry Cecil trains), crossed another road and then I rode Berry through some starting stalls!! He thought that was FAB! He was a little spooky right infront, then bounced in and bounded out LOL! We then came to where we had to decide if we should do the 15 or the 20 mile...... Yup, you guessed right - we turned right and did the 20 mile We walked all along this bit, we decided that we should preserve our mounts and our seatbones LOL!!
We then ventured into the trees and came out at the Animal Health Trust, crossed the Bury road and came out onto The Limekilns WOW!!! SOOOOO much wasted grazing lol! At this point I thought that I may have done too much with Berry, as he wasn't in the least bit inspired to be a fool with all this space and was beginning to plod
We walked all the way up the Limekilns and then turned left, following the hedge row - for some reason, this woke Berry up and we performed a fabulous rendiiton of the charge of the light brigade!!!!! Honestly I am not quite sure if I have EVER been that fast!! He was on a mission!! We FAB race all the way along the hedge line to the railway track/A14 (though of course we didn't hop on any trains, there was ruddy HUGE hedge at the end - rather glad tbh!!)
We walked then, or tried to Berry was up for another gallop - talk about 2nd wind!! So they walked, whilst I jogged and bounced, all the way back down the other side of the Limekilns. We then crossed the main road that joins the A14 North/East of Newmarket and found the all weather gallops
When we were riding back through Newmarket, the heavens opened!! Honestly, the only time I have been so wet and not in the bath/shower, is during water fights!! I had to rescue my phone from the puddle in my non waterproof coat pocket and put it in my breeches pocket in the hope that, that would suffice
Walked all the way back through Newmarket and came out on the Heath again, by the Rowley Mile Course. This signifid the final mile and Berry's feet hit grass again and guess what - he started bouncing!! So we canter, galloped, cantered down to the National Stud and proceeded to bounce through the lorry park (the last time I was in that field I seem to remember cursing a horse I couldn't catch lol) to the trailer. I managed to half fall out of the sadldle and cling on to it for dear life, as my knees had vacated the vicinity and Berry jsut started to stuff his face on the lovely grass LOL.
I tried to find the pro pics, esp. as they will not be online, but couldn't see them
Thankfully, having spent the journey home infront of the heater in my truck, my phone is now working again..... I really thought the rain water had finished it off!
I'm going to contact the oprganisers, as there is a chance that he might be the oldest horse to have completed the 20 mile. Which would be very cool! He is at least 24, could be 26!
I have NEVER been so glad to have booked a day off work though, as I was on Monday - stiff me - never
You can tell by Berry's ears what he thinks of these monsters!
Approaching the starting stalls
The limekilns - we rode the hedge/fence line of this!!
The All Weather Gallops
Cookies for getting this far.
P.s. For some reason I feel like I should apologise for posting this in the CR, but this is the closest to a competition that he is gonna get at his age!
