Shutterbug
Well-Known Member
It was so much fun!!
We went to Newcomers Day at the Fife Hunt. It was busy, loads of people there but they were very well organised, everyone was lovely and helpful and we were out for a good 3 hours. Lots of galloping and cantering, some hanging about, there were some nice jumps for those who wanted it but I must say it is not for the faint of heart!!! Arion started off ok when we rode into the meeting point - he was fine, had a good look at everything but as soon as we started out to leave the yard, it got a little bit too overwhelming for him. He was cantering on the spot, he reared for the first time since I got him (3.5 years), he was cantering sideways, doing little bunny hops. Luckily everyone was very understanding and kept back until I could get him to calm down. Once out on the road, he decided to do a little dance in the middle of the road and brought the traffic to a complete standstill for a few minutes. One girl came back to help me - she was absolutely fantastic - she stayed with me at the back of the ride until he had calmed down - talking to me cause by this point I was thinking "my horse is a nutter and everyone is probably wondering why I brought him" - truth be told he is one of the calmest horses I have every known I figure the problem was he didnt like having that many horses behind him - put him to the back and he was fine but hyper and joggy, put him in the middle or the front and he started bunny hopping again and cantering sideways. After his first gallop he really settled into it though although he was jogging a lot which is fine really, he was just being keen and excited and I can cope with that.
He managed fantastically with the hounds - one ran between his legs and he didnt flinch, his ears pricked up every time he heard the horn and he didnt kick or bite anyone elses horse. I came back slightly early along a path about a mile long that ran straight back to the farm we left from, as I felt he had enough and he was sweating foam by this point. He jogged the whole way along it snorting - it was so funny As it turned out the hunt were only 2 mins behind me although they came back the gallopy way.
Honestly I would recommend it to anyone, despite the way he behaved to start with - he really did me proud. It was all new to him and kinda blew his mind seeing that many horses all at once - easily 30 horses there and some of them were behaving way worse than him - quite a few falls at jumps and although I did say I wasnt going to jump - he jumped a row of reeds he could have cantered through so we did kinda jump
The day wasnt all good though, as my friends horse went down in the trailer on the way there and has damaged her legs quite badly - she had to leave after the vet tended to her and she has been kept in at the vets overnight for further investigations - Im sure Nik will elaborate but after driving us all that way it was very disappointing for her to end her day with an injured mare and a vet visit. Meant me and Arion had to arrange for someone to come and collect us, but the staff at the yard the hunt left from were fantastic - they gave Arion a stable, some hay and water and were happy for us to stay put until my YO came to get us. The staff were lovely, a real credit to them.
I cant wait to do it again
We went to Newcomers Day at the Fife Hunt. It was busy, loads of people there but they were very well organised, everyone was lovely and helpful and we were out for a good 3 hours. Lots of galloping and cantering, some hanging about, there were some nice jumps for those who wanted it but I must say it is not for the faint of heart!!! Arion started off ok when we rode into the meeting point - he was fine, had a good look at everything but as soon as we started out to leave the yard, it got a little bit too overwhelming for him. He was cantering on the spot, he reared for the first time since I got him (3.5 years), he was cantering sideways, doing little bunny hops. Luckily everyone was very understanding and kept back until I could get him to calm down. Once out on the road, he decided to do a little dance in the middle of the road and brought the traffic to a complete standstill for a few minutes. One girl came back to help me - she was absolutely fantastic - she stayed with me at the back of the ride until he had calmed down - talking to me cause by this point I was thinking "my horse is a nutter and everyone is probably wondering why I brought him" - truth be told he is one of the calmest horses I have every known I figure the problem was he didnt like having that many horses behind him - put him to the back and he was fine but hyper and joggy, put him in the middle or the front and he started bunny hopping again and cantering sideways. After his first gallop he really settled into it though although he was jogging a lot which is fine really, he was just being keen and excited and I can cope with that.
He managed fantastically with the hounds - one ran between his legs and he didnt flinch, his ears pricked up every time he heard the horn and he didnt kick or bite anyone elses horse. I came back slightly early along a path about a mile long that ran straight back to the farm we left from, as I felt he had enough and he was sweating foam by this point. He jogged the whole way along it snorting - it was so funny As it turned out the hunt were only 2 mins behind me although they came back the gallopy way.
Honestly I would recommend it to anyone, despite the way he behaved to start with - he really did me proud. It was all new to him and kinda blew his mind seeing that many horses all at once - easily 30 horses there and some of them were behaving way worse than him - quite a few falls at jumps and although I did say I wasnt going to jump - he jumped a row of reeds he could have cantered through so we did kinda jump
The day wasnt all good though, as my friends horse went down in the trailer on the way there and has damaged her legs quite badly - she had to leave after the vet tended to her and she has been kept in at the vets overnight for further investigations - Im sure Nik will elaborate but after driving us all that way it was very disappointing for her to end her day with an injured mare and a vet visit. Meant me and Arion had to arrange for someone to come and collect us, but the staff at the yard the hunt left from were fantastic - they gave Arion a stable, some hay and water and were happy for us to stay put until my YO came to get us. The staff were lovely, a real credit to them.
I cant wait to do it again