The things you just can't school for...

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chillidragon

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So this morning at the yard I was sleepily dusting Brandy off, and next thing we heard this noise (scrape... boom... squawk... scrape...boomboom... scrapescrape... SQUAWKboooom... scraaaape... SCRAAAPE... SQUUUAAAAAAAAWK). Next thing, our big mental cockerel blasts round the corner of the yard, screeching, flapping and with an empty 5 litre molasses bottle in hot pursuit (?!?!). Brandy expanded into pop-eyed, snorting dingbat and the cockerel squawked back past towards the hayfield (molasses container bounding along behind it). I finally had the nouse to dash after them and threw myself at the bird-eating molasses bottle, to find that the daft bloody chicken had managed to tangle its foot in the bailer twine that ties the little measuring cup to the bottle-handle. A bit of chicken-wrestling ensued and off went a ruffled-looking Mr. Cockerel, whilst back in the yard, Brandy was looking at me like the mothership had landed. Note to self: when taking things out of tack/feed room, close door afterwards.

Anyway, it put me in mind of Bingley Show a few years ago when one of those bird-display gigantihuge bald eagles swooped literally under the noses of the Arab Under Saddles in the opposite arena and we got to see some extraordinary manoeuvres. I remember cackling away then about how on earth you could ever incorporate 'large birds of prey swooping by' into your training program, so I was just wondering if anyone else had had one of those moments that you just can't plan for.
 
PMSL!
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My horse had one of those moments this morning when I turned him out in the field - there was something foreign in there, he was snorting, on his toes, didn't know what to do so did a couple of laps round the field without taking his eyes off the object. When he realised it was the wheelbarrow which I'd left out there last night whilst poo picking I think he felt a bit of a twit.
 
Following a bridlepath you've just discovered into a field, only to reach the other end of the field/bridlepath and find that the gate is locked - hear a Moooooooo.... and turn around to a sight I will never forget - about 100 cows standing there gawping at you and ponio. Cue pony's eyes on stalks, mad rider waving schooling whip to make "whippy noises" to scare the cows away, and trotting into the midst of them and through the other side with only marginal cow movement, only for the whole flipping herd to follow you with intense interest down to original end of field, and horse by this point flapping because whippy noises are scaring him more than the flipping cows!
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Turns out that part of bridlepath had been de-whotsited and was no longer in use.
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Wish they had better sign posts saying that!
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i was riding an elderly hunter years ago. he was brought over from new zealand by his owner.
we were wandering along this track when out of nowhere this deer jumps right out in front of us, only a few meters ahead. i nearly needed a change of underwear, the horse didn't bat an eyelid
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i really counted my blessings that i was riding Bungee and not 1 of the racers, or i would've been thrown or bolted with for sure.
 
Many...
One that springs to mind was a dressage judge running late for the next arena driving at quite high speed through my dressage arena as I was about to "Change the rein MXF at working trot" or whatever. Horse didn't bat an eyelid, test sheet said "accurately ridden line, very attentive horse"!
 
A few years back Leicester County show had a rare sheep breed display which consisted of an open sided lorry and a dozen little platforms arranged in a sort of pyramid. Said display was right next door to the hack classes, which I'd entered.

Asked a friend what the heck it was for and he said 'oh when the sheep come out, they all climb up on the little steps while they do a talk'.

'Yeah, right'
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thought I until I was stood in the line-up an hour later and a dozen woollies obediently climbed the steps one after the other to stand on their little podiums! Don't know who was more gobsmacked me or Will'
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I have just laughed so loud and I have only got to:
Next thing, our big mental cockerel blasts round the corner of the yard, screeching, flapping and with an empty 5 litre molasses bottle in hot pursuit (?!?!).

OMG!!!
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I was cantering my ex-racer TB along a wooded grassy track a few years ago, quietly minding our own business, when out popped a deer from the trees who cantered upsides us all the way to the top - a good half mile. Neither horse nor deer seemed in the slightest bit bothered.
 
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I was cantering my ex-racer TB along a wooded grassy track a few years ago, quietly minding our own business, when out popped a deer from the trees who cantered upsides us all the way to the top - a good half mile. Neither horse nor deer seemed in the slightest bit bothered.

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I had the same thing happen a couple of weeks ago with a badger and the horse didn't bat an eyelid. Had it been a deer on the other hand we could have been in trouble. I had 3 deer jump out of the hedge in front of us out hunting 6 months ago, my horse took off down a hill, through some bushes/trees, down over a drop, under some more low branches and came out the other side still cantering with me sat in front of the saddle! At that point I bailed out, drank my hipflask and went home.
 
Was out for a rather refreshing hack on a wet and windy day on Boo. Decided that due to her "hippo on a trampoline" impressions we should go for a blast round the wood to get the edge off her.

So off we set, into a working trot, and then onto a nice canter, another push on and we're galloping nicely round a corner in the wood. When a flash of black and white, a shrill "BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" (think of the horror "Black Sheep") and me and Boo are in mid air.

I look down to see what the hell we're jumping, sheep and 2 lambs dozing in the track, scrambling to their feet just as we land.

Anyone ever thinks theyve completed a challenging XC course, try including a few sheep!

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