Chico Mio
Antedeluvian
We decided yesterday was the day to take FB and MoM over to the farm to meet Ari. It's about 25km the way we had to go with MoM, because she has no shoes and we tried to stay off the road and use the Camino de Santiago pilgrim path.
We set off about nine o'clock, us on foot leading the horses on the road and the first thing FB to a dislike to was a big gnarly tree trunk that is on the side of the road about 100m from the house, good start!! He snorted his way past it and we continued across the bridge over the motorway and down to the main road. Now, this is a national route - so like a British A road, fortunately very quiet so over we went. Then there was the railway level crossing, which is just wood between the rails. 'Clang'!!! Went FB's shod hoof - straight onto the rail, which meant he planted so OH went whizzing past with MoM at high speed and FB just followed her. Then up and over the roman bridge across the river. We had only gone about 30m the other side when a train came along the track hooting and clattering over the crossing, so a good job we hadn't had anymore messing about from FB about going across!!
After that it was just a long old slog, riding on the track where we could and leading on the road when we had to. I reckon we must have walked at least 10km on foot! OH had said that we should follow the Pilgrim path as there would be less traffic - he was right, not that there is much traffic on the rural roads here anyway - but the Camino is for people, not horses in this area and it was often very rocky so we had to lead the horses anyway. I said it would have been better to stay on the normal (quiet) road as it would have been much less distance and we walked most of it anyway!!
So, we arrived five hours later at two 'clock, after a lunch stop halfway. FB was fine but poor old MoM was knackered. We gave them a shower and turned them out with Ari, who was so pleased to see friendly horses. There was a bit of snorting and squealing between him and FB but within half an hour they were all standing together swishing flies off each other, so I really hope Ari and FB will be friends.
The we spent the afternoon putting the last posts in for the new paddock, came home for a shower and went back to the farm for dinner and to stay the night in case of any horse trouble (as our friend is supposed to be recuperating from his appendectomy, we didn't want to leave him with six horses to sort out if anything kicked off). Got to bed at midnight and then Ari did his Houdini bit at eight o'clock this morning and OH and I had to go and fetch him in from the big field. He comes in as good as gold and I have no idea why he feels the need to break out every morning!
So we are a bit stiff and slightly sunburnt after a long day, but on the whole I think it went pretty well.
We set off about nine o'clock, us on foot leading the horses on the road and the first thing FB to a dislike to was a big gnarly tree trunk that is on the side of the road about 100m from the house, good start!! He snorted his way past it and we continued across the bridge over the motorway and down to the main road. Now, this is a national route - so like a British A road, fortunately very quiet so over we went. Then there was the railway level crossing, which is just wood between the rails. 'Clang'!!! Went FB's shod hoof - straight onto the rail, which meant he planted so OH went whizzing past with MoM at high speed and FB just followed her. Then up and over the roman bridge across the river. We had only gone about 30m the other side when a train came along the track hooting and clattering over the crossing, so a good job we hadn't had anymore messing about from FB about going across!!
After that it was just a long old slog, riding on the track where we could and leading on the road when we had to. I reckon we must have walked at least 10km on foot! OH had said that we should follow the Pilgrim path as there would be less traffic - he was right, not that there is much traffic on the rural roads here anyway - but the Camino is for people, not horses in this area and it was often very rocky so we had to lead the horses anyway. I said it would have been better to stay on the normal (quiet) road as it would have been much less distance and we walked most of it anyway!!
So, we arrived five hours later at two 'clock, after a lunch stop halfway. FB was fine but poor old MoM was knackered. We gave them a shower and turned them out with Ari, who was so pleased to see friendly horses. There was a bit of snorting and squealing between him and FB but within half an hour they were all standing together swishing flies off each other, so I really hope Ari and FB will be friends.
The we spent the afternoon putting the last posts in for the new paddock, came home for a shower and went back to the farm for dinner and to stay the night in case of any horse trouble (as our friend is supposed to be recuperating from his appendectomy, we didn't want to leave him with six horses to sort out if anything kicked off). Got to bed at midnight and then Ari did his Houdini bit at eight o'clock this morning and OH and I had to go and fetch him in from the big field. He comes in as good as gold and I have no idea why he feels the need to break out every morning!
So we are a bit stiff and slightly sunburnt after a long day, but on the whole I think it went pretty well.