For a bit of a change - an endurance training session. “This can’t be too difficult, like a hack in fast trot,” I tell Harry. How wrong can you be?
We arrive at the car park on top of the common and it’s windy, very windy. There have been two pupils before us, with very big horses. The trainer straps a heart rate monitor to each horse, and tells their riders to go off for a play.
Well, their heart rates must have gone sky high! One rider came back without her horse: he had spooked and she’d taken a tumble. The other horse and rider returned safely, but he kept backing rapidly around the car park. A bull terrier with a massive studded breastplate keep erupting from a camper van, making us all jump. And horror, the riderless horse had disappeared on goodness knows how many thousands of acres of common.
Harry and I, and Kelly and Alvito (Horse&Rider’s Website Editor and her horse) make a pathetic attempt at finding him, but he’s gone without trace. The trainer and owner finally track him down: he has crossed a really fast road and is halfway home when someone caught and stabled him. Phew, reprieve!
So Kelly and I have a go at endurance, both a bit spooked now, too. Harry stands like a rock while the monitor is strapped on, but his heart rate shoots up – interesting, perhaps he thinks it’s the vet! Alvito leaves the car park and Harry’s heart stays hammering away while we follow them at some distance at a brisk clip.
WHAM! Harry slams the brakes on as a red deer pops out in front of him. Thank goodness, he keeps his head up so I don’t fall of, and we proceed. EEK! Kelly appears at gallop behind us (she must have been on a parallel track) – she has seen a pervert in the bushes!
We proceed together, post haste, and meet up with the trainer, where she shows us how to use ‘slosh bottles’ to cool our horses – so that’s what fabric conditioner bottles are really for! Harry loves this, Alvito doesn’t.
We ride back together to the original car park, calming down quite a bit. We decide it’s not endurance riding that’s scary, just the circumstances that we encountered it in.
We’ll try a 12 endurance mile ride for starters: let’s hope the deer, bull terriers and perverts stay at home.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Harry and the sabre-toothed tiger
Harry is fantastic in traffic. Battered pick-up with rattling trailer spilling all sorts of junk, no problem. Long line of whirring bicycles, no problem. Massive tractor with claw-like attachment, no problem. However, when said claw-like attachment is left on the common, it’s a sabre-toothed tiger!!
Harry spots it from afar… “what the *%@$*!” His head is so high he could be a baby giraffe (he’s the right colour). His ears are so stiff they could have been starched. “Let’s just approach slowly,” I suggest. “No way, missus!” I persuade him forward. He offers the slowest possible mince, head swinging to give it one evil eye after the other, snorting like a grampus. We have a few pretty impressive full passes away from it – bet we couldn’t do them in a dressage test!
I turn Harry to face ‘the claw’, and he stamps his forefoot at it! Gives a deep, coughing stallion snort!! Harry is challenging the sabre-toothed tiger to a duel!!!
I take the safe option and give it a very wide berth. Unusually, it takes Harry some time to calm down. I offer him a mint, and he forces it down hurriedly whilst still keeping his body on Red Alert and his eyes out on stalks.
To this day, Harry is wary at the same place on the common : ‘Here Be Tygers!’
Harry spots it from afar… “what the *%@$*!” His head is so high he could be a baby giraffe (he’s the right colour). His ears are so stiff they could have been starched. “Let’s just approach slowly,” I suggest. “No way, missus!” I persuade him forward. He offers the slowest possible mince, head swinging to give it one evil eye after the other, snorting like a grampus. We have a few pretty impressive full passes away from it – bet we couldn’t do them in a dressage test!
I turn Harry to face ‘the claw’, and he stamps his forefoot at it! Gives a deep, coughing stallion snort!! Harry is challenging the sabre-toothed tiger to a duel!!!
I take the safe option and give it a very wide berth. Unusually, it takes Harry some time to calm down. I offer him a mint, and he forces it down hurriedly whilst still keeping his body on Red Alert and his eyes out on stalks.
To this day, Harry is wary at the same place on the common : ‘Here Be Tygers!’
Monday, July 6, 2009
A week away
I have a week away in France, absolutely fabulous, but have put on about a stone thanks to gorgeous food and drink! Harry is ridden by my trainer a couple of times while I'm away to keep his hoof in. Apparently he was really good - he hasn't much choice, she's a fantastic rider!
He whinnies when I go to catch him, which is really sweet. He's got a very loud voice, and makes people jump out of their skin if they're standing right next to him. As always after a break, I'm amazed at how solid, alive and well, beautiful, Harry is in his stocky, powerful way.
We go out for a hack. It's hot, windy and a bit rainy. He seems very alert, but behaves impeccably. I had my back 'crunched' by a chiropractor before I went on holiday, which did it the world of good and now I feel absolutely great, cantering along in the sunshine.
It's good to be back on board - and Harry seems to agree!
He whinnies when I go to catch him, which is really sweet. He's got a very loud voice, and makes people jump out of their skin if they're standing right next to him. As always after a break, I'm amazed at how solid, alive and well, beautiful, Harry is in his stocky, powerful way.
We go out for a hack. It's hot, windy and a bit rainy. He seems very alert, but behaves impeccably. I had my back 'crunched' by a chiropractor before I went on holiday, which did it the world of good and now I feel absolutely great, cantering along in the sunshine.
It's good to be back on board - and Harry seems to agree!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Harry puts his hooves up
Visit Harry the day after Riding Club Camp with my husband. It's a lovely, hot day and he's in his field shelter, chilling out and avoiding the flies. As he hears our approach he pops his head and forelegs out.
Apple? He takes it appreciatively, and embarks on minutes of noisy munching and chomping, producing gallons of green foam - we stand back. Then he comes right out of the shelter, giving the rail on the ground a merry bang with one of his hind hooves. "You said he was a bit careless!" comments hubby.
Harry proceeds to investigate him for more treats, and Rob's a bit wary - a nip in the wrong place could be painful! "Hold your hands out flat to show him you've got nothing left" I suggest. It works! "He's a clever b****r" says Rob.
We leave him in peace and he accompanies us to the gate, as though he was seeing us off the premises, then returns to his field shelter. "Nice to see you, now I can go back to sleep."
Apple? He takes it appreciatively, and embarks on minutes of noisy munching and chomping, producing gallons of green foam - we stand back. Then he comes right out of the shelter, giving the rail on the ground a merry bang with one of his hind hooves. "You said he was a bit careless!" comments hubby.
Harry proceeds to investigate him for more treats, and Rob's a bit wary - a nip in the wrong place could be painful! "Hold your hands out flat to show him you've got nothing left" I suggest. It works! "He's a clever b****r" says Rob.
We leave him in peace and he accompanies us to the gate, as though he was seeing us off the premises, then returns to his field shelter. "Nice to see you, now I can go back to sleep."
Riding Club Camp
It's been more years than I care to admit since I went to Pony Club Camp, so I jump at the chance of going to Riding Club Camp with Harry - it's just a day this time, with no chilly old ex-army tents and horrible food.
I feel slightly worried I won't last for all three training sessions - dressage, show jumping, cross country. I usually need a nice lie down after just one lesson with my usual trainer! I needn't have worried. Harry is ace in the dressage...well, as good as he can be - it's not really our forte! In the show jumping he's OK but a bit careless, knocking quite a few poles. The trainer says he's "jumping by braille!"
"I hope he doesn't do that cross country" commented one of my companions. "He won't - he knows they're solid!" I reply, and thank goodness, Harry proves me right! He jumps virtually everything on the course beautifully, fast and clean. He won't have anything to do with a very spooky coffin - "a cob fall in and never get out of there!" But he goes straight through the water, and tackles everything else with great gusto, even some of the bigger options.
It's confirmed - Harry is a cross country cob!
I feel slightly worried I won't last for all three training sessions - dressage, show jumping, cross country. I usually need a nice lie down after just one lesson with my usual trainer! I needn't have worried. Harry is ace in the dressage...well, as good as he can be - it's not really our forte! In the show jumping he's OK but a bit careless, knocking quite a few poles. The trainer says he's "jumping by braille!"
"I hope he doesn't do that cross country" commented one of my companions. "He won't - he knows they're solid!" I reply, and thank goodness, Harry proves me right! He jumps virtually everything on the course beautifully, fast and clean. He won't have anything to do with a very spooky coffin - "a cob fall in and never get out of there!" But he goes straight through the water, and tackles everything else with great gusto, even some of the bigger options.
It's confirmed - Harry is a cross country cob!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A new best friend
Harry’s field mate, a lovely but ancient pony, is put down. She is very thin, despite masses of feed and good grass, she has asthma and worst, she’s starting to lose the use of her hindlegs. After much heart searching and discussion with the mare’s vet, her owner makes the decision: it’s sad, but the last, kind thing you can do for a much-loved equine.
Harry seems unperturbed, probably because he stayed in his field while she was taken to the vet in the stable yard, quite a way away. He can see all the other horses around him, and soon gets a new friend – another skewbald cob. Ernie is a very smart boy who is part-stabled and kept beautifully trimmed. Harry looks pretty lairy in comparison, with his curly mane and tail, untrimmed feathers and big white face.
But the two skews get on fine. Harry and Ernie: they sound like a couple of old boys down the pub!
Harry seems unperturbed, probably because he stayed in his field while she was taken to the vet in the stable yard, quite a way away. He can see all the other horses around him, and soon gets a new friend – another skewbald cob. Ernie is a very smart boy who is part-stabled and kept beautifully trimmed. Harry looks pretty lairy in comparison, with his curly mane and tail, untrimmed feathers and big white face.
But the two skews get on fine. Harry and Ernie: they sound like a couple of old boys down the pub!
Lovely day
Ride out alone on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I’m still being quite cautious after my fall, but no need: Harry is an angel!
It’s so bright that there are weird shadows and highlights everywhere, a very noisy cement mixer and a lot of Harry’s least favourite colour - bright pink in the shape of foxgloves and heather. But he doesn’t shy, just gives them a hard stare and minces past.
Every time Harry’s extra brave I give him ‘Michael Peace Big Pats’. We’ve been featuring this amazing horse trainer in Horse&Rider magazine, and ‘Big Pats’ are one of his tactics for reassuring and rewarding horses. They seem to work well!
It’s so bright that there are weird shadows and highlights everywhere, a very noisy cement mixer and a lot of Harry’s least favourite colour - bright pink in the shape of foxgloves and heather. But he doesn’t shy, just gives them a hard stare and minces past.
Every time Harry’s extra brave I give him ‘Michael Peace Big Pats’. We’ve been featuring this amazing horse trainer in Horse&Rider magazine, and ‘Big Pats’ are one of his tactics for reassuring and rewarding horses. They seem to work well!
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