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Post by pboy on Sept 6, 2014 18:49:56 GMT
We finally got our car back 10 days ago so, at last, we managed to go horse riding! We used to ride regularly at The HAC Light Cavalry at Flemish Farm and we're still 'supporting riders' so I got back in touch. Flemish Farm is great as once you've had an assessment you can ride out on your own. All the horses are experienced and mostly quite calm, and of course the park is fantastic. Lots of long riding tracks for canters and great views (though it was a bit misty today. I was on a 10yo called Lexi who was very sweet - she led the whole way and was responsive and straightforward. OH was on a big lanky 16yo horse called Rebel, who definitely didn't live up to his name! We kept it quite steady and (for once) didn't break the park rule of sticking to a 'hand canter', and spent a fair amount of time mooching along and enjoying being out and about on horses again. Some piccies! The stables, which are shared with Guards Polo Club:  Horse crossing!  OH and Rebel:  On the way home, you can just about see Windsor Castle in the distance!  A nice canter strip up to a statue of Queen Liz II:  Me on Lexi:  |
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Post by solomon on Sept 6, 2014 18:58:45 GMT
Wow that's a lovely place to ride. Is it hideously expensive? Bet it felt great being back in the saddle. More riding for you next weekend too :-)
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Sept 6, 2014 19:14:05 GMT
Looks like a super place to ride, bet it was nice to be riding again too.
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Post by pboy on Sept 6, 2014 21:21:40 GMT
It was lovely to be riding again!!
Sol - we pay £50 per year to be 'supporting riders' then a two hour hack is £47 each. Cheaper than most of the Windsor stables (most of whom have to box to the park anyway) and less than half the price of our nearest stables in Wimbledon!! The horses are great too.
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Post by solomon on Sept 7, 2014 19:08:14 GMT
That's really reasonable! Such a beautiful place to ride. It's now on my horsy bucket list.
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Post by pboy on Sept 7, 2014 19:16:44 GMT
That's really reasonable! Such a beautiful place to ride. It's now on my horsy bucket list. You can come and join us there any time! We can take 'guests', it's just about £5 extra I think. |
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Post by dannyboy on Sept 7, 2014 19:47:30 GMT
Wonderful pics - just love the smile on your face but looking at the view no wonder :-)
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Post by zara on Sept 7, 2014 19:48:39 GMT
It looks fabulous, the canter track looks amazing; I'd love to take Tordi somewhere like that.
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Post by brigadier on Sept 8, 2014 0:59:29 GMT
Wow, that ride looks fab! I did some training in London and rode at a couple of the barracks but have never done the park. What a great opportunity.
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Post by spotti on Sept 8, 2014 16:13:45 GMT
What's a 'hand canter'? V.jealous of those views and the amazing canter tracks! Not so envious of the prices though  |
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Post by spotti on Sept 8, 2014 16:15:01 GMT
*silly fat sausage fingers.
Wanted to say that I can see why you called Rebel lanky - he's all legs! If you hadn't said he was 16 I'd have guessed he was only young.
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Post by pboy on Sept 8, 2014 18:21:09 GMT
Zara - the riding tracks are fab. There are loads of all-weather tracks where you can have lovely long canters too. They are supposed to be pedestrian free though some people ignore the signs (including a grumpy dog walker when I took Pocholo over there once - I thought his terrier was going to end up on the end of P's hoof but luckily the owner got it under control just in time  ). Spotti - a 'hand canter' is one that you would do in the school. It basically means no galloping, but occasionally accidents happen |
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Post by racaille on Sept 9, 2014 15:48:56 GMT
Wow what a brilliant idea - and those canter tracks look fabulous!
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Post by spotti on Sept 9, 2014 16:27:34 GMT
So just a steady, sensible canter then? Males sense. Bit of an odd thing to call it though!
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Post by spotti on Sept 9, 2014 16:27:50 GMT
*makes
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Post by pboy on Sept 9, 2014 17:45:11 GMT
I've no idea where the term comes from to be honest - maybe it's because the horse is kept 'well in hand' (i.e. under control)? There are a lot of park rangers who enforce the rules, we once got told off for taking a short-cut across grass in the winter when grass was out-of-bounds. Luckily he was very understanding as we'd basically got lost and would have got back late if we hadn't gone across The park also has a very random speed limit for cars, IIRC it's 38mph!! |
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