Post by brigadier on May 17, 2009 20:12:53 GMT
Today I went on a pleasure ride on my buddies gorgeous 14.2 piebald cob who has more hair than Grizzly Adams!
The ride was lovely, trotting and cantering through leafy, dappled woodland and the undulating, rolling Yorkshire Wolds.
Alfie was keen and willing, responsive to little 'kisses' so my task was simply to sit and enjoy.
He is quite a portly fellow and about a third of the way into the ride I realised the cinch on his western saddle had worked loose and I was in danger of being shipped out, we trotted on looking for a suitable place to stop as the track was narrow, on rounding a bend my buddy's horse stopped and didn't want to go forward as she had heard hoofs clopping nearby. Alfie forged ahead, but oh no! His saddle slipped to the right, I threw my weight to the left but started to slip too far, the track suddenly dipped down to a sharp descent and Alfie, perturbed by the rolling saddle shot forward. He wears a Dr Cooks (all those trying or thinking of trying these please note!!!!) and alas I had absolutely NO BRAKES!!
We plunged to the bottom of the hill, Alfie trying to escape the sharp edge of the saddle as it dug into his neck by throwing his head between his knees, me trying uselessly to pull his head up, and trying to calm him with the eternal "Whoa Boy"!
Miraculously we reached the clearing at the base of the slope, still united. He stopped happily enough in the lush grass for a nibble as I dismounted and straightened the errant saddle and tightened the cinch substantially.
The ride was resumed and during a pleasant meander through some forest trail we heard hoof beats behind and the inevitable "Can we pass please?" I moved to the side of the narrowish track allowing plenty of room, and three horses trotted by, the second of which (clearly a mare!) suddenly let fly with an enormous buck, aiming a well timed kick at my head, Alfie was quicker thinking than I and shied swiftly to the side as the hoof whistled neatly past my right ear, barely an hand span from contact!!!!
All you can do in such a situation is laugh really! My riding buddy had had an anxious feeling at the start of the ride but we had carried on blithely. All in all it was a great ride, but certainly had its hairy moments, which was apt really given the horse I was riding! ;D
The ride was lovely, trotting and cantering through leafy, dappled woodland and the undulating, rolling Yorkshire Wolds.
Alfie was keen and willing, responsive to little 'kisses' so my task was simply to sit and enjoy.
He is quite a portly fellow and about a third of the way into the ride I realised the cinch on his western saddle had worked loose and I was in danger of being shipped out, we trotted on looking for a suitable place to stop as the track was narrow, on rounding a bend my buddy's horse stopped and didn't want to go forward as she had heard hoofs clopping nearby. Alfie forged ahead, but oh no! His saddle slipped to the right, I threw my weight to the left but started to slip too far, the track suddenly dipped down to a sharp descent and Alfie, perturbed by the rolling saddle shot forward. He wears a Dr Cooks (all those trying or thinking of trying these please note!!!!) and alas I had absolutely NO BRAKES!!
We plunged to the bottom of the hill, Alfie trying to escape the sharp edge of the saddle as it dug into his neck by throwing his head between his knees, me trying uselessly to pull his head up, and trying to calm him with the eternal "Whoa Boy"!Miraculously we reached the clearing at the base of the slope, still united. He stopped happily enough in the lush grass for a nibble as I dismounted and straightened the errant saddle and tightened the cinch substantially.
The ride was resumed and during a pleasant meander through some forest trail we heard hoof beats behind and the inevitable "Can we pass please?" I moved to the side of the narrowish track allowing plenty of room, and three horses trotted by, the second of which (clearly a mare!) suddenly let fly with an enormous buck, aiming a well timed kick at my head, Alfie was quicker thinking than I and shied swiftly to the side as the hoof whistled neatly past my right ear, barely an hand span from contact!!!!
All you can do in such a situation is laugh really! My riding buddy had had an anxious feeling at the start of the ride but we had carried on blithely. All in all it was a great ride, but certainly had its hairy moments, which was apt really given the horse I was riding! ;D
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
