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Riding holiday
Apr. 6th, 2011 09:15 pm Just back from 2 days riding in Wales!
So much fun. I am a little bit in love with Welsh Cobs again. They're what I learnt to ride on so I've always had a bit of a soft spot for them but with the thoroughbreds and similar warmbloods at Tanglewood I'd kind of forgotten their appeal. This holiday definitely reminded me!
My pony was called Hank. Bright chesnut with flaxen mane and tail, around 14hh and very very pretty. Beautifully behaved, although a few over excited bucks at some points, but only the 'I'm having fun' kind rather than the 'get off me!' kind. And even though he was the smallest also an awesome pack horse, carrying the shoeing kit for 2 days (we had to replace 3 shoes in the end, rather rocky terrain). Also very fond of polos and very quick to work out which pocket they were kept in!
2 days of awesome riding. Not too manically fast, but enough long canters (complete with ditch jumping) to make it exciting while the walks and trots let you take in the amazing Welsh scenery. Nice little pubs to stop off in over lunch, with hitching posts outside and the occasional leaving the table to check on the horses (and generally catch at least one of the horses that had pulled a Houdini and escaped their headcollar). Stayed in a nice little farmhouse staffed by 3 generations of the family. (Well, OK, the littlest generation weren't that much use, although they did keep us entertained and occasionally bring in random pots and things to go on the table... not normally ones we needed, but the idea was there). Very tastey food, although the Grandparents didn't think much of veggie diets, our dinner the first night was roast without the meat, but vegetables are nice I guess. And we had veggie lasagne the next nice which was lovely. Rooms were so comfortable, especially after a days riding!
So much fun. I am a little bit in love with Welsh Cobs again. They're what I learnt to ride on so I've always had a bit of a soft spot for them but with the thoroughbreds and similar warmbloods at Tanglewood I'd kind of forgotten their appeal. This holiday definitely reminded me!
My pony was called Hank. Bright chesnut with flaxen mane and tail, around 14hh and very very pretty. Beautifully behaved, although a few over excited bucks at some points, but only the 'I'm having fun' kind rather than the 'get off me!' kind. And even though he was the smallest also an awesome pack horse, carrying the shoeing kit for 2 days (we had to replace 3 shoes in the end, rather rocky terrain). Also very fond of polos and very quick to work out which pocket they were kept in!
2 days of awesome riding. Not too manically fast, but enough long canters (complete with ditch jumping) to make it exciting while the walks and trots let you take in the amazing Welsh scenery. Nice little pubs to stop off in over lunch, with hitching posts outside and the occasional leaving the table to check on the horses (and generally catch at least one of the horses that had pulled a Houdini and escaped their headcollar). Stayed in a nice little farmhouse staffed by 3 generations of the family. (Well, OK, the littlest generation weren't that much use, although they did keep us entertained and occasionally bring in random pots and things to go on the table... not normally ones we needed, but the idea was there). Very tastey food, although the Grandparents didn't think much of veggie diets, our dinner the first night was roast without the meat, but vegetables are nice I guess. And we had veggie lasagne the next nice which was lovely. Rooms were so comfortable, especially after a days riding!
As well as the riding you do all the yard work too. Which I'm sure should be a chore but if you get a group of girls that grew up fighting to get to the yard and are suddenly stuck at uni with no horse/transport of their own and we all really enjoy it. And they had a new foal too, which was so cute! And amazingly confident and non-skittish, as the only foals I've seen before have run as soon as you move, he just wanted to be petted.
Back last night and now very achey, but a very good few days, and makes me want to ride again now please...
