Monday 18 October 2010

BT: Not Very Brave

I am not much of a rider, in spite of having lessons all through the school holidays of my childhood. It was the jodhpurs that put me off. They were the old fashioned type made of non-stretch cavalry twill that ballooned at the hip, and getting them off was hell. And while hacking out was fun, schooling, with all that 'Round the World', figures of eight and such like was really, really tedious.

I've only had one fall, when a cousin in Essex took me out for a gallop on a hunter. I lost the stirrups and came off, but landed on my feet and wound up running alongside hanging onto the reins (it was drummed in from an early age; "If you come off, never let go"). As falls go it was probably quite elegant, but it wasn't the competently casual look I'd been aiming for.

The last time I rode with any serious intent was when I was first dating the SS; I got run away with, but managed to remember one was meant to turn the thing, and that worked. I suppose I must have passed whatever test as a potential life partner she was putting me through.

There have been a few pony trekking outings since in the Highlands. On the last occasion we came down a slope so steep that the rear of my mount was more or less sitting on the ground, and I found my feet doing the sort of bent-kneed walking that children do in pedal cars. That time the SS and K so liked one of the Highland ponies that they bought it, which raised a few logistical problems, as we were returning on the sleeper.

Another piece of equestrian lore I was regaled with is that one should always try and stop a loose horse. The favoured technique is to stand in front of it as it careers towards you, and stretch out one's arms. Needless to say, when this has happened at point-to-points, I find a compelling reason for setting off in the opposite direction. While doing this once, I was put to shame by my 70 year old mother who stood her ground doing the heroic arm thing.

What all this is leading to is yesterday afternoon, when the SS received a call about an escaped horse. I don't know why they called her, but she went down and recognised the escapee as a stallion belonging to a neighbour. The beast had been trying to get to a mare, and was some way from home (the mare was a grey pony; apparently they use grey mares to get stallions in the mood at stud, which suggests gentlemen horses prefer petite blondes).

The stallion was very steamed up and overexcited, but with help they managed to get a halter onto it and walk it home. Since then we've been shown this video of the same horse, before it came here. It provides a clue as to how he got out of his field...and also as to why I prefer to leave catching horses to other, braver folk (sorry about the music; it's French).

13 comments:

  1. I've only ever been pony trekking twice - really enjoyed it but the first time I ended up with buttock sized blisters on my, well, my buttocks. The second time I learned to do the gait thing where you bob up and down and protect your posterior - my bum was less bloodied that time. However, I've never been back but would like to.

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  2. my idea of horseback riding is watching them run on a track while i sip a whiskey! well done you! ;~D xoxoxox

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  3. I've only ever been on the back of a horse once, and it was the most terrifying experience of my life. So I completely understand.

    How did you get that pony home?

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  4. Me and horses, not a good mix. My cats eat 'em.

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  5. Best viewed in a field with a decent fence between you and them.

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  6. His jumping style is a pretty sure give away that someone has rapped his knees by raising the bar suddenly as he was jumping it at its normal height. Some tricks of the trade are not pretty.

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  7. I've only ever been on the back of an Icelandic pony, so have only a slight comprehension of the difficulties of horse riding. But they were very cute.

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  8. my horse is a sweet tempered scooter




    Aloha from Honolulu, Friend

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  9. One of those activities I'd like to do but until they breed a horse with brakes...

    Am most impressed by your equestrian mastery by comparison and am prepared to let you off the hook re stopping a wild stallion on heat!

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  10. Ride `em Cow-Gentleman!




    Aloha from Waikiki

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  11. So how did you get the pony home? Red Star Parcels?

    Sorry not to have caught up until now...we've been moving house.

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  12. Thank you for letting me know about K's gig - unfortunately I can't make it as I am out elsewhere that night, but please do let me know the next time she is playing in my area as I would love to come and see her. I hope it goes really well for her.

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