2023 Hacking and Riding

I can finally say i rode. Sorry Chunky. Feeling full of cold so i decided i couldnt face walking them out today. It ment walking them up the steep field to get them out. After i had lunged i took chunky over to the logs in there paddock and climbed up on him. He was fab. I literally walked him round for a couple of minutes in the field then got off. I have forgotten how wide he is. Billy was following us round the field too. He thought he was missing out.
I must get some lessons. At first i was nervous but i soon relaxed. The longer i leave it i think i am loosing my bottle.
 
I can finally say i rode. Sorry Chunky. Feeling full of cold so i decided i couldnt face walking them out today. It ment walking them up the steep field to get them out. After i had lunged i took chunky over to the logs in there paddock and climbed up on him. He was fab. I literally walked him round for a couple of minutes in the field then got off. I have forgotten how wide he is. Billy was following us round the field too. He thought he was missing out.
I must get some lessons. At first i was nervous but i soon relaxed. The longer i leave it i think i am loosing my bottle.
I'm the same - I'm so enjoying walking him out, I think I've lost mine a bit.
 
He's anyone actually measured the width of their horse/Cob.
I stood on the mounting block and was tempted 😂
No wonder I can't do bareback for an hour.
 
No not actually measured. It would be difficult to gauge properly.
I dont have a weigh tape. So i put a peice of bale string round the middle of the body to see if the tummy is bigger or smaller. I do it at the withers too but for there i have knots tied in the string one for billy one for chunky. It allows me to know if theyve filled out or not.
I guess given the full measurement. Assuming the horse was round, (most cobs are) not elongated. You could work out diameter using pi mathematics.
 
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Sid is not so round at the moment

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but I do rather fancy working out his diameter using 2piR.

Actually he probably is somewhat round today as I found him in the long grass this morning. The bit of electric tape that enlivens his rug had slipped between the buckles. So we went for a longish ride, an hour and three-quarters, with very little cantering but several long, steep hills.

I took us past the ford because he had eaten a lot of hay before we set out and I thought he might be thirsty. Of course he chose that point to be terrified by something invisible in the field beside the path, which meant that although he willingly went into the ford he was not going to drink, no siree Bob, horses don't drink when there are invisible monsters in the vicinity. So he just had to be hot and thirsty.

This is riding along past the Chilworth vineyard, not long after the invisible monster. He is still on high alert.

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Apart from that he was very good at passing alpacas, chainsaws, groups of ramblers with flappy maps and Dayglo rucksacks, scaffolding with red and white tape etc, and behaved himself on the short stretch of busy road which we have to ride to cross the level crossing. I made him go on the pavement (which is suggested for bikes and horses in our area), but he would really rather use the road.

This is just leaving the Chilworth Manor estate, by the alpacas. I don't know why these shadow shots always show him with a huge dangly belly. He must be rounder than he looks.

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And this is just after the level crossing, starting off up the long, long hill back to the Heath. He was chilled, but there was a group of walkers coming down and he was checking them out. His ears are usually at attention while we are on the move.

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I left his rug off when we got home, because he was sweaty and I thought he would appreciate a roll.

And finally, I walked the dogs at moonset this morning and it was beautiful...

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I measured the base of her neck and it was 50" I had to take that measurement a few times to be sure at just how big it is.
She's got Shire in there so she's never going to be slim and trim. But I know she's carrying too much at the moment.
 
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Got out for a brief ride. I wanted to test out my foot warmer things, so I take them out on a warm sunny day. 😂

Sheep people, @chunky monkey what are these.
I love them. Not seen these around here before.
My knowledge of sheep is, I like those more than I like those.
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Those look like texels to me. They are a bit soft I think and don't do that well where we used to live. Actually I don't think they are, cos I've just had a quick look. Mr t and me used to call them softy texels but I don't think they were. Hopefully Chunky will enlighten us.
 
This has prompted me to dig out my sheep book. Hahahaha. Must go sheep spotting again soon.

I found the books! Yaye.
Could be a Devon and Cornwall Longwool?
Or Dartmoor?shee.jpg
 
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Very cold again, -3 when we set off. The ground isn't great, but walking out in hand was OK. He was such a good boy, we met 2 totally mental dogs - one rushed us from behind, and he didn't blink, the other was just doing zoomies in the trees, and again, he was great. A chap stopped us and said "He's a big lad, isn't he?" I asked him if he meant width wise lol, and he asked how tall he was. When I said 13hh, he thought I was joking. I don't know, maybe I look 6ft, and people think he's bigger, but I'm 5'2 and he doesn't exactly tower over me! He's still sound, which is good. If the cold continues, I'll keep just walking out - I think he enjoys it as much as me.
 
Very cold again, -3 when we set off. The ground isn't great, but walking out in hand was OK. He was such a good boy, we met 2 totally mental dogs - one rushed us from behind, and he didn't blink, the other was just doing zoomies in the trees, and again, he was great. A chap stopped us and said "He's a big lad, isn't he?" I asked him if he meant width wise lol, and he asked how tall he was. When I said 13hh, he thought I was joking. I don't know, maybe I look 6ft, and people think he's bigger, but I'm 5'2 and he doesn't exactly tower over me! He's still sound, which is good. If the cold continues, I'll keep just walking out - I think he enjoys it as much as me.
That's lovely and jolly cold.
We are 0 at the moment but lovely and sunny.
People query the height of mine as they think she's 14.2. She forgot to grow her legs to match the body that sits on them! With all his floof puffed up maybe he looks big?
 
Argh. Im hoping it is just this time of year but robin has turned into an argumentative toddler. Whatever I asked him to do he didn’t WANT too. Even if what I asked him to do what what he did want to do 1 second ago. Trotting was impossible. I don’t know how many times I told myself not to react but oh wow could I have got off and left him there! He did get roared at a few times which I am ashamed of. He then was a complete brat while I stood and chatted to someone who was also saying their horse was the same type of brat today. He did technically not move his feet but I really do not need to see up his nose.
 
That's lovely and jolly cold.
We are 0 at the moment but lovely and sunny.
People query the height of mine as they think she's 14.2. She forgot to grow her legs to match the body that sits on them! With all his floof puffed up maybe he looks big?
He's so broad across the chest, let alone the tummy and bottom, I think it's that.
 
Sid is broad. It gives him presence. People say, "Gosh, he's so big," "Oh, what an amazing horse." But he's not tall at all.
You've hit the nail on the head. So many people have said that about Hogan - he's quite a unit - broad, thick legs, and black. We'll not mention the tummy.....
 
Argh. Im hoping it is just this time of year but robin has turned into an argumentative toddler. Whatever I asked him to do he didn’t WANT too. Even if what I asked him to do what what he did want to do 1 second ago. Trotting was impossible. I don’t know how many times I told myself not to react but oh wow could I have got off and left him there! He did get roared at a few times which I am ashamed of. He then was a complete brat while I stood and chatted to someone who was also saying their horse was the same type of brat today. He did technically not move his feet but I really do not need to see up his nose.
Mine arent normally reactive to the different times of year. But billy was a twat galloping round last thursday. Hes still paying for it.

I was talking to a friend today whos horse turned into an idiot and went ballistic whilst farrier was trying to shoe it, last week. Farrier had to come back next day to put the last shoe on.
 
It has been relatively mild. For once we are getting better weather than “down south”. The fields have dried right out and their heads are down most of the time. So I’m hoping we are having a little flush of grass to explain it and he is getting ansty at wanting out. We are all on count down to them going out 24/7. Only another couple of months…. I should then get a less argumentative horse. Even friends bomb proof the world could be exploading pony is having moments. He has been terribly good for a terribly long time so I can’t expect much else 🙈
 
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