And we’re there...

[Jessey]

As we went out tonight my friend messaged me, so we arranged to meet her and her 3 whippets for a walk. We got there first but Monkey was happy to wait (and snack on the lovely grass).

Then we’re off, he’s so good with the dogs and happy to plod along while we chat

After we left them we were trotting along when we heard a huge crack, we stopped, and there was crack, crack, crash as a tree came down not far from us! Monkey was very brave and carried on like nothing had happened

 

[Trewsers]

Wow to the tree coming down! Was it being felled by someone or just a natural thing happening?! Glad he was good.

 

[Jessey]

Wow to the tree coming down! Was it being felled by someone or just a natural thing happening?! Glad he was good.

It’s just so dry here at the moment plus we had a lot of wind at the start of the week, and the sandy soil means they can go any time. This area was literal sand dunes before the forest was planted because most crops won’t grow here, the only thing really farmed here before that was rabbits! Breckland is pretty unique.

 

[Jessey]

I had a very short ride yesterday testing out a new saddle, I got a Freeform which I’m excited about, but it needs some tweaking before I go too far in it, plus as I got on I heard a lot of sirens heading to the forest, it turned out there was a huge forest fire just up from us.

Today L&L came over, we had a great ride in fantastic weather. His ears are always back when behind.
He was very happy to stop at the pub for a Diet Coke break

And ears back forward as soon as we’re back in front!

On the very last stretch L decided she couldn’t possibly take the lead again and had a 20 minute temper tantrum at being asked to, Monkey stood like a rock simply waiting for her to get over it. In the past a horse clattering and flailing around behind him would have really worried him, but he didn’t bat an eye

 

[Jessey]

I got back from Scotland late on Monday, so Tuesday I took Monkey out for a spin, he was a bit put out after 2 weeks off He was a bit all over the place looking for things to spook at but not bad and we had a nice little ride.

Yesterday I decided to try out the new saddle I brought on a whim, I was offered a Freeform with skito pad at a price to good to refuse just before I went away, I had sat on it for 5 minutes so was happy to spend some time playing with it yesterday and get out for a short hack in it.

I'm not sure I have the set up right yet, I think I need to play with the stirrup 'bar' position, and I think I will end up ordering a new seat, I don't like the poley's on this one, but perhaps I will change my mind after I have ridden in it a bit more. The bonus being treeless is I now have a saddle I can use on Jess too, on the rare occasions I take her for a plod!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

He looks as if he feels comfortable in it!

What is a pokey, please?

 

[Jessey]

I went out early to beat the heat today, it was already 20c at 7.30!

Monkey wasn’t exactly enthusiastic to go, but he soon perked up and I had to hold him back!

I didn’t meet a soul in the forest, perfect!

A big tree had randomly come down, no obvious reason why

@Jane&Ziggy poleys are the sticky out bits either side of the pommel most commonly seen on Aussie saddles, they give you a bit of something extra to keep you in the seat but I just find them restrictive.

 

[Jessey]

After his enthusiasm yesterday, Monkey was in beach donkey mode today despite L&L coming over to ride. We had a nice ride though the wind really got up by the end but the sun shone throughout. We finally got a little rain while I was away and it’s really greened the forest up.

 

[Jessey]

I had to trim Monkeys feet last night and he was an absolute ass! He normally stands tied in the barn without a care in the world, but he was wired, dancing about, panicking about monsters, and worrying about where Jess was so it took me twice as long as it should have, twice the effort and I'm minus a finger nail from it too!

Then onto a little lunge as I didn't have time to ride and move the little guys back next door and he's currently too fat to do nothing. I expected racing and prancing, and what I actually got was a big fat slug who bucked if I asked too much of him (like a working pace!)

 

[Trewsers]

I had to trim Monkeys feet last night and he was an absolute ass! He normally stands tied in the barn without a care in the world, but he was wired, dancing about, panicking about monsters, and worrying about where Jess was so it took me twice as long as it should have, twice the effort and I'm minus a finger nail from it too!

Then onto a little lunge as I didn't have time to ride and move the little guys back next door and he's currently too fat to do nothing. I expected racing and prancing, and what I actually got was a big fat slug who bucked if I asked too much of him (like a working pace!)

Some days I wonder what gets into them - ouch to your fingernail!

 

[Jessey]

Oof! Monkey was wired going out tonight, put in ducks, dives and bucks, what felt like constantly for the first mile, so we trotted and cantered the next 2 miles! By then he’d finally settled down but he still wanted to crack on!
The forest seems to have overgrown since Sunday after a few days of heavy rain.

We didn’t get rained on tonight, by some miracle, but I got utterly soaked from the trees being so wet

The tree that came down Saturday has gone to pollen but as it’s on the floor it hadn’t blown off and looked really creepy!

 

[Jessey]

L&L over to ride today, we had lots of fun, did some technical off piste routes to get them thinking and then onto some wide fast tracks. L prefers to follow and Monkey now prefers to lead, so we swapped back and forth constantly to get them both happier in their less favoured places. Trotting side by side is a challenge for both of them, they both pull faces at each other

 

[Jessey]

We haven’t been to the river in ages as it’s always crazy busy at the weekends now, but the sun was shining this evening so we headed there.

The highland cows are in the field alongside the river and Monkey still isn’t entirely convinced they won’t get him

Look at the horn span on this old guy!

Monkey is so good with water, just sploshes in and enjoys pawing it before we go through, along it a bit and out the other side

It’s all a bit overgrown on the track leading out, Monkey snatched a mouthful and slapped me in the face with a branch
What a pleasant evening for a ride

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I envy you that river. How deep is it, does your girth get wet?

 

[Jessey]

I envy you that river. How deep is it, does your girth get wet?

It depends, currently it’s only knee deep but sometimes I have to hitch my feet up to stop them getting wet!

 

[Jessey]

A warm ride tonight, Monkey wasn’t so enthusiastic but he’s gone down a girth hole in 48 hours so it was non negotiable!

We didn’t go far, an easy 3 miles

And I’ve left him and Jess on the track tonight!

 

[Jessey]

Jess had the farrier this morning and Monkey was a complete pain, snorting and prancing around upsetting her, so I had to tie him up, he still carried on! So when it came to trailering out this afternoon for a ride I didn’t have high expectations, but he was foot perfect and completely chilled

 

[Jessey]

I only managed a short ride tonight, but it was a good one! Monkey was really chilled, laid down when I arrived! He’s so funny though, he couldn’t possibly walk any slower but get him up a gear or two and he’s really goey!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

It's funny, Sid is like that, walking as ploddy as a cob can go but revving up in higher gears

 

[Jessey]

Another nice little ride tonight, it was 28c again and Monkey isn’t a fan of the heat but he’s a lump and needs the work especially as the weekend is forecast 30 and 33c so I’d rather give him a day off there if need be.

I headed to high lodge for some nice grassy tracks, I’d forgotten it’s Forest live starting tomorrow so there’s loads of extra signs, fences and cones everywhere!

The driveway was free from cars so we had a cheeky canter up the lovely mowed verge
Then got back into the forest proper, on some lovely shady tracks

The bugs are definitely out in force now, we seem to have gone from barely any to millions overnight!
ETA, apparently it was 29.4 warmest place in the uk yesterday!