And we’re there...

[Trewsers]

It’s was drizzling first thing but the sun came out as we headed out and we had a nice ride, although Monkey was on a definite go slow today!
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Summer is nearly over, Monkeys highlights are starting to disappear as they do at the end of every summer
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As I was looking I noticed he’s got a sore in his mane, I don’t think he’s rubbed it as such, his mane is intact.
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I looked closer at that sore when we got back, it’s on top of an almost golf ball sized lump, my best guess is either he got his head stuck somewhere and scraped it or something bit him, possibly a tick and he scraped it off. It’s not sore. I’ll hot compress it a couple of times a day as it’s got the feel of an abscess, but hopefully it’s not.

Lovely scenery you have there. I hope his sore goes soon - glad it isn't sore and bothering him.

 

[Jessey]

L&L came over yesterday and now schools have gone back we ventured over past the holiday livery yard, its ages since we’ve been over there! We did a leisurely 10 miles and had a lovely time



Their outdoor wedding venue…

Once we get out the other side the tracks are much wider and mowed!


Back on our side there much smaller

 

[Trewsers]

L&L came over yesterday and now schools have gone back we ventured over past the holiday livery yard, its ages since we’ve been over there! We did a leisurely 10 miles and had a lovely time

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Their outdoor wedding venue…
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Once we get out the other side the tracks are much wider and mowed!
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Back on our side there much smaller
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Beautiful hacking you have, must be really enjoyable. Its another world isn't it. Must be lovely.

 

[Jessey]

Beautiful hacking you have, must be really enjoyable. Its another world isn't it. Must be lovely.

It really is amazing, I’m very lucky, I moved here just for the riding almost 25 years ago now. There’s not many places you can ride 10+ miles completely off road (other than crossing a couple), and I could do that every day of the week and never do the same route twice. Many times I’ve thought about moving away to a more affordable area to get a better work-life balance, but I can’t bring myself to leave the riding here.

 

[Jessey]

Interesting ride tonight, I didn’t plan to go far but he was being lazy and spooky, so we carried on, eventually got him to put more effort in by doing some hacking schooling and really getting his brain engaged. Then he really got into it and I asked for a few steps of passage and he really tried and I praised him lots, then he thought I wanted lots more up and not much forward for the rest of the ride he tries his little socks off when he’s switched on but can get carried away!

 

[Jessey]

We’ve had a busy few days and I missed updating here.

On Saturday L&L came over and we had a lovely couple of hours out, all of our riding is off road, but we went completely off roading through the woods where there wasn’t even a track. Both Lex and Monkey really enjoy it and focus really hard on what they’re doing.


Then yesterday I took Monkey out in the trailer, it’s been about 3 months since he travelled and we’re going away in a couple of weeks so i wanted to practice, and he was a champ, loaded first time both ways with only a tiny, few seconds hesitation and travelled really well so we only did a short 30 minute/2 mile ride as I don’t want him to associate travelling with hard/long work every time.

He’s so good, there’s a 60mph b road about 10m behind us here, cars and motorbikes were whizzing past and he doesn’t so much as flick an ear at them.

Ive got a day off today and can’t decide what to do, trailer out again or just go for a nice long ride in an area that’s too busy on the weekends

 

[Jessey]

I decided not to trailer out, so as not to push my luck. And decided to do jobs before riding, 6 hours later I finally got finished but I really hurt my shoulder so we didn’t get much of a ride, just a quick 45 minutes to stretch his legs. Thankfully he was very gentlemanly tonight so my shoulder just about held up to it, but a few hours on its very stiff and painful so I expect he’ll be having a day off tomorrow.

 

[Trewsers]

I decided not to trailer out, so as not to push my luck. And decided to do jobs before riding, 6 hours later I finally got finished but I really hurt my shoulder so we didn’t get much of a ride, just a quick 45 minutes to stretch his legs. Thankfully he was very gentlemanly tonight so my shoulder just about held up to it, but a few hours on its very stiff and painful so I expect he’ll be having a day off tomorrow.

Aw healing vibes for your shoulder.

 

[Jessey]

Early ride this morning so I could meet up with a friend this evening to help him out, then he cancelled. Non-horse people don’t realise!

We had a nice ride, Monkey is being blissfully consistent, we had some good long canters and stopped for some grass and didn’t see another soul out there, perfect

 

[Jessey]

We had a nice chilled ride today, but there were loads of fungus foragers out. Monkey is always suspicious of them, why they’re creeping between the trees, head down, he stares at them intently I suspect there will be less next year as several seemed to be relying on an app to identify safe vs poisonous shrooms!

 

[Trewsers]

We had a nice chilled ride today, but there were loads of fungus foragers out. Monkey is always suspicious of them, why they’re creeping between the trees, head down, he stares at them intently I suspect there will be less next year as several seemed to be relying on an app to identify safe vs poisonous shrooms!
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That's the thing with mushrooms isn't it - it would be so easy to get it wrong and I'm paranoid about certain things as it is. We have tons growing here, all different types but I'm not brave (or knowledgeable enough) to pick them. No way. I wouldn't trust an app either.

 

[Jessey]

Lovely ride out tonight, it rained cats and dogs, on and off, all day until about 2, then the sun came out. Based on the forecast I’d already planned to ride later and made the most of tea time when most people are at home.

I went over to high lodge only to find one of my ways in is now blocked, I wasn’t doubling back so we made our own path in, and ended up in this meadow that’s never been used that I’ve seen

Monkey is so good going places he’s never been before, he doesn’t get silly, just gets on with it

The forest was pleasantly deserted and looking fabulous all damp and sunshine. It’s greened up wonderfully, Monkey very much enjoyed a snack of long green grass

We had some great long trots and canters, you can’t not on these tracks!



We got home just as the sun set, a lovely end to the day.

 

[Jessey]

On Tuesday morning I got to the yard to find Monkey had been up to monkey business! Those dolav’s are really hard to flip over, and they’re against the fence, I’ve no clue how he does it.


After work I headed straight out, I always walk the drove but we got a wriggle on as soon as we got in the forest, I’ve been on a mission to get him well worked this week so he’s settled when we go away at the weekend

Then my search alert went off, so we ended up doing a very fast loop, he was puffing a bit by the time we got back to the drove. We walked the first and last 3/4 mile, and did 3 miles total in 40 minutes, so very very fast for him!

 

[Jessey]

Out again last night, only a short ride, but got some good trots and canters in and he was very chilled so I didn’t see the need to push to go further, I was so busy enjoying myself I didn’t think to take a picture until we were virtually home!

That ear, he was very much hoping for a treat!

 

[Trewsers]

On Tuesday morning I got to the yard to find Monkey had been up to monkey business! Those dolav’s are really hard to flip over, and they’re against the fence, I’ve no clue how he does it.
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After work I headed straight out, I always walk the drove but we got a wriggle on as soon as we got in the forest, I’ve been on a mission to get him well worked this week so he’s settled when we go away at the weekend
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Then my search alert went off, so we ended up doing a very fast loop, he was puffing a bit by the time we got back to the drove. We walked the first and last 3/4 mile, and did 3 miles total in 40 minutes, so very very fast for him!

How do they do it?!!! I wonder when we aren’t there!

 

[Jessey]

Thread 'Cheeky weekend away'
https://www.newrider.com/threads/cheeky-weekend-away.273669/

 

[Jessey]

We got out Tuesday night and Monkey was all cute talking to Dan on our way out

It was a lovely warm evening and we had a perfect hour out in the forest
They’ve mowed so of the tracks which is always welcome

 

[Jessey]

I had an afternoon off so went out for a couple of hours across the river. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this low!
It was a beautiful afternoon and Monkey was on a go slow for the first half an hour, just enjoying the sunshine

There’s an old deer hide that has fallen over, Monkey was very suspicious of it

He really impressed me tonight, I realised how far he’s come with his unknown horse anxiety, we met 2 horses out tonight and he wasn’t worried at all! Just walked past them.
We found some lovely tracks, I should go over there more!

We went to go under the railway and a train came over just as we approached, so I figured we were clear to go, there me hanging off Monkeys side (it’s very low) and taking pictures and we were barely out when another fast train came over!! I’m not used to the weekday schedule!

Across the picnic area

And down into the river, it was barely fetlock deep, it’s normally always knee to belly deep here!