Picture this: Pony was clipped 2 weeks ago and not ridden since due to a combination of working hours, daylight, lump on the girth area, Bowen treatment, owner illness and acquisition of 2 small foals. Today was bright and windy and I had the great idea of taking her for a hack in the woods with the dog in tow...
We got back in one piece but that's more testiment to how wonderful Dolly is than anything else! Rode her across the 10 acre field to start and she spooked when about 50 birds flew up off the recently sown field next to us, then nearly sat down when a dog jumped the stile in front of us! Got through the field, out the gate, and up the path into the woods.
Dog decided squirrel hunting was in order which spooked her so popped her into trot which turned into a (controlled!) canter which we kept up until we met the main path in the woods. Followed the path along, intending on doing a short route we've done before, but when we reached the turning point, found it blocked by fallen branches to had to carry on. Reached the next crossroads and couldn't remember what direction to go so made a random choice which turned out to be not quite what I was expecting, but by the time I noticed, we were too far gone on a steep, narrow, downhill track to do anything about it.
Reached the bottom and went through a gate, hoping furiously that my YO owned this bit of the woods, and eventually found the right track again, at which point a big Lurcher is standing in the middle barking
Dolly isn't scared of dogs (bearing in mind mine has been following us for the last 40 minutes!) but thinks they should have better manners so scowled deeply at it until its owner grabbed it so we could go past.
Got a bit further along and there was another steep downhill, at which point another dog decided it wanted to play with my dog (no owner in sight!) and both dogs took off down the hill at full pelt, with me and Dolly skidding down behind them was very grateful for the big knee rolls and poleys on my saddle!
Got through the end gate and back into the field which we did a lovely slow trot across and made it home in one piece. Pony needed a sponge down where she'd got herself so worked up (turns out horses can sweat on their noses ) then took herself off for a canter round the field. Was lovely and calm and relaxed when I left her so it bodes well for tomorrow's ride out in company!
We got back in one piece but that's more testiment to how wonderful Dolly is than anything else! Rode her across the 10 acre field to start and she spooked when about 50 birds flew up off the recently sown field next to us, then nearly sat down when a dog jumped the stile in front of us! Got through the field, out the gate, and up the path into the woods.
Dog decided squirrel hunting was in order which spooked her so popped her into trot which turned into a (controlled!) canter which we kept up until we met the main path in the woods. Followed the path along, intending on doing a short route we've done before, but when we reached the turning point, found it blocked by fallen branches to had to carry on. Reached the next crossroads and couldn't remember what direction to go so made a random choice which turned out to be not quite what I was expecting, but by the time I noticed, we were too far gone on a steep, narrow, downhill track to do anything about it.
Reached the bottom and went through a gate, hoping furiously that my YO owned this bit of the woods, and eventually found the right track again, at which point a big Lurcher is standing in the middle barking
Dolly isn't scared of dogs (bearing in mind mine has been following us for the last 40 minutes!) but thinks they should have better manners so scowled deeply at it until its owner grabbed it so we could go past.Got a bit further along and there was another steep downhill, at which point another dog decided it wanted to play with my dog (no owner in sight!) and both dogs took off down the hill at full pelt, with me and Dolly skidding down behind them
was very grateful for the big knee rolls and poleys on my saddle!Got through the end gate and back into the field which we did a lovely slow trot across and made it home in one piece. Pony needed a sponge down where she'd got herself so worked up (turns out horses can sweat on their noses
) then took herself off for a canter round the field. Was lovely and calm and relaxed when I left her so it bodes well for tomorrow's ride out in company!