Well that was an eventful morning! (beware long rambling post)

[Pixel]

My instructor came this morning and we decided it would be a good idea to take dhorse to a nearby farm. I haven't been brave enough to take him up there yet because I know from previous experience that there are lots of hunters and youngsters that rush up to the fences on both sides of the road and prance about and I find it a bit nerve-wracking. Anyway, we got near the farm and swapped over so instructor rode and I was walking. Horsey was good as gold, just snorted at a couple of logs and that was it so we were really pleased and headed for home. We were going to swap back but I said I'd wait until we'd passed some men flying model planes (I'd ridden past them on the way but that was UPhill). I'm rather glad I did! There were bullocks on the road as we went down and dhorse was walking past quite happily until one spun round and ran across the road in front of him. He shot to one side but lost his footing on a grass bank at the side of the road and fell over with instructor underneath. Thankfully she was fine but just as my hand was an inch away from dhorse's rein he saw another bullock and ran off down the road. We were panicking about the cattle grid when a woman drove up on her way to the farm and stopped her car across the road and caught him. What a relief.

Instructor got back on and rode up the bank and onto the grass area with the bullocks because she wanted to show dhorse that there was nothing to worry about. He then whipped round, took a flying leap off the bank onto the road (glad he's unshod) and impressively instructor managed to stop him within three strides. Eventually he walked up there nicely with me beside him showing him it was ok.

I couldn't believe that within 5 minutes he was calm enough for me to get back on and ride him back home. What a little star.

I'm feeling very surprised and quite proud that I got back on and wasn't a quivering, sobbing jelly after all that!

Next week we are going bullock-hunting again .

Wow, great for you to get back on! And great he calmed down. My pony always got herself wound up - still having flashbacks of roads and buses!

oh well done, all of you! and good luck for next week do you think he will remember not to be scared?

There is something about cattle that sends horses (most, I think) completely mad. Mine can cope with all sorts of scary vehicles, dogs jumping up at him, even pigs, but show him a cow in any form and he's absolutely petrified. Stands completely still, snorting and you can hear his heart thumping, and then will suddenly whip round and head for home! I think a long time ago, cattle must have eaten horses.....he did this when he saw some geese in a field - it took me ten minutes to get him past and I was laughing so much I nearly fell off!

Wow that was a hack and a half! Your instructor sounds great. Wish you were closer to us we could do with somebody like that.

Well done for getting back on as well. Fingers crossed for your bullock-hunting expedition next week.

Well done pixel brave you I'm feeling a bit wibbly just reading that!!!
My mare hates cows too, and is usually so brave.

When i was working in racing i was on this yearling when he caught sight of someone's coloured cob - he wet himself!! He just froze with his eyes bulging out of his head, poor little mite! God knows what he would have done if it had been a real cow!!!

Hi, got dhorse out today and he is none the worse for his adventure. Nasty scary cattle, shouldn't be allowed! My sister got thrown off her welshie when she first got him because the cows were crowding right round, even trying to nibble her stirrup leathers and he just freaked. Unlike my little horse who went off at a fairly sedate pace, welshie disappeared over the horizon as fast as his legs would take him (which is pretty fast)so sis had a long walk that day.

Our previous horses weren't too bad with cattle but then they were kept on various farms and shared their accommodation with cattle, sheep and pigs over the years (I remember my mum and I having to return an escaped charolais bull to his barn, that was fun ). Nowadays we don't get exposed to such things as often but our field landlord keeps promising us some sheep to eat the ragwort and save us pulling it so that could be interesting.

Mitchy, I don't know if he will remember but just in case I'm going to take some burger buns and ketchup to scare the cattle away!

Owls, yes our instructor is fab, I don't know what we would do without her. My horse adores her too and watches the gate to the road on a monday morning until she appears.

With all our horses being terrorised by deadly, vicious cows, can you imagine what they would be like if they suddenly got dumped on a ranch with about 2000 head of cattle? . I wonder if cutting horses learn from their dams not to be afraid or if the cowboys have to teach them.

Both my horses love cows and stand and watch and 'talk' to them.
My mare even looks like a cow (piebald and has a flat back!)

Sounds an eventful horsey morning Pixel

Well, we went bullock-hunting today and it all went well. They were lying down right next to the road but on top of the grass bank so dhorse was a bit boggly-eyed to start with. It was really cute how he didn't really want to go past but when I walked on ahead and called him he rushed to catch me up as if I was going to save him from the hairy beasties! There was no traffic around so my instructor just rode him up and down past the cattle and in a big circle around them which confused him no end. He was obviously going along with it to humour us mad humans . Apart from one jump in the air and a bit of a jog he was a very brave boy [proud emoticon].

ahhhh good boy! you didn't need the ketchup in the end then?