Fantastic hack! Where did you ride today?

[skihorse]

I was the last person to the yard this morning and the others were either in the field or getting groomed - so of course madame was going bonkers in the box. Got her cleaned and tacked up in 20 minutes even though I was shaking because I'd forgotten to have breakfast and it was "fresh". The first 40 minutes were pretty hairy and I thought I was going to end up arse-up in a ditch.

Then it just got better and better - had a pretty crappy week but the yard owner who is incidentally the best rider I've met in years on a personal level turned and said "that looks brilliant" which just made me do this . Hunted mountain-bikers. Came across a loose piggy, loose cows and I've not laughed so much in ages.

Got to the cafe/bar - put the horses in the stalls and then had a coffee/baileys and a bit of lunch.

Coming back we decided we wanted a shift-on so I went first and decided it was about time these Dutch girls learned how we ride "Hunting style" - so we took off at a rate of knots and took a nice fallen log. Got to the top of the hill and one of the girls (Baileys ) had to get off to re-adjust her saddle due to shoddy girth-fitting post-lunch haha. Everyone loved it and one of the girls was so thrilled - apparently her first ever jump.

Got back to the yard, hosed down saddle areas and put them in the field for a roll before feet up and a cold drink sitting in the sun.

Just absolutely blissfull!

The lack of a school is one of our main problems atm I think. If we can do a few minutes schooling first dhorse goes out fairly calmly and I'm not so tense, but if we have to go straight out he is a bit too keen and I'm in a state more or less as soon as we get out of the gate. Trouble is we are on a hill (as you can see in one of my profile pics) and it's too treacherous underfoot once the grass is wet to school. We just need a flat bit!

There isn't really anywhere for a gentle meander round here. We have some roadwork to get onto the Downs including crossing a motorway bridge and then there is the model airplane club, free roaming cattle etc! The other direction we have a busy airport and a river. There is a nice path by the river but it is also a popular cycle path.

Part of me thinks we would be better off moving somewhere else with better facilities and hacking, but we have the field exactly how we want it with our shelter and hay store, and we don't have to share a paddock with anyone else. Also I can walk there (just about!) in an emergency like the heavy snowfall last year.