Rampage!!!
8 June 2008 23:35Yesterday we made a sudden decision to go down to the New Forest and watch a day of Steve's clinic there ( full report on the one we rode on is in progress, I promise ) which was really interesting- great to see him working with different people and horses and both Steve and Irena seemed pleased to see us, which was really nice.
Today we decided to take the boys out for a hack on the common in the blazing sun and it was absolutely brilliant- both ponies were very well behaved and there were very few people around. On the way back we have a long uphill which Lou and Small like to canter up. I've not done much cantering but because I'm pretty solid in walk and trot it isn't different enough to worry me. What I wasn't expecting was that Small pony would open up and vanish off in the style of a pony that could make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs. Once he realised what was going on Zorro kept pace quite nicely and I put the reins in one hand, held the front of the saddle in the other and enjoyed going a whole lot faster than I ever have on horseback before. I even got to do a bit of steering as Zorro thought he could save some time by diving off the path into the bracken and cutting the corner. I have no idea what he would do if he actually got into the bracken but there are far too many rabbit holes around there for me to have any interest in finding out. Luckily our steering is pretty good at the moment, even off the one rein and he had no problem with slowing down once we had caught up with Small pony. Very exhillarating.
Then we went off for a lesson with Julian ( My position had slipped a little but not too badly given the somewhat long time since my last lesson there ) and then over to visit our friend Karen and buy a car off her. I'm now the proud owner of an aged ( but relatively low mileage ) Toyota which will probably be called Friendlycar. Funnily enough, in order to borrow enough to pay for the lorry I had to take a minimum £2000 loan, which means that I had just enough to pay for the Toyota out of the difference. It's easy to superimpose some kind of imaginary order on these things, but that really does feel like it was supposed to happen. Usually when I feel that way I'm proved wrong in expensive ways but it does all fit together pretty well.
Today we decided to take the boys out for a hack on the common in the blazing sun and it was absolutely brilliant- both ponies were very well behaved and there were very few people around. On the way back we have a long uphill which Lou and Small like to canter up. I've not done much cantering but because I'm pretty solid in walk and trot it isn't different enough to worry me. What I wasn't expecting was that Small pony would open up and vanish off in the style of a pony that could make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs. Once he realised what was going on Zorro kept pace quite nicely and I put the reins in one hand, held the front of the saddle in the other and enjoyed going a whole lot faster than I ever have on horseback before. I even got to do a bit of steering as Zorro thought he could save some time by diving off the path into the bracken and cutting the corner. I have no idea what he would do if he actually got into the bracken but there are far too many rabbit holes around there for me to have any interest in finding out. Luckily our steering is pretty good at the moment, even off the one rein and he had no problem with slowing down once we had caught up with Small pony. Very exhillarating.
Then we went off for a lesson with Julian ( My position had slipped a little but not too badly given the somewhat long time since my last lesson there ) and then over to visit our friend Karen and buy a car off her. I'm now the proud owner of an aged ( but relatively low mileage ) Toyota which will probably be called Friendlycar. Funnily enough, in order to borrow enough to pay for the lorry I had to take a minimum £2000 loan, which means that I had just enough to pay for the Toyota out of the difference. It's easy to superimpose some kind of imaginary order on these things, but that really does feel like it was supposed to happen. Usually when I feel that way I'm proved wrong in expensive ways but it does all fit together pretty well.
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Date: 8 Jun 2008 23:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: 9 Jun 2008 21:55 (UTC)no subject
Date: 9 Jun 2008 09:40 (UTC)I do like the Star Wars reference. Ah, Han Solo....those were the days. :P
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Date: 9 Jun 2008 11:07 (UTC)no subject
Date: 9 Jun 2008 21:55 (UTC)no subject
Date: 9 Jun 2008 15:57 (UTC)