Wipe that stupid grin off your face...

I can't.

You see, we went out on a two hour hack at Craigengellan Estate yesterday.

I think the wind must have changed in the middle of one of the dozen or so canters that we had across fields and through woodland tracks, and that excitement and exhilaration got smacked onto my face so firmly that it it's here for at least the whole week.

The smile will not budge. My friends and I had such stupid grins on our faces on the drive back home, we probably looked like we were a more than a little drunk.

Tearing across fields on the back of a horse is surely up there as one of the most incredible things that you can experience in a lifetime. The fact that you can book in to do it all again whenever you like - or can afford to - is just odd, kind of like buying happiness of sorts. They say money can't do that, but I suspect any horse owner knows that this is not an entirely truthful fact.

I feel incredibly lucky to be comfortably off enough to afford this pleasure, if not a horse....although I will keep on buying the lottery tickets in hope.

Happy hacking

Travelled down Ayrshire way again last weekend for some hacking fun with my friend Jane. Two hours in the Craigengellan Estate, me on Freddy Jane on Norman.....Norman, what were they thinking when they named a horse Norman?

the handsome old boy Freddy

Our lead horse was a mare Lucy, who had been out of work for about six years foaling, and since her return is a little bit wired. She has quite a pace on her and Ros's Mum said she would only take her out with more experienced riders (!?!) as she can be a little unpredictable.

'Wow, us experienced' I thought....it was nice not to be referred to as a novice rider for a change, gave us both a much needed confidence boost. It is all in the mind this horse riding mullarkey, I am more and more convinced of that all the time.

Lucy set a crazy pace even at a walk, and Norman was hot on her heels and Freddy shaking off his twenty two years and keeping up with the speedy duo on all but the most stretched out canter. Actually I am pretty sure Norman was galloping briefly and so would Freddy had I let him. You are only as young as you feel, you know, once an eventer, always an eventer!

We came back exhausted and on a massive high....this, my friends, is what it is all about.

Hacking oot this month...

Thats a Scottish-ism, not a typo.

This beautiful horse is Trio, he is a Craigengellen Horse who I took out on a hack at the weekend.  He is absolutely stunning. I love the fact that they let his mane grow out, I think ke is destined for an drawing or illustration project, he has mystical pony / horse written all over that face, he just needs a story to suit!

Trio, a lovely Craigengellan Horse

As you may know if you have been following a while I have a few issues with hacking out horses - there is a history there, like I have said everyone has a story, and you find mine here. Anyhow, I have been working on erase this long past event and replace it with the more positive riding experiences of the present,  and I have a two pronged attack. The first is visiting Craigengellan, where the hacking is terrific. The horses are ridden out regularly, know the land and seem a lovely relaxed lot. I think this has the potential to work wonders for the confidence and restoring a lot of positive riding experiences from my childhood and we can have some fun cantering over fields in a very safe setting, with sound horses.

My friend Jane in front, over the fells we go.

Trio was selected for his extra laid back demeanour. He was good as gold and we cantered up over the fells without minimal hint of my 'open green space' angst. I had a 'whoa' moment as he stretched out a little closer to a gallop, but he eased back, and realised it was all in the head. 'Smile' shouted the lead rider over her shoulder at me, and I did, I beamed with the excitement of it. We even managed not to trample on a young lamb who darted out in our path, as even with grass under his toes he slowed when asked, allowing the little lamb to scamper with a 'maaa' to his 'maaam'

The other prong is Merlin, been the lovely big horse who a very kind colleague at work is letting me ride. On Mondays I have the luxury of just a little bit of stolen time which neither belongs to my work nor my children amd some of this time now belongs to Merlin.

This is a entirely a different type of riding, the catching, grooming, tacking going out on your own kind that is a much truer representation of having your own horse. And it requires extra boots full of confidence.



Merlin, just as well I am not a photographer!

Riding alone is a strange one. I did it younger on Sam and others without a thought, but then I came a cropper. Having stood in alone a field once hollering for help, I have no particular intention of repeating this, but the risk is always there.

So far I have only made it out in company, although we ride along the road to the school and back alone, but the plan is to get right over this. My confidence is growing as I get to know him and I think I have reached the stage that  this week I think we will go for a little post lesson hack on our own. Our ride will be walking and trotting, as although there are a few opportunities for a canter, that will only be if and when I find the nerve to silence too rational mind enough to do so.  

Anyhow, a landmark moment ..... baby steps are the way to go.

A Tour of the Burns Country

I took a notion for a wee drive in the country, so hot-footed on the M77 to Ayrshire for a bit of a riding related tour with two things in mind: the first was that I could well benefit from a little local promotion of my art; the second that I am on a quest to find some good hacking within easy reach of the south side of Glasgow. City (and suburban) riding stables offering hacking  can be few and far between and even in those that do it can be seasonal with a lot of road work really limiting the opportunities to get out safely.

And so, my grand tour of Burns Country started at Kilmarnock  and took in Cumnock, Prestwick and Dundonald  enjoying the rolling countryside, which can look a bit bleak on some days, but in the sunshine, quite lovely.

I had all manner of Sat Nav related near disasters along the way, such as being routed through a river with depth sign basically reading 'cross at your peril' - seriously, it did, and I didn't. I wished I had taken a picture but I was too shocked at the road running into the water and how I was going to get out of that pickle. I found it on Google Maps, Street View (my those people have been everywhere) and I have to ask, would anyone in their right mind drive through this?

Link to road though a river on Google

I had a good 15 minutes reversing up a narrow single track road, but I didn't let it spoil my fun!

I got some good recommendations for where to go for a hack from the lovely folk I met along the way, with Craigengillan and the Shanter in Maidens but getting recommendations.

I even had an offer from a lovely lady called Laura that I could come and hack her horse if I liked.  He was a gorgeous boy, an eventer and one of her three horses, so it is a bit of a logistical for her hacking them all  - she probably detected a hint or nervousness in my reaction as I had a momentary flashback to my broken arm brought about by taking on a horse a little beyond me some years back!

All around a nice day, and some yards were kind enough to say they would pop my flyer in their tack room, which was pleasing. That said, as social as it was I don't think that was the 'greenest' approach to promoting my artistic ventures, so with regret I will turn to good old Royal Mail.

Came home and read a bit Tam O Shanter to my boy before bed....all Ayshire and horses all round then.