The most wonderful Dee

While the first part of the fun ride was taking place on August bank holiday, we were not needed as helpers at Briwnant.  We took the opportunity to bring Dee in and groom her.

When we had first arrived the horses were all gathered by the lane.  Inevitably with the excitement of the fun ride, the remaining horses of the Briwnant herd had gone up to the top field to watch the ride head out.  They were all gathered under the trees, with Dee at the front.

Cleaning around Dee's eyes

She was happy to wander down to the yard with us and we gave her a small feed and groomed her.  It struck me that day, that Dee's rehabilitation is complete.  She is a perfectly content mare.  When we first bought her she was head shy – she hated having her neck groomed and it was almost impossible to get near her head and face.  She did not even like being stroked on her head and neck.  Gradually this has improved.  Now she looks soft and sleepy for any part of grooming and keeps still and quiet while I clean around her eyes.

When we liveried her at Wyndham she would yank away from you as you took her head collar off in the field and immediately move off to graze.  I think this was an indication of the lack of grazing time at that yard.  Now when we put her out in the field she likes to hang around with us for quite a while before calmly making her way back to the rest of the herd.

On the day of the fun ride Dee was exceptionally relaxed and affectionate. When we put her back in the field she stayed with us for ages enjoying being stroked and petted.  She continually allowed me to stroke her face and neck without pulling away at all – so lovely to experience.  She even submitted to having her nose kissed!  My heart is full!

Briwnant fun ride

Yesterday was the August bank holiday fun ride at Briwnant Riding Centre.  We decided not to ride but to go along as helpers again.  Red was tacked up and ready to go when we arrived and we enjoyed making a fuss of him and meeting his rider.

The man riding Red has not been riding for long, but rode him competently and with confidence.  Red—as usual—was over-excited because it was a fun ride, which is why we don't usually join in.  We prefer our quiet rides out together, just the two of us.

We brought Dee in to groom while the ride completed the hacking part of the fun ride and then waited for the horses to return.  We then went out to the fields to act as marshals for the cross country part of the fun ride.  These tyres were the first jumps on the cross country course and most of the horses did not like them.  Red was acting very frisky and skirted them, barely jumping.

'ö-Dzin has a new fancy camera and succeeded in capturing some good action shots. If any readers of this blog were riding on this fun ride, ask Briwnant later in the week whether there is a picture of you among the set we are giving to Briwnant. 'ö-Dzin took a photograph of most of the cross country riders.

Riding Red

I'm getting used to Red being the horse I ride.  I'm starting to feel at home on him and not feeling so much that he is too big for me.  Today I rode out with a friend from Bristol.  We worked out that we have been trying to organise riding together for about 2 years, and today we finally achieved it.

The event was not without complications.  The first one was me forgetting Dee's hoof boots.  I had to go back home for them, leaving my friend to groom the horses.  Eventually we were ready to set off.  We had been going for about 5 minutes when I realised I had forgotten to put on my chaps.  Never mind.  I would manage.

We took the track straight out from the yard to the top of Wenallt hill.  It was extremely muddy and I wondered whether this would be a problem for Dee in her hoof boots.  It wasn't, though later in the ride the velcro straps kept coming undone because they had got so full of mud.  This does not affect the function of the boots because the primary front fastening is so secure it is not a problem if the top straps unhook themselves.

The next complication was Red's saddle cloth.  By the time we had climbed to the top of Wenallt Hill this lovely new padded saddle cloth had worked its way right under Red's saddle.  I had to get off and reset the pad and saddle.  I found a suitable log to remount.

We then rode down the top part of the Wenallt horse trail, across the stream, up to Rhiwbina Hill and into the Ganol.  Then through the Ganol into Fforest Fawr.  We had a good canter up the hill.  At the car park I had to dismount again so that I could sort out the saddle pad.  It had moved so much it was practically out the back of the saddle.  I will have to either abandon this pad for Red or sew on velcro fastenings to keep it in place.

Then it was back through the Ganol and a good canter, and home through the bottom part of the Wenallt trail.  Dee and Red behaved beautifully and we had such a good time that my friend is going to try and come and ride again next week.  We thought we might explore a trail I have not ridden before.  It was lovely to feel so relaxed and to be able to take our time.  Sometimes at the weekend the time is so precious that 'ö-Dzin and I feel that we cannot give the whole of one of the days to riding, so it feels a little pressurised fitting it in.

I feel I have had a summer now that I have ridden out for a day in lovely weather.

Hay everywhere and no rain

It has been quite rainy in Wales of late – not so surprising really for Wales and yet it somehow always seems to be a cause of upset.  “It is summer.  The sun should be shining!” we cry.  But the weather is not considerate of our preferences – and so it rains despite the name of the month.

I love the way the rain rolls off a horse's coat and they do not seem to mind it too much on a mild day.

About the only drawback of which I am aware of liverying at Briwnant Riding Centre is the scarcity of stables.  The number of horses seriously outnumbers the number of stables.  This does not bother Red at all as he hates being in the stable.  He was a naughty and difficult horse when we liveried at Wyndham because he spent so much time in the stable, especially in the winter.  Dee does not mind the stable and is quite partial to a cosy night in, but she never makes a fuss about going back out to the field, whatever the weather.  They are, when all is said and done, horses – animals that live on pasture.

As there was no available stable on our last rainy visit to Briwnant we tied Dee up in the hay barn to groom her.  She seemed quite happy with this arrangement and enjoyed a happy half hour munching.

Cheeky hi-viz jacket

I bought this great hi-viz jacket from JMP Saddlery in Llanishen, Cardiff.  From a distance it looks like a police jacket and the word 'polite' could be mistaken for 'police' – which means that perhaps a motorist will be more likely to slow down when they see you.  The jacket is police approved.  It is more comfortable than my old one and doesn't ride up when I am riding.  It also has two useful zip pockets.

I often shop at Julie's – JMP Saddlery.  I think we are really lucky in North Cardiff to have a shop like this so close to a number of livery yards, a riding centre, and the Wenallt horse trail.  As well as selling a good range of quality goods, they also offer a clean-and-repair service for rugs which I use every year.  I personally think it important to support small family businesses like this, and I would highly recommend them for a friendly and personal service.

Hugs in Fforest Fawr

Last week we went on a hack which we haven't done for a long time.  Having prepared the horses at the top field we started the Wenallt trail at the top.  Then we rode over to the Ganol via the steep path.  At the end of the 'gallop' (which we cantered not galloped!), Red was a little reluctant to turn right and head for Fforest Fawr.  He knows the trails well now because he hacks out regularly for Briwnant.  Once I'd asked firmly he carried on okay though.




After a couple more good canters we arrived at the car park at Fforest Fawr and decided to let the horses graze for a while.   They were both happy to do this and Red submitted to being hugged.



Then it was back through the Ganol and into the Wenallt.  After crossing the stream we decided to go back to the top field via the steep part of the trail.  To go the other way would have taken us past the track to Briwnant and we felt the horses might not be too keen on carrying on up the hill past there.

Roadside preparation

We had a bit of a messy start to our ride on Saturday.  First of all we walked across the bottom fields to catch Dee, having seen that Red was already in, only to discover that the horses had been moved to the top fields.  Then we were told that the girls were getting Dee in for us, but we couldn't see her anywhere.  At last we discovered that the girls had kindly tried to bring Dee in for us, but she had refused to cooperate and they'd had to give it up.

Dee has quite strong opinions about who should and should not be asking anything of her and can refuse to be led in.  She occasionally does this even with 'ö-Dzin and I—if she is on new grass for example—but we have not had this happen for a long time.  As two attempts had already been made to bring her down to the yard however, we decided not to risk her running away from us, but to take our tack up and get her ready up at the top field.  So we tacked up Red and 'ö-Dzin rode him up to the top fields while I drove up there.

I don't really like dealing with the horses by the roadside.  It always feels a little bit risky – horses can be quite unpredictable.  Fortunately there is a bit of verge by the gate so they are quite well off the road itself, and there is very little traffic.

Dee came to call immediately – in fact she cantered down the field to me and was happy to have her head collar put on.  'ö-Dzin and Red arrived at about the same time.  We set up haynets for them and got Dee tacked up.  They both behaved well and we were soon ready to go.