|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Jul 6, 2015 14:52:57 GMT -1
Connie and I did our first pleasure ride yesterday, EGB Iceni L plate ride in Harling forest, although I have come to trust her a lot more in the last month I really didn't know what I was going to get from her on the day.
I met a friend with an experienced horse there and the heavens opened a minutes after arriving, although she was very excited she stood to be tacked up on the lorry and stood for me to get on after walking round the mounting block 3 times.
We set off and she was so excited she bounced along in a very fast walk, her 16.2hh warmblood companion had to keep trotting to catch up, I was a little concerned but soon relaxed when I realised it was only taking a firm contact to contain her, we put them into trot as soon as we could and after passing several groups of horses we trotted for about a mile, she just felt as if she could trot forever.
She was unperturbed by passing horses or being passed or seeing horses ahead on long straight tracks and about 1/3 of the way round she had settled a bit and we risked a canter, I got a lovely energetic collected canter and by half way we were able to trot and canter on a light contact.
At one point I let her open up the trot and WOW did she go, I've never experienced a trot like it, she extended and was trotting really fast with Hector lagging behind in canter, when she just lowered her body and extended even more, it just felt like she dropped from under my seat and I couldn't rise, she just seemed to suck my bum down and I just sat, she was so smooth she just seemed to float along, I didn't bounce at all it felt incredible, I've never experienced anything like it, not even on an Arab.
She behaved impeccably, even though she was very excited and we both enjoyed every second even though we were soaked to the skin, it stopped raining shortly after we finished and the sun came out as we were driving home. I think she was one tired but happy pony, can't wait until next time.
I don't know whether it will work but I've tried to put a link to the only photo the photographer took of us, Connie looks OK but I've got a very odd expression on my face.
Iceni L plate ride Harling Forest 5th July 2015 > 9N6Z7640
No link didn't work I'm so thick at this sort of thing
|
|
|
|
Post by colmworthdales on Jul 6, 2015 17:52:07 GMT -1
Sounds as though you had a really good time Andrea - apart from the rain! What a good girl you have there - I loved your description of a 'proper' Dales trot. She must be an unregistered Dales to move like that. I don't know of any other breed that can do that super low fast powerful trot - and keep it up for so long.
I loved the way the warmblood was cantering to keep up - yup, sounds just like old Minnie who once did the Newmarket Heath ride with two warmbloods and she never bothered to canter at all. She did have one good gallop along the proper training 'gallop' we were allowed on, but of course then the warmbloods kept going much longer than she could, so she went back into a trot and ploughed on regardless.
I find I often just stand in my stirrups when Min (and now Mollie) really get their trot going as it is impossible to do a rising trot comfortably!
|
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Jul 7, 2015 6:47:49 GMT -1
Yes Kate I'm thinking more and more that she is an unregistered Dales not a X, the man I bought her from thought she was too but advertised her as a X as he didn't know for sure and didn't want to mislead anyone.
As she's put on muscle and rounded out and her feather's grown back from being trimmed she is looking much more Dales and on the ride we had a woman pass us on a Dales who asked whether she was a Dales or a Fell, I was chuffed to bits.
I had thought Em's fast trot was what's referred to as a Dales trot but this was something else and totally wonderful and I wondered at the time if this was the proper Dales trot, thanks for confirming.
I am so stiff everywhere today, particularly along the tops of my thighs and my calves, not used to so much trotting, I hope she's not as stiff as me.
|
|
|
|
Post by cadeby on Jul 7, 2015 11:02:24 GMT -1
That definitely sounds like the "extra" Dales gear  I did a bit of endurance/long-distance rides on Wilf in his younger days and he would suddenly sink down from a spanking, showy trot with lots of knee lift into that fast but smooth trot that you describe. Wilf could go on for hours like that. I couldn't !!! My friend who had an Arab used to jokingly say he'd switched into "rolling-stock mode". She reckoned it looked like he'd got the wheels of a train carriage under him  It sounds like you have found Emerald's Connie's forté xx Edited for correct pony! |
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Jul 7, 2015 14:07:43 GMT -1
It was Connie Helen, my new girly, Emerald is still not being ridden due to her gut problems but hope to start with her soon. Yes I think it will definitely be her forte, she loved it and although she is not all that fit at the moment it was only in the last 1/2 mile she showed signs of being tired, it just felt as though I'd got so much controllable energy under me.
|
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Jul 7, 2015 16:02:25 GMT -1
|
|
|
|
Post by dusty on Jul 7, 2015 20:37:42 GMT -1
Looks like you both really enjoye yourselves. One thing I love about the dales paces is how many "gears" they have in each pace to adapt to whatever they are doing.
|
|
|
|
Post by nedales on Jul 7, 2015 23:28:16 GMT -1
THAT is a serious soaking! Love that Connie was able to show off that spanking ground-covering trot. Such a thrill. When GL and I are out conditioning I often just perch in two-point to stay off his back if we are going to trot five miles and we soon get into that lovely rhythm which so marks this breed.
Well done the two of you! Arnica rubs all around!
|
|
|
|
Post by valerie n scout on Jul 10, 2015 14:26:40 GMT -1
My you do look wet !! Fun tho x
|
|
|
|
Post by Debbie on Jul 13, 2015 14:22:47 GMT -1
I'll echo the arnica, and add that if you know you've got an event coming up like this, go ahead and take the tablets three times the day prior. You don't need much, just two or three tablets for you and Connie spaced out over the day before the event, then the morning of the event. I've used it like this for my 3 who don't get much work, and it helps them feel much more comfortable when the farrier has to move their legs into all sorts of odd positions and then hold it for ages. Yeppers, you've definitely found Connie's sweet gear  Blossom usually rolls into her canter, but I have seen her do this power trot as well. It's intriguing that they seem to sink to the ground as they do it. I wonder if this is the gait that got Dales ponies listed as 'gaited' in my book? "Easy-Gaited Horses: Gentle, humane methods for training and riding gaited pleasure horses" by Lee Ziegler. Lee's very sadly passed away now, but when I got the book, I promptly emailed her and questioned her about the Dales pony being listed in the back as a breed that historically has gaited individuals. She was delightful and came right back with her research for me, indicating that the breed did indeed have purebreds that were considered gaited. If the rider doesn't need to post the trot, it would be considered a smooth gait |
|
|
|
Post by dalesnfellfan on Jul 16, 2015 21:15:19 GMT -1
Interesting Debbie, I always thought of 'gaited' horses as those that had an extra gait where the legs moved in a different sequence but in that context when she dropped she certainly became very smooth and although she was going at a cracking pace my bum didn't move from the saddle, felt fantastic.
|
|
