Building up to going on a pleasure ride

[juliansteve]

We've done a few with Cobweb Sarah - we've just gone at our own pace and to be honest apart from our usual hacks we didnt do anything extra. The longest has been 14 miles and we even walked Zoey inhand for that one!

[ang]

Vickey - pm me and I can let you know about some local pleasure rides and you can join us. We found that all our worry about not being able to keep them fit enough over winter to go straight into pleasure rides and trail rides was over the top. I've read lots of books and to be honest when you ride - ride well ie make them really work. No slobbing along - hold themselves and just an hour of schooling whilst on a hack has worked wonders for our 2. Come over and meet up with us and we can chat about the things we've done to get them fit without going miles and having to work full time in between!

[ang]

oh and Sarah, maybe you would like a friendly bottom to use as a bumper ( CBs not mine) when you decide to make the break and go on one of these with Streak. Might give her more confidence? You can slways use your old pals for your own benefit you know.

[dalesvic]

Lol! Don't think your bottom would go far in stopping Streak Ang! Good idea though- Charlie is very good as he's had Sammy up his bottom (sorry ang!) and he was very gentlemanly behaved about it!

[flintfootfilly]

Vicky, the Yorkshire Post on a Saturday can be really good for picking pleasure rides at short notice, and Ang has contacts for the local bridleway groups in your area (being a member usually gives you longer notice of what rides are coming up).

Ang, thanks for the offer of CB's bum at some stage! Might take you up on that. Perhaps we can have a whole row of Dales bums in front of her to stop her!!

Sarah

[juliansteve]

Wish we were nearer - we could have provided a bum aswell!

[dalesvic]

Thanks Sarah- I'll keep an eye out. A whole row dales bums sounds like a good ride to me, shame you're so far away Julia. I'd love to meet Cobwebs bottom!

[Deleted]

When I had my youngster we did our first 10 mile sponsored ride when she was just four years old. We went with a group of people from the yard and one of them was on a very very old pony (think it was about 22). The lady riding him wanted to walk all the way around, and we went round with them. It was great.... my pony behaved impeccably and was happy to walk at the pace of the older horse for the duration of the ride. We had horses galloping past us and over jumps to the side of us, but she never batted an eyelid - i was so proud of her.

I think doing this ride so early in her ridden career gave us both a huge amount of confidence, and it gave us trust and respect in each other.

Have a go - you will thoroughly enjoy yourselves!

[billbow]

Hi Sarah - you do not need to worry at all about going out on Streak - I have seen how well you handle her and you are both more than ready. if you want me to bring Bow over so she can begin to get used to other ponies, I would be quite happy to do that. Let me know how you are getting on, won't you? Enjoy your days with Penny and Nic.

[flintfootfilly]

Thanks Jill! Like the new name, too. I also decided it was a good time for a change........ but only really because I'd love to go somewhere some day, and have someone come up to me and say "are you flintfoot filly?". Have always rather envied those people who get introduced by weird and wonderful net names!

Only a week til Streak and I go on Ken's clinic, so hoping we make quite a bit of progress there. I think after that I'll aim to visit the GG Centre quite a bit, as there are so many options there, and we can stand, do groundwork and/or ridden as near or far from other horses as we want, so may be a good way to push my comfort zone a little more. The last time Streak was at Markington, we went outside to watch a group lesson finishing off (at the end of our lesson). There was quite a bit of cantering going on, and Streak seems to be developing a look rather liike Megz's when she sees others doing fast work ....... the one which says "is that REALLY necessary??" so I'm hopeful she's really quite a placid girl in most situations!

Sarah

[billbow]

GG sounds like a good plan - maybe we could meet you there sometimes - I loved the facilities and I would really benefit from the jumping. All the best Jill

[flintfootfilly]

Jill,

that'd be lovely. Think I'll aim to get there a couple of times on my own to start with, as we may be spending a fair bit of time just watching others, but once I've checked out how that goes it'd be lovelyt o meet up with you and Bow there.

Sarah

[harleydales]

Visky, it really depends on your horses trot! Harley trots at about 6.5 mph, and walks at about 5, so trotting 2 and walking 4 would take about 76 minutes, if my maths is right!! 1 mile at 6 mph takes 10 minutes, so a mile at 6.5 mph takes a bit less and a mile at 5.5 takes a bit more! I find thinking 1 mile at 6 mph takes 10 mins a good guide..........but of course it's all in kph now!! The Endurance GB website has a spees and distances calculator, it's quite useful.

[dalesvic]

Thanks for clearing that up- think I get you! I'll have to try and work out how fast we are going etc- getting quite enthusiastic about this now. Sorry for taking over your thread Sarah, but very glad it was there

[jacquidales]

Harvey did his first pleasure ride 10 days after being started under saddle!! He was a star.

Rikki did his a few months after being started. By that time he had hacked out alone and in company and practiced being first, last, in the middle and being left by other horses. Similarly with Aud.

I always did the first mainly in walk and a bit of trot.

I remeber the first one Aud went to, the organiser congratulated us on how well behaved he was - she was amazed at how young he was and the fact that it was his first one as he bahaved like an old pro. I think it is great experience for youngsters.