Went back to Gaiman yesterday with the bus as it's the only place where horseriding can be had in the area. Found out where the place was, about 2k outside the village so set off walking. 2k doesn't sound like much but when it's hot and dusty it's still too much so I hitched a lift with the first passing pick-up (at least half of all the cars here seem to be pick-ups). Which was also carrying someone from the stables I had to be at so he took me in and introduced me to the place. I had a bit of a feeling that it was going to be like the first attempted penguin outing, that the ride would only happen if they had at least 5 people, if I'd booked ahead, phoned to arrange things, but none of that was necessary. A small girl appeared with a saddled horse and I could get on board straight away. The horse wasn't keen at first and tried to go back to his field at speed but I managed to get him turned round and standing still after a brief tussle and then I was shown the paddock and told I could ride round for a while there. During 10 minutes when I felt like the main attraction at a circus (more circus 'fun' in next blog...) the horse and I got used to each other and I tried a careful trot and canter. I was then told I could go outside if I wanted and a path to the river was pointed out. I could just set off into the countryside on a horse by myself! They didn't know who I was, just gave a horse to some daft woman they'd found on the road... don't see that happening in Holland with all the rules and safety regulations today.
Made a short circuit of river and field paths. Flocks of hawks didn't seem to bother the horse at all. When I returned from that another road was explained, a circuit... Well I more or less understood his directions so we set off again the other way. Horse was really not keen and had to be pushed to get him to take the first path away from the farm. Lots of diagonal zigzagging of the path as if he was trying to tell me that it would be no problem just to turn round and go back from where we'd come from. But after a while he gave up the protest and we jogtrotted along quite happily. I abandoned my rising trot for a more relaxed cowboy sit which I felt was more suited to the occasion, and he did have a very gentle stride which fitted this. At one point I wanted to turn him with his ears in the direction of the mountains to make a photo and he was nOt pleased at being turned from the path which he had now decided was the way home again. Spent a good few minutes dancing circles in the road before he agreed to face the other way. We then continued the circuit and came to a long sandy bit, which seemed more gallop friendly than the stony path before this. I was a bit worried he would just head straight for home at full speed so tried a very careful canter first to see if the 'brakes' worked. They did, he was actually behaving perfectly by now. So then we had another run at it and I enjoyed racing up the path between fields of sheep pretending to be Nicole Kidman in the film Australia :-)
Got back to the stables and a woman gave me a bunch of cold grapes, which was exactly what I needed, as I'd forgotten to take water with me. There was a horsebox being loaded with 2 animals who were going to a jumping competition in Trelew. They asked if I wanted a lift there, so I squeezed in the back with the star rider, a lanky teenager in jodphurs and the coolest scuffed leather chaps I have ever seen. (Katie, you would have loved this boy! :-) Spent the afternoon at the show, enjoying sitting on the tribunes in the shade and wandering about the practise paddocks. Then set off for the walk into town, where I knew I would be passing the circus tent at opening time...
Made a short circuit of river and field paths. Flocks of hawks didn't seem to bother the horse at all. When I returned from that another road was explained, a circuit... Well I more or less understood his directions so we set off again the other way. Horse was really not keen and had to be pushed to get him to take the first path away from the farm. Lots of diagonal zigzagging of the path as if he was trying to tell me that it would be no problem just to turn round and go back from where we'd come from. But after a while he gave up the protest and we jogtrotted along quite happily. I abandoned my rising trot for a more relaxed cowboy sit which I felt was more suited to the occasion, and he did have a very gentle stride which fitted this. At one point I wanted to turn him with his ears in the direction of the mountains to make a photo and he was nOt pleased at being turned from the path which he had now decided was the way home again. Spent a good few minutes dancing circles in the road before he agreed to face the other way. We then continued the circuit and came to a long sandy bit, which seemed more gallop friendly than the stony path before this. I was a bit worried he would just head straight for home at full speed so tried a very careful canter first to see if the 'brakes' worked. They did, he was actually behaving perfectly by now. So then we had another run at it and I enjoyed racing up the path between fields of sheep pretending to be Nicole Kidman in the film Australia :-)
Got back to the stables and a woman gave me a bunch of cold grapes, which was exactly what I needed, as I'd forgotten to take water with me. There was a horsebox being loaded with 2 animals who were going to a jumping competition in Trelew. They asked if I wanted a lift there, so I squeezed in the back with the star rider, a lanky teenager in jodphurs and the coolest scuffed leather chaps I have ever seen. (Katie, you would have loved this boy! :-) Spent the afternoon at the show, enjoying sitting on the tribunes in the shade and wandering about the practise paddocks. Then set off for the walk into town, where I knew I would be passing the circus tent at opening time...
