Pony Trekking this year.

I have been meaning to post since the pony trekking season started again having done lots of riding since April but have had some temporary work and just been incredibly busy.  Season started well.  The weather in April was fantastic and we were riding in vest tops, it was so hot.  I have been having a go at actually opening and shutting some gates on horseback which was new for me although now it is busier there are more guides so not done much of that recently. 

I have also been trying out some different horses this season.  Sam, who I struggled with over the winter, goes like a dream for me on the treks now and can get a lovely canter out of him and feel like I am in control much more so than on some of the other horses but risk being a bit complacent when I am riding him. 

However, I have had a few "moments" too.  I rode one horse who the guides normally ride and was warned he only needed a squeeze not a kick.  Being used to the beginners horses though I have got into the habit of having to give a good kick to get the horse to canter.  He went beautifully on the trek, until we got to the canter.  Most of the trek were youngsters who hadnt ridden before so the guides said I could have a little canter on the bottom track whilst the main trek went on the top track but under no circumstances to overtake the back of the trek above, in case the other horses wanted to canter too.  I forgot to squeeze not kick and overtook the guide who was leading the canter on the third stride, nearly fell off several times when I ended up nose on the mane and panicked and completely forgot about the correct riding position until I heard the guide yelling sit back!!  By the time, I got back in control I had not only overtaken the back of the trek but the front of the trek 26 horses later and then some - a canter of nearly quarter of a mile by my guess when I looked where I had been the following week.  On the plus side, I stayed on.

The following week, I rode a new mare who had only been broken in about three weeks before although I definitely didnt risk a canter on her.  In the first half hour, she spooked and charged about six metres straight into a fence although she didnt actually hit the fence.  To be fair, some guy chucked a feed bag over a stable door just as we were passing and I think most horses would have spooked a bit.  Then we passed some horses coming the other way and she didnt like it went I made her go on instead of stopping and bucked a few times.  Was pretty nervous by the time, we got out in the open on the side of the mountain, where I had my long "canter" the week before but got home with no mishaps.  She wasn't actually a fast horse just a bit sharp cos she was a young horse and new and inexperienced.

The riding bug has still got me though and I booked a weekend Beach riding in Pembrokeshire which was last weekend and a weeks riding holiday in Spain in Andulucia in August which I am really excited about.