The weather has been decidedly crap! For winter, it’s been mild wet and windy, the fields are a mess, and everything is just mud forever. Then we get this!
Overnight it froze, -10c and four days later it thawed.
Then it froze again, and now we’ve got snow again. Never know what it’s gonna do!
On a lighter side, Christmas has come and gone, phew!
3111 feet high, it commands a central position in the Lake District, a National Park in the UK.
Centuries ago, the Packhorse Routes criss crossed these mountains, carrying Salt, Lead, Graphite and many other useful products to places far and wide, via the sea ports on the west coast of Britain. One such route crossed this Mountain Summit. When we travelled this route, on a warm sunny day, although by the time we reached it, it was bitterly cold, the first signs of winter flowing South on a North wind. As I turned my collar to the cold, I felt my horse Toby, agree. Time to head down.
Great ride, and spectacular views.
Casey had his first Trail Ride today, his company was Toby. Just a short 9 miles, Casey did well. Toby was just Toby, calm and tranquil.
The nearer one is Dolly, and the other is Jacob who is about 25 years old. Dolly is still a youngster at about 6 years old, both are delightfully cheerful and totally irrepressible. They make my day. Just thought I’d bring them into the equation.
I don’t believe in Perfection. I don’t strive for it, I don’t ask for it, but, I admire those that do. Many years ago, I had the idea that I would become excellent at something!….I wasn’t sure what, and I wasn’t sure when, but I had the germ of the idea, that Perfection was what we should aim to achieve.
Many years later, I no longer attempt to seek perfection, it holds no addiction for me, but I admire it in others.
Perhaps I’m lazy, or disinterested, not so, for me it is being happy with what, and who I am, and have, or will achieve, but I still admire those who strive for perfection, those who compete with themselves to attain it. With horses, I’ll never achieve what others do, not do I seek it, although, I feel perhaps I do the horse an injustice, albeit the horse knows not anything about perfection, even though the horse is in my mind, as near as damn it to Perfection.
It’s been a mixed bag this week. Weather has been horrendous, torrential rain, and high winds, however, as things go, it’s a British summer, so what can we expect!
Recently I have been working with Casey, a nervous horse, but intelligent and very quick to grasp the situation.
Casey, a Tri-coloured Leopard Spot Appaloosa. He arrived a few months ago, I collected him from some good friends who were retiring from horse breeding. He’s just three, rising four. Nervous chap, and a little insecure. He was away for professional training, and came back looking fit and in condition. He’s now growing well, and dispite his insecurity, has accepted all his groundwork training well. He has been backed, and happy with the western saddle on.
He’ll be left all the summer and winter to grow and mature. He’s a nice horse.
It was a dismal ride on a beautiful evening. Unfortunately, my horse Toby, had his own opinions. All he was wanting to do was turn for home, which wasn’t going to happen. So instead of the usual once round the forest, it was twice, to prove a point to Toby, the the wrong thing was hard……
In other words he was made to work harder, when if he had done the right thing, he could have been home earlier.
The four of us, me and three ladies, set forth in a five day ride around some if the Yorkshire Dales. I took my young horse Toby, for experience and fittening.
The weather was a mixed bag, but that’s the UK for you!…. Anyway it turned out to be a great trip, good company and good horses. Riding from Over Silton, we ride a circular route, returning after five days. In-between we encountered Pigs, Cattle and heavy trucks. Even a Postman!
We stayed at bed and breakfast places, farms and Pubs!..All in the name of exploring!
Fabulous trip.
We had an idea to ride through the North Yorkshire area. From Over Silton to Hawnby, then on to Gilamoor and Church Houses then to Beaks Hill Farm, and finally back to Over Silton.
Lovely ride through the Dales, Toby learning all the way. Gates, traffic and cattle. Five days with three friends, and their horses.
Old Man and a Horse 