Never give up on your impossible dream – it can come true. I was the child who ran to the garden gate to watch the rich kids riding by. There was a posh Riding School at the top of our street and all the kids had the right gear. Occasionally my parents were able to afford for me to go to one on the outskirts of our nearby town where you could wear whatever. I wanted a pony so much – knew I’d never be able to afford one – grew up, worked, married, had two kids, always rode on and off over the years at different Riding Schools when money allowed and then, one day……..
A kind person in our village offered to let me ride her good old Highland pony – two speeds ‘slow and stop’ but I had to do everything myself. I was working part-time and him indoors suggested saving up to get my own! So I did …..
By this time I was around 46 and thought I’d get a good old plod – wrong – what I got was ‘Star’ a half Welsh/half Arab dominant mare. When I got her to the place I was going to keep her … I’ll tell you more another time. Pictures coming soon ….
Star Came Home
Some kind friends transported Star to the farm where I was to keep her with a few others. It was a very natural setting of several acres in a valley, surrounded by hedges and trees with a stream running through it. The books say you’re supposed to introduce a new horse to a bunch of others by maybe putting them in a next door paddock for a couple of days – but I was ignorant of the finer points of horsemanship then.
I led her down the lane to the entrance gate in the gathering dusk, her on her toes and excited looking like an Arab, me wondering what the hell I’d let myself in for.Through the gate, off with the halter, she trotted down the slope and over the little bridge. The others came running up – amongst them two big geldings. They all began that complicated dance that equines new to each other do and then Star took off down the valley with the others galloping after her. Those big geldings must have thought it was Christmas when they saw that beautiful mare. As they disappeared into the gloom I swear I heard her laughing! Coming next ….. The Month’s Trial ……
The Month’s Trial
Star was terrific in traffic, so ‘forward going’ but ‘light to the hand’ – like driving a Ferrari after only owning an old Vauxhall! It was like winning the Lottery when we (her and me) went out round the village on our own. After 3 weeks I knew I’d need to canter to see if she’d tank off with me – hells bells – it took 3 circles in trot round a stubble field before I worked up enough courage. Fantastic feeling, bought her for £600 including tack and rug and began our 10 year partnership. Some people like to ride with others – not Star and me. She needed to have her nose in front and besides we had great conversations. I talked, she listened. We had adventures….
Riding Out – You see a lot of wildlife from the top of a pony. A lot of wild animals run off of course but some tolerate your presence – maybe because an equine is not a predator and they only see and smell it and not the rider. We saw all the usual things like rabbits by the score and pheasants. Pheasants would start sometimes with a rustling which Star picked up well before me…then a flying brick would zoom out in front of us at head height, startling the sh.. out of me but not Star – by that time she’d already sussed what it was and didn’t turn a hair. Our woods have loads of pheasants as they are leased to shooting chaps who breed them there. One time Star showed me there was something lurking in the woods close by – we stopped – then I saw Old Reynard slinking through the undergrowth in pursuit of the zillion rabbits no doubt! We saw deer a few times – a lone animal bounding across a field – a doe and youngster – a small group of 4 peering curiously at us. Lovely lovely animals. We roamed everywhere we wanted. We had carrot stops from time to time. We often drew stares - Star that is not me – because of her unusual colouring of grey roan with cream mane and tail. I read books like Sylvia Locke and Mary Wanlass and tried my hardest to improve. I took up yoga to help get the best balance I could. There is no greater satisfaction for a true horse person than to ride in harmony with their equine – a total and subtle interaction of two utterly different beings. But there were times when it all went pear-shaped….
