BIG Accomplishment....

domane

domane

Retired cob mum
Jul 31, 2005
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Today I towed solo for the first time. I've towed Gracie with Dom beside me but today it was time to yet again dig out my brave pants. So I went the whole hog, put Albi beside G and Jilly and I went XC training. G's third time at Lincomb in 6 weeks so she was very relaxed and blasé about it, Albi's first time so he was a bit clingy to G, who didn't give a monkeys about him :p

As we set off from the yard, along the mile-long single-width lane that reaches the main road, I said to Jill "As long as we don't encounter anything bigger than us as my reversing skills arent brill". No sooner had those words left my mouth and coming towards us was a massive tractor and huge trailer!! :eek: Well, it took 10 mins of shunting back and forth but I managed to reverse round a corner without myself or the ponies panicking. To his credit the farmer just laughed at my ineptitude but it was a bit of a baptism of fire and after that everything else was p!ss-easy....including reversing the empty trailer into it's tricky storage space when I got home. The trip out itself, mainly went without a hitch (geddit?) and the ponies loaded and travelled beautifully, through some heavy Friday slow-creeping traffic, so I couldn't ask for more than that.

G jumped beautifully again and this time I worked a little on asking her to lengthen and shorten her strides on approach, rather than my usual point and shoot approach!! Get me! Starting to get technical!! :D

Jill was impressed with my bravado over some of the slightly bigger fences (that she didn't attempt!!)

I bet I sleep well tonight!!!
 
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Point and shoot is still my philosophy :D:D:D
How, by the way, does towing work in the UK? Having just changed my license (15 years too late and forced by the gendarme:oops::oops::oops:) I still have a hefty towing load "free" on my french license (you normally have to take an extra test here at great cost) but my concern is I still can't reverse a trailer despite what it says on my licence!!
 
Well done you, I could never tow, I'd be far too nervous. Luckily my OH comes everywhere anyway so does all the towing and box driving. Glad you had a good outing? What's lincomb like? Think it's quite far for us but thinking about going at some point for something different.

@orbvalley if you passed before 1997 you can tow or drive vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes if you want to drive heavier you need extra licence, class 1. If you passed after 1997 you can only tow or drive vehicle up to 3.5 tonne so unless you get a light weight, car trailer,horse combo or 3.5 tonne horsebox you would need to do a b+e test which allows you to tow around 8 tonne I think, if you want to drive anything heavier you'd have to your class 1.

Ohh and I'm very point and shoot too, it's all about the quality of canter.
 
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@Lissie Lincomb is well worth a visit. Very large XC area with lots of fences, water complexes, hillocks, lots of step complexes, ditches and a sunken road. It caters for all abilities. £20 per horse, no time limit. There are some vids on YouTube which give you an idea ("Lincomb XC") and our own @GaryB has done a camp there so he'll verify too....
 
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Had a look at Lincomb, looks good and somewhere different to go. Will look at the camps too as might take Lottie on a camp in summer.

Well done on your outing again, you've come a long way in such a short space of time, confidence is such a hard thing to build up but so easy to knock. Love your Gracey she always looks honest and genuine.
 
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Thsnks all. I DID sleep well!!! :D

Forgot to say, each time I go there, I try to add a new accomplishment. Yesterday we cantered through water for the first time (huge mistake, I got drenched, including my face! :p), we jumped our first small, shallow ditch and then a wider water-filled one - with no hesitation, bless her heart. And we attacked the sunken road steps from canter....whereas last time we did them from walk. And I jumped a jump that I wasn't brave enough to do a fortnight ago.

I'm so proud of Gracie.... she's such a gutsy trier.
 
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Well done! I always hope I don't meet anything down that lane.

@Lissie - Lincomb is definitely recommended. The XC course has something for most abilities from 50cm to about 100cm (and possibly some a bit bigger). The camps are great fun I've done 2 now, they book up very early, so if you want to go its worth registering your interest.
 
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