..... HOUND EXERCISING on Thursday night! I should also add in here that I have absolutely no desire to go hunting and I really don't want this thread turned into a debate about the ethics of hunting either, please. But do read on as it's rather amusing....
So I was asked by Jill (who bought Albi) to go and thought we'd tag along with her and her youngster, just to try something new. So between the two humans and two cobbies, only one of the four had ever done this before. I don't have a tweed jacket but was assured that a checked shirt and tie would be fine. As it had been 21° all day, I was very happy not to have to wear a coat, but I did put my air jacket on, just in case G got a bit overexcited.
We'd had a brief shower of rain in the morning, but the rest of the day was sunny and cloudy, but as we neared the meeting point (20 mins from yard in a horsebox) at 5.45pm, the skies had darkened ominously and as we unloaded our beasties it began to rain. We got mounted and stood waiting for the hounds to be released from their lorry and I can only describe the rain that fell as a monsoon!!! It was utterly, utterly torrential..... and there was I my short-sleeved shirt!
We set off in rain, with the occasional clap of thunder for good measure and it lasted about 25 mins in total. Then the sun came out. Some of the rutted tracks we rode were so flooded that the water was up to G's knees but both ponies behaved impeccably. Jill and I were sodden wet and because I have laces on my riding boots, there was so much water inside that I could feel it sloshing around my toes as we trotted. We were out for about an hour and twenty minutes and by the time we'd got back to the yard, settled the horses for the night and driven home it was 9pm and we were both still absolutely soaked. I'd worn my boots home because I didn't want to put my sodden-socked feet back into my wellies and soak them too, but I left wet footprints on the stair carpet as I went straight upstairs for a hot bath.
My boots, saddle, saddle pad, hat and cover and air jacket all spent 48 hours drying out before I attempted to remove the filth and condition all the leather.
So it was certainly a memorable first outing! Here's a pic, literally just mounted and spitting rain..... with no idea of how much water was just about to fall out of the sky!!!
🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧
So I was asked by Jill (who bought Albi) to go and thought we'd tag along with her and her youngster, just to try something new. So between the two humans and two cobbies, only one of the four had ever done this before. I don't have a tweed jacket but was assured that a checked shirt and tie would be fine. As it had been 21° all day, I was very happy not to have to wear a coat, but I did put my air jacket on, just in case G got a bit overexcited.
We'd had a brief shower of rain in the morning, but the rest of the day was sunny and cloudy, but as we neared the meeting point (20 mins from yard in a horsebox) at 5.45pm, the skies had darkened ominously and as we unloaded our beasties it began to rain. We got mounted and stood waiting for the hounds to be released from their lorry and I can only describe the rain that fell as a monsoon!!! It was utterly, utterly torrential..... and there was I my short-sleeved shirt!
We set off in rain, with the occasional clap of thunder for good measure and it lasted about 25 mins in total. Then the sun came out. Some of the rutted tracks we rode were so flooded that the water was up to G's knees but both ponies behaved impeccably. Jill and I were sodden wet and because I have laces on my riding boots, there was so much water inside that I could feel it sloshing around my toes as we trotted. We were out for about an hour and twenty minutes and by the time we'd got back to the yard, settled the horses for the night and driven home it was 9pm and we were both still absolutely soaked. I'd worn my boots home because I didn't want to put my sodden-socked feet back into my wellies and soak them too, but I left wet footprints on the stair carpet as I went straight upstairs for a hot bath.
My boots, saddle, saddle pad, hat and cover and air jacket all spent 48 hours drying out before I attempted to remove the filth and condition all the leather.
So it was certainly a memorable first outing! Here's a pic, literally just mounted and spitting rain..... with no idea of how much water was just about to fall out of the sky!!!
🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧
