Our first ever sponsored ride on Sunday!

squidsin

squidsin

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2013
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We're doing the Windsor Great Park sponsored ride, over 8 miles with 20 jumps. We'll do a few of the easier ones. I am feeling surprisingly calm! Roxy and I hack out for 5 miles or so on our own every week, without any issues, so we'll be fine, right? We have a calm companion coming with us. I was considering riding her in a stronger bit or grackle bridle but have decided against it - I have enough bits of kit lying about that I never use, I don't want to add to it, and I am used to her getting strong when we jump and I never feel madly out of control - so we're going in our usual snaffle with a martingale. If she gets strong, I can hang onto her, or canter her until she gets tired.

Anyway! Does that sound sensible? Has anyone got any suggestions or advice? I'll be wearing a BP and possibly my air jacket as well.
 
Best advice would be to have a calm companion, but I see you've sorted that already! It sounds a great ride, hope you have lots of fun and yes please to the pics!
 
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Ooooh how exciting, I'm sure you will be just fine, main thing is to go and enjoy it! Have a blast and yes please pictures if you get chance. :)
 
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Oh have fun :) I've just been asked to join 2 of the kids from work on the hulne Park one for percy hunt a week on Sunday and am quietly excited,haven't done anything like it for about 10 years! About the same distance as you and optional jumps.

I look forward to hearing all about it and hopefully seeing some pictures if you can get them :)
 
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My best advise for a first time is if start times arent set then leave late, starting later means you wont have so many people overtaking you if you are trying to go steady and they are haring round. Other than that just enjoy :D
 
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I am starting to feel a little nervous now actually! Just debating whether to ride later or conserve her energy until tomorrow - not that it will make a scrap of difference, it's me not Roxy that bothers about such things!
 
It was AMAZING! Super-fun. We jumped all of the smaller jumps - Roxy refused a few the first time, we've not done any cross country before though so it was a bit of a baptism of fire! We got over them in the end though - and through the water, although she was not at all keen on that. 16 jumps it says on my certificate! Saw hundreds of deer, my pony didn't bat an eyelid at them, or anything else. As expected she got pretty strong jumping, and we had a couple of times I asked for canter and got flat-out gallop, but she was brilliant! I am super, super-happy!

I have some fab pix of us jumping that I got from the professional photographer, I assume there are online versions somewhere I can put up, I will look!
 
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glad to hear you had a fantastic time - cant wait to see the photos - horses give us so much pleasure - I know they can be hard work but times like these that you have had are such a buzz xxxxx
 
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