Cornish Riding Holiday and Show
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I just got back from a riding holiday in Cornwall, England. Me and 23 other girls spent a week there and were given a horse to look after during our stay. Since I don't own a horse, I have never had the chance to ride and look after a horse for a whole week! I was so excited! I made a little diary while I was there, so here it is!
Day 1:
When I arrived, I said goodbye to my parents and took my bags into the room I would be sleeping in. It had four beds, and the other 3 girls were getting to know each other. As I unpacked, we started chatting until we knew everything about each other. Their names were Miranda, Emma and Gabby and they were all my age. Perfect!
Then we were introduced to the horses. We were taken to our horses and had a trial lesson. If we didn't like our horses we were to say then, so we could swap them. I was put on a skewbald called Prancer who was a nightmare! She bolted and bucked through the whole lesson. When I asked if I could change her, I was put on Taz. He was a complete angel and I adored him. Miranda was on Honey, Emma on Mia and Gabby was on Sheriza. We were all happy. There was 7 people in our group. At the end of the day we turned our horses out in the field and went to bed.
Day 2:
Got up and prepared our horses food and left it in their stable for when they come back. We then walked down to the fields and tried to catch our horses. Sheriza came strait up to Gabby as if they had already made a bond, though Gabby told me it was because she had carrots in her pockets. Taz was grazing and decided he would be disturbed by ignoring me. I just put on his tack quickly so he didn't get a chance to walk off.
We rode the horses back to the stables and took off their tack and groomed them while they had breakfast. Taz was a sweetheart in the stable and kept nuzzling me until I brought in the saddle. He then layed down so I couldn't get it on him, but I managed eventually.
Taz and me went on a hack, had a lesson on plaiting then went swimming with the horses. We hacked them up to this massive lake and took their saddles off. We got on them bareback and cantered them into the water where they swam with us. It was fantastic!
Day 3:
Did the same morning routine, Taz was standing by the gate in the field so he was easy to catch. Had a jumping lesson, Taz walked through one of the jumps which made us all laugh, but after that he jumped fantastic. I then cleaned Taz's tack and went for a two hour hack. Taz is a little lazy so you have to give him a big kick sometimes, so I called him my Tasmanion Devil.
Day 4:
Taz and me really have a bond now. All I have to do to catch him in the field is yell "Ta-az, Tazzy!" and he bronko's down to me. I did some lunging and long-reining with the horses. Taz kept tring to turn in during the lunging to nuzzle my pocket after the apples I had put in there for him later. In the end he decided to wait until the end for the apples. I then went on a bareback hack, then a bareback lesson. Had to miss the lesson though, as the farrier came to do taz's shoes. It meant extra grooming time though, so when the lesson finished, Taz's coat was gleaming!
Day 5:
Day ride today! Rode down to this massive and Beautiful sand valley where we galloped for what felt like miles! Taz really enjoyed it, he was dancing sideways while we galloped, he always does that when he gets excited. Stopped for a picnic, It was very funny as we had to hold the horses as we ate. The horses were determined to share our food, Taz stole half my sandwich. Who knew horses liked chicken and mayonnaise.
Day 6:
Today we had a showjumping lesson and a cross-country lesson to prepare for the shows this afternoon. Taz was being as good as gold and I hope he will be like that this afternoon. We started off with the judging for tack and turnout. I borrowed some of Miranda's coat shine which she bought from the tack shop, so Taz's coat looked great. I'm pretty rubbish at tack cleaning though, so his tack wasn't as good as some of the others.
Showjumping went great, Me and Taz got a clear round! Emma and Mia were amazing, Mia nearly galloped the whole course. Taz wasn't as brilliant in the cross-country as he was this morning, but he still did well.
After the show we put the horses back in the field and went into the yard for our results. Here they are:
Tack and turnout
1st Freya and Flash
2nd Miranda and Honey
3rd Sophie and Taz
4th Holly and Missy
5th Gabby and Sheriza
6th Lucy and Captain
7th Emma and Mia
Showjumping
1st Emma and Mia
2nd Sophie and Taz
3rd Gabby and Sheriza
4th Lucy and Captain
5th Freya and Flash
6th Miranda and Honey
7th Holly and Missy
Cross-country
1st Gabby and Sheriza
2nd Holly and Missy
3rd Emma and Mia
4th Freya and Flash
5th Sophie and Taz
6th Lucy and Captain
7th Miranda and Honey
Day 7:
My last day. Caught Taz from the field and did our usual routine. I'm really going to miss Taz when I go home. We had our BHS(British horse soicity) tests today. Taz was being very sweet, and we passed! I was sothrilled!
Went on a final hack then had to pack. Dad arrived and I said goodbye to Taz and took my 3 rosettes and my BHS test certificate, then went home.
I would really advise going on a riding holiday, it really ups your experiance and I had a fantastic time. I would happily do it all again! |
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All That Jazz
Sounds like a lot of fun! And Taz sounds so cute! He looks like 2 of the lesson ponies I ride mixed together :D What breed is Taz?
Sounds like a lot of fun! And Taz sounds so cute! He looks like 2 of the lesson ponies I ride mixed together :D What breed is Taz?
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Aug 18, 2010
• 3,818 views
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Dreamer100
You and Taz seem to have really enjoyed each other. Maybe you can go here again soon.
You and Taz seem to have really enjoyed each other. Maybe you can go here again soon.
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Aug 19, 2010
• 3,841 views
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Inactive Member
Thanx, taz is an exmoor pony! I'm def gonna go there next year!
Thanx, taz is an exmoor pony! I'm def gonna go there next year!
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Aug 19, 2010
• 3,841 views
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HunterJumperGal
Where did you go? I live in cornwall, its wonderful, isnt it? x
Where did you go? I live in cornwall, its wonderful, isnt it? x
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Aug 19, 2010
• 3,836 views
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DoubleJ
looks like you had a awesome time there sounds like a blast and it sounds as though taz is a sweetheart! =]
looks like you had a awesome time there sounds like a blast and it sounds as though taz is a sweetheart! =]
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Aug 19, 2010
• 3,857 views
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Inactive Member
The riding school was called Wheal Buller, I forgot to mention that!
The riding school was called Wheal Buller, I forgot to mention that!
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Aug 20, 2010
• 3,841 views
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Aug 21, 2010
• 3,836 views
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Inactive Member
HunterjumperGal- wow, have you been there? Its awesome!
other people- thanx, i was gr8, taz really was an angel!
HunterjumperGal- wow, have you been there? Its awesome!
other people- thanx, i was gr8, taz really was an angel!
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Aug 22, 2010
• 3,841 views
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Sep 3, 2010
• 3,842 views
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Mutley Jackson
I went there! It was AMAZING.
I went there! It was AMAZING.
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Jun 10, 2012
• 3,847 views
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Mutley Jackson
I had Trilby :-) she was so good! She stole half my sandwich xD and I rode Pebbles too!
I had Trilby :-) she was so good! She stole half my sandwich xD and I rode Pebbles too!
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Jun 10, 2012
• 3,851 views
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