While Ann and Claire were staying with us, we decided to treat the girls to a horse-trek. As it was very settled weather, we chose Briar's Beach Trekking at Maketu, and highly recommend them. The trip was three hours and was professionally organised, interesting, and most importantly, fun!
First; get a helmet, You need one that fits so it will be safe and comfortable.
A short talk about the route the trail will take, and safety. The girls put on sunscreen and take drinking bottles in their saddlebags because the day is bright and clear.
Then they are paired with their mounts. Good care is taken to ensure the right horse for the level of experience of the rider. 
Let's just adjust the length of these stirrup leathers...
...and this is how you hold the reins.
The girls already look as though they were raised in the saddle.
So off they go; through the gate, over the road,
and over the hill...
...over the lush farmland pasture ...
...but not too close to the edge although there's a great view down to the beach!
It's getting hot - time to get that jacket off.
And then down to the sand for a relaxing stroll along the beach. On the return leg the girls were shown how to rise to the trot and, if they wished, canter their horses.
And although they had sore bottoms for a few days, it was very much worth it!
Nice to see some sun. sea and sand - even if it is only a picture. Snow here is so boringly white!
ReplyDelete"Then they are paired with their mounts." Over here in England, it's only certain sectors of the Asian community that go in for arranged marriages...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely day out in traffic free nature.
Jinksy - sorry to tell you, but we are having our usual warm summer.
ReplyDeleteYP - it was indeed a lovely trek for the girls.
Canter! I found cantering more difficult than galloping. Mind you when Churchill (youl'll get the idea of his stature from his name) tried to gallop down a ridge coming off the side of Helvelyn in the English Lakes I fell off and over the edge of the ridge! Stranded in The Swan in Grasmere with riding boots on and a broken collar bone is not funny. Well it wasn't then.
ReplyDeleteGB - I'm sure it was no fun! Although, there could be less idyllic spots in which to breaks ones collarbone... on the mud-flats of Western-Super-Mere at low tide, anywhere in the Shades in Anhk-Morepork, to name just two.
ReplyDeleteCould you walk? How long before you were safely tucked up and sipping a restorative something?