Trying To Fly!

[debris4spike]

Today was a lot calmer weather so I was really looking forward to getting out again.  It was a bit overcast, but fairly mild and the wind had dropped - so for the end of February in England, what more could I ask for.

DJ was a hero - he was in the further field when I arrived.  The trouble with horses and rain - gateways - they end up "wellie" deep in mud.  When I got near the divide I called his name, he looked up and walked towards me ... and through the mud ... so I didn't need to paddle through myself.  Wasn't he a great boy?

We walked in - and had about 1/2 hour grooming time.  He was muddy, muddy, muddy!!  So 1/2 hour later he was now only muddy, muddy!!

Toni brought Badger in and we met up with Ros and Cherry to set off down the road.  

There seemed a lot of traffic today - but we still were able to chat quite a bit.  About a mile down the road Toni took Badger onto the verge for a short canter and soon after that they returned for home.  Badger has problems with fitness since he was poisoned a few years ago and as he isn't ridden too often Toni didn't want to over-do him.

DJ wasn't 100% happy to be asked to walk on, rather than head back - but once he realised that was the plan he settled back down again.  We walked on and round via the Church and up the bridleway ... but only at a steady trot as DJ would have had to be carried home if we had pushed him.  By this time the sun was shining - and it was certainly a great day to be out.

As we approached Ros's he dd start to slow down, but he hadn't started sweating too much, so overall I was pleased with how he was doing ....

Until ...

One of the jet planes came over us.  Now we get used to the low-flying practice of both RAF and USA-AF planes ... but ... !!!!  I have never seen a plane that low.  If I hadn't been focussed on DJ I would have been able to tell you the pilot's name by reading his name badge!  

So one low-flying plane verses one bucking DJ ... it was hard to tell who was higher in the air at that point of time!!

Poor boy - his buck was that of a worried pony letting me know he was ready to run if we had to ... and as I thought the plane was going to land on us I did wonder how we were going to run away then!

Still he calmed quickly and we were on our way again, having decided not to join the air-force but to head back home for something to eat instead!

He didn't take too long to cool down again which was great - so after a feed it was back to his field, no doubt to tell Conrad about his ability to fight off the press gangs!!
 

Comments

[kalinda001.livejournal.com]

aww DJ was a very good boy today. I'm glad it was much nicer weather today.

[debris4spike]

Yes - a good boy and great weather - what more could I ask for, really?

[colored-leaves.livejournal.com]

so how long have you been riding horses? glad you had good weather! :)

so you really don't get any snow? wow...i need to live in England!

[debris4spike]

I started riding about 12-13 years ago ... met Toni 10 years ago, which was when I started riding once a week and having lessons. Jaykub was my first horse that I had in 2002 and he died in 2003 ... which is when I had DJ on loan ... but didn't start riding him until Feb/March 2004.

This small part of England - I have been here 21 years - one day of snow. Mind you when I see what some of you go through it makes me laugh because in England 1" of snow ... everyone panics!!

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

What a gentleman is DJ to not make you walk through the mud ! Sir Walter Raleigh has nothing on him.

I am so happy to see you back (dare I pun?) in the saddle again.

Low flying planes would make any sane creature buck. Seems dangerous to me.

Kathleen

[debris4spike]

What a lovely picture you have given me!

Yes, we get the planes here, but I have never seen one that low - Cherry spun round, which is sometimes harder to stay with than a buck ... depends on the horse I suppose! But DJ decided that being in the armed forces would be too much regular work, so declined their recruiting invitation!

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

There is also the threat of being deployed somewhere nasty LOL. Smart DJ.

The picture is one Jim took of me after I caught a runaway goat at a petting zoo they had for the Vacation Bible School at our church. Not as lovely as DJ but a cute furry one at any rate (the goat...not me I am groomed).

Kathleen

[debris4spike]

Mind you - most animal pictures are lovely ... unlike any of me ... No, that is a lie, my one with James is great - but that is a rarity.

Another cute icon here!
Deborah

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Oh poor DJ - I really don't think that they should be allowed to practice their low level flying over the countriside - it should all be done over the Houses of Parliament or Chequers, IMHO!

[debris4spike]

I don't know - maybe they could go out to sea and then practice circling around islands they come to .... providing they don't add Lundy ... they need to go further afield .... mmmmm ... where can I think??????

If not - Chequers works for me, as well!

[unbridled-b.livejournal.com]

At least I'm not the only one suffering from mud. We got no rain here last summer and now it's raining every other day! And wasn't DJ sweet to save you the trip through the muck? Who can blame the poor boy for bucking at the low-flying plane. Silly pilots. Don't they know there are ponies trying to work down here? :P

[debris4spike]

Mud - I keep hoping that the amount DJ comes in wearing that soon there will be none left in his field!!

[re-animating.livejournal.com]

Argh! Are you close to an airbase, or just in their flight path?

[debris4spike]

Just on the flight-path. The jets practice this way - so many months of the year and use various houses etc as their targets. Where M&D used to live in Bude was one of those - so get used to them flying over at low level, but this one was almost flying along the road!!

[oldgreymare.livejournal.com]

Well it sounds like a day full of interesting events for you and DJ.

[debris4spike]

Yes - more gossip to tell Conrad ... I bet he exagerated a bit as to how brave he was though!!

[classicanne01.livejournal.com]

Whoa!
Good for DJ!
That must have been a scary experience though. Crazy pilots!

[debris4spike]

Well - now I know the real reason - having Harvey as a co-pilot ... he probably thought the the whole idea great .... Just hope that he wasn't dressed as The Easter Bunny, I was too busy talking to DJ to check!!