My horse never hacked out, not with me, not for the first four or five years I knew him. Then we moved yards and gradually we started riding out. If you’ve read my blog over the past couple of years you will know how difficult that was for us and how proud I am that we came through and were able to enjoy the gorgeous countryside around Little Horkesley where he was stabled at the time.
Then I moved him to Dedham. As I said in my last post, he’s settled brilliantly, but for me, the first ride at the new yard was something akin to riding Splash Mountain at Disney – something I was totally terrified of but something that had to be done.
So after John had been at the yard a week, I saddled up to ride out with a friend… he was a superstar. Why did I ever doubt him. He didn’t put a hoof wrong and it was as if he knew where he was going. We enjoyed a lovely hack, he was chilled, laid back, didn’t spook, it was as if he had walked those paths all his life.
Perhaps he has. I know nothing of his history but surely horses don’t travel that far when they’re traded? Perhaps John’s life before I knew him centred on or around Dedham. Perhaps he grew up there, spent the first 17 years of his life there, before his owner decided she/ he didn’t want him anymore. Oh my, their loss is my gain.
Since then we have been riding out regularly. He has become even closer to his field neighbour Libby, who is also his hacking companion, and we are loving the country lanes and tracks of Dedham!