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Post by misty on Dec 29, 2007 22:14:19 GMT 1
Bl**dy politics! If it wasn't for politics we could all goand stay with PH (in our tents) and he could take us riding in the dark, if he would like to. I can remember him saying how riding in the dark (not advocating roads) was good to train horses not to spook. I think it would be brilliant! So agree with Amanda. After riding in Mexico it is all so constrained here and haven't even hacked round the block.
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Persianhorse
Grand Prix Poster
The picture is taken from a figure found carved on a bone 5000 years ago in ancient Persia.
Posts: 3,405
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Post by Persianhorse on Dec 29, 2007 22:46:11 GMT 1
Dear Misty, Everything in life has an END even our own lives. So fingers crossed I hope to see that day before my own very END day of life , just Hope so much for that day to see you and other in our place. When you saddle and come out you wont see cars and roads for days and weeks and months is you want to.
Hope and looking forward for that day. Hassan.
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Post by Amanda Dolby on Dec 29, 2007 23:09:04 GMT 1
Re riding into the darkness for spook busting - I find this method is working well to gainthe trust and confidence of my half blind Friesian. I am bringing him back into work but have problems when he sees things he doesn't "like" - he doesn't notice them until they are under his belly - we then get a huge flattened spook- very hard to sit!I figure if I gain his trust in the dark he will trust me when ridden in the light. He is essentially as bomb proof as you could ask for from a horse but the loss of sight has made him unsure of what is directly underneath him. He trusts me if I am on the ground to not worry about anything but just not when ridden- it improves daily though. At least that is one positive note about the early darkness!
Persian Horse - I love the sounds of the endless country you describe. and ok no problems with the motorbikes and vehicles comment. Very sensible.
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Post by Kim with Rio on Dec 30, 2007 15:10:53 GMT 1
I'd ridden in various sandschools under floodlights, but I used to be afraid of riding in the dark. Sorry if this sounds cheesy, but I had a 'life changing' experience whilst riding out with a friend on Ashdown Forest one Summer's evening a few years ago. We'd gone on one of those 'shouldn't take too long' rides and lo and behold it took longer than we both thought and we found ourselves 30/45 mins away from home at dusk. The darkness enveloped us (no street lamps ) and riding through the woody bits, it was absolutely pitch. In addition, the ground was undulating and rutty in places. But you know what - we had to trust our horses 200% - our horses could see and we couldn't. We both sat tight, let our horses pick their ground, no interference from us, chatted away and hoped that we wouldn't get hung, drawn and quartered by the YO when we got back to the yard It's difficult to put into words, but I feel as though I just completely put my life and trust in my horse's hands and she got us both home safely
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Post by Amanda Dolby on Dec 30, 2007 17:34:16 GMT 1
Kim with RIo - good for you - a great feeling eh?
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lovelylace
Grand Prix Poster
Always remember to ride with your soul, not your hands.
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Post by lovelylace on Dec 30, 2007 19:19:42 GMT 1
I ride in the school without lights frequently, but not hacking out as I am slightly scared of the dark....amanda is that Cornelius that si loosing his sight
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Post by alexsmum on Dec 30, 2007 20:23:36 GMT 1
I think riding in the dark is okay provided it is of road. On orad the riders are allowed to risk their lives if they wish but not the lives of their horses or other road users.
I nearly hit two riders last year. They were riding two abreast in the dark on our very busy housing estate on a main bus route with flo clothes, however I didnt see them till the last minute when my lights caught their clothes which then reflected.
I stopped and had a word with them and got a gob full of abuse.
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Post by Casper on Dec 30, 2007 20:56:45 GMT 1
Thanks Persian Horse. Very interesting thread this. I have to say that you are spot on Hassan about horses being more jumpy in the twilight. That certainly reflects exactly how Bobby is as the light starts to fade, yet once it is actually dark he is fine.
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Persianhorse
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The picture is taken from a figure found carved on a bone 5000 years ago in ancient Persia.
Posts: 3,405
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Post by Persianhorse on Dec 31, 2007 4:31:06 GMT 1
Kim with Rio, I have put my life in the hands of my Horse so many time in the wild especially in the night time and more with MULE they are amazing in the dark too .
Dear Casper, Thank you so much.
PH.
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Post by Amanda Dolby on Dec 31, 2007 10:33:36 GMT 1
Lovelylace - I have Pmd you - yes it is Cornelus - we call him Moo!
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Persianhorse
Grand Prix Poster
The picture is taken from a figure found carved on a bone 5000 years ago in ancient Persia.
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Post by Persianhorse on Dec 31, 2007 10:49:30 GMT 1
I wish and hope everyone would experience what I experienced in the past and know it by their own how it really works and how great is the effect on the horse.
There is another experience which I really want others to have which I am sure some of you have it is getting lost in wild and it's you and your horse and you don't have any chance to find the way in the darkness and you will see your horse will find it all for you then this brings so much trust between you two and with trust is comes along Confidence then if we build it all from there we find our selfs somewhere else in the horse world, this gives us another meaning of building relation with horses believe me each one of us has its own relation and meaning of horse each by its own experiences will come to the point of knowing and realizing what kind of a creature do we share time with.
Take care, PH.
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Post by Kim with Rio on Dec 31, 2007 16:36:10 GMT 1
Persianhorse - completely agree, it's funny though, so difficult to put into words and fully appreciate, until I think you have experienced the type of trust and mutual respect, which comes with putting your life/well-being in the hands of another animal.
Interesting to hear everyone's views - we all have and are entitled to our own opinions, however different they may be!
Happy New Year and happy riding in 2008 whether it is dark or light
;D ;D ;D
K
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Persianhorse
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The picture is taken from a figure found carved on a bone 5000 years ago in ancient Persia.
Posts: 3,405
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Post by Persianhorse on Dec 31, 2007 16:41:43 GMT 1
How lovely " Whether it is dark or light " I wish the same for you and everyone else.
PH.
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sundance
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Post by sundance on Dec 31, 2007 18:38:15 GMT 1
It happens sometimes on the 160k in a day endurance rides that the last riders come in late, often around 11 to 12pm, they have headtorches and motor bike trail riders escort them carefully where they can. It's a very emotional experience for crew, helpers, vets and fellow riders to see a headtorch light bobbing along in the darkness with their escort. However, this is under very well controlled conditions with the route thoroughly checked. I, personally would never risk riding on a road in the dark, no matter how much high-viz I had on and I would not ride off road since I had an instructress, years ago, who lost the sight of an eye through riding in the dark in woods and not seeing to avoid a branch.
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