Chiltern Distance Riders / Attn: Louise C

[samwiththearabs]

Firstly, Louise C - thanks for your tip off a couple off months ago about Chiltern Distance Riders. I have now joined am and going to do my first ride with them this Saturday (22nd) at Prestwood.

Is anyone else going on this ride?

I'm kind of hoping to tag along with someone - partly for the company and to meet new people, but also because my young Arab is still rather green and would gain a lot more confidence by being with another horse/s. Any volunteers?

Sam

[Louise C]

Oh good luck - i am not going, but doing a ride on sunday round Milton Keynes - there is another one in June. I don't have transport so can't get to the CDR rides often. Sure you will have a lovely time, I'll ask my friends if they are going - Mandy De Belin and Nick Tweeny. Sure if you go early enough though someone will offer to go around with you - I had offers when I did a ride last year.

[sunshine]

Ooh What's CDR??

I am in South Bucks and sounds interesting?

Any of you ridden the Ridgeway? Which is best bit to ride and where to park lorry???

[Louise C]

CDR = Chiltern Distance Riders sunshine.

No haven't ridden the Ridgeway, but Mandy says she goes to Bury Down off the A34, West Ilsley, there is a lorry park there, and it has been closed to lorries all winter, but is opening up at the end of this month - so get in there quick before it does open! The bridleway goes to the left and right and you can ride for miles.

Sam - Mandy is riding her Arab stallion, Kaiser, and Nick is riding Heathcliffe, one of the Fells. Kaiser might not make good companion material for you - but she says if you manage to locate them come and say hi, or she might be able to find someone for you to ride with. If they had been going with 2 Fells you would have been welcome with them, but there is bound to be someone:-)

What is your horse like, in case they see someone like you?

[samwiththearabs]

Sunshine - the website for Chiltern Distance Riders (which Louise C originally pointed me to) is: myweb.ecomplanet.com/CDRC4226/default.htm.

Louise - if I do spot Mandy and Nick, of course I'll try and get over and say hello!

In case they see me, my horse, Miri, is a tall grey Arab gelding, sort of a rose-grey (but not much of the rose) dapple. He will be wearing a Reactorpanel saddle. I am tall myself and will be with my OH who is a big blonde guy with a goatee beard (he is chauffeur for the day). Don't know what I'll be wearing yet, but I will definitely have a dark green Troxel crash hat and may possibly wear something identifying myself as an Equine Bowen Therapist.

Shame I won't get to meet you tomorrow, Louise. I too have no transport of my own - well, I do have a lorry, but it's been off the road now for over two years as it's so old it's not worth doing up and is currently being used by a friend as a hay store! Luckily, I have managed to borrow a lorry for tomorrow, but like you, I can't rely on that happening very often.

I am hoping, however, to make it to the Penn Ride in June or July (can't remember the date for the moment). Are you planning on going to that one?

Sam

[Louise C]

Hi Sam - I will email Mandy with your looks! The other closest ride to me is the Ashridge one, or how about you trying for the Milton Keynes 10 mile one middle of June - see under Demos for details? Several people off here are going to Sundays one.

Just ask anyone for Mandy or Nick, they are very well known generally, Kaiser is a grey stallion and Heathcliffe dk bay, 13.2ish. Very nice people:-)

[sunshine]

My parents live near Penn - where can i find the ride details??? ;D

[sunshine]

PS: just tried the link - it says page not found....??

[samwiththearabs]

myweb.ecomplanet.com/CDRC4226/default.htm

Hi Sunshine,

Have put the link again just above. It definitely works, I just tried it!

There are no ride details yet on the CDR Website except that the Penn ride is on Sunday 16th June. As I'm a new member and am doing my first ride with them tomorrow I can't tell you much more than that about how they work. You do, however, have to be a member to take part in their rides (but don't worry - it only costs £7 or £8 to join!) which I thought was well worth it, even if you only get to one ride a year.

Where in South Bucks are you, Sunshine? I'm in Bourne End.

Oh and by the way - I love your moggies. Do you have two ginger ones or is it the same cat in both photos? I have three moggies of my own, all rescues by various means - Harry, Henry and HattieCattie.

Sam

[Louise C]

It didn't work for me either! Must be selective! www.chilterndistanceriders.co.uk is not working either.

Sam - I have emailed Mandy with your details, hope you link up, she helped me when I bought Flynn.

[KoLaTo]

LouiseC - whats the Ashridge one?? That's my neck of the woods.....

[Louise C]

It's on 12th August - you can't be far from Salcey Forest either, it's Milton Keynes as well, 4th June Take a look at the website above.

[sunshine]

Hi - its working now! I guess to find anything out I'll have to join. Though may be on hols in June.

Can anyone let me know what they think of the rides the put on etc?

Sam - I am in Sands and know Bourne End fairly well. My friend's mum used to be the bank manager of Barclays there.

All four cats are different. From left to right in my sig: Tallulah is a lilac tortie BSH (grey&apricot), Mouse a silver & white moggie, Alfie is a lilac self BSH, and Quincy is supposed to be a cream self BSH but his colouring is more ginger tabby - hence is pet quality and not show quality - though he doesn't know that!!

Do you keep your horses in BE? Saw that awful report in the paper about the horse that went down on the tarmac outside the garden centre - very upsetting.

[samwiththearabs]

Hi Louise.

Believe it or not, I met up with Nick almost straight away - he was the next person to arrive after us and happened to park just beside us. Unfortunately, Mandy couldn't make it as she's got a recurrence of the flu (hope she's feeling better soon) but Nick immediately offered to accompany Miri and I on the ride. I've already thanked him profusely, but if you get the chance, please do thank him again for me.

Heathcliff is such a little star, isn't he? Taking everything in his stride, while my Miri to start with had to crane his neck to look at absolutely everything, although he eventually settled and I'm fairly confident that he thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

What was absolutely wonderful (although it may not seem particularly special to many people) was that we achieved a few long canters in large, open fields. This is something that I've not been able to do for years, as I'm very nervous about riding in big, open spaces - so being able to achieve that means such a lot to me.

We actually ended up as a threesome on the ride, as we were caught up with by Helen and Corky who stayed with us for the rest of the ride.

Heathcliff is so endearing - he was so relaxed in his surroundings that when we reached the end of the ride, Nick untacked him and Heathcliff simply got down and had a good old roll on the grass, with a really blissful expression. How many horses can be comfortable enough to do that in strange surroundings!

Anyway Louise, I hope your MK ride goes well tomorrow. Hopefully we'll meet up sometime at a future ride.

Sam

[Louise C]

Hi Sam,

Mandy is back at work now - she works with my hubby! I unfortunately had a fall off Flynn on Sat and broke my collerbone so couldn't do the ride on Sunday - bummer:-(

Really glad you had a good time - typing is taking a long time at the mo with one hand!