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alobearI went to the Trent Park website a couple of days ago and went right through their gallery of horses, making a note of all the ones that are 16hh or taller (there are several in the 15.2hh and 15.3hh category that would be fine, too, but I thought I'd play it safe). I came up with twelve horses (apart from Madison) - all of whom are big enough for me to ride, and eight of whom I've never ridden.
Thus armed with a list of interesting horses I'd love to try, I turned up at the stable this morning, planning to whinge if I got Madison again. Luckily, I didn't have to make a fuss, as I was given Bellamy to ride instead.
Bellamy is huge - he's 17hh and I think he's the biggest horse there, apart from Guiness. Oddly for a big horse, he's also very responsive, which was a welcome change from Madison. Best of all, he's very smooth, which makes him extremely comfortable, and I got the best canter transition I've experienced in years, followed by one of the loveliest canter strides. So, half way through the lesson, I was planning to kidnap Bellamy and whisk him away somewhere I could ride him forever.
Then he showed his unpredictable side and it all went downhill. For reasons passing understanding, he has a tendency to spook at nothing, hopping sideways and breaking into canter for a few strides every now and then. Now, this isn't too much of a problem, because he's so big, the inertia means it's like spooking in slow motion, and he's so smooth there's no real danger of falling off - in fact, the first time he did it, we were working without stirrips and I didn't even lose my balance.
Six months ago, unpredictability in a horse would have made me like him even more. But, after the ankle incident in March, I don't seem to like horses randomly deciding to take off with me any more. While this is perhaps a healthier state of mind, it doesn't make lessons like today's any more enjoyable - Bellamy made me nervous, not something I'm used to with riding, and not something that was conducive to him behaving better. Still, the rest of the lesson passed without a real problem - he spooked five times in total but always stopped when I asked, and I never felt unbalanced. I just found myself uncertain of him, and it wasn't a comfortable feeling.
I'm not sure what I'll do if I'm given him to ride again - but to a certain extent, I'd rather ride Madison...
Thus armed with a list of interesting horses I'd love to try, I turned up at the stable this morning, planning to whinge if I got Madison again. Luckily, I didn't have to make a fuss, as I was given Bellamy to ride instead.
Bellamy is huge - he's 17hh and I think he's the biggest horse there, apart from Guiness. Oddly for a big horse, he's also very responsive, which was a welcome change from Madison. Best of all, he's very smooth, which makes him extremely comfortable, and I got the best canter transition I've experienced in years, followed by one of the loveliest canter strides. So, half way through the lesson, I was planning to kidnap Bellamy and whisk him away somewhere I could ride him forever.
Then he showed his unpredictable side and it all went downhill. For reasons passing understanding, he has a tendency to spook at nothing, hopping sideways and breaking into canter for a few strides every now and then. Now, this isn't too much of a problem, because he's so big, the inertia means it's like spooking in slow motion, and he's so smooth there's no real danger of falling off - in fact, the first time he did it, we were working without stirrips and I didn't even lose my balance.
Six months ago, unpredictability in a horse would have made me like him even more. But, after the ankle incident in March, I don't seem to like horses randomly deciding to take off with me any more. While this is perhaps a healthier state of mind, it doesn't make lessons like today's any more enjoyable - Bellamy made me nervous, not something I'm used to with riding, and not something that was conducive to him behaving better. Still, the rest of the lesson passed without a real problem - he spooked five times in total but always stopped when I asked, and I never felt unbalanced. I just found myself uncertain of him, and it wasn't a comfortable feeling.
I'm not sure what I'll do if I'm given him to ride again - but to a certain extent, I'd rather ride Madison...
