Kauto Star..??

Boxing Day and a chance to ride. Beautiful cool clear weather and I had a plan for something a little different. I spent yesterday like many other people, eating and drinking and watching far too much tv! I really seem to have lost the knack of eating three Christmas dinners though. Anyway sunshine and blue sky soon had me up and about today.
Not quite Kauto Star...Heather today happy to be going out.

I've not kept up to date with Heather's progress here recently, I'll try and fill in some gaps soon. But essentially, she's living out, un-stabled 24/7. This has both advantages and drawbacks, but I'm keen to try and adapt to anything thrown my way. Over the holidays many of the other school horses have been turned out as well, and I half expected some trouble in the field today. Last Winter it was when all the "hooligans" were out that Heather got kicked. Fortunately I found her safe, stood in the deepest mud where the others probably wouldn't go. Not doing much to help her Mud Fever, but that's another story!
Down the lane from the yard as on so many other days...but never with such a shadow!

Soon brushed off the worst of the mud and tacked up. The wind, well breeze had picked up from the East and I was surprised how cold it was, despite the sun. I almost changed my original plan and decided to stay safe in the back outdoor school. There have been a couple of accidents out and about with riders falling and I was all too aware that there'd be plenty of walkers cyclists and loose dogs around...plus I had little light road work in mind.hence my hi-viz tabard.
87 South Drive....the house where I grew up and never in my most imaginative thoughts, dreamt I'd ride here on horseback!

So off down the lane with the sun on our backs. Quickly over the green bridge to the other side of the river. I wanted to hack over to Chorltonville and ride past the house where I grew up and where I re-settled until recently. Most people I grew up with or knew there have moved away, but I really secretly hoped to surprise an old friend...no one there would know me on horseback!
Lovely hacking through Chorlton Ees and somehow managing to find the place to ourselves.

Heather behaved impeccably all the way. We even managed to dodge a big ride from another yard..some ten or more horses heading for a pub. We didn't trample any children or kick any dogs and she stopped and waited and moved on when asked...very good horse. We went past the old house and continued down memory lane and though I was concentrating on riding I was feeling quite proud. We didn't see any familiar faces but I was pleased to be heading back to the yard without any problems...we were quite a distance away.
Urban contrast! Heather judging the graffiti under the M60 motorway..

On the way back we headed through Chorlton Ees. I really love riding through the woods there and as we were homeward bound, Heather had that extra spring in her step. Strangely enough she had her only spook of the day here....at a little girls pink bike! Blowing and snorting. It was at this point that one of the many friendly walkers we passed today commented on Heather's resemblance to a famous race horse, Kauto Star! After another such comment later on I decided to find out more...Yes at a quick glance and it seems her race double did quite well today...so that's two happy horses. As we returned to the yard, I turned round to see who was trotting so quickly behind us. A riderless horse with stirrups banging and reins flapping...rider was later found safe!