The College Ride Report

@Shaun Scott

The cancelation of the Sherwood ride, due to foot and Mouth, required a quick E-mailing session to the ride organiser of the one remaining ride this weekend to determine if the start times would make the journey there feasible and enteries were still being taken. A two and a half hour drive meant an early start time or 6.00 and loading in the dawn light. Unlike last weekend we had an uninterupted event free journey meaning a timely arrival unloading, payment and paper work collection.

My packing of the truck had been a little hap hazard hence I was missing my laminated copy of the map and my camel back. Our vettings are improving with Destiny's pre ride heart rate for the last three rides having been 44 each time. After vetting we tacked up and headed to the start. Unfotunately the secretaries tent was trying to take off in the wind, Destiny fairly enough having never even seen a Gazebo before took a dislike to this. A small display of airs above ground was called for, fortunately one of Pauline Beech's crew members offered to lead us by the offending gazebo to the start, Destiny seemed much happier with this arrangment and we were off. For those who do not know this venue the first field and section of the irde takes you by the XC course. for a horse that has never seen a trotting pole let alone a XC fence Destiny was convinced the jumps were going to jump out and attack him.

Leaving the XC course behind us we crossed the small village road and were off down the first of many lovely grassy bridlepaths. Riding in the copany of Paulines horse and rider, Jane Van Lennup and niece Fraya. The routeis comprised of of mainly grassy ridleways with a alarge section being round the seemingly dissused airfield of ??. Destiny was showing very keenand happily offering to canter at every available opportunity, being able to canter at other peoples trotting speed is a god send. We completed the first loop at approximately 14.4 kph having managed to miss a few yeellow arrows on the sun burnt grass meaning we had ridden 38kms.

As appears to be normal Dstiy's heart rate dropped quickly to so we presented smartly vetting with a hear rate of 50. We then all spent the next 30 minutes eating and drinking to our hearts content. As there was a bit of a breeze at the venue I decided to rug Destiny so for the first time ever he wore a rug. A couple of minutes before our hold time was up I started tacking him up which he calmy accepted, mounted then rode over to the start. This time with Steve as an escort to find the wind had one beaten the secretries gazebo and was no longer in evidence. So off with set past the scary XC fences with Destiny still convinced they were out to get him. Sorry to say this set me off laughing and it was a minute or so before I could pull myself to gether to ride him properly by them and accross the road again to the loveley grass tracks.

We settled down to eat our sarnies while Destiny ate his food and drank while we waited for his papaer work and sorted out the next days entry, then left for home with our 2nd ride sucsesfully completed. 

Below are my heart rate monitor and GPS readings for the Saturday. 

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