#trail riding

[whywishesarehorses]

Pensioner sets off on 600-mile pony trek with pet dog in saddlebag

Jane Dotchin, 80, has been making the unusual journey from Northumberland to the Highlands since 1972. (Story from STV News)

An 80-year-old woman who wears an eyepatch is on an annual trek with her pony from England to the Highlands – on a seven-week adventure which began in 1972.

Jane Dotchin packs her saddlebags onto her trusty pony’s back every year, and heads to the hills from her home near Hexham, Northumberland, on an epic 600-mile trek to Inverness, covering between 15 and 20 miles a day.

She set off on August 31 with her steed, Diamond, aged 13, and her disabled Jack Russell named Dinky for company, from the off-grid smallholding where she lives.

She carries everything she needs including her tent, food and just a few belongings – and despite wearing an eyepatch is determined to continue as long as she can.

Ms Dotchin said: “My mother would look after my other ponies but she wasn’t that keen on looking after my Halfinger stallion, so I rode him down to Somerset to see a friend, which is about 300 miles.

“It was a bit of a hard slog, but it was good.”

After that initial journey, she caught the taste for the open road and travelled to visit friends near Fort Augustus, near Loch Ness, every autumn since.

The journey takes around seven weeks depending on weather and Ms Dotchin tries to stop off to see people she has met over the years.

She said: “I refuse to go slogging on through pouring wet rain.

“There are a few different routes I can take depending on the weather.

“I don’t want to go over hilltops in foul weather, but I work it out on the way.

“I don’t bother with maps, I just keep to the routes I know.

“It is nice to go and see [people] again – I ring them up in the morning to say I’m going to be there in the evening.

“I don’t warn them too far in advance, because if the weather suddenly changes or I decide to stop early then they can be left wondering where I’ve got to.”

Disabled Jack Russell Dinky, who has deformed front legs, travels in a saddle bag.

Ms Dotchin said: “She manages fine, when there is a nice grassy track she gets out and has a run, but she doesn’t like stoney ground but she is a nice hot water bottle for me in the tent.”

She said: “I asked for something good and solid in my old age and he got me a cob from Ireland. I struggle to get on her half the time, but otherwise I manage fine.”

Her diet consists of porridge oats, oatcakes and cheese which is bought at local shops.

She prefers to make porridge with milk, but water will suffice.

Ms Dotchin added: “You can always boil it from a stream.”

Her bathroom habits are equally DIY, and she said: “I dig a hole.”

Ms Dotchin is devastated by the littering she has seen over the years and said Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, is somewhere she finds “shameful” due to the amount of rubbish.

She said: “It’s appalling, in particular single used barbecues which are left lying all over the place.

“Cumbernauld is the fly-tipping capital of Britain.

“There are some lovely people there who let me camp, but some of it is so disgusting and shameful.”

Campervans on single track roads have also become a more persistent problem.

She said: “Drivers just didn’t seem to know how wide they were, I was forever just about getting swept off the roads by them.”

The right to roam has helped with countryside access, but she said: “There are still some locked gates or little side gates that you can’t get a horse with packs on through.”

For emergencies she carries an old mobile phone as the battery lasts six weeks.

Ms Dotchin said: “I keep it switched off and just ring out to ring up landowners to get gates unlocked or to warn people when I’m coming but sometimes the trouble is getting a signal.”

During the foot and mouth crisis in 2001 she went on bicycle instead.

She said: “I covered many more miles with the dog in a pannier but it was not the same, I missed my horse.”

In recognition of her independent spirit, and many years of long distance trekking, she received The British Horse Society lifetime achievement award last year, which she said was “a bit of a surprise.”

During her travels she witnesses rutting deer and stags fighting in the autumn, and foxes.

She said: “There is always something interesting happening and there is never a dull moment.

“I will probably be stopped one of these days.”

#horse #news #irish cob #draught horse #trail riding #hacking #horseback riding #equestrian #horseblr #horse riding #draft horse #equine

[romanian-goddess]

#mine #view #perfect view #horse #trail riding #equestrian #equine #hobby #passion #nature #photography #sunny day #autumn vibes #holiday mood

[barnlarn]

More trail shenanigans. The real question is “what does my horse know about rhubarb that I don’t??”

#comic #drawing #horse life #trail riding #equestrian #horse girl #art #sketch #story #correct I use a bridle with no noseband #dressage saddle w/ western headstall #we ride goofy

[doctorbeth]

Chubby the cow, a sequel

Some of you may remember the story of Chubby the Cow. She lives with a boy and a girl and enjoys mountain biking, which was the cause of her initial visit... all that sun exposure and wilderness adventure had worn her skin quite a bit. But her family wanted to keep her as close to original as possible, so we did. Well, that was back in 2017 and five years of adventures plus a pandemic had done a job on Chubbs' (as she's also known) skin. Here were the diagnosis photos her family sent this summer:

As you can see... her patches had held, but not the thin muzzle fabric, and her original fur had now worn through pretty much everywhere. It was time for Chubby to get fully recovered in all new fabric. The boy and girl decided to use the same fabric as the patches, but everywhere this time, including her pink spots. Chubbs was going to get a spa and be fully recovered.

She flew in and started right away with her bubble bath:

Soon, she was fully recovered and soft and furry again:

But this time, we were going to protect her a bit more... she was getting her very own bike helmet in bright pink!

Chubby flew home to Texas and sent this photo:

Of course I had to ask... did she lose her helmet already!?!?!

Nope, the Boy wrote:

She's very careful when she's biking - she's got some mad (cow) skills that let me just sit back and watch as we pass The Girl! Our new cow that we got when Chubby was at the Spa (Callie) has claimed the helmet and is now riding with The Girl.

So here's to safe, happy, and long rides for all four!

#stuffed animal repair #stuffed animal hospital #stuffed animal recover #stuffed animal clothing #stuffed animal cleaning #stuffed animal hats #stuffed animals #toy cow #stuffed cow #cow #cows #trail riding #bike riding #bicycling #bike

[honeyrosepetals]

la frontera de honduras y guatemala

#mine #DO NOT REUPLOAD #photography #mountains #landscape photography #landscapes #honduras #guatemala #original photography #photographers on tumblr #grainy aesthetic #rural #rural aesthetic #ruralcore #horses #cowboys #travel photography #explore #adventure photography #rivers #nikon photography #lensblr #animal photography #animals #trail riding #horseback riding

[theruby-redmare]

Rode into town to get some ice cream

July 2023

#pony #trail riding #horses #adventure #cricket

[alllthesewordsleftunsaid]

Pretty lady and our view today

#horse #horses #horse riding #horse rider #equestrian #equine #dressage #mare #thoroughbred cross #trail riding #mountains #mountain riding

[horsesarecreatures]

Hi, do you or followers have any tips for safety when riding alone and unsupervised? I don't have a smartphone, and the phone I do have doesn't reliably work at the barn. I've currently been texting my mom before I get on and saying I'll be finished in an hour, and then texting again when I get off. But I've never ridden alone before. Would be very grateful to learn any tips or advice for what others do?

Hi, riding alone is always a bit risky, but there are a lot of things that can be done to mitigate the risk. Off the top of my head:

Wear a helmet and possibly a safety vest.

Make sure your girth and saddle are secure.

Keep your phone on you, not in a saddle bag. If you keep it in your pants pocket, make sure they are deep enough. I have had my phone fall out while wearing jeans and breaches with ordinary pockets many times; I have since purchased these breeches specifically for trail riding because they have deep pockets with zippers.

Take off jewelry like dangly earrings that can snag if you fall off.

Use safety stirrups. No worse place to get dragged than a trail.

Bring mace in case some dumb person has their dog loose (also keep it on you and not the saddle).

If a horse is spooking or acting up, there is no harm in getting off and walking back. Additionally, it may be good to hand walk them on the trail before riding once or twice so they know what to expect.

As for safety apps and trackers, I am unfortunately not really in the know-how. I know some endurance people use personal locator beacons or satellite messengers when cell coverage is bad, but don't have experience with them myself.

Followers please chime in.

#trail riding #safety

[ahorsenamedphoebe]

Relaxed little stroll

#equestrian #horses of tumblr #horseblr #equine #horseback riding #trail riding #Luna

[whywishesarehorses]

A lifehack from Reddit

#horse #equestrian #horseblr #trail riding

[ride4thebrand]

I met with the owner of a boarding facility today.

Next spring I might actually be back in the hobby.

#horse #horses #trail riding #horse riding

[barnlarn]

I got a zine printed of a collection of my horse comics :) 

You can find them here in two binding options, plus a digital version. All physical copies come with a PDF download. 

Each book is put together by me from the folding to the binding. They were printed by a local shop.

#art #zine #book #art book #horse #comics #stories #short story #merch #horse life #trail life #trail riding #sketch

[griffinequestrian]

Mikey is happiest when hacking out right now. That’s totally fine with me - our “woods” rides seem to be helping us find each other again.

#equestrian #horse #horses #horse back riding #thoroughbred #ottb #equine #rehab journal #heart horse #trail riding

[adora-birds]

best boy

#horse riding #not birds #id: joe #really fun ride today 🥰 #equestrian #trail riding

[theruby-redmare]

A favorite spot, the spillway

July 2023

#pony #trail riding #nature #adventure #horses #cricket

[prettypurpleponies]

Pony was so good for our first trail ride together!! She did have to frequently trot to catch up to the horse in front (short little leg problems 😂) but she was content to walk again and follow behind. One of the other horses lost his mind a little bit when he saw some other horses and Luna mostly stayed calm thru it, we had a brief moment when the second horse started trotting while first horse was still losing his mind and she crow hopped into a running canter but she settled after like ten strides.

And then she tried to turn around leave before the first water crossing and did a lot of hesitant backing up steps before being coaxed into it, but once she was in it she powered right thru!!

And then she was better for the second (smaller) water crossing!!

Overall she was very good, just a little looky and some maybe anxious trot when she felt she was getting left behind, but otherwise an absolute superstar!! Gold star for the trail pony 🌟

I had so much fun and I love her so much!

#Luna #riding journal #what a good pony #trail riding #she’s perfect in every way