Katy… A 15yr old yellow dun highland pony. (Kay-Marie of Armoury I believe). My reluctant pack pony as she’d rather be in a field eating grass and making babies!!
Skye… A 7yr old dapple grey highland pony and Katy’s daughter. (Carrie of Armoury if I have got that correct). She is enjoying herself just can’t wait to get to that next thing to eat on the trail…
Heavy is the word of the day… The HPs are doing ok but they just feel SO heavy compared to Yogi & Swift. Heavy to walk, to tow (and yes Yvonne has always described it as towing rather than leading and now I know why), to turn, to move in any dimension really… Just heavy!
Skye is cute and she does have a little of Yogis drive but only for short periods of time… Then she gets distracted by grass, trees, weeds… Anything that is green and that might be remotely edible! She is quite clumsy as she is never concentrating on where she is going so you really have to ride her which is very tiring, but I am making progress.
Katy is cute too but to be honest a little foot sore so is struggling over rough ground. This means you really have to tow her as if you stop pulling she stops and it can be a huge battle to get her going again. If you meet horses in fields by the track this can really take some time as she really won’t go passed them!
So today which would have been a half day for me with my two has taken a whole day. BUT this was my first day alone with them as Yvonne finished her ride at Fort Augustus so we are still finding our rhythm. We have established some rules about the “stopping” thing but it will take a few days to really take effect.
I’ve learned lots though…. Don’t ride under low branches because Skye will try and eat the leaves and make that low branch even lower! Don’t ride through long grass because grass reins don’t work there. Don’t get into a strength battle with a HP -you won’t win, instead you have to use cunning!
Today was a long way round to cover a short distance. Necessary due to a main road, a missing bridge and horse accommodation problems for the night. It did take me along a beautiful track though with lovely views.
Although they are SLOW oh so SLOW they did some things with me they have never done before so I am proud of them. E.g Asking them to step over a tree across the track (I was told it had been removed) which was the height of their belly and they both did it eventually!
These are not experienced highlands Skye is only 7 and hasn’t done a huge amount in her life so far. Katy was a brood mare until a couple of years ago (she is now 15) and had never been ridden, so considering… They are doing very well but it is bloody hard work!
To be fair to Katy and her feet I may have to finish my trip at Kinlochhourn rather than Glen Elg. The track to KLH is ok but the first bit out of there to Glen Elg is really steep, loose and rocky, I am not sure I will get her up it. Fair enough if her feet are sore! I will assess on the day when I get there.
It is still the west coast so I will still have done it and I won’t put her through unnecessary discomfort. Will let you know my decision when made!
Another battle with Katy this morning did not start the day well. Guess she remembered the hill from last time we took her up it and she really wasn’t interested in the view from the top! The track was a lot rougher (& loose) under their feet than the last time I was up there so both ponies found it hard going. I don’t mind walking beside my horse so to be kinder that’s just what I did. Weather was cooler for Katy but dry and the views were stunning from the top. Well… They would have been if it wasn’t off the huge new power pylons and wind farms. What are we doing to our beautiful countryside???? It is pollution in my mind and utterly dreadful :o( of course it wasn’t helped by the fact that we had the noise of trucks and machinery all day as they are still working on the power lines but how on earth they got permission to build them that close to such a national landmark (the best preserved and established bit of general wades road) I’ll never know! Nice descent down into Fort Augustus for the night and enjoyed ice cream and beer with the ponies down by the Caledonian canal. Looking forward to a pub meal tonight :o). Tomorrow I head on alone, not looking forward to Katy’s morning tantrums and just hoping I have the strength to take these two onto the finish line!
What should have been an easy ride up a tranquil glen road was made into highland pony hell by Katy refusing to go forward. In fact not only refusing to go forward but insisting on turning round and heading for home. Boy those HPs are stubborn, strong willed and physically strong too. I was exhausted by the time I got to the hill bothy for the night. Yvonne thinks Katy was too hot as it was a warm and humid day, I think she was just bloody minded and wanted to go back to the field to eat grass!! We were cheered up for the night though with arrival of hubby with our kit and a couple of friends (a surprise) with some wine. Nothing better than a real fire in a bothy, with good company and a tipple or two, especially when it was lashing with rain outside. One advantage of highland ponies (possibly the only one) is that they don’t mind the weather and Katy and Skye hardly noticed the rain as they concentrated on removing every blade of grass from the field!
Got thoroughly tested out by Skye for the first half hour of the ride, but once we had decided who was more determined and stubborn than the other, we got along just fine. Yvonne says this will happen everyday apparently! Although I miss my two, we did have a lovely ride as it’s so much easier with only one horse each and it’s been lovely spending time with my buddy Yvonne. Stunning views today lifted my spirits and I am determined to enjoy the rest of the ride even without my usual equine companions. Oh, and we found a bit of a party ongoing in one of the hill bothies so a sneaky beer was had at lunch time and good banter with the lads. Now camped up for the night in a field with the horses and it’s a lovely evening. :oD
Ed: Today’s update was relayed by SMS again, but won’t be able to post tomorrow as we’re meeting up to take care of the logistics at another location where no signal is expected. However, the satellite tracker will be on, so you can see where are.. here’s the link with today’s position:
Ready for the off again! Feels like I am starting all over again. Similar nerves to when I first started, which I had eventually worked through… Guess that comes with the change of horses then!
I am however on familiar ground being so close to home so that will help.
I doubt very much whether I will have any reception for the next two nights but will catch up on here at Fort Augustus. I will let you know a little more about Katy & Skye and how our relationship is evolving.
Thank you everyone for you messages of support. I don’t have time to respond to each one, but I read them and appreciate them all!
Thank you also for your donations I am so close to the £1000 I am sure I will make the target by the end of the journey :oD
OK so half way across Scotland with a Bear and a Spotty Bum then the rest of the way with two beautiful but stubborn and grass obsessed Highland Ponies isn’t as catchy a title… But it’s the way it’s going to have to be!
I am very grateful to my friend Yvonne for allowing me to borrow her “babies” so that I can complete my trip. I have promised not to swear at them too much when they just won’t move!!!
It does mean a relaxing ride to Fort Augustus with faithful head groom doing kit drops as Yvonne was due to ride through there with me but now we only have one pony each so no pack pony.
Then after that I am on my own again with the terrible two-some to reach the West Coast.
I will miss my Yogi & Swift so much, but the show must go on!!
Made it home for planned rest stop. This is about half way, I should be celebrating but feel deflated…
Yogi is a little better but hard mountain days are not what he needs. So I have had to make the difficult decision not to continue with a sore Bear.
Working on a plan B which could see me continuing with my friends ponies. It will make a already difficult trip doubly hard as they are stubborn highland ponies lol!
If this works out I will be very grateful as not many people would lend you their horses! Luckily she is a good friend indeed.
Will keep you posted, and although determined to finish what I started, it will be so hard for it not to be on my own lovely & awesome horses :o(
After the slightly worrying time with Yogi a couple of days ago the short version of events since then is – all ok 🙂 Claire changed them around and rode Swift yesterday, which wasn’t without some difficulty as she has become so used to being the pack horse and she didn’t want to go.. at all! Eventually Claire had her moving and they made it to the planned stop late but in good shape. The weather was awful late pm so it was handy to have the van there with rugs to keep them warm through the heavy rain overnight. Because Yogi is still not really 100%, the plan today was to walk them both through to the next stop, and with any luck by the time you read this they will all be there safe and sound. Some nice pics and Claire’s own write-up will follow in the next day or two.
Poor Yogi Bear having a bit of a rough time. He jumped a bog on the Mount Keen day and forgot to bring his back legs with him. I knew he was a bit sore but he seemed keen and sound enough in the following days. He seemed much better after his warm under rug rest day too.
However… Today was wet and cold this morning and after the first river crossing Fiona and I could tell he was not a happy Bear at all :o(
I am so grateful for Fiona’s help today as the already thin & dicey track was extra wet and slippy today. She also was a sounding block for my thoughts on Yogi and what might be wrong/options I had.
My best way to help was going forward so I have walked beside him most of the day.
I headed for a place I knew had horses and they have been incredible in helping me. They called their vet out who handled stressy bear really well. Usually only female vets can get near him but this guy wasn’t phased and Yogi was soon putty in his hands.
So managed a really good assessment and conclusion is sore stiff muscles, nothing too serious. Yogi is now getting breakfast which will please him with a small dose of anti-inflammatories hidden within to ease him a little.
Time wise, today should be his sorest day if my previous pulled muscles are anything to go by. It certainly wasn’t bothering him much when he cantered across the field at dinner time!!!
However, switching to riding Swift (those that know her… Wish me luck lol!) and Yogi will become pack. It’s harder travelling this way but I have done it before, just means finding that new rhythm… Hey ho!
Will reassess at lunch time and dinner time tomorrow. Faithful head groom hubby is going to meet me with the trailer just in case.
I am hopeful that the Bear will just walk this off so long as I don’t make him do too much and I have easier tracks from here for a while.
I do have a few extra days to play with if needed for him to recover once I get home in a few days time. (planned rest-stop before setting off westwards again. Ed) Vet was positive though and was amazed at how strong Yogi was feeling. He looks better than I have ever seen him so such a shame he is a little sore :o(
Will keep you updated. It was a horrible feeling that I might have to pull out but more horrible was worrying about poor Yogi -he really did look very miserable at one point and my mind was racing about how serious it all might be.
Please keep fingers cross for the Bear!
Horse Trails with a Bear and a Spotty Bum 