Rebel’s resoundingly successful career start as a driving pony has been a source of exhilaration and motivation for me. We have now had 5 years together, unintentionally but happily causing traffic jams and mayhem on the rural Co Down roads.
We have picnicked in the grounds of Castle Ward, our local National Trust property; we have been cursed, fêted, and photographed in equal measure.
We have even travelled as far as St John’s Point Lighthouse for a picnic with old friends, then another couple of miles to our trailer pick-up point at Rossglass – our longest drive to date, 13.2 miles! Due to logistical problems, we left the cart, trailered the pony home, rested him for a couple of days, then trailered him back to complete the return journey.
Leaving our friends’s home at Rossglass, I carefully checked for traffic, then drove out of the single track road onto the 1.5 track road, only to see a massive Game of Thrones tour coach magically appear behind us. Concerned that the driver seemed to be ready to overtake us, and knowing that any attempt to pass could end in disaster, I acknowledged the coach with a cheery wave (yes, at 9am!), moved into the middle of the road so that he wouldn’t be tempted to pass, and indicated that I would be pulling off onto another single track road just a couple of hundred yards further on. Completing my manoeuvre, I turned to wave in thanks, and as the coach slowly moved on, I could see a double row of faces behind cameras the entire length of the coach! Rebel and I are probably famous all over Japan or China or somewhere! Further along this road I managed to capture the essence of that drive on my favourite piece of video: beautiful rural Co Down, bright hot sunshine, and looking over Dundrum Bay from Rossglass to the stunning Mourne Mountains.
Rule 12: Enjoy every minute of making wonderful memories.
© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021
Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion
