Hack diary
Catherine Boyd has swapped equine partners and has been enjoying rides on Dartmoor aboard dressage star Kevin
Catherine Boyd and her new equine partner
LIKE MANY nine-to-five working riders I’ve seen a dramatic reduction in the number of hacking hours I’ve been able to pack into my week. It doesn’t help that at this time of year horse ownership is so much harder because of the wet, the cold and the endless dark nights and mornings, so those precious hours in the saddle are treasured much more when we can get them.
I’ve noticed that among the Hack1000Miles Facebook group there’s a growing band of night riders illuminated like Christmas trees and braving nighttime hacks to get those miles in. I admire you all hugely, but I won’t be joining you because I get spooked just walking the dog in the dark. Also, the narrow Devon lanes don’t lend themselves to night-time riding as drivers don’t expect you to be there in the daylight, let alone in the dark, and there’s nowhere to go to get out of the way. Nevertheless, when the weekend rolls around, I’m back out and I’ve had some lovely rides in the autumn sunshine and rain and have made the most of the wonderful Dartmoor landscape.
Over the past few months, my view from the saddle has changed somewhat, moving on from my little chestnut mare to a tall, leggy black gelding called Kummell II (aka Kevin) who I ride for my instructor Andrew Lovell — and haven’t we had fun! Kevin is completely different from my girl, but we get on so well and every hack has been entertaining. With his lanky legs I’ve certainly become aware of when there are low branches.
New horizons
In the early part of the autumn, Kevin and I manage to put in some wonderful miles around historical Dartmoor, including a part of the area I’d heard about but had never visited.
A half-hour hack through two beautiful Dartmoor villages takes us up to Belstone Tor, an area from where I swear you can see pretty much all of Devon and probably some of Somerset and Cornwall too. The network of tracks runs in a circuit and lends itself well to canter work, so Andrew and I have great fun allowing the two dressage horses to let their hair down. We usually do a couple of trips around the tor, mixing canter work and leisurely walks before heading home. The area is one of several on Dartmoor used for army training, including live firing, so it’s always worth checking that there are no red flags flying before heading out or you could end up right in the middle of an army training exercise!
One thing that’s particularly interesting about this ride is the Nine Maidens stone circle, erected to surround a Bronze Age burial site — fascinating.
Hacking during the depressing winter months is the best medicine. Whatever the weather, sometimes it’s worth making yourself go out because afterwards you feel so much better.
Having come close to not having a horse to ride, I now feel incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful hacking partner.