‘I sleep better knowing they’ve both had some exercise’
Riding and leading is essential to Katie Palmer being able to exercise her two ex-racehorses in the winter.
“We have very little turnout because the clay ground gets too wet and boggy. The boys are loose in a yard during the day and stabled overnight, and they enjoy a daily ride,” says Katie, who owns 18-year-old chestnut Peter plus 12-year-old Blue.
“Sometimes I just hack out for half an hour and then stand and let them graze for half an hour, then hack home. Other days we go further, and I always vary the route.
“Blue mostly hacks but will do a few days trail hunting and then fun rides in the summer, so I like to keep him semi fit. Peter is retired due to an old injury, so he doesn’t go out every day but I think he likes to have a ‘job’. I know when he doesn’t want to come, because he disappears into his stable when I start tacking up.
“They live as a pair so they’re easy to ride and lead, even though Peter is five inches bigger than Blue at 17.2hh. I would ride and lead when they were competing, so they’ve been doing it for a long time.
“I’ve always ridden and led horses.
I pair horses with a similar stride length to avoid one lagging behind, and make sure they like each other. I prefer to lead using a lunge rein, too, so that I know that whatever happens, I won’t lose the lead horse. The trick is carrying it so that it doesn’t get too long or in a tangle.
“We walk, trot and canter. Cantering can get a bit exciting with the two of them next to each other, so I avoid going fast in open spaces and stick to tracks. I sleep better knowing that they have both had some exercise.”