think I might take Smokey

will ring and see if there is much shale we have to ride over on the tracks first, he didn't cope well with that last farm ride we did!

ohhhh fun!!! Im doing my first one in march april this year - let us know how it goes would be keen to hear what it was like/what to expect!

I've done some on Mac, they are great fun! Especially if you ask around and find out who is doing the same ride you are and team up with them, nice to have someone to yack too.

I'm now reconsidering the ride on Smokey however, just remembered he has 2 days of lessons with Saskia on the 23rd and 24th! At the amount of money it costs to go to her I really don't want him to be recovering from a trail ride and possible sore feet/muscles!

I hear you re the cost of comps/lessons... sigh...

I've been really lucky if the truth be known, Mac has cost me bugger all, a lesson a week but a local instructor so cheap, never bothered until August of last year to even think about different instructors, and Mac was only doing dressage and our local club doesn't have that much on thru the year so comp entries were also really minimal!

I can see I'm gonna have to find some more income if I keep going the way I am at the moment tho!!! Birthdays and Xmas cash don't come often enough to keep up with the traveling instructors and entries for 2 horses!