Riding can be a bit like speaking your mother tongue- you know how, but have no idea how you got there. I explained to Baerbel, our guide, that even though I've ridden horses my whole life, I have really no idea what I'm doing. I realised this when I arrived at a beach in Malaysia on a male Thoroughbred and it took one look at the stretch of beach and galloped. All I could feel was the power of its muscle beneath, but with feet fallen out of the stirrups and the horse's determination to win whatever race it had constructed in its head, despite sunbathers in its path, I really had no control. Baerbel explained that horses in Malaysia are built for racing. They're programmed to reach the other side as fast as possible. The only way to ask them to stop in that situation is to force them to take a sudden change of direction and break that resolve.
Right now we were approaching the beach in Golden Bay not far from Hannah's house. It was early morning and the crickets were stretching their legs in chorus and dew drops rested on the palm leaves hanging over the track. The sun was just settling in for the day, with its golden glow stretching over the patches of cloud. As we stepped out onto the sand, which compressed gently under hoof, my horse let me know she wasn’t a bolter. The sea climbed up the beach to the right and between the horse’s ears the bay could be seen curving around the rocky hills with layers of greenery and tall trees poised on the hilltops. People had built simple wooden homes in secluded spots peering out of the foliage.
When you haven't ridden in a long time and you're new to a particular horse you start off stiff and it takes a while to ease into it and build communication. After an hour or so your movements become more as one and even the subtlest indicators such as the movement of one leg or shifting in the seat can signal a particular direction or action. There are different techniques for long distance riding, it’s important to look into the distance to guide the direction of the ride, you should also stand up as you gain speed to ease the load for your horse.
We galloped up the beach racing against the incoming tide. There was a river to cross further along before it became too full and strong to cross on horseback.
We rode through Collingwood. The first settlers came to these parts first. Following the discovery of payable gold-deposits in the Aorere Valley in 1856 the town's population surged and the suggestion was made that Collingwood should become New Zealand's capital. The calm safe bay provided the illusion that this would be a good spot for the ships to moor, but it was too shallow.
The ride ended at Farewell Spit, a long narrow stretch of white sand, protected in the confines of a natural reserve, specked with drift wood and fossils. It forms the northern side of Golden Bay and is the longest sandspit in New Zealand, stretching for about 26 km above sea level and another 6 km underwater. It is located about 50 kilometres north of Takaka, where Hannah lives, and 20 kilometres from Collingwood.
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Right now we were approaching the beach in Golden Bay not far from Hannah's house. It was early morning and the crickets were stretching their legs in chorus and dew drops rested on the palm leaves hanging over the track. The sun was just settling in for the day, with its golden glow stretching over the patches of cloud. As we stepped out onto the sand, which compressed gently under hoof, my horse let me know she wasn’t a bolter. The sea climbed up the beach to the right and between the horse’s ears the bay could be seen curving around the rocky hills with layers of greenery and tall trees poised on the hilltops. People had built simple wooden homes in secluded spots peering out of the foliage.
When you haven't ridden in a long time and you're new to a particular horse you start off stiff and it takes a while to ease into it and build communication. After an hour or so your movements become more as one and even the subtlest indicators such as the movement of one leg or shifting in the seat can signal a particular direction or action. There are different techniques for long distance riding, it’s important to look into the distance to guide the direction of the ride, you should also stand up as you gain speed to ease the load for your horse.
We galloped up the beach racing against the incoming tide. There was a river to cross further along before it became too full and strong to cross on horseback.
We rode through Collingwood. The first settlers came to these parts first. Following the discovery of payable gold-deposits in the Aorere Valley in 1856 the town's population surged and the suggestion was made that Collingwood should become New Zealand's capital. The calm safe bay provided the illusion that this would be a good spot for the ships to moor, but it was too shallow.
The ride ended at Farewell Spit, a long narrow stretch of white sand, protected in the confines of a natural reserve, specked with drift wood and fossils. It forms the northern side of Golden Bay and is the longest sandspit in New Zealand, stretching for about 26 km above sea level and another 6 km underwater. It is located about 50 kilometres north of Takaka, where Hannah lives, and 20 kilometres from Collingwood.
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