When I was at Jen's in January, Texas had just gotten torrential rains and the ground was too wet to ride on anything but pavement. But next month, she said, next month you can do the quintain.
So despite the fact that there were ICICLES IN TEXAS (I'm so sorry for bringing that weather down with me):
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| Whole thing, glazed with ice. |
I jumped at the chance to get out there and do it after a delicious homemade breakfast at Wyvern Oaks on Saturday morning.
Paddy got some serious fan club time:
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| He's cute and he knows it. |
While Jen and her husband Sean got Brego tacked up for me, and Sean taught me how to hold the lance before I got on the horse.
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| Photo by Lauren. |
Someone asked about that saddle in the comments on Monday. It was actually one of the ones used in the movie Prince Caspian, and is totally comfortable and well-made.
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| One of the saddles in the movie. |
I really liked it, I felt like it fit me better than Brego's other two saddles, although I found it hard to get into and out of, with the front and back being so high. (All the better to not get knocked out of the saddle by your opponent, my dear.)
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| Just getting into that saddle is like a CrossFit mobility exercise. Photo by Lauren. |
Sean also let me try on some of his armor, though I didn't wear it while riding:
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| Photobombed by Paddy in nearly every single picture. |
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| Gen said I looked like a tiny CWD warrior, and made me turn around for this picture so you could see the logo! |
I spent a while warming Brego up:
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| Cheesin', because how could you not on Brego's back? Photo by Lauren. |
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| Photo by Lauren. |
And then got to try hitting things with a lance on horseback! (Very therapeutic, by the way).
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| Lowering the lance. Photo by Lauren. |
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| Photo by Lauren. |
Sean had told me to rest the lance on my boot when I didn't have the lance lowered to strike the quintain. It was quite a workout carrying that thing lowered, even though I am in decent shape, and you're only supposed to have it lowered while you're preparing to strike something/in the process of striking something. But I hadn't stopped to consider the fact that his boots are a lot bigger than mine, so he doesn't have as much trouble finding his own foot on which to rest the lance:
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| Brego being a rockstar while I try to find my own foot. Photo by Lauren. |
All in all, it was an awesome experience and I'm so glad to add something like that to my list of cool things I've done with horses. (It's short, but growing.)
There was also bareback Paddy riding, which made me feel like maybe I have PTSD from my two and a half months of not owning a saddle, but was still a lot of fun.
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| Much more appropriately sized pair. |
I love, love LOVE those two horses, and would jump at the chance to ride them anytime. Thanks for sharing, Jen!
That is SO cool!! Jousting looks like a blast, although I can imagine it's really difficult to control such a heavy and long lance while riding.
ReplyDeleteIt is, I was grateful for CrossFit. :)
DeleteLol @ the cwd warrior pic! Your ride w brego looks like soooo much fun! I would love to try the lance/quintain thing (and think they used to hold jousting clinics at my farm a couple years ago), but suspect my mare would not be amused lol
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, Connor would never ever be okay with that. I accidentally hit Brego in the hip with the lance while lowering it and he didn't notice, Connor would have been in the next county!
DeleteJousting looks like a blast! Also you should totally send that cwd warrior photo to Cwd!
ReplyDeleteI thought about that, but they're such a serious company, I don't know if they would fully appreciate it or not! Maybe!
DeleteYou were a really good CWD warrior! :)
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you!
DeleteGlad you enjoyed it so much - you're welcome at any time!
ReplyDeleteNick's got tons of frequent flyer miles, I might just show up at your front door...
DeleteThat armor was intense!
ReplyDeleteHeck yeah! I can't believe he makes it.
DeleteThat looked like a fun time! Such a tiny CWD warrior!
ReplyDeleteHaha thank you! It was a ton of fun.
DeleteSo cool! If ind jousting interesting and exciting. I actually watched people jousting at a medieval resentment fair, which was cool. The saddle is pretty interesting too! I guess it is supposed to help you stay in the saddle when jousting.
ReplyDeleteOops! Meant "I find" and "re-enactment", not resentment. Auto correct.
DeleteLol @ CWD warrior, you are a awesome poster child!
ReplyDeleteBrego is a BEAST O.o - you must be super nimble & athletic to have been able to swing into the saddle! It looks like it did a good job of trying to swallow you whole!
Your awesome weekend just kept getting better!
Haha, thanks, everyone got into it just fine through it definitely did require some nimbleness! I loved it! Brego really is huge!!
DeleteThis is all so very amazingly awesome.
ReplyDeleteTotally! I can't believe it happened!
DeleteI want a prince caspian saddle! It will go right next to my hypothetical side saddle and imaginary roping saddle.
ReplyDeleteIt's like the coolest thing ever, isn't it? I can't believe they have it. It's really perfect.
DeleteIt's so cool that you got to try jousting!
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome! I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance.
DeleteIt may have been slow-mo but I am still totally impressed!
ReplyDeleteThere's a video out there that shows just how slow-mo it was. I'll bust that out sometime.
DeleteYou seriously have no idea how much I'm geeking out right now... How does one go about aquiring a movie saddle ?!?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like luck and jousting connections for this one! I honestly have no idea, but I think it is amazing!
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