Easy exploration of racing country

There is quite a contrast between Thoroughbreds training on the gallops and my slow, thoughtful exploration of the countryside. A contrast in speed, of course. A focus on the immediate rather than a broad sweep of time. A concern with winning rather than simply being. But, for all that, we all work with horses on one level or another.

Eight racehorses set off in pairs along a distant gallop, heading for the trainer in his car. (Does he check their performance with a speed gun like a traffic policeman?) In contrast I set off on Brena accompanied by D on her bicycle, its first rural outing. I had chosen a circular route that is reasonably flat and offers an acceptable surface for cycling.

At one point the grassy riding track paralleled the farm track that D cycled along. I could canter Brena ahead then stop to take photos. Brena seemed to sense a little competition and was keen to surge ahead, cantering eagerly until the effort became apparent after a quarter mile or so. Then a pang of hunger. That grass looks so tasty!

There are always new things to see. Until today I hadn't noticed how this clump of trees is perched atop a neolithic burial mound. There it is on an inverted saucer of chalky soil.

These mounds dot the landscape around here. Those who farmed this land from antiquity allowed the mounds to remain, whether out of respect or because it was just too much effort to flatten the ground. Or perhaps this land was untilled pasture until recently?

Then on, adding a slight hill for D's benefit. She does need to get fit. However it might be mildly annoying to see Brena carrying me up the hill at a good canter, then stopping to graze whilst she catches up. Horses are quicker than bicycles uphill.

On return to the barn I liberated Brena to do as she pleased in the field. Of course that meant a good roll.

A pleasing roll demands a vigorous shake. So we were all satisfied. I was happy that the trip had gone well. For a while D and I have harboured the idea that we might make trips together by horse and bicycle. Today, on fair terrain and in good weather, the prototype functioned. Brena got to canter whilst the circuit was not excessively tiring for D.

There is always the matter that ideal terrain for horses and bicycles differs. These trips will tend to follow a common route where one or the other is in the lead, with frequent overtaking. However it's not a race. A little waiting doesn't hurt. Some careful planning on my part will keep waiting to a minimum.

A lot of cycling is done around here. Therefore many trails include a narrow strip of earth compacted by the passage of many narrow tyres. That makes for easy summer cycling, and a grim sticky time in wet weather. However I doubt D is planning to come out unless the sun is shining and the ground is dry.

Still, now that I can share my riding trips, I am looking forward to the long dry months ahead.

Comments

[horseideology]

Glad you and D got out and about together. Cycling here is huge... one thing you can say about my town is they have put in a large amount of cycling trails that go around the entire city. It's problematic though when you come up on a two lane highway taking a hill and a blind curve and suddenly there is a cyclist in front of you. Very dangerous.

There is some contest around here (think in Texas) where you have alternate with your partner between bike and running. One partner runs while the other rides the bike and then you switch to cover the course.

[Transylvanianhorseman]

There is a lot more cycling here than riding. All of the off-road rights of way open to riders are open to cyclists too. This seems to work out pretty well. For one thing there are a lot more people with an interest in well maintained rights of way. Over the last ten years or so more cycle tracks have been added to the town here as roads have been modernised and derelict land developed. The biggest danger probably is where cyclists and pedestrians have to share quite narrow paths in areas that haven't been developed.

I'd heard of tie-and-ride but not tie-and-cycle. It sounds like a good competition.