12 May-Gulgong Showgrounds tonight.
How many different words to describe cold..well Ez, Joe and I are discovering a whole new vocabulary! It is freezing…today 8 degrees (friend in France laughed when I said this was freezing…politely told me never to go to France then if I thought this was cold!)
Bbrr how cold is Gulgong?
Esther has ridden from Premer to Coolah yesterday 85kms, then today from Coolah to Gulgong another 85 and done it easily. Her and Titan, Meg and Lofty have found their rythym.. Each horse is now so conservative in the way they canter and walk along (Ez basically walks a k then canters a km and the horses are doing that easily. We think Lofty has massive potential as an endurance horse. He is a legend and laps the k’s up so easily. He is by far the most economical of the three.
Joe the horse holder!
Titan has it in his head that he’s the ‘almighty protector’ of Meg and Lofty and winnies and carries on when they ride away. This is new behaviour for him. the horses all look magnificent with very tapered guts now. All still very sound. Lucked it with a brilliant farrier in Quirindi now need another for Wellington to reshoe Meg and Titan. Clarke Horseshoes at Wingham have so very generously sponsored us with all our shoeing needs whilst on the trek. Michael sourced some tungstan ‘plugs’ that have made an enormous difference to the wear side of the shoes. At this time though they need reshoeing as the nails are loose, and a couple of plugs have fallen out. We’ll get it sorted. Am waitiing on a ‘new’ friend I made in Sydney at a Cancer Council Liason training, to come from Mudgee to pick us up to take us out to dinner! Big day tomorrow off to Wellington, two school visits after lunch and pick up horse feed that both Mitavite and Manuka have dropped for us. The horses are looking magnificent on their feed regime, a mix of Pro Sport (Mitavite), Performa Oil and also Manuka Horse Silage and Manuka mixed cereal chaff. Esther got Joe to hold Lofty while she grabbed something out of the truck..this is what happened?
Lofty in disguise, Joe has done a job on him!
May 12th, 2011 at 9:36 am
Titan looked like the protector back in Cresso Creek so I think standard is set and you will have to go with it! By walking and cantering alternatively, is called ‘Scout’s Pace’ and is as old as Baden Powell himself. Walk for 20 mtrs and run 20 mtrs is a way of conserving energy. Well done Ez
Keep warm you lot! I am three layers and a scarf and inside at the computer.
Brrr indeed!
love Lesleigh
May 12th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Was so nice to meet you today!
I had heard so much about the trip from Pen that it was almost unbelievable that I would stumble across you today in my travels.
It was so very cold and I really feel for you all, but so admire your spirit in doing what you are doing in not only raising money but awareness of melanoma.
Well done and good luck with the rest of the trip =)
Jillian