Was the motto of the day for riders & equines tackling Newton Ferrers Equus’s Trailblazers course last Sunday. It was 11 pairs of brave riders & their mounts that navigated themselves around the imaginative course of obstacles & challenges riding over varied terrain through N.F.E.’s tracks of grass & woodlands.
The course was designed for everyone to be able to take part although the lead reins did get a shorter route missing out the 10% hill! The obstacles included being able to ride or lead the horse through streams, up steps along woody tracks while opening & shutting gates. step over pipes & branches into a plastic hoop performing a 360° turn before stepping out. Riding through the tight rope alleyway then being able to reining back through it required patience & Skill to side pass along then jump a small log.
The reining back through a bottleneck of posts proved successful to most that took their time & Cantering over a star shape of poles then perform flying changes up a row of cones was funny to watch. Stepping over a wooden board then onto a wooden bridge were a big ‘ask’ for the horses although most needed persuasion everyone managed them.
The log pull around two posts & the swing rope needed confidence, trust and accuracy and to achieve maximum points for the football the horse had to score the goal. But it was riding under a black tarpaulin & low branch, then riding through a blue plastic pipe that were the rider scares of the day while dinos dog kennel proved most scary for the horses. Although it was only to pairs of riders that got the trick question of How many cows in the field?, in the field full of bullocks.

The day was a magnificent one with a hearty bbq & presentation of certificates and rosettes for everyone completing the course. So well done to everyone that took part & thank you to all the marshals & helpers of Newton Ferrers Equus for making the day possible, look forward to seeing you all for our next event.
Suzanne Cove N.F.E. event organizer.