u/demmka

Why does it have a full on duck bill?

Side note, I have never been made to feel as uncomfortable by a magazine as this new issue of GQ 🫣🤮

Also I made the outfit in the last photo.

It is one of the things I hate most about the horse world; people having terrible looking horses with bones sticking out and poor quality coats and just blaming the horse's age. A horse that is old but otherwise healthy is absolutely capable of looking good if you actually put the effort into a good nutrition programme and correct work and maintenance. Anything less is lazy and selfish.

It is one of the things I hate most about the horse world; people having terrible looking horses with bones sticking out and poor quality coats and just blaming the horse’s age. A horse that is old but otherwise healthy is absolutely capable of looking good if you actually put the effort into a good nutrition programme and correct work and maintenance. Anything less is lazy and selfish.

Dobs is 23 and Dubs is 26 - they're both unknown breeding and from unknown places in Ireland. They look the same and have the exact same personalities and mannerisms. We like to think they're at least brother and sister, if not mother and son!

We borrowed the side saddle for the day and with it being very old and rather... well worn, the over girth and balance straps didn't sit as neatly as I would like them to if I were to buy one! Dobs always seems so comfortable and happy in the side saddle, I'm trying to girl-math my way into justifying spending 3-4k on my own one...

We borrowed the side saddle for the day and with it being very old and rather… well worn, the over girth and balance straps didn’t sit as neatly as I would like them to if I were to buy one! Dobs always seems so comfortable and happy in the side saddle, I’m trying to girl-math my way into justifying spending 3-4k on my own one…

I wanted something lightweight as it’s still very warm during autumn hunting and hound exercises, and it had to be vaguely tweed-adjacent. The front is made from a wool blend fabric that was left over from making a riding skirt, and the satin back panel and lining was made from a bed sheet I found in the sale bin at a home shop for £7. Buttons are from Hobbycraft. I used my existing wool waistcoat as a template, but next time I think I’ll have a go at tailoring as I think it looks ever so slightly boxy.

Dobs was not happy that the first hound exercise of the 26/27 season was just walk and trot - he arrived expecting speed.

I also wore a waistcoat that I made myself - it didn't disintegrate over the course of the exercise so I consider that a win.

Dobs was not happy that the first hound exercise of the 26/27 season was just walk and trot - he arrived expecting speed.

I also wore a waistcoat that I made myself - it didn’t disintegrate over the course of the exercise so I consider that a win.

While you do feel very secure and there isn’t a feeling like you’re going to fall off, there are so many things to remember at the same time: sit central, hips forward, right shoulder back and squared, elbows at the side, reins longer and flipped over to the right side, right toes pointed, left foot resting flat instead of dropping your heel, don’t grip upwards into the bottom of the leaping head, whip pointed down not back, pull up and back through your core… and don’t even get me started on how different it feels on the left rein than the right rein when centrifugal force is trying to pull you to the inside and you’re trying desperately to sit straight without over leaning! I have so much admiration for the ladies who make it look so elegant and effortless, especially those who come out hunting aside!

It was just a short 30 minutes but it was very fun and my instructor is excellent at breaking it all down into very understandable pieces! We just got a couple of clips as there were children in the other arenas and we didn’t want to accidentally get any of them in the background for safeguarding reasons.

You need someone to hold the horse, someone to leg you up, someone to hold/arrange your apron... it's a very involved process!

You need someone to hold the horse, someone to leg you up, someone to hold/arrange your apron… it’s a very involved process!

Currently trying to manifest rain so the ground will soften and we can start getting fit for the hunt season to start in September 🥲🙏🏻