Last year we boxed up to a beach with Blu a few times, to let off some steam and have some fun. I definitely didn’t think that beach riding would become part of our weekly riding routine.
Where we are now we can only hack, there are some quiet roads which makes it nicer however no tracks or even decent loops to do. We are lucky though because we have a nice beach hacking distance. The hacking there is a perfect length of time to warm them up and allow their muscles to engage as well as getting their brains in gear. On the roads, we try to just walk and just let them stretch and keep them relaxed.
Once we get to the beach we can then get cracking. We start by just slowly trotting and then we have a short canter near the end of the stretch. We then start going into the water and walk back up. The beach has a great stretch of soft but not deep sand which is the part we always stay on. We usually have roughly 3 canters which one of two would be allowing them to have a gallop but not 'letting rip'. Between these canters, we like walking them in the sea and going as deep as we can to get their hind end working and strengthening their muscles.
To start with Didi wouldn't go to the sea. We first took her with Blu and Blu went straight in, she started to follow but a small wave came and she immediately backed off. We didn't feel the need to force her into the water but just tried to get her to walk next to the sea. So while Blu was loving life in the sea, Didi and I just walked next to the water. After we have had our last canter we then head home, we don't need to worry about cooling down on the beach as the hack home is a perfect time for them to cool down. On the way home, we try and ride on the buckle as much as possible so they can stretch, just totally relax and cool their muscles down.
I love riding on the beach. It is a nice change of scenery and the horses enjoy it. I like the fact that we can open the canter while also working on strengthening their muscles. We can get so much done on the beach and the whole setting gives such a variety to their work. We have aimed to try to go to the beach twice a week as I think that gives them plenty of downtime in between. However, the great Irish weather has got the better of us so that hasn't happened. Didi however has been to the beach 5 times, only 2 of which were with Blu and the rest she went by herself. Whether we went on our own or with Blu we tend to do very similar things. When Didi went on her own we usually had an extra canter because she is fitter than Blu and we didn't try to go in the water as I didn't want to force her or cause an argument. I always made sure I walked her next to the water every time though.
The last time we went to the beach, my mum joined us with Blu. As Didi had now been 4 times we thought we would try the sea again. She wasn't interested in following Blu or going head-on because of the waves, so instead, we created some inside flexion and started to leg yield her into the sea so she wouldn't be going towards the waves. This worked and we got her straight in, once she was in she loved it, she didn't care about the waves and it was great to feel her engaging her hind end so much. That time we went into the sea a few times, every time we had to give her lots of encouragement and we did have to do some leg yielding nearly every time however she went in. Best of all she loved it, once she was in!!
I am super grateful to have the beach so close to us and I'm really enjoying using it on a regular basis. The horses love it and it is perfect to let them have some fun but also to get them working. I hope you have enjoyed reading this and i hope you like the beach photos.
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