Muscle memory is a fantastic thing - the ability of your muscles to learn and remember how to do something without you consciously thinking about it.
I bookended my Canberra wanderings with two weekends of horse riding. I used to ride a lot as a youngster. From the age of 10 to 19 I was very involved in pony club and had my own horses: Sketer, Bel Bel, Fury and Barcoo. (Poor photo quality, I know, sorry.)
But that was about 35 years ago. My preparation for these two full weekends of riding was just three 45 minute riding lessons in August and September. I was very pleased to discover that I could still ride! My muscles remembered how to do everything. But - they forgot how long it had been since those muscles were used in that way! I did get a bit sore, and I pulled or tore an inner thigh muscle on the second Saturday - ouch - but there was no way I was going to let that spoil the fun!
Loretta organised two weekends of riding with four other women. The first weekend was the Senior Saddle Club Sleepover at
Burnelee Excursions on Horseback which consisted of a 3 hour ride to a shearing shed where we slept overnight, and a three hour return ride the following morning.
While Pen slept outside in her swag and the rest of us slept on the wooden floor on thin mattresses, except for Loretta who glamped in her swag with extra mattress and deluxe stretcher bed. There was no electricity and the toilet was a camp toilet in the lean-to.
Drinks and a three course dinner under the elm trees.
Burnelee is a working farm and three generations of the family joined us for dinner and marshmallow toasting.
Tapper was my horse for the weekend. He liked to race the other horses when we cantered up hills.
That's me and Tapper on the right, and Loretta on the left.
More photos here like this one and more, taken by one of our guides.
Burnelee was a great weekend of rediscovering my horse legs, and of apples and bananas, aka trotting and cantering. The horses were starting to trot and canter as soon as the lead guide said the words, instead of waiting to be told to by their riders, so we resorted to code words - apple for trot and banana for canter.
The second weekend was at up near Oberon, south of Bathurst, at
Yarrabin, another three generation family working farm. We went to Jenolan Caves on the way. My new camera has a 'star' setting, apparently - for added sparkle. I must have bumped the setting dial.
Yarrabin was three nights of three course meals, somewhat more comfortable accommodation in motel style units, guest lounge and dining room, games room, swimming pool and spa, with super friendly hosts and guides, and numerous animals as well as horses. Five 2-3 hour rides, 3 nights accommodation with all meals included. Also included were sore muscles and a horse bite - for me at least. I don't think the other women were sore at all as they have all ridden much more than me in recent times.
Lucy and 5 week old Archie
Very fresh and very local eggs for breakfast
Tom and Jerry, "Good morning. You are up early. Open the door. Let us out. Come on..."
Gracie - ute dog!
Each morning began with a walk with Tom (the cat) to bring in the horses, followed by a full cooked breakfast.
Ready to ride! Pen, Loretta, Lisa, Fiona and me
Is there anything more Australian than riding through the gum trees with lots of kangaroos and being swooped by the occasional magpie?
Maybe, riding through sheep paddocks with the Blue Mountains in the distance, to go to the pub for Sunday lunch?
We also helped move some cattle from one paddock to another, did lots of trotting and cantering, nearly galloped up one hillside and rode a fun jumps course twice. 'Yeehaa!!' as Loretta yelled out when jumping.
Riding in the back of the ute to help feed the horses at the end of the day.
Breaking two hay bales into at least 18 pieces for all the horses
Loretta brought licorice, carrots, flat bread and muesli bar treats for the horses
Cloud and Loretta
Lisa with Major and Cloud
Cloud following Pen, asking for treats
Fiona, Loretta, Lisa and Pen hitting the hard stuff at the end of a long hard day
On the way back to Canberra we stopped at Mayfield garden for lunch. The cakes looked so good we decided to create our very own cake smorgasboard. We each bought a different cake and cut them all into small pieces. Yum! A delicious end to a wonderful weekend -
A few more Yarrabin photos
Loretta and Bruce
Jess in the mounting yard
Cloud hoping the black thing in my hand was a large chunk of licorice. He loves licorice. Alas, it was my camera.
The Lookout
Releasing the horses in a paddock near the pub before we went for lunch
"King" Jerry
Archie and Lucy
Coming into the home paddock for dinner
Loretta and Major
Loretta with her favourite, Bruce. Thank you, Loretta - for organising the two weekends of riding and inviting me to come. It was amazing to be back in the saddle! I really enjoyed wandering around in the bush on horseback.
