Beach Bliss by Emma Courtney
What horsey mad little girl or boy hasn’t dreamed about galloping down an endless stretch of golden sand alongside a shimmering sea? Tasting the salty wind on your tongue and feeling the rhythmic beat of hooves underneath and all around you is pretty much as good as it gets. I grew up in Ireland and was lucky enough to be able to hack to the shore. However, I now live in Bucks about as far away as you can get from the beach! Nevertheless the pull of that briny brilliance and need to feed my inner child ensures I take my trusty (ok, not so trusty but more of that later) steed to the beach at least once a year to restore heart and soul. So here’s my top tips for fun in the sun with your best friend on four legs.
Make a list Book well in advance
The best beach related accommodation / holiday packages are booked up months and often seasons in advance. If you have a specific time that you have to go in the high season between April and the end of September you need to be on the ball about booking early.
Consider an out of season visit
I’ve been to the beach at Easter, during the Summer and in November, this year we’re booked for September. Ok, our November visit was cold, we had one wet morning, but we’re horse people for goodness sake and the beach was completely empty and the accommodation quieter and cheaper. Weekday stays are also easier to get than weekends and so worth taking the time off work.
Friends with benefits
Whilst it is lovely to have that one on one time with your horse, there is plenty of time when you’re not riding to do other things. Travelling with a friend means your horse gets some company in a strange place and you have company too. I know we rarely involve our other halves in our passion but going to the beach can also be a nice couples event. My husband’s only stipulation when he comes to the beach with us is that there has to be a pub within walking distance!
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Similarly to when you’re travelling to a show make sure you have a checklist and bring everything you need to ensure your horse is comfortable and happy during his beach break: Bedding – do they provide or do you take your own? Mucking out tools – as above. Some places offer mucking out as an added extra. Feed and buckets – also check if you need to bring a water bucket. The place we stay at takes a refundable deposit of £10 and supplies buckets. Dog friendly – most places I’ve been to and researched are dog friendly, but dogs are charged as extra so just check the fine detail if you’re bringing Fido too. Tack and boots and leather cleaner – my experience is to bring spares and double check you have everything. I once managed to get to the beach and take my saddle out to discover I had no stirrup irons and leathers on my saddle! You also need to consider that whilst you might usually ride everywhere in a snaffle and/or without a martingale, your usually sane and lovely horse may get as excited as you at freedom under hoof, so some options in terms of stopping could prove useful. Finally on tack (and this is an important one), make sure you pack your leather cleaner and clean your tack after each beach ride. Leather, salty water and sand are not good bedfellows. Bedding and supplies for you – obviously last on the list, but do check whether things like towels and bedding and washing up liquid are supplied if you’re staying in cottages or caravans on site and don’t forget to pack toiletries, milk and tea bags, washing up liquid and wine!
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