An Update to my Update:

Yesterday morning we were driving to the station: the same dark windy country lane we travel every day to work... there was a runner on the other side of the road (the correct side since there's no pavement, he was quite rightly in the road).

Obviously a healthy type jogging at 6.30am, the irony of his lack of attention to being seen and therefore being safe at all clearly lost on him.  Sure the paramedics would comment on his great muscle tone as they dragged him in to the ambulance!

The point to this? for heavens sake, wear hi-viz, be seen, be safe.

Riders, even if it's not dark, if a car can see you even a few seconds earlier, it could save your life, and that of your horse too since in all likelihood the car would see him before you.

Trakehner UK Newsletter

Hello fellow Trakehner lovers!


I have just written my first Tom & Henry story for the TRAKEHNER UK Newsletter.  I have started with a little background, and if I am asked to write one every issue (thrice anually), I will endevour to write the amusing stories as they happen, and they happen all the time here at chez Rand.


Anyone familiar with the Holme Grove website will know that Susan publishes letters, stories and photos of her herd progeny, and you can tell by reading them how proud we are sharing our lives with these incredible creatures, and how proud, and justly so, Susan and Barbara are to share the stories with us.


Here is  my first go:

Story for Trakehner UK newsletter

 Hello all fellow Trakehner lovers!

I work in a very creative, high octane, office environment in London.  A Design Room at M&S. My colleagues mostly live locally and so they have cats, which is great because I have 5 of my own and cat stories are very funny!

So it was I was at my desk when I received an email from someone I didn’t know in Kidswear, inviting me to an M&S Horse owners Club Lunch!!! Well you can imagine!!? It's great working here but it just got so much better.  We endeavour to meet every month and all we do – whilst we eat – is talk about our horses and share pictures and stories, its brilliant!

Our members have a variety of equines from thoroughbreds to Irish sport horses, I am alone in my Trakehner ownership.  And while many beloved pictures of coiffure’d horses are passed under my nose, of course I am suitably complimentary, but I can’t help feeling sorry for them for not having Trakehners in their lives – they have such great bums and personalities!

Did I mention Tom and Henry have incredibly gorgeous arses, suspect all Trakehners are built this way, pretty heads, great necks and oh so amazing rear ends!?

Tom & Henry of course, take fame in their strides now so any news from me that more people at work are hearing about them goes by without so much as a sniff.  They recently had their photos taken for HORSE magazine for a safety feature I worked on with them and that was an interesting morning. Plus they star in my blog, which is where it all began with my writing about them.

HORSE magazine interviewed me for a safety feature; the Editor Jo Browne had read my blog and thought my work for road safety was inspiring.  And it only started because I will go above and beyond to protect my boys from anything that might ruffle their manes; I wasn't aiming to be a campaigner. Then she asked me if she could send a photographer to my cottage to take shots of me riding my boys around the village to support the story of safety. Well I jumped at the chance for my boys to star in a three page spread!!!

I took the day off work, my boss didn't really understand but she humoured me. I got my farrier Steve out of his sick bed to come a check their shoes (thank you Steve), I brushed the boys to within an inch of their lives and even cleaned their tack, and I surprised even myself when I remembered how to put it all back together again!

The photographer took some great shots.  My husband John on his bike (because it all started with cycle safety), my friends and neighbours and their son on his bike, all drove and cycled past me.  I was a glowing beacon of illumination head to hoof in hi-viz, so the message was clear, safety. They are the funniest horses, they took everything in their beautiful floaty strides, that Trakehner stride we are all familiar with, and anyone who has seen the November issue will agree they looked gorgeous; well they are sons of Solomon and Prokofiev!

A quick Trakehner question though:

Not sure whether it’s a Trakehner thing, but they eat out of the bin instead of the freshly filled haybars, they bob for apples, they chase the cats around the land, they stand still with no headcollar to get groomed and tacked up, they turn their bottoms to me for a scratch and I know what they want, they’ve trained me!. this seems perfectly normal to me....but I’m getting comments that perhaps Trakehners are just a bit too clever...well we'd all agree with that I’m sure?

Tune in boys and girls next time for 'What Tom & Henry did next'.

Shelley Rand

Thank You Bob Brayshaw

Thank you also to Sheila Hardy, Wonderful news!  Though wouldn't it be great if those people using our villages would post a notice in those villages prior to tearing through en-masse, they could send a quick email to the parish clerk and get the notice published in the Parish Newsletter so everyone knows?  Should it really be the job of the individual horse rider to check the website every week? hmm, just a thought.

further to my update:

I passed a runner on the road last night coming home from the station.  I was in the Landy, it was dark, he was on my side of the road, a dark unlit twisty road not unusual in this rural part of Essex.  I saw him from a long way away, and was able to pass him safely.  The reason?? he was glowing in hi-viz from head to toe.  no doubt there would be those who think dressing this way is very un trendy, but I would suggest a hospital gown is even worse!

PLEASE: wear as much as you can.  it undoubtedly saved this runner from a close call with me speeding by in the Landy rocking to Slipnot!!

The November Issue:

HI-VIZ CLOTHING, BE SAFE: if you can't get what you need from the regular horse gear places look at cycling shops and sites for running too:  John kitted me out from a variety of places:

We don't leave the yard without hi-viz and a good attitude, Tom has benefitted from this strategy as he has on more than one occasion left me out hacking and made his way home, safe and seen!

John bought these arm/leg straps from a website used by runners, you push click the button and little LED's flash red

This phone holder, and you really can't leave the yard without a phone, has light catching silver strips and a watch battery powered flashing LED.

John fitted another flashing silver gadget to the front of Tom & Henry's hi-viz breast strap.

my hat has a hi-viz strap, easy to fit

again, these hi-viz leg straps are designed for runners, they just stayed put better than those designed for horses I found.

If anyone is worried about riding on the roads, there are lots of things we can all do to make it safer out there, and wearing hi-viz clothing on you and your horse, must be job one!

No longer just the uniform of motorway maintenance, but now cleverly designed to fit horses, and be easy to wear over your normal riding gear - and in my case over a bulky body protector too!  if I were asked to help design some, I'd add pockets for a phone and some treats, and add the message to pass slow and wide to the front too.

you're not on-trend unless you are seen, don't leave the hi-viz at the yard, take that extra few minutes to put it all on, it might save you form a nasty incident.


HORSE Magazine have taken road safety to the next level: read the November issue for all the top tips and handy info.

Take action in your own area to make riding on the roads safer.

Some well-placed warning signs would be helpful if you can get your local authorities to agree, it's just a reminder for people to look out for horses.

Lets all work together to make our roads safer.

Be courteous to drivers, remember driving isn't nearly as nice as riding a horse, pretty much behind the wheel you're trying to get from a to b, probably as quickly as you can.  Cyclists travelling in large groups, have an emergency STOP strategy, it seems very unsafe to me that anything that can't slow down or stop quickly are allowed to share our roads with us, but since they are, lets try to go slower and be nicer to each other.

The October Update:

October Parish News:

Thank you again, to all the villagers who helped with this shoot:

John on his bike riding alongside Tom

Jeffrey meets Tom

Henry keeps a look out, you'll notice his ear is paying attention to the photographer in the road!

Photoshoot Day:

LIGHTS, CAMERA...ACTION:

Well, off we go, into the unknown.

What a funny day I have just had... I said to John, if it wasn't for HORSE magazine coming I'd have left the horses grazing because they're bonkers when it's windy, and I don't ride them for self-preservation reasons, and just come indoors and practice on my drums. But I had agreed to do it, I had worked myself up about it, I had brushed the boys to within an inch of their lives and cleaned their tack (that's serious commitment to the cause), I was ready, the boys were ready and wind wasn't getting in our way today!

fully prepared, even my tack was clean!

 

Lemmy was looking out for the Photographer.

Always be courteous to drivers, you might find you need them on your side the next time and they'd be more inclined to be helpful if they like you.

When the Editor of a magazine calls me and asks me to do something, that request is met with trepidation, because it usually means my photo being taken after a swift blow-dry and me talking about denim and it all ends up being a bit cheesy.  This of course is work related.


...but when the Editor of a HORSE magazine called me, I got quite beside myself with excitement, then that wore off, and I got nervous, and then I just had to get the job done.


I have been blogging about road safety for what seems like forever, and finally someone is taking me seriously.


A few horsey-types have been working with HORSE magazine on a safety feature, which is great, because I have learned so much in the process, and that's part of what life's about isn't it?

Jayne, she lives on a yacht, mends horse rugs an boat sails from the back of her van (yes, van), she skates, cycles, writes, takes photos, welds....and she's taking her yacht around the British Isles single handed...just for fun...she is a real-life action woman!

So at 10am this windy, oh so windy, sunny morning, they send Jayne the photographer, her brief? to capture me riding my boys around the village, and hopefully get some great shots to support the story of safety on the roads....on a windy day when I didn't feel safe at all.

please look after me Henry, you're so gorgeous, and we'll get lots of pictures of your bum!

Now like most horses, mine are extra nutty in the wind, did I mention it was windy already? So the morning was going to be mental, I asked all my neighbours to drive down the lane past me to get the job done so the crazy equines could be turned back out again...phew! luckily a few 'real' villagers happened past too, so it's not all fake!

You can see what I mean about Henry's arse, it's just incredibly gorgeous!

First I rode Henry - head to toe in Hi-Viz of course, Jayne took lots of photos from behind as suggested by me because Henry has an incredible arse.

I just never get tired of looking at that bottom....

 We went down the lane and back, Henry was more puzzled by the stranger following him about and crouching in the lane with a huge camera to pay much attention to the weather thankfully!

This is me riding Henry and demonstrating how brilliant he is on the roads with cyclists: our model is Sam Carter riding his new bike.

Riding out of a shady part of the lane you can clearly see my hi-viz, wear as much as you can manage, it's not cool to be without it.

Up next Tom, I had readied the willing drivers, and they performed brilliantly - thank you to all those involved: Lisa & Lee with Sam on his new bike, John of course, and Jeffrey in his old banger. I had instructed Jayne that Toms neck and head were his best features, although he has a great bottom too!

Tom and I are ready

I'll add pictures of Tom being ridden once i get some from Jayne, John was busy being a model at the time. but i'll keep this one here, it's a nice picture.

John is the model on the bike, he also has a nice arse!

It was a little surreal, looking briefly at some of her pictures I appear to be laughing the whole time, but it was like I'd been involved in some sort of prank.  But the message will be a clear one of safety.

 Tom and I meeting Lisa 'boob-tube' Carter.

Me, wondering what I got myself into!

Riders: please make every effort you can to be safe on the roads, start by having the right equipment, and that means:  good boots, phone, safe hat, and as much Hi-viz as you can manage - you can never have too much. 

easy to use ands wipe clean of mud, these velcro'd leg bandages are actually designed for runners.  dont just stick to tack shops to buy this stuff.  John sourced most of my best hi-viz from cycling and running sites.

It takes me a good 20 minutes to tack up because I kit out with Hi-viz:  me and my horses wear it.  

Here John has customised my hi-viz neck strap with a simple flashing thing he bought from Amazon, designed for runners.

Even if you are off-road riding, the chances of walkers with dogs, farmers in tractors, or even hunters seeing you, mean they can alter their trajectory to avoid you if necessary - you don't want to sneak up on a camouflaged man hiding in a hedge with a big gun!  Let everyone know you're there. 

Hi-viz is so important, dont leave home without it.

And if like me, you part company with your steed out riding, he'll gallop home and everyone will be able to spot him, and you running after him with his bridle in your hand (how did that happen?) and grass in your bra...or is that just me?

A small posse, notice how even in a shady part of the lane, when you can't even see Henry, you can see my Hi-viz.

Speaking to Jayne I learn that she's a cyclist too, so was able to learn some top tips, and she from me:

I have learned today that large groups of cyclists have difficulty stopping, because of course when they do, if the one directly behind doesn't notice the signal to slow down or stop, they crash into each other and fall like dominos.  Of course that is tricky, but I would suggest to those clubs cycling around little villages, that there's every likelihood there'll be horses about: ride further apart. ride slower, and have a look-out in the front.  So when a horse is sighted, a timely and perfectly choreographed slow-down and possible stoppage can be achieved.  thank you.

be safe out there people.

I really think we can all learn so much from each other if only we took the time to stop and listen.

Tom has a large 'swing' to his stride...did I tell you about the time I fell asleep...rocked by his movement?

Village News:

Last year an accident happened between some horses and a cyclist going way too fast down a narrow bridleway in our village.  He could not possibly see what was coming around the corner, but still he raced on. 

All effort was made by the riders to attract his attention, but he was wearing headphones, listening to music so couldn't hear the cries of warning from the riders and he was just too busy going as fast as he could. 

I wonder what the appeal is for these people: going too fast to possibly enjoy the surrounding countryside, wearing headphones so they can't hear the birds.....they might just as well be going around the M25 in my view, and we'd all be a lot safer.

Please read the email to the Parish Council below, where you'll learn that the horse thankfully only suffered some cuts and the bike was completely ruined - that could so easily have been the cyclist himself:

the lesson here is: SLOW DOWN

August Update:

I appealed to my Local Council and Parish Council to put 'Caution Horse' signs around our village, and this is the response:

The September Edition has my story, thank you Claire Robinson.

I wanted to thank my Local Villagers for being so supportive out on the roads, always being kind and courteous and slowing down for me - thank you Woodham Walter.