Walking with Rainbow - Feb. 24, 2019

First, let me introduce you to "Rainbow."

Rainbow is our 31-year-old—yes 31—coloured pony who has been a part of our family for roughly 29 years. In that time, she has hunted, shown under saddle and in hand, taken part in dressage competitions and of course has hacked out. She has been an absolute monster to ride sometimes. She has taken a hold with me on board a couple of times, put her head almost between her front legs from which there is very little return for the rider and gone off like a two-year old doing a five-furlong sprint. She is a true survivor having been very close to being put to sleep as a result of the dreaded laminitis.

So, at this stage of her life if Rainbow does not feel like doing much then she has every right under the sun to do so. On the days she wants to do something then she also has every right under the sun to do so.

Saturday, February 23, 2019, here in the UK, was one of the warmest days of the winter and it was one of those days when Rainbow looked like she wanted to do something. Today both of us needed to do something and a walk out with Rainbow seemed to be the best idea.

From the main yard where we are liveried my wife Heather, Rainbow and I walked along the narrow path between paddocks to a T-junction at the top of a slight hill. There we turned right. The pine trees of Newlands Woods reached above us on our left while to our right paddocks sloped away down the hill from us.

There were a few horses in the paddocks and Rainbow became a centre of their interest. She feigned disinterest in them and grabbed a couple of tussocks of grass. One horse leaned just a bit too close to the fence and its reaction, running away, combined with the zeet like sound of a spark confirmed it had been zapped by the electric fence. Rainbow woke from her grazing, popped her ears forward and was ready to walk out.

At Akak Corner we turned through the wide gateway into the New Forest.

The Gateway at Akak Corner

Near this corner are the tumbled down remains of two gun batteries built during World War II to guard what was once Ibsley Airfield. Most of what was the airfield was dug up for gravel and is now a series of man-made lakes with just the control tower and some concrete areas of runways and aprons left.

Moss Encrusted Remains of the Gun Emplacements

From here onward in to the forest the track is a mix of sand and gravel which Rainbow found very comfortable underfoot. For a February day it was unusually warm so on this part of our walk the shade was welcome There were no tussocks of grass that needed trimming, so we made good progress. None of us are fit enough to make it up the "Steep Hill for the Fit" and the surface is loose gravel. Not good when there is a better alternative on the flat for horse or human.

On past the Bunker Wall which is the last standing remnant of the place where the ammunition for gun batteries was stored. This where the trees on our right ended and so did the shade. The surface of the track became even sandier and softer, so Rainbow was quite happy. From here we could see a couple of buzzards getting free lift from the thermals as they looked for their next meal.

Beyond Bunker Wall was our first stop which was Rainbow’s own choice. This is where Stag Gully’s sides widened and shallowed in steepness as they met the path we were on. As far as Rainbow is aware this is a good spot to stop, trim the heather for a few minutes and catch her breath. Happy to graze but totally unaware of how the name for the location came about.

Stag Gully

Towards the end of the summer in 2018 I rode out with our neighbor, Catherine. She was on her horse Ami while I was on my equine bestie, Benney. We passed this gully on the way back to the main yard. About ten metres into the gully was a fallow stag with a full set of antlers standing looking at us. Totally confident, he stood his ground proudly as both of our horses stood to give us a chance to enjoy this monarch of the New Forest.

Both of us managed to get pictures on our phones of the stag that day. Those images are not very clear but the ones etched into my memory at least are as clear and strong as on that day. Perhaps that focus has been aided by the subsequent poignancy of that last hack out for Ami.

Sadly that was the last hack for Ami as he died overnight in his paddock.

Between Stag Gully and Dead Tree Gully we were pursued by a terrier on the end of a very long lead. He was striding out purposefully. Stopped to check us all out, including Rainbow and then strode off around the next bend. In his wake were two men, one of whom was attached to the lead. He said hello and then carried on following the terrier. The other man stopped and introduced himself as "Neil."

Neil made a big fuss of Rainbow and was fascinated by her biography. "31," he kept repeating to himself. "31. Who would have thought that long ago Rainbow, your wife, you and me… somewhere in the great plan of life we had been predestined to meet today."

Neil was quite serious when he said this. As far as we could tell he wasn’t being helped with his thoughts by any recreational chemicals or alcohol and he wasn’t uncomfortable to be with. Rainbow had no opinion of Neil as the fresh grass and heather needed her full concentration. Neil patted Rainbow again and muttered, "31," and then he to disappeared around the corner following the other man, the lead and the terrier.

After he had gone Heather and I looked at each other.

"Was he real?" we both thought out loud.

Rainbow broke away from her grazing and looked up into the undergrowth. Something had made a noise which neither of us could hear. Her eyes brightened, her ears pricked forward. I followed their line and there on the side of the slight hill were a couple of New Forest Ponies, whose natural colors blended in to the background better than a commando in full camouflage kit. They weren’t worried about us and having checked us out carried on grazing in the undergrowth.

A few yards further on and we arrived at Dead Tree Gully. Here there was plenty of grass and heather for Rainbow to trim. It was a good place to stop again. On one side of this gully about 50 metres from the path is the bleached skeleton of a solitary tree. No other remains of trees around, just this solitary tree which will never have leaves again. On previous walks past here either on foot or horseback we have been extremely lucky to see at least one cuckoo in its branches, several crows and a few buzzards.

Heather and Rainbow at Dead Tree Gully

While Heather held Rainbow, I found a few stones by the side of the path and started building a small cairn to mark our turning point for the day. Perhaps they will still be there next time we pass. Who knows how big the cairn will be by the end of the summer?

We managed to get Rainbow away from her grazing and turned for home. Her walk out was a good pace in between her grazing breaks. Heading for home her pace picked up a bit. No stopping near Stag Gully or near Bunker Wall as we re-entered the woods. Rainbow was now on a mission. A buzzard circled overhead just to make sure none of us would be an easy meal.

Past Bunker Wall and from there we could see three ridden horses making their way up Steep Hill For The Fit. Rainbow looked up at them without breaking her stride. Soon we were next to Akak Corner and could see the dark surface of Spooky Pond.

By the gate were a couple in full country walking gear. We exchanged pleasantries and then they asked if there was another path down to the road.

"There is only the one that leads off of this path between the paddocks," Heather said.

"Yes, we know about that one but it is awfully muddy," the walker woman replied. "Are you sure there isn’t another way down… through the yard maybe?"

"Not really as that is private property."

They strode off ahead of us. Their all weather trouser legs whisking away as they walked. The next time we saw them they had gone down the path into the yard and were trying to find their way out. I expect they couldn’t get away from the usual detritus that collects around a stable yard quickly enough.

The horse that had zapped itself on the electric fence on the way out watched our progress along the side of the paddock. It had obviously learnt a very hard lesson earlier and kept a very respectful distance from the fence while it followed us.

At the yard Rainbow jogged all the way back to her stable. Her walk for the day was done and all she wanted was her hay net and evening feed. I don’t expect she will remember Neil, the buzzards, the views, or the walkers who didn’t want to get muddy from a warm February afternoon, but Heather and I wouldn't have those memories without Rainbow.