HAVE HORSE WILL TRAVEL
Gary Davies on a 600 mile ride from Hertfordshire to West Wales and back.
First published by Horse & Hound February 11th 1972
And republished by kind permission of Gary Davies and Horse & Hound
On June 14th last year I set off from Strangeways Farm, Borehamwood, in Hertfordshire, riding my 15 year old, 15hh sorrel gelding Dandi. The destination: St.Dogmaels in Cardiganshire where my mother’s home stood about a mile from the sea. The distance: near enough 300 miles. My idea was to have a really carefree wandering trek to West Wales - and back – within 30 days, making the entire journey on horseback. It would test my ability, as well as the stamina and endurance of both Dandi and myself.
Apart from the first night’s stop, there was no planned route. I intended to travel due west, which was very appropriate since I ride western style, neck-reining only, using a western cutting bit with a curb strap and split reins. My cowboy cutting saddle has saddlebags and a blanket tied on the back, with a grain sack on the front.
The Load
My riding weight is 11 stones the saddle weighs 40 lbs and the equipment about 32lb (about 25lb on the return journey) plus, on average, about 8lb of grain.
I had never attempted anything of this nature before and it proved a great experience. Unavoidably a great deal of the ride was on metalled roads, but wherever possible I went across country, using countless bridle paths, sheep tracks on the mountains and some old Roman roads.
At time we travelled in lashing rain, at others in the heat of the sun with the flies tormenting Dandi – and sometimes even in the dark. As to finding the way, there were occasions when there was only the sun and my compass to guide me.
Finding somewhere to stop the night was a matter of “pot luck”. I mainly stayed at farms – but sometimes ended up sleeping rough in the haystacks!
I worked to a routine of a break about every two hours for Dandi to graze or have a feed. A major problem was getting oats, since few farmers seemed to stock grain in the summer. So I was obliged on occasions to feed chicken corn, chicken pellets or a pig mix. Dandi would never stray far away when allowed to graze on the roadside or open country.
The westward ride – detailed in the accompanying day-by-day diary – took us through the Chilterns and Cotswolds, over the Black Mountains, through Brecon Forest and up on the Mynydd Eppynt (Mynydd – Welsh for mountains) before finally arriving at St Dogmaels after 11 days’ travelling in which we covered over 300 miles. The distance was measured by roads originally – but as you know, detours often increase the time and mileage and when trying to find bridleways!!
Sweltering
Dandi and I remained there for six days, during which time the weather turned really hot and sunny, and then came the homeward journey, for which I chose a different route, so as to make the trip more interesting and see more countryside. This time we went past the Black Mountain of Glamorganshire, where I was born, and the Usk Reservoir, before once again crossing the Black Mountains of Brecon and Monmouth, and then the Cotswolds and Chiltern hundreds. We travelled about 300 miles.
Dandi has been superb. Without the company of another horse he had been a gem, whether going through town, city or forest, crossing a Bailey bridge or railway tracks, passing along overgrown bridle paths or fording a river. And he took to the mountains, where we sometimes climbed up over 2000 ft, as if it were an everyday occurrence, even with sheep and wild ponies about.
After covering well over 600 miles in 28 days (a great deal of the ride at a sitting jog trot) we had got to know each other even better than before. Dandi came through it in excellent condition and extremely fit.
His back was perfect, with no saddle sores, nor was there any lameness during, or at the end of the journey.
We had the good fortune to meet a great variety of horsemen on our travels and the generosity of the farmers and folk on the way was immense.
Twelve days after our return, I rode Dandi to Wembley during the Royal International Horse Show week. He looked as fit as any horse there. While he was there the blacksmith fitted him with a new pair of front shoes to replace the one fitted on the first day of the return leg. They had been on for 300 miles and still had wear in them.
So to complete the ride he had two pairs of front shoes and three pairs of hind. At the beginning his frogs were hard and shrivelled, but they were very healthy at the end.
His travelling was far from over, for we competed in the Western Horseman’s Association’s Golden Horseshoe qualifying ride in the new Forest on August 7th – making the fastest time of the day, covering the 45 miles in five hours, plus the 30 minute compulsory halt.
And then in September we went to Salisbury for the Golden Horseshoe itself. Again using my 40lb Western saddle, we covered 50 miles at an average speed of 8.1 mph on the first day, September 17th, while on the second day we covered 25 miles, averaging 6.8 mph. Dandi had received 100 per cent veterinary marks on both days and at the end we gained one of the Bronze Horseshoe awards.
I had bought him about a year before from a dealer. At the time, though in excellent condition, he was extremely nervous. Now a very gay ride – impossible to ride safely in a jointed snaffle – he is the kindest horse imaginable.
On our long journey together he received great attention from people we met – he adores affection and fuss.
The following are notes extracted from the diary which I kept during the journey.
Day-by-day diary
Westward Journey
June 14: 8.30am start. Radlett, Brickett Wood Common, Abbots Langley, Chandler Cross, Chorleywood, Chalfont St Giles, Seer Green, stopping at Wycombe End, Beaconsfield, Bucks, at 4.30pm. Rained continuously all day, sometimes very heavy.
Dandi turned out at grass on a lawn. Several feeds of oats during the day. Some very good bridle paths. 29 miles.
June 15th: 11.30 am start. Spurlands End, Little Kingshill, Dunsmore, Bulters Cross, Bishopgate, Stone, Eythrope Park, stopping at the Limes, Upper Wincheston, Aylesbury, Bucks, at 7.30pm. Good dry day. Dandi plenty of oats. Many bridle paths. Dandi stabled. 26 miles.
June 16th: 9.20 am start. Boarstall, Murcott, Islip, Bletchingdon, Wootton, Spelsbury, Chadlington, Churchill, stopping at Langston Carriage Stables, Kingham, Oxon at
10pm. Mainly dry, few shower. Made a poncho out of my blanket – kept one dry. Chicken corn, some pig mix and laying pellets – no oats. Only a few bridle paths. Dandi Stabled. 42 miles
June 17th: 11.15am start. Bledlington, Icomb, Little Rissington, Bournton-on-the –water, Brockhampton, stopping at Silver Horsehoe Riding Stables, Sevenhampton, Glos., at 6.30pm. Good dry day. Dandi stabled Plenty oats, bran, flaked maize. Some good bridle paths. 22 miles
June 18th: Dandi shod all round. Hind shoes – calkins inside, Mordax studs outside. Cold shoeing by 68-year-old Mr Fred Isaacs (had shod Arkle and Golden Miller in his time). 1pm start. Teeming rain. Cleeve Common, Bishops Cleeve, Stoke Orchard, cross the river severn at haw bridge, stopping at Walter Biddlecombes, Lower House farm, Upleadon, Glos., at 9pm. Rained all day. Dandi stabled. Plenty of oats. Some open country and bridle paths. 27 miles
June 19th: 10.45 am start. Newant, Crows Hill, crossed River Wye by dual carriageway A449, Piets Cross, Orcop, stopping at Mr Manning’s Upper Ridgeway, Pontrilas, Herefords at 8.30 pm. Dry Day. Dandi stabled (in a pen inside large stone barn, shared by myself and pigs). Slept on straw. Plenty of oats and ground barley. Some bridle paths and grass verges. 26 miles
June 20th: 10 am start. Pontrilas, Ewyas Harold, Longtown, over Black Mountains (Black Darren 1983 ft), Vale of Ewyas. (Darren Llwyd 2000ft) Talgarth, stopping at Alf Bentley’s Pony Trekking Farm, Pengenffordd, at 9.30pm. Wonderful sunny day, very windy and extremely cold on mountaintops. Abundance of streams but no grass on mountains – cropped too short by sheep and native ponies. Dandi stabled – dried ferns for bedding. Some ground barley and chicken corn. Many mountain tracks. Dandi in great form today. 34 miles
June 21st : Noon start on wrong track over mountains. Long Detour. Talgarth, Bronllys, Llandefelle, over the hills and moors, Brecon Forest stopping at the cross – roads, Upper Chapel, Brecon, at 8.30pm. Dry early but heavy rain in the late afternoon. Dandi stabled – me too, on the manger. Dandi had a restless night. Some great open country. Dandi had few pony nuts. 22 miles
June 22nd: 9 am start. Mynydd Eppynt (kept in sight of road, as these hills are artillery ranges and firing going on). Llangammarch Wells, Crychan Forest, Cynghordy, stopping at The Jones Brothers, Aberdunant Farm, Cilcwm at 7pm. Dandi stabled. Flaked maize, bran, calf cubes in evening. Slept on the hay under Dutch barn. Sunny day. Good deal of open country. 28 miles
June 23rd: 9am start. Portherhyd, Caeo, Glanranell Park Hotel (Dandi had 2 hour rest at side of lake), Mynydd Pencarreg, Mynydd Llanybyther, stopping at my aunt’s home Llandysul, Cardinganshire, at 8pm. Dandi turned out in field. No interest in flaked maize. Warm sunny day. A few miles of moorland. 31 miles
June 24th: 11.30 start. Llangeller, Drefach, Vellindre (stopped by at my Uncle’s dairy farm – gave a hand with hay making, Dandi grazing in field for four hours), Mewcastle Emlyn, Cenarth, over Cardigan Bridge, stopping at our destination Green Gables, St Dogmaels, at 10pm. Dandi out to grass in a luscious un-grazed field. Sunny day. No interest in flaked maize or oats. All road work. 22 miles
AT ST DOGMAELS
June 25th: Dandi grazed contentedly in field – no interest in oats. Looked splendid and delighted to see me each time I visited him.
June 26th: Half hour exercise – walking. Dandi had a few oats.
June 27th: Walking exercise. 1.5 hours – had more oats.
June 28th: Half- hour bare back ride on the roads. Oats.
June 29th: Half hour bareback ride. Dandi wormed and ate more oats.
June 30th: Long ride locally. Went over the dunes to sea – had a great canter. Dandi ate plenty of oats. Have been looking for a blacksmith, toes of hind shoes are well worn.
Eastward Journey
July 1st: 11.45 am start (left behind some equipment I can manage without). Cardigan, Llangoedmor, Cwmcoy, Llandyfroig, stopping at the Forge, Aber-banc. Seventy-year-old Twm y Gof (Welsh for Tom the Blacksmith) made and fitted Dandi a fine set of shoes, fitting the old studs in the hind shoes. After 1.5 hours carried on to Penrhiwllan, stopping again at Llandysul at 87 pm. Dandi turned out in the same field. Ate plenty of oats. Very hot day - Dandi sweating for the first time since leaving Borehamwood. Horse flies becoming a nuisance. All road work.
21 miles
July 2nd: 9.45am start. Pencader, Forest of Brechfa, then follow the river Cothi on
by-roads, stopping at a small holding, Aberglasney Farm, Llangathen, at 6.30pm. Cleaned out a stable for Dandi – 25 large wheelbarrow loads, blistered hands. Plenty of oats. Sunny day. Mainly road work. 24 miles
July 3rd: 10.15am start. Fairfach, Neuadd, Capel Gwynfe, Pont Newydd, Pont Aber, Cross inn, on mountains above Usk Reservoir, stopping at Jack Thomas’s, Ynys Marchog Farm, Trecastle, at 7.30pm. Dandi stabled. Pony nuts. Wonderful ride on open country. Dandi’s cantering effortless. Lots of road work. Dandi slipped on a lot on newly surfaced stretch of road (the only time the whole journey).
Sunny day. 27 miles
July 4th: 11am start. Cray, Heol Senni, old roman road over Mynydd Illtyd, country lanes on edge of Brecon Beacons, Llanfrynach, stopping at hamley Hall Farm, Llanfihangel Tal-y-Llyn at 8.30 pm. Dandi out to grass. Pony nuts. Lots of country lanes, also open country. Showers and sunshine. 27 miles
July 5th: 11.15am start. Llangorse, Mynydd Llangorse (1661ft) and other mountains, passing site of Roman fort, then Tretower Castle, then more mountains, Table mountain, Llanbedr, stopping at Queens head Inn, Pony Treking Centre, Crwmvyoy, Monmouth at 9pm. Dandi out to grass. Did not pony nuts. Lots of mountain tracks today. Very hot. 25 miles
July 6th: 10.45 am start. Llanfihangel, Crucorny, Cross Ash, Skenfrith, Broad Oak, Peterstow, Ross-on-wye, Bromsash, Ashton Crews, stopping a Mr Whitehouse’s Bradley Farm, Crews Hill, Herefords at 9.45pm. Dandi out to grass with flock of sheep in orchard. Pony nuts and oats. All road work. Fine day. Farmer’s comment: “Looks like he’s been out to pasture for the last couple of months.” 31 miles
July 7th: 9.45 am start. Taynton, Tiberton, Over, stopping at a cousin’s home in Gloucester. After 3.5 hours restart. Great Whitcombe, stopping at the Carter’s of Haroldstone House, Slad Lane, Crickley Hill, Glos., at 10pm. Dandi out to grass – I sleep in the hay loft. Oats. Some good open country at the end of the day. Very hot. 24 miles
July 8th: 9.40 am start. To Cheltenham for blacksmith. Found Mr Isaac’s forge and he pleased to shoe Dandi again. Hot shoeing of hind shoes using the same once more (ones he had fitted originally). After one hour set off. Wistley Hill, Withington, Compton Abdale, Farmington, stopping at the Lamb Inn, Great Rissington at 9pm. Dandi out at grass in nearby field with sheep. Plenty of oats. Some excellent bridle paths and green lanes. Very hot day. Horseflies, bad for several days, at their worst. Dandi must be using up lots of energy trying to rid himself of the pests. 28 miles
July 9th: 9.45 am start. Taynton, Delly End, North Leigh, Bladon (where have disagreement with man who fenced off a bridle path with barbed wire near his house. He eventually cut wire to let us through). Begbroke, kidlington, Gosford, fording the River Ray into islip, Noke, then a difficult crossing over boggy Ot Moor as it was getting dark. On to Studley, stopping in a field opposite The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott at 11.45 pm. Spend night in field with Dandi. Plenty of oats. Very hot day. Many bridle paths some open country and Roman roads. Dandi travelled well in darkness.
39 miles
July 10th: 7 am start after cold damp night. Westlington, Dinton, Bishopsgate, Wendover, Oakley, Chearsley, stopping at Cudding-Knowels-Brown’s Braziers End Farm near Chesham, Bucks at 9.15 pm. Dandi out to grass. Plenty of oats. Another hot day. Mainly road work. 33 miles
July 11th: 9.30 am start. Chesham, Flaunden, Hunton Bridge, Abbots Langley, Bricket Wood, a long stop near Borehamwood where we meet my wife and friends, arriving back at Strangeways Farm at 7.30 pm. Dandi turned out in a field with his old piebald pal Jyp. 27 miles
Footnote
A letter sent to a friend
What I have omitted to say above was that when I purchased Dandi, the dealer did not think I would buy him and, on paying the money to him, said that I could swop him for another horse anytime. I bought Dandi as a 7 year old and within a fortnight, the youngest age that anyone quoted was 14 years. The following year a vet told me that his reckoning was 21 years after he had a good study of his mouth and teeth. Anyway I always quoted him as if he was 14 years to start with!
What I did not mention in the above article was that Dandi was a gentle as a lamb whenever I got up on him. I could walk him round a field or on the highways, BUT the moment I asked him to trot or canter – it was full gallop immediately – nothing in between, and my eyes would water at the speed he went. I needed motorcycle goggles to wear, but didn’t have any. Jenny, my wife, was sure I would be killed riding him and begged me even to give him back to the dealer for free. Once he galloped around an enormous steep field 3 times (1.5 mile circuits) then escaped onto the highway across a 3-lane (each way) highway, over a roundabout and when he had had enough he stopped. Another time he went for 3 miles, going through red traffic lights. Again I could not stop him until he had satisfied himself.
Another time we went up on a steep bank of clay quite high up from the bridleway and he sunk in suddenly up to his belly. I jumped off to his left and he rolled sideways down the sloped in his struggle to free himself. Over and over he went and fortunately the saddle was still on him at the bottom, but I had to dig the clay off it. Meantime when we returned some time later to the stableyard a few miles later, the owner, Mr Butterworth could not believe his eyes for the state we were in. He could see my face, so he recognised me, but both Dandi and I were just covered in dry clay by then. Of course Jenny’s anxiety was growing by the day – whenever I went for a ride, she never knew if she would see me alive again.
There were, of course, many other incidents too and we often had arguments about me keeping Dandi. She had her own horse (formally mine) but could never come out for a ride with me those days. She even woke up in bed one morning and was so glad that it was only me with her! You see she had been dreaming that Dandi was in bed between us, his head on the pillow and his front feet out over the blanket. She was so pleased to have woken up!!
The morning when Dandi and I set off on the journey to Wales, I ordered a car to take me to the stables. It never arrived. I asked Jenny to take me to the stables in her van, but she would not do so. (She was hoping I would change my mind about going away). So I set off on foot some 3 or 4 miles away. The saddle and bridle were at the stables already, but I had saddlebags filled with gear and all other items to take with me. I did get a lift in a Landrover part of the way there though. Someone felt sorry for me as the rain was pelting down and they saw me trudging along on the wide grass verge.
Bt the way, Jenny did love Dandi even then, but she knew how dangerous he could be. Oh, I have omitted to mention he could rear and stand on his hind legs whenever he and I had a disagreement, and he would paw the air like a boxer, before trying to take off where he thought it would be a good direction to go.
Oh, I forgot to mention, the evening when I bought Dandi the light was fading. The dealer rode him down to the far end of the field and at full gallop returned in amongst the 7 other horses he had shown me earlier. I did not know in those days that, even if the dealer had fallen off, the horse would have still galloped back to the others. So I paid him cash there and then, and he immediately said on putting the bank notes in his pocket, that should I wish to change (swop) Dandi for another horse anytime I could do so. So I didn’t get to get up on Dandi until the next afternoon when that was “quite a turn up for the books” as is sometimes said!!
Well I have written this speedily so may not have written it well, but hope you can make sense of it.
Regards
Gary Davies