Through My Horse’s Ears: My favourite view on life

My little Fell pony Charmer is – and has been for many years now – one of the biggest blessings of my life. Long happy adventuring hacks out with him are some of my favourite memories from both my childhood and my adulthood – just the gentle pace, his steady footfall and his trusting presence as we explore.

Over the years, from between his fluffy black ears, I have gazed at so many incredible views – watching deer running by, waves lapping in, sunrises set the sky alight and jumps grow steadily closer with every stride. So many times too our quiet walks have been some much-needed thinking space, taking steadying breaths and finding the confidence, step by step, to contemplate some of the biggest and most life-defining moments.

There have been wild gallops and long trails with friends, peaceful ambles at the end of a long day, and bright and sparkling holiday morning strides out – in sunshine; in snow; chin buried in a scarf in the whipping wind; trotting home, his neck arched, against a sudden pummelling of rain.

In the almost two decades our friendship has now spanned, there have been so many little everyday moments too numerous to count – not just the days there’s been the time, weather and inclination for riding, but as well all those quiet moments in the stable of a winters’ night, the sound of chomping hay and the warm lights of the barn, or daybreak in springtime out in the field under golden skies.

Now, Charmer is almost 20, and although in great health and enjoying life, we have new challenges before us, his slightly poorer eyesight in the last few months one that is starting to keep us these days to the more familiar of our wandering routes. Whatever the future holds for us though, I’ll always be glad of all the adventures we’ve had over the years so far, and will look forward just as much to walking into all those we have still to come together, whether riding or on foot. ❤