Seaside Ponies!!!!!!!!!! It was a cold, dark, misty morning when I woke up early to go to the Fraisthorpe Beach. I had been so excited all week, all month, all my life! You see all those amazing pictures of people galloping on the sand, plunging in the waves, and now I would get to do the very thing that had been my dream since I was very small. Whenever I saw pictures of people galloping along a beach, I just always seemed to get a sense of freedom, of being one with your horse having the time of your life, but it sure wasnt fun getting up at 6 am, that's dark o'clock and not my favourite thing!
I was going with my three friends and their ponies; Mollie, Kelsea, Carla and their ponies Izzy, Dolly, and Jasper. Kelsea and Carla were traveling with their ponies in Kelsea's trailer, meanwhile, Mollie and I were traveling in Mollie's huge box. We chatted animatedley all the way there, nervous, yet excited, we just couldn't keep still.
My favourite feeling is when you're headed to the beach and you get your first glimpse of the blue sea that seems to stretch on forever. No matter how old I get, I will always remember transforming into a giddy, excited, nervous wreck as we parked. Once we pulled into the parking area, it was time for the parents transform into ninjas, flying around with horses, and tack, and spare clothes, barking orders at their children. Seriously. It's pretty fascinating how fast mothers (with the exception of Carla's dad) can get their daughters on the ponies in all the correct equipment and a shed load of cameras at the ready! Zhak was a little hesitant to begin with, but was the first to enter the water and as soon as he did, that was it - suddenly we're gallpong in the water, (soaking ourselves as well as our ponies) and racing at top speed! It felt amazing, as if you were invincable, able to fly! People stopped to watch us fly across the beach, and I overheard a little boy say to his mummy; "Mummy, can i do that?". It made me smile to think he now might have the same dream I'd always had, to fly like the wind with my pony! Mollie and I had a brilliant race, Izzy and Zhak galloped like steam trains along the firm sand, and although Zhak is very fast, brave little Izzy stayed with him, it was so exciting it took my breath away, but we were grinning from ear to ear! That's Mollie and Izzy in the photo.
After a brief stop for lunch and to let the ponies have a rest, we rode back down to the shoreline, the tide had was coming in quickly, and the waves had become much higher, so if you got too deep, you ended up with boots full of water, I certainly did and it was freezing! We had another gallop along the beach, once again racing and causing a new lot of people to stand and enjoy watching us have the time of our lives just flying all over a beach on ponies!!!
It was probably the best day of my life. It was amazing! Zhak was such a good boy! He's taught me to believe in myself, and I have promised myself I'll go back one day