So the big lad is back and broken in – at least partly. On the day he came back Angela rode him and declared him just my kind of horse – slow and safe so yesterday I went for my first horse ride in several years on a 17.3h percheron. We managed to find a girth that would go round him and a saddle that would fit. We did have to improvise the bit slightly and adapt it with a bit of bailing twine – classy! I did of course have to get on him via a large set of steps but once up there it was quite comfy except for the fact that I was using Angela’s stirrups and they were far too long for me. Felt a bit like a cowboy with a western saddle. We managed to walk down the lane but it took quite a lot of persuasion to actually make him move and not just stand and eat grass.