Ursula Dahm on Tour with Soti
Here is the first of the two "promised" mails concerning my trek with Soti.
For the "newbies": Soti is a 19 year old gelding and we were on tour without
other riders for some days. I do this (if possible) once a year for about 5
days.
Normally I always say: never change equipment "close to a trek". Well this
time I did - and I was very happy with it. Soti has a Görtz-tölt-saddle with
a "soft seat". Under it I have a "western pad" and (under the pad) a
blanket. I have that blanket for two reasons: 1. the pad doesn't go far
enough down to be under the "whole leather" of the saddle (I hope you can
see what I mean) - 2. it's much easier to get the sweat and the dirt out of
the blanket than out of the thick pad.
And the "blanket" was a new one this time - and I was/am very happy with it:
I went to the drugstore and bought a "anti-decubitus-fur" (no idea if you
have the same word in English - it's the artificial "fur" they use for
people lying in bed for a long time to avoid that the skin gets sore; i got
that hint by a friend - it' just great!).
Soti has his normal bridle: leather-bit, band of leather running behind his
ears, reins - that's it. He wears his halter under it with the "self-made
anti-fly-curtain" (you can see it in the Ice-list gallery).
As saddle-bags I use two bags from the army, fixed to the saddle behind me -
a "banana-shaped" bag for the sleepingbag that's tied above the bags and a
little self-made bag with the big rain-cape (big enough to cover the bags
too) jet on top of it (That's tough to mount - especially in the afternoon
after some time of riding). Plus two small bags in front of me.
When all my stuff is packed (including a first-aid-kit and a
"trek-riders'-first-aid-farriers'-tool" - no idea how to call it in English,
so I just "translated" it - that serves to fix a loose shoe, or take off a
shoe if it's "half off" and twisted, or put the shoe on again (using the old
holes - at least I would not dare to make new ones -) the two "big bags"
have a bit less than 4 kg each, the sleeping bag is about 2 kg, the
rain-cape about 2 kg, the front bags I've never weighed but I have only my
food, my camera and other "light things" in it. If you add the saddle and me
(with boots and all) Soti carries between 90 and 95 kg.
And he walks and walks and walks .....
With "luggage" I ride hardly
anything but walk.
I have a "packing list" with all the stuff I need - I only change it a bit
according to the time of year and the expected weather. So I can go along
that list to see what I have to pack. - And I avoid taking things I don't
need (except the "emergency-stuff" I always take and hope not to need it!!).
Well that's it for today - I'll tell you some "stories" from the ride one of
the next days.
We left home on Friday and drove to Petra (a lurker - hi Petra). There Soti
could go out on a pasture and we went "shopping". That was very important
because I didn't have the map yet. In the evening we went out for about an
hour. Next day I rode Soti for about 3 1/2 hrs. as a "warming up" - about 25
to 30 km - well I had to test how reliable the map was - it was okay.
Sunday we started for the tour - the "pure riding"-times:
Sunday 5 hrs. - Monday 7 hrs. - Tuesday 3 1/4 hrs. - Wednesday 6 hrs. -
Thursday 2 hrs. (and 3 hours of driving home in the evening).
With all the stuff I only ride walk - and we "make" about 6 km per hour
(that's quite fast as an average) - so the whole ride was about 140 to 150
km.
I know, John rides a longer distance in one day ! - but I was quite proud of
Soti who walked and walked and ... - and didn't seem to be very tired in
the evening (well I was, especially on Monday). I don't make "a big break"
but a "little break" after every (about) 1 1/2 hours.
On Sunday my way lead through an area with lots of hikers and bikers, passed
a restaurant where all the people sat outdoors, we passed a golf course - I
think you can imagine how surprised they all looked when we showed up. I
think we were the "talk of the day" (when I get my pictures I'll post some -
it looks really "a bit strange": that "little horse" with such big
saddlebags).
In the afternoon we arrived at the stable where Soti was planned to stay for
the night on a paddock - I found out that they (another Petra and her
husband) expected us the next evening but anything went well. I slept at
their house.
Monday morning we drove to the stable and I found Soti stretched out
sleeping. I had to call him three times before he lifted his head and came
up a bit (lying on his belly now). I put the halter on (he was still lying)
and asked him to get up.
He looked at we with a "strange look" and - stretched out again flat on the
ground - no idea of getting up. So I asked him again and he got up with a
look as if he wanted to say: "If you insist".
But I soon found out that he wasn't tired at all: when I had him ready for
the start and started leading him for some time to get the stiffnes out of
his body he simply "took off" in a very eager and fast walk - so after some
minutes I decided to mount. And he was really eager to go.
After a bit more than 5 hours of riding I felt really low: it was hot, whole
day it was always very tough when I had to leave the woods - and now I knew
that I will have to ride for about 2 hours all "open field", no shadow. But
then a nice man "saved me": I came to a mill and found that there where
horses - and the owner of the horses (who didn't live there) was just about
to leave. But he welcomed me at once, Soti and I got something to drink,
Soti came in a box with straw (to make it comfortable for him to piss) and
we talked for about 20 minutes - then I was ready to start for the last
part. A bit less than 2 hours later I arrived at Michaelas stable.
Soti stayed there on a paddock - I went with Michalea and her father and
after eating and some "talking" I went to bed.
Tuesday was only a short ride (about 3 1/4 hrs.). So we arived rather early.
Somebody showed me where to put Soti (my hosts were yet away to visit
somebody). They arrived at about 7 p. m. - and told me that they were
invited to come to a barbecue in the same village - and that they had told
the people there that they will bring another guest - me. It was a nice
evening - and suddenly a lady came to me and said: "I think you must be the
rider that stopped at my brothers' stable yesterday" She said that he had
come home telling them: "You would never guess whom I met today. There is a
woman on a trek with her horse all alone !" (well her brother was the nice
guy I wrote about - how small the world is!)
That night I slept in a big tent - and in the morning I woke up because the
rain was pouring down. The rain stopped again - but it was very damp that
day - damp and warm.
After 6 hrs. of riding I arrived at the farm where Petras (the other P.)
yearlings live. Soti got a paddock there and I slept at their house again.
Petra was surprised about the "route" I rode and said: "You didn't miss
climbing one hill you could find on the way." Well - on the hills there were
trees and therefore shadow. Avoiding the hills would have meant riding in
plain sun - I preferred the hills.
After a nice evening with a lot of talking I went to bed.
Next day it was only a short trip - 2 hrs. and I was at my starting place
again.
Soti really looked ready to start again (not me!).
On the tour people asked me several times how ond he is. I let them guess.
Always they guessed 10 to 12 years old and added that he can not be younger
because he seemed to know that "being on tour". They were always very
surprised when I told them that he is 19 yrs. old.
I like to thank all my hosts and the people I met "on my way" when I stopped
at houses to ask for water. Sometimes it was difficult to go on because so
many people wanted to talk to me, to pet Soti, to hear where I'm going ...
It was simply great !!!
Ready to start
On our way.
A friendly hiker takes a photo.
This is an older pic - but it shows quite well how I "pack" Soti. The
brown
"banana-shaped bag" does not touch Sotis back - even if it looks like on
this picture.
It's not mandatory to take a cuddly toy with you - but it's fun. My little
monkey has lots of experience in being on tour with Soti and me.
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