Raine’s Second Ever Pleasure Ride… and a Lesson in Trusting the Process

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If I’m completely honest, I almost didn’t go.

Saturday night saw me spiralling a bit. I’d planned to take Raine to her second ever pleasure ride with Chiltern Distance Riders, but the travel logistics got in my head. We’d been planning to travel in my sister’s rear-ramp trailer, but it hit me—Raine’s never travelled in anything other than my own Equitrek before.

She’s also found solo travel quite stressful in the past, and suddenly I couldn’t see a good option. I even posted on social media for advice (rookie error—I got ten new options I hadn’t even considered, including not going at all!).

To top it off, the wind forecast looked grim. It was the perfect excuse not to go.

I even rang my non-horsey mum to ask what she thought. I never ask her opinion on horse stuff, but I was that unsure. Eventually I decided to bail. It felt like the safest option.

A Change of Heart

Then Sunday morning arrived.

I opened the curtains to blue skies, no wind, and that gut feeling that I’d regret staying home.

So in a very un-Bella fashion, I threw everything together last minute. Thankfully most of my gear was still in the trailer from the previous weekend’s endurance ride—I just needed to grab Raine’s Jeremy Rudge endurance saddle and bridle.

We loaded up in our trailer instead, and Raine walked in like a pro. What really surprised me was how calm she was. When we arrived at the venue, she had hardly broken a sweat—previously she’d have arrived drenched. She was happy to eat grass at the venue, tacked up with zero drama, and just radiated chill.

The Ride Itself

We set off with my sister but quickly ended up in a group of five, which included three lovely riders we’d never even met before. Everyone was friendly and relaxed—exactly what you want on a pleasure ride. Over the 15km route, we took turns riding in different positions and enjoyed a brilliant mix of terrain: hills, open headland, shady woodland, and quiet country lanes.

We even managed quite a bit of trotting and—drumroll please—our first canter!

The first attempt was a bit of a comedy moment and turned into the fastest trot I’ve ever sat on, but on the second go, I gave a clearer ask and she absolutely nailed it. No bucking, no silliness—just a lovely, balanced little canter. That moment has been a long time coming, and it felt really special.

Back at Base

After the ride, Raine tucked into her SPILLERS Perform & Restore Mash like it was a Michelin-starred meal. She stood quietly while I untacked, still calm and composed. Then she loaded up like a dream for the journey home.

Honestly? I was bursting with pride.

Reflecting on It All

I don’t know why I got myself so stressed the night before. Raine has never let me down. She’s brave, incredibly sensible in traffic, and doesn’t spook at silly things. She’s never bucked, reared, or spun—and yet I still let the fear of the unknown take over.

I suppose that’s what it’s like with young horses—you spend so much time carefully laying the foundations that it feels massive when you finally ask the next question. But if this ride proved anything, it’s that Raine is more than ready. I just need to keep trusting the process and the partnership we’ve built.

A massive thank you to my sister Pheobe for getting me there—I honestly wouldn't have gone without her encouragement. Sometimes you just need that one person to say, "Come on, let’s do it."

We might squeeze in one more pleasure ride before the end of the month, but if not, our next stop is Well Vale for our first Endurance GB qualifier—a 32km ride that I’m equally excited and nervous for.

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