The longest hack...

I hadn't planned it at all. My only plan was to longline Max out to the War Memorial and then ride him back. So he had his saddle instead of his roller, the lines attached to his bridle and the reins carried by me for swap over on our homeward journey.

It went pretty well, actually. Max tried to turn for home a couple of times, and was determined to go off and see the pigs in their field even though I didn't want him to.

When we got to the polythene silage monster blowing in the wind though, it was a bit too much for the boy, so I took the lines off, put the reins on and led him past the hazard.

I was looking for a place to mount up and also confused by the number of familiar paths that had been blocked. I had been considering riding Max a different way home so we wouldn't have to push past the silage monster again, but all options seemed to be closed off.

I decided on the track next to the pond field, up to the ridge and then back home. Mounted up and Max was off with no hesitation. We did have a debate though, when we reached on of our usual shortcuts home and found the way blocked by a rusty gate.

"We can't go that way, Max."

"Can!" insisted Max, as he gave the rusty gate a shove with his nose and opened it. I was still for going the other way, but Max strode on, and since I admired his determination and the wind was bitter cold, I decided to go along with him. A long walk down the farm track only to be met with barbed wire barring our onward journey home.

We turned back and trotted along the path we'd just walked, I dismounted to open the rusty gate and then hopped on board again and took us the way I'd meant to in the first place.

A tricky path, quite rocky, and Max picked his way along the banks, saving his feet. I was on the look out for mud and slippy bits, urging him to take care and pay attention, and Max was ignoring my pleas and carrying on with accuracy and grace.

I decided to save the last very rocky bit of our uphill path and take us along the edge of a field which I knew wasn't barred. The going got a bit tricky, past hawthorn bushes and scrub. The ground was uneven and I was worrying about rabbit holes. The going for Max and his bare feet is a real weakness for me, especially as historically he's been a bit of a stumble bum. I felt the anxiety building...

"Max, I really don't like this!" I was actually thinking of dismounting and leading again so I could be very sure of where Max was putting his feet.

"Chill! I am in control of this situation. Find your neutral space."

That was me told!

Max handled it like an absolute pro, not a step wrong, not one hesitation, all with an air of calm maturity. I felt a bit of tension ease out of my tight shoulders and neck as I was faced once again with the fact that Max is definitely growing up. I may have had to take care of him with the silage monster, but he was taking care of me now. How about that for partnership and trust, eh?

He got us through and back onto our familiar path and we headed in the direction of home, past his old field mate, Smokey, and then for our final leg were joined by another happy hacker from our yard on her much older and more experienced boy.

Max was not having it. His head tucked, he rose and he went into trot.

"Look at you, Max!" enthused the other rider. "Are you off to dressage? You're in outline! Look how handsome!"

Indeed, he was. Our companion was not to be outdone and the two had a prance off trot all the way back to the yard like a couple of flash stallions. I then discovered that Max and I had been out on our own for nearly two hours. We have done that before on accompanied hacks, or in hand, but that's the longest we have been out alone on a ridden hack.

He behaved impeccably, like a proper gentleman, with quiet confidence and a final flurry of bravado.

I could not be more proud of him.