Bitless Bridles

We are extremely fortunate to have the support of the Bitless Bridle Equestrian Centre (www.bitlessbridle.co.uk) who have supplied us with some of the kit we need for the ride.

Both Psyche and Elvis are ridden in Dr. Cook’s bitless bridles which are completely humane (see http://www.bitlessbridle.co.uk/fear-of-the-bit.php) and in addition to giving them a pain-free experience, the design of the bitless bridle means they are able to graze and drink easily when we stop for R&R breaks! Sheila Lee Thompson, the proprietor of the Bitless Bridle Equestrian Centre has lent us some of the equipment we will need to complete the ride safely and comfortably and we will be writing a review of this when we get back. In the meantime, big thanks to The Bitless Bridle Equestrian Centre (and congratualtions to Sheila who has just become a Grandma)!

Shepherd’s advice

During my most recent conversation with Huwie we discussed how we would pace the horses to ensure that they wouldn’t tire too quickly and he gave the following advice; “if the horse is good enough to carry you up the hill, then you owe it to him to get off and walk down the other side.” We have allowed 3 hours to get to Claerwen which is going to be our rendezvous point. Huwie will then lead us over the trickiest sections of the Trod, which he knows well from years of shepherding and riding in the area. This is probably generous, as it took Alex and I 4 hours to walk the distance on foot, but it will be good to give them a break before moving on…

Walking the Trod!

This is a very brief post to explain that Alex and I attempted to walk the entire route of the Monk’s Trod this weekend. We will post more detailed thoughts on this later, when time allows, but here is just a brief overview. I say ‘attempted’ because poor Alex managed to twist his knee around Craig Goch reservior and after walking for several miles (as far as Pont Marteg) had to admit defeat. We are aiming to go back to Pont Marteg tomorrow or Wednesday to walk the last 7 miles or so – this is an important part of the preparation as we still need to talk to a few landowners re. access. Time has just run out…

We set off from Strata Florida on Saturday at around 12 noon, having had a quick look around the excavations. Walked as far as Craig Goch where we set up camp at around 9.30pm, completely exhausted! Sunday first light saw us back on the Trod, but not for long…

We had some particularly difficult stretches and are very relieved to have a) walked it on foot before attempting it on horse back and b) employed the services of a local guide!

Much more detail to follow!

A landscape of emotions

Alex and I both noticed how our emotions were linked to the particular features of the landscape, which in turn impacted on our embodied experience of walking the Trod (which will, no doubt, be different when we come to ride it, as our emotions and experiences will be inextricably linked with the experiences and emotions of the horses). When we were stuck in the boggy areas we felt despondent and unable to continue and had to take much more regular breaks (we also felt quite scared and aprehensive at the prospect of the horses having to traverse difficult areas – walking through the bog, and sinking into it brought home the very real danger of what we are planning to undertake), then just when we thought we could go no further from sheer exhaustion we would hit some level ground and feel our spirits lifting and our bodies rejuvenating. A great deal has been written by anthropologists about walking/experiencing the great outdoors (notably Ingold, and recently Ingold and Vergunst) and the emotional reactions which arise from individual experiences of environments (Milton’s ‘ecology of emotions’). Definitely something to revisit when we finish the ride… Indeed, phenomenological engagements with landscape are well known areas of common ground for anthropologists and landscape archaeologists – it will be interesting to talk to Andrew about his experiences of walking the Trod, as during the walk (especially when we got lost, which was fairly regularly!) I found myself wondered how others (Andrew, farmers such as Huwie, other riders and walkers and the Cistercians themselves) would have picked out features to mark their way. To my untrained eye it appeared as a rather featureless environment.

The Cambrian Mountains are listed as a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and knowledge of this fact induced a whole series of emotions in both of us as we witnessed first hand some of the degrading effects of human activity – from centuries of livestock grazing (resulting in no trees), to the presence of the controversial wild farms, to the deep ruts left by 4×4 offroad vehicles. However, emotions are also linked to direct encounters with others and the highlight (for me, Sam) was seeing an Osprey as we left Craig Goch – it was unexpected and breathtaking.

Sponsorship in aid of World Horse Welfare

As noted on the Riding the Trod project website (www.ridingthetrod.com/charity.htm) in a bid to keep the Cistercian emphasis on charity alive we are asking people to sponsor us to complete the 25 mile trek in aid of World Horse Welfare (formerly the International League for the Protection of Horses) and at present our total sponsorship raised is £100. Just a quick thanks to all who have put their hands in their pockets to date!

Back issues and bogs

Both Psyche and I are finding that we have some back trouble! Psyche isn’t getting on with her saddle (she has changed shape quite considerably as a result of the fitness regime and her old saddle is no longer fitting her as well as it should – unfortunately the funding situation is such that we won’t be able to stretch to a new saddle!) and because of an old injury (broke 3 vertebrae and lots of tendon damage over 10 years ago which still flairs up from time to time) I am finding that after a few hours in the saddle I am in a great deal of discomfort… However, thanks to the loan of a Free and Easy saddle from friends Andrew and Val Price-West, which is going to be fitted to Psyche by local endurance rider and FnE specialist Pat Conn tomorrow, Psyche at least should be more comfortable. Not sure what options there are for me though – I have found that getting off and walking for a while makes a difference, and given some of the terrain we are going to be covering, this will probably be appreciate by both the horses anyway! Our friend Rachel Stelmach has kindly bought a memory foam saddle pad which has certainly made the last few rides more comfortable!

On Wednesday Alex and I went to Tregaron to interview endurance rider Pat Conn and her husband Roger. Pat used to run a trekking centre which took riders out along sections of the Trod, and in all of my other interviews to date Pat’s name has been put forward as someone who is extremely knowledgeable about riding the local landscape. Pat and Roger kindly gave us a great deal of their time, and have put us in contact with local farmer Huwie Davies who has provisionally agreed to act as our guide for the most difficult stretches (I need to speak with Huwie myself to arrange the specifics over the weekend). We had been toying with the idea of finding a guide for a while, as people have repeatedly informed us how dangerous some of the particularly boggy areas are, and after talking with Pat and Roger who told us in no uncertain terms that we could potentially lose the horses if we put a foot wrong (see interviews page on www.ridingthetrod.com/interviews.htm) we have decided that this is a necessary precaution. Looking forward to talking with Huwie to see how this is going to work, but from an ethnographic perspective, it will be fascinating to be accompanied by someone who knows what is to Alex and I an unfamiliar and potentially hostile landscape so well… It may mean that we have to make a few detours from the original route, but will try and remain as true to the original as possible. More to follow!

Medieval horse shoes

On our visit to Strata Florida with the students I stumbled across this exhibit in the CADW exhibition which confirms that the monks would have shod their horses too (although judging by the size of the shoe which is approximately 15cm across, its owner would have been considerably smaller than a cob!).

Riding the Trod project website live at last!

After much ado I have finally managed to create a website for the project see www.ridingthetrod.com

Anthropology Research Experience Module

Have spent the last week introducing anthropology students from the University of Wales Lampeter to the Riding the Trod project and associated issues such as access to the Trod, people’s perception of and engagement with the local landscape, farming traditions, cultural tourism and heritage in the Cambrians and so on (for more info see www.anthropologyresearchexperience.wordpress.com). As a result I have been a bit slow updating the blog, and so will be adding some retrospective posts over the coming days, but I was prompted to add a post today after we visited Teifi Pools, the first really challenging section of the Trod. We were fortunate enough to encounter a local farmer checking on his stock grazing on the mountain, and he reiterated the view which has been expressed by several of my interviewees that the land over this section may well prove inaccessible for horses… This has made the need for a trial run on foot all the more pressing, and as soon as my teaching commitments finish for this term Alex and I will set out on a reconnaissance mission.

As for the Research Experience module, I have been really impressed with how the students have engaged with the project and the research they are conducting for their assessed coursework will prove really useful in terms of providing additional ethnographic material relating to the following themes;

- farming practices and traditions in the Welsh uplands

- the Red Kite as a symbol of Welsh identity

- Strata Florida as a site of pilgrimage and cultural tourism destination

- conflict over use of the Cambrians

Preparation continues

After some seriously inclement weather which put the fitness regeime back a few weeks we finally managed to get shoes on the horses courtesy of farrier Tom Baker, and have resumed daily rides. The council conveniently re-opened a local bridlepath which has proved to be a welcome break from road work.