If you have ever looked at The Travel Fairies Blog and studied the section about Amy herself you will find her bucket list. Sadly she never managed to cross any of them off due to her untimely death at only 27 years old- but I’m sure if things had been different, she would have been determined to do them all!
My bucket list was somewhat different, with only one item on it! As my 60th birthday approached I was asked about it. “I’ve always wanted to ride a horse across a beach,” I said, “but I think I’ve left it a bit too late now.”
My remaining daughters thought that this was rather a defeatist attitude, so decided to at least take some steps to see if my lack of ambition was true.
First of all they booked me a 1:1 horse ride at a local trekking centre. I went with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, thinking that my fear of heights might prevent me from even sitting on a horse, never mind riding it.
The first attempt couldn’t be described as entirely wonderful. Getting on a horse at almost 60 for the first time was a feat in itself. I shook like a leaf and held onto the horse’s neck, not knowing quite how I would stay balanced in a saddle with nothing much to hold onto. But I was looked after so well and encouraged not to give up straight away, so off I went for an hours walk through beautiful Derbyshire countryside. Chatting as we went, I began to relax, to get a feel for how the horse was moving, learning how to keep balanced, using my hands to hold the reins and my feet in the stirrups. The horse was led on a lead rein by a well experienced trek leader who started to make me feel that this was something I could not only do, but thoroughly enjoy. By the time we returned to the stables at the end of the hour I felt such a feeling of achievement, and excitement about the prospect of coming back to learn more.
Dismounting will never be a glamorous exercise with almost 60-year-old hips, but I got off and went home with such a feeling of elation, that I knew I would soon be back for a second try.
For the rest of the year I continued to book one hour tuition rides, progressing from being led to walking independently. Once I could do that I joined some one hour treks and met other riders. Some much younger than me, but others of a similar age or older.
I decided that I could progress to trotting, so booked some more tuition treks to get support in learning a new technique- the rising trot. The first few sessions felt like being bounced up and down like a sack of potatoes! Suddenly at the age of now 60 I discovered that I had a core and needed to learn how to engage it!
We booked a family holiday in Norfolk for May 2025 and found a riding stable that was fairly close and had beach treks on offer. We booked two places for Jess and I to ride on the beach. Lucy at this stage was heavily pregnant and so had to miss the beach ride this year.
My trekking continued once or twice each month until May finally arrived. On a rather dismal day we travelled to the stables and were taken on our beach ride. The weather wasn’t quite how it had been in my imagination- but I had done it! I, at the age of 60, had ridden a horse across a beach.
I’m continuing with the treks and thoroughly enjoying learning to ride, growing in confidence and, hopefully, technique each time I go.
I’m so thankful that my girls believed in me, that my husband supported me and that Amy inspired me to achieve my bucket list wish.
The support from Derbyshire Pony Trekking has been amazing. Their patience and guidance has been wonderful. They have made the adventure great fun with their expertise and their obvious love of horses and riding. I couldn’t have done it without them and will always be so grateful that they have made my dream something I could achieve.
Hold onto your dreams, don’t let your age or fear hold you back.
Amy would always encourage anyone to travel and have adventures, so please follow her example and give it a go!
