Guest blog by Otter
Straight from the horse’s mouth: Otter tells us all about his life, and favourite watering holes, in the Ariege, France.
I come from County Clare, where of course all the best horses come from. I am an Irish Draught/Thoroughbred cross, so a bit more intelligent than these silly Thoroughbreds and have a beautiful dark bay dappled coat and a lovely white star.
I am 25 years old now and it is a long time since I have seen Ireland, but I like to think that some of her native blood has stood me in good stead, as Simon and Zara, my owners, take me out to the Ariege in the French Pyrenees every year.
Now the Pyrenees mean mountains, right? And what mountains! Yesterday I climbed 700 m in the 2 hours before lunch! Admittedly, the sole concession to my age is that they no longer ride me up the really big hills, but I can assure you that I can get down a rough mountain track a jolly lot quicker than these Thoroughbreds, who fall about all over the place and just don’t know what to do with their feet!
I have also learnt the value of plodding out of our drive as a horse never knows how far the next ride is going to be. Likewise, never hurry a hill: they could go on for 15 km in these parts. However, I know all our circuits very well now, so when we come to the homeward tracks I like to stride out at a good clip and particularly like skiing at speed down the muddy slopes. I used to be big bad lead teamchaser and I still like to be in front, showing everyone the way – they could not keep up with me then and they still can’t!
I also have the instinct of a homing pigeon and know instantly if we are going in the wrong non-homewards direction – I go into go-slow mode at such moments to make my displeasure felt. Other than that, I am pretty unflappable, though I do keep a keen eye out for goats – I mean, the smell! – and for sangliers who lurk in the fougeres. That’s wild boars in the ferns to you non-French speakers.
Anyway, recently my owners have to been wittering on about this blog thing they have been doing, so I thought it is time to tell it how it is, to talk about something that matters to me. So here it is: my 5 favourite troughs in the Ariege.
1 Lirbat
Thankfully they did not have washing machines in the old days, or it would not be possibe today to find a lavoir in every village. This one is only about half an hour from our home at Biert, and quite often the one we come to at the end of a long ride, when we are really hot and sweaty. It is hidden in some shady trees just off the main Massat to Biert road and has lovely cold mountain water.
Sometimes, we do a short ride too which goes past here: a lovely 1 hour loop on hoof (a little longer on foot) which takes you to the Ker. This is a big limestone outcrop towering above Biert which has fabulous views over the valley and a big cross at the top. We have to be tied up just below as the final climb is a bit precarious.
2 Cabane de Rose
This is a giant water trough for the cattle herds which graze on the mountains during the summer, so we have to share it. The dirt road leading to it is just north of the Etang de Lers, a notable beauty spot in the mountains south of Massat, with a beautiful lake, fishing and a good mountain restaurant with scenic outdoor seating.
There is a little stone cabin near the trough and a picnic table. My owners usually stop here when we do one of our overnight rides and I am always glad to see this one after a steady uphill climb of about an hour in the sun. They are always saying it is one of the best views in the Ariege but then we have just carried them to 1,500 m so it is not surprising! I just love all that rich mountain grass.
3 Col de Port
The Col de Port lies between Massat and Tarascon at 1,250 m. This trough is just below the col on the Massat side and serves the herds of cattle and horses that graze these mountains. The local horses are the Merens breed and they are totally black, no doubt good all rounders, but not as well bred as I am!
We often do long rides along the crests of the mountains to each side and then have a long drop down to this col to head for home. My owners like a coffee or lunch at the cute little Auberge de la Sapiniere on the col, but us horses have to make do with this trough. Still, fresh water from a mountain spring: I don’t get that at home in England!
4 Moures
Moures is quite close to base, just up the hill to the north of Biert, so this is often an end of day stop as we head down the hill for home. It is also nice first thing if we have been too lazy in the night to go up the hill in our field for water! This is a very simple drinking spot, just a spring fed tap that is always on and which flows into a bucket.
Further north, we often ride round the pretty village of Cominac, from where there are lovely views of the Pyrenean chain with Mount Valier, the highest mountain in the Ariege at 2,838 m. There are some lovely old barns here with distinctive stepped gables called ‘pas d’oiseau’ which originally would have been thatched. I think my owners are quite tempted to buy one!
5 Fontaine de Coulat
The Col de Portel at 1,432 m is just above this spring whose water is collected in 3 large troughs. We are always thirsty when we get to this one as we have usually come up the hill from Biert which is a long, hot climb.
The crest can be followed by car for 6 km from Col de la Crouzette to the Col de Peguere and walked and ridden further. Whichever you choose there are superb views of the Pyrenean chain to the south.
For another one of those ‘best views in the Ariege’ moments, check out the Cap de Campets at 1,504 m, just above my trough at the Col de Portel. With superb 360° views, it is a great sunset spot and just as good at night, with the plains of Toulouse lit up to the north and the dark, starry Ariege to the south.
Of course, I could go on as there are lots more watering holes that we encounter on our rides: this is just a taster as it were. Another very special one is La Source, or spring, which feeds our field: it has the Virgin Mary sitting on top. With her on our side, surely a horse could never put a hoof wrong!?
