Very smart stables at Windsor

Windsor is the show of early starts, and this year was no exception. I crept out of bed at 3am on Wednesday morning to get the horses ready and finish packing up to leave by 5am so that I could guarantee walking the course before the Foxhunter started at 7am. Emma and Biscuit were actually in the second Foxhunter class starting at 10.00 so getting there early gave me time to settle them into their stables and get all my stuff organised before I needed to get Emma ready. Luckily Windsor provide lots of help with moving everything as it is quite a trek from the lorry park to the stables, and the stables were the same incredibly smart ones that were used at the Olympics.

Emma Foxhunter Windsor

I was 4th to go on Emma and as I came round to the first fence she dropped the bridle completely and ground to a very uncharacteristic halt. I rode her very strongly the second time and she jumped a lovely, but very green round. When I showed Biscuit the first fence I could see that the position of the fence made it look as if there was nowhere to land. I rode Biscuit, who perversely wasn’t at all spooky,  ”faster than they went to first fence in the National”  (direct quote from Malcolm Pyrah!) with the effect that she had the first two fences down, and then jumped really well, if rather strongly. I then rode Ferro in the 1.30 B&C which was a lovely course, but I think we were both rather out of practice at the level and we had a few down – once again I think I was probably guilty of over-riding. My step-mother, Zandra, and her lovely friend David Brooks came to watch, and undertake a little bit of retail therapy. Supporters make all the difference and Zandra is brilliant at saying I did it beautifully even when I really know I didn’t.

Map reading has never been one of my strongest points so my B&B, Alma House, was a bit further away than I had anticipated. Luckily Malcolm was staying there as well, so he was able to direct me in, or I might still be cycling in the general direction of Maidenhead. I was certainly ready for a lovely hot shower and a most delicious dinner at La Taverna. I cycled back to the showground bright and early the next morning to walk the course and ride Emma in the six year olds. The course was strong enough and in the Frogmore Arena which is much smaller with a very restricted warm-up. Apart from being a bit green to the second fence Emma jumped a very good first round.  The course then went up quite a lot for the second round which she jumped absolutely beautifully and was very let down by me – who just let her get a shade too close to the first part of the last double – I was so angry with myself as she definitely deserved to be first equal.

Biscuit Foxhunter Windsor

Neither Biscuit or Ferro jumped on Thursday so I worked them both in a free warm-up area and hacked them round the showground. With the Shetland Grand National, the Hunt Relay and several driving competitions this was a pretty hazardous undertaking, with Biscuit behaving very well and Ferro finding it all too much.

Ferro jumped better in Friday’s B&C which seemed a fair bit bigger than Wednesday’s and I then packed up and drove home as I wasn’t jumping on Saturday. It was lovely to be able to turn the horses out for a couple of hours at home, and to see Anna & Sophie who came home for the weekend. Especially as we were able to celebrate the fact that Sophie has just been offered a very exciting new job. Saturday was a complete contrast as we spent the afternoon buying Ascot outfits for the girls – a mission accomplished with a minimum amount of tension!

It was a 3.15 start on Sunday to take Ferro back for the B&C Championship. The course was easily the biggest of the week, but I do feel quite calm about these courses now. Jo Marsh-Smith, who has given me so much help in my riding career, came to watch, and helped me with the warm-up which was wonderful. Ferro was a superstar, forgiving me a dreadful mistake at the 3rd fence, and very excitingly we found ourselves in the jump-off section where she just touched a back pole but still finished 13th out of 40 starters. I watched a little bit of the Nursery Stakes and then the Speed Class with Jo and then drove my lovely girl home so she could spend the afternoon in the field, and I could turn myself round and have a very nap before driving to London to watch Jack Dee at the Hammersmith Apollo with my brother Andy, his wife Caroline and Anna. Laughing makes you feel so good, my face really ached by the end of the evening – hopefully really good exercise for the double chins.

Ferro B&C Friday Windsor

Although absolutely no prize money was gained from Windsor it was a really enjoyable week. I have produced all three horses from the beginning and they all jumped really well, the main arena is a real privilege to ride in, and it is not often that I have Nick Skelton in every single class I compete in. I have just got to learn to ride better on the big occasion, but hopefully slow progress is being made and I am really looking forward to the rest of the season. The South of England and the Hickstead Derby Show are the next two main events in my calendar having decided that the six hour drive to Bolesworth was probably a bit ambitious.

Ferro 1.30 Jump Off Felbridge

Having completed a 1.30 at Felbridge on Ferro for one down in the jump-off without feeling too terrified or incompetent, I took all three horses to Crofton Manor for a change of scene before we went off to Chepstow.  All three jumped well:  Biscuit was 3rd in the Newcomers and had one down in the Foxhunter, Emma just had the last fence in the Foxhunter jump-off and Ferro was placed in the 1.20. I then had a lesson on all three horses to make sure I hadn’t slipped into any bad habits:  Shane was fairly vociferous about the way I was riding Emma – so it was obviously just in the nick of time!

I set off for Chepstow on Wednesday morning after a major pack-up. It is an easy journey and I was strangely (and as it turned out mistakenly) excited driving over the Severn Bridge into Wales. With EHV virus on the loose we had quite a long wait for the Biosecurity Vets to take the horses’ temperatures, and then I found their boxes, bought them some more shavings and unpacked before giving them all a quick ride to settle them in and loosen them up. Neither Emma or Biscuit had stayed at a show before and were very excited by having so many neighbours. Luckily they were in quite modern temporary stables as the wooden ones opposite were extremely inclined to fall apart. My trustiest steed for the week was Sophie’s bicycle which got me round the showground with minimum impact on my leg and ferried me back and forth to my bed and breakfast in Caldicot.

On Thursday Emma jumped double clear in the six year olds, Biscuit jumped double clear in the 1.20 and Ferro had one fence in the 1.25, matters were reversed on Friday when Emma and Biscuit had a pole a piece and Ferro jumped clear. We didn’t jump on Saturday as all three classes were speed classes, and much as Emma & Biscuit think they are speed horses I am keen to discourage them. It was really good for them to hack out round the show ground and not jump a single fence. First thing Sunday Biscuit jumped a fantastic double clear in a full-up 1.20 on grass, Ferro was very forward going on grass, taking me rather by surprise and having two down. We then had a very long wait for the six year old grand prix. It was great to sit in the sun and watch the big tour Grand Prix, then watch Badminton and the 1,000 Guineas before finally  the decision was made to move the six year olds onto the grass to avoid jumping them in the dark. Having sat around for several hours it was then full speed ahead to dig out the stud holes and rather a rush to jump. Like Ferro, Emma was also a bit free on grass and just had the last part of the combination.

Caldicot Castle guarded by American GI’s

On the plus side, although the total prize winnings of the team barely paid for the coffee I drank over five days, it will certainly have been a hugely educational experience for Biscuit and Emma  - so hopefully we will see some benefit at Windsor this week. The Lychgate at Caldicot is the most lovely B&B, and an easy bike ride through the castle grounds for even the most ancient and disabled cyclist, and as always I found enough friendly faces to pass the time with. There was an interesting event on at the Castle – Fortress Wales – where Cowboys & Indians; Confederates & Unionists; English, Americans and Germans; and Roundheads and Cavaliers gathered for their battle re-enactments on Sunday. Meeting a 17th Century soldier in full battle dress with a West Highland Terrier on a lead at 7 o’clock in the morning is a slightly strange experience, and at the height of the battles on Sunday the stables were almost shaking from the volume of the various explosions.

My sense of humour was somewhat frayed by lack of certainty about what the classes were every day, and constant journeys to check running orders, culminating in waiting all Sunday to not

Ferro relaxing between Chepstow & Windsor

jump in the main ring! As I drove back over the Severn Bridge I was very relieved that they don’t charge you to leave Wales – I made a pretty healthy contribution to the Welsh economy over five days. However, overall I hope the benefit to the horses’ experience will have been well worth the effort.

Today has been a perfect day: it has been beautifully warm and the horses  had several hours relaxing in the field while we have watched the drama at Badminton unfold. A fantastic all-round performance for Jock Paget and Clifton Promise who have been waiting in the wings for some time now.  The only thing that has been working over time today is the washing machine – nearly ready for Windsor and a very early start on Wednesday.

Emma – 1 15m Open – Felbridge

Having survived my lesson with Shane with all three horses and not only enjoyed it, but found that my nerve felt pretty good as well it was full speed ahead to jump at Felbridge on Saturday. Having not been to a show for over three months the mental effort required to get all three of them bathed and tidy for Saturday morning was amazing, and I was surprised at how nervous I was when I gave them a little jump on Friday afternoon knowing I was going to a show the next day.

I jumped Biscuit and Emma in the 1.05 , the theory being that however hopeless I was it wouldn’t be too scary for them. Biscuit’s excitement at being at a show was way out of proportion to the occasion and I was a little bit backward on both of them. However, feeling no ill effects in the leg, I decided to have a little go and do some turns on Biscuit in the Newcomers which she duly won – what a perfect confidence boost. Emma and Ferro then jumped very well in the 1.15, Ferro finishing 2nd and Emma 3rd and I decided that that was enough for one day. I went back the next day with Ferro for the 1.20 and she finished 4th, so I really couldn’t have had a better start. Luckily Mark came to help me both days which makes such a difference, especially as one of the strangest things that I cannot do is put up the lorry ramp. There just isn’t enough power in my leg for the final push!

Sadly, I rather messed things up by deciding that riding Homer on the Monday, when I was knackered, wasn’t enough exercise and going to the gym and doing the cross-trainer, followed by the bike and a swim. I crept home and took about four days to recover from that act of madness. John Harris then explained to me that now I was competing regularly I didn’t really need to destroy myself in the gym as well!

Homer absolutely hated his holiday and looked very poor when we got back from Antigua, so he has returned to his stable and work with a very triumphant look on his face. I had hoped I had clients coming to see him, but both lots think they will come in July now, so he is waiting for better weather, and his invitation to join some hunters up the road for a proper summer holiday.

Biscuit Foxhunter Jump-Off Felbridge

I then set off for a second Saturday at Felbridge. Biscuit was even more excited – thinking she had only come for the jump-off, so she did a slow double-clear in the Newcomers. Emma then did a lovely clear in the 1.15 and then they both did lovely double clears in the Foxhunter. Only Biscuit’s second Foxhunter and Emma’s third and it was a very strong course and a high quality field so I was particularly proud of Emma who came 3rd. I then got very over-excited with poor Ferro in the jump-off of the 1.20 and knocked a wing over with my bad foot which made us rather unbalanced for the last fence where I never saw a stride at all. In spite of such an amazingly bad pilot she was obviously the best of a pretty mediocre bunch of open rounds as she won! I don’t expect my luck will hold out quite so spectactularly as I am about to set off to Felbridge again, hoping to be brave enough to do the 1.30 onFerro at the end of the day.

Other high points of the past two weeks have been being able to where normal shoes again and being able to get into my good riding boots.

Sadly I have parted company with Old Lodge, but will still be wishing them and their riders all the best and taking a keen interest, especially in the horses that started their careers while I was working there. I have already started a new job, which I am really loving, so things do move on very quickly in life.

Ferro 1.20 Jump off Felbridge, 1st

Ferro – 1.20 open Felbridge – 4th

Emma Foxhunter Jump-off Felbridge 3rd

Biscuit winning the Newcomers Felbridg

Sunset from our room in Antigua

The timing of our holiday in Antigua was absolutely perfect. I think I had probably been overdoing it at home, and in retrospect can say that I started riding far too early! With my walking stick in hand I got taken to the departure gate at Gatwick and then managed to get fast-tracked through immigration in Antigua, which saved about an hour of standing on the tarmac, although we did have 20 minutes staring at an empty luggage carousel with the other three people with walking sticks. It was certainly the first time that Mark had been absolutely thrilled that I had a broken leg. The Blue Waters resort was beautiful, 20 minutes from the airport on the Carribean side of the island. It boasted beautiful rooms, lovely swimming pools and a warm clean sea. Both staff and guests were so friendly, and after a hard day of sunbathing and swimming there was nothing nicer than catching up over a few rum cocktails.  Having been absolutely miserable with my leg when we arrived, after a week of warm sun and swimming it felt so much better and stronger.

The weather when we arrived back in England was an unpleasant surprise, but thank goodness we came home on Monday as by Tuesday morning we were completely snowed in.  Going down Bell Lane on Wednesday morning on my way to Cheltenham was like a black run complete with mogils.  But I had my usual lovely day with my brother David and the excitement of being in the paddock with the “Not Afraid Partnership’s” young horse Chatterbox, who ran greenly, but very promisingly into 5th place. Of course this was totally eclipsed on Friday when the wonderful Bob’s

Spring weather in Nutley!

Worth won the Gold Cup – the first time I have not been at Cheltenham to watch him. The Not Afraid Partnership and Bob’s Worth encapsulate some of the best aspects of National Hunt Racing. Five friends who bought a very inexpensive horse who has rewarded them beyond their wildest dreams, and who is ridden so beautifully and tactfully by Barry Geraghty – the man who sold him to them. I have watched the replays so many times, and I certainly won’t be absent from the celebratory party!

Thursday brought a gentle return to what passes for real life at Alchornes. Physiotherapy first thing, a lovely lunch with Chloe Breen to inspect Master Douglas Breen and then home to ride for the first time for a fortnight. Luckily although Ferro was ridiculously fresh to hack out, Emma was a good girl in the school and my leg felt OK. Since then it has been full speed ahead with the physio, trying to get more flexibility in my ankle,  trying to get back some of the lost strength in my leg and getting fit. In addition to riding the horses I am trying to swim 1km a day and can now start cycling and going on the cross-trainer. I’m thinking there should be some sort of veteran’s triathlon at the Rio Olympics as I should certainly be fit enough. I have recently started having help from John Harris, a fantastic osteopath in Epsom recommended to me by Brian Cassidy. He deals with a lot of professional sportsmen and women and has given me the confidence to really push myself

To this end I have been doing grid work and bounces at home, to make me a bit quicker and stronger in my lower leg, and went and had a lesson on all three horses with Shane yesterday. They all jumped brilliantly and the leg held out really well, so Felbridge on Saturday here we come. I also felt a lot better about having entered for Windsor which seemed like a rather expensive gamble at the beginning of last week. I think the national classes at the  CSI2** at Wales & West are going to be our first big show, followed by Windsor and then probably Bolesworth Castle.

Gridwork with Biscuit

Gridwork with Biscuit

I have been on the receiving end of so much kindness and lots of visitors and beautiful flowers.  I have also had a lot of attention from Twiglet who is the only person who has really enjoyed me lying about on the sofa with my leg up.

Homer is now having a well-deserved holiday in the field with his lovely little orange and white yearling friend Nemo, who has been lent to us by Karen Rees. With some excellent help the three mares have managed to keep going. Apart from the first two days I have managed to muck out and Mark has turned them out, Jemma Tester then brings them in at lunch time and Biba McCaul comes and rides a few times a week. Jemma fits me into a day that is busy with little Archie, and Biba into a week of riding more horses than I could have ridden even when I was 21. Anna and Sophie have shared out the weekends. They have worked so hard cooking, organising and riding it has made me feel quite exhausted watching them. Shane gave Emma and Ferro a jump before he set off to Portugal for five weeks, which not only was very kind, but also gave me the opportunity to see exactly how it should be done on my own horses.

I am generally rather lazy about lunging so I was pleasantly surprised to find that all three mares lunge as though they are clockwork.  This has enabled me to keep them ticking over, and given me the chance to have a proper look at them and their way of going. I think Emma has benefitted most: she has always been reluctant to stretch forwards to take the bit, resulting in a rather upright canter and she finally has started to canter in a much more relaxed outline on the lunge, and now when she is ridden. Biba has given them all the occasional jump to keep their minds in gear and for the past week I have been able to sit on them. Initially it would have been hard to call it riding, and I was so unfit, but after a whole 9 days I can feel myself getting stronger. The first time I asked Emma to canter she failed to notice, whereas now I can keep them going forward, and even go sideways and do changes, and feel much more confident.  We are off on holiday soon, so I am resisting the temptation to try jumping before we return and the statutory six weeks are up.

All dressed up for lunging

I had another morning at teaching the Old Surrey & Burstow Pony Club in half-term. As it was snowing when I got up, and started to look like a blizzard as I arrived at Felbridge, I was feeling far from enthusiastic. However, I had fantastic pony club mothers to help with the jumps, and really rewarding pupils. In the first ride I had six fantastic ponies and in the second ride six lovely horses. All the riders were enthusiastic, listened, tried really hard and were brilliant at keeping themselves on the move. By the end of each session, mostly by reiterating the principles of good corners, getting straight and keeping a good canter, two very different groups of very different ages were jumping a course in a most professional way. I am always quite nervous about teaching, rather wondering if I have much to impart, but both these sessions have been very rewarding, so hopefully they have not only been beneficial to me.

I am hoping to come back from holiday with a tan, two ankles of similar size and having managed to swim myself back to fitness. Hopefully I can then think about a plan for the summer shows. It would be great to be fully up to speed for Windsor, and it will make a good, but maybe slightly ambitious, goal.

Hacking in the Snowy Woods

The Rock of Cashel

Chris Ryan and the Scarteen Hounds

Jumping Banks

Broken Ankle

It had been the most fantastic weekend: fantastic welcoming and kind people; wonderful hunting; beautiful, clever horses; great craic and wonderful tall hunting stories. My own tall story is now added to the rest and I just can’t wait to go again.

The Lovely Harriet

Waving at Nina & Eliane – Sophie and I on Homer and Ferro arriving at the meet in Fletching

Biscuit and Emma have now been to two shows. Double clears each time out, and a very impressive rodeo from Emma at Royal Leisure if you like that sort of thing. Personally I am getting a bit old for spinning round holding the neck-strap while she amuses herself. Luckily she jumped really well, and was much better behaved second time around at Patchetts. Ferro also jumped well and just had a pole in the jump-off of the 1.20 at Patchetts – too much excitement from the rider.
Emma at Patchetts
Biscuit at Patchetts

Homer flying with the Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds at Hickstead

Cavallo Vanilla Coat

Unfortunately the word waterproof has described most of my favourite things for the whole of 2012, with the result that my old winter waterproof coat has worn right out and has had to be replaced by a lovely warm and dry Pikeur Odelia coat from Chaskits Horse & Rider in Langton Green, www.chaskits.co.uk. As I am doing a lot of standing around watching horses and waiting for my turn at winter shows I have also invested in a Cavallo Vanilla coat which is a lovely long duvet coat, and for the first time that I can remember I have a warm lower back.

HKM Fleece Breeches keeping me warm

Animo Jacket and Protector Hat

For the horses my favourite rugs in the summer are the Rambo Sweetich Hoody which keeps the flies off, and the Rambo Dust Buster which completely negates any need for grooming. I put the dust buster on as soon as the horses are bathed and when I take them off they look as shiny as if they have been groomed for hours. In the winter they are snug in their Premier Equine Winter Buster Rugs. www.premierequine.co.uk

Activo-med rug from FMBs

Vero Bridle from Liston Equestrian

Feedwise I use Saracen Horsefeeds www.saracenhorsefeeds.com. Saracen have a free nutritionist service, and will even come out to assess your horse and advise on feeding. I use their Cooling Mix with Herbs for Ferro and Homer who are very straightforward and Releve, a cereal free mix, for Biscuit and Emma who are a bit more excitable. We also use Sussex Haylage www.sussexhaylage.com who are local and very reliable.

Dragging with the Mid-Surrey Farmers Drag Hounds

When hunting was frosted off I took Homer to Royal Leisure as well, he just tapped off the last fence in the jump-off of the Discovery and the 1.05. However, he was very good given that it was the first time he has ever been in a indoor school. Once the rain started again I had a day with the Mid-Surrey Farmers Draghounds with Homer. He was just fantastic in spite of the terribly deep ground and a very long day.

Dragging with the Mid-Surrey Farmers Drag Hounds

Old Lodge were lucky enough to have Lord of Arabia competing at Olympia so Carolyn Murdoch and I went to watch on the Sunday, managing to see a fantastic 14.2 final and also the Grand Prix which was very exciting. A little bit of retail therapy and a catch up with Lynn Hindley who maintains the Old Lodge website and her daughter Kristen who are keen riders made for a lovely evening, luckily lovely enough to sustain us through the three hour journey home curtesy of Southern Rail (it only took 1 hour to get there).

Gingerbread House

We had the most perfect Christmas Day – quickly mucking out the horses before opening our stockings, and then off to David for lunch. He is the most fantastic cook, and it was lovely to have a Christmas Day with lots of little children and hear what amazing stuff Father Christmas can get hold of in the 21st Century. It was certainly the first time I have have ever had Christmas lunch with a perfectly turned out Disney character – Meredith from Brave – complete with bow and quiver of arrows. The presence of three grannies led to some confusion over which presents were intended for who, but fortified by wonderful company and a quick dog walk in the pouring rain, we were back in Sussex in time for Call the Midwife which was infinitely less disappointing than Downton Abbey.

Disco-ball jumper on Christmas Day

Ashdown Forest & the South Downs

Homer & I after our crash looking surprisingly happy

Typically, just when I thought Homer and I were truly flying we had a bit of a crash landing when he mistook a hedge for a bank. Unfortunately there was a big ditch behind it which Homer sat in while I apparently somersaulted very neatly into the stubble. As I hadn’t really got a clue where I was and had only been out for about 40 minutes I was heaved back into the saddle (I have absolutely no spring once I have fallen off) and stayed out for the rest of the day. Luckily there were no more hedges and quite a few rails so we got our confidence back. Homer comes from bank country in Ireland and so thinking that a ditch towards means a bank is a common mistake, but one that needs sorting out. Homer seemed none the worse for his adventure, and I just felt a bit tender, so two days later we set off for Hickstead and David Simpson very kindly give him a quick school over some hedges, and then I had a confidence boost over a few.  The school definitely worked as since then we have had a fabulous day with the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent when we jumped several hedges.

I then had a really lovely afternoon with the Mid Surrey Farmers Drag Hounds on the South Downs at Firle where we probably jumped 40 sets of rails in about two and a half hours. I certainly knew I wasn’t an event rider anymore when I had been galloping without a break for about 20 minutes – very lucky that Homer doesn’t pull at all, and an excellent cure for a crashing hangover!

Helen Connors – our lovely host with the Quorn

We were then brilliantly set up for my idea of Hunting Heaven – a day with the Quorn. We drove up to Leicestershire on Sunday night and stayed with our lovely friends Nick and Helen Connors. It had been a frosty weekend so I was nervous that the meet might be frosted off, but it rained in the night and was warmer in the morning. When you are used to hunting in Sussex it is always quite sobering to come down to the first fence of the day with 150 others, especially when you have no idea who you shouldn’t be following. Mark managed to bag a lift for the day with Charles Church, the equestrian artist, so he also had a really interesting day.

Scenting conditions are always a mystery, it was cold, damp and dull and yet hounds struggled to follow a trail all morning. This gave Homer and I time to work out exactly who was what and gain our confidence, and then suddenly at about 1.00 o’clock we were off. Hounds flew, and I let Homer tuck in behind Ashley Bealby, the field master. The Quorn is one of the very few places where you can really take your own line across country. As you come down to each hedge you choose your spot and as you take off you make a plan for the next hedge taking account of which way hounds might be swinging, with a lovely horse reading your mind and answering every question, it is just the most exhilerating experience.

Back to work for Emma & Biscuit

We flew for about 35 minutes before hounds lost the trail, and then hacked back to second horses and then Helen and I hacked back to their farm. I washed Homer off and gave him a feed while we had a proper hunting tea: boiled eggs, tea and lots of cake, before making the long drive home. Fortified by coffee, adrenaline and mini twirls we made it back in time for me to cook supper for my co-driver who had slept from Leicester to Newport Pagnell, where he woke up for a short debate on whether the South starts at Newport Pagnell (me) or Reigate (Mark). A long, but really wonderful trip, catching up with lovely old friends, making a few new friends, a wonderful day’s hunting and best of all my fabulous young horse giving such a good account of himself.

Very woolly Emma

Closer to home I have ridden 14 very different horses at Breen Equestrian, so I have certainly kept fit and alert, and now Ferro, Emma and Biscuit are all back in work. Ferro has had the shortest holiday so she is already clipped and doing a bit of cantering, whereas the other two are hard to recognise as competition horses, but have both been really good to get back on and they all feel lovely to ride. Ferro is almost ready to have a go at the very smart, new-look Royal Leisure, and the other two will soon be transformed from unbelievably hairy ponies into sleek competition horses.