A Handful of Herbs

A little while later....

2008-10-25T09:26:00.003Z

...... and I’m not entirely sure what is going on in my head, but I don’t expect that I should be able to understand it either.

My best boy is home so I get to chat all day when I’m here, and I have managed to get a grip and go back to work; the trouble is I’m working ridiculous hours just to fill up all the time that I would normally have made spare to spend with Herbs.

I had changed my job situation to ensure that I got less stressed and had more time to spend with Herbs but the devastating situation I am now in is in danger of changing so that I fill up time and end up working my socks off just because I have the time to, rather than managing time and getting the balance right.

I lost my boy one month ago tomorrow and it feels like a thousand years because my life has changed so much. The beautiful flowers, cards and messages that people have left for Herbs are still in his stable and it has been important to me to make sure that he has fresh flowers over his door; tomorrow I am going to try to find another beautiful red rose to put there.

One thing that has evolved is my obsession with animal programmes on TV. I always loved them, but now I’m completely obsessed and a new programme on the mounted police has just started so I can’t miss that.

I struggled recently when I agreed to look after two friend’s horses whilst they were away for a day. Firstly it was difficult because it was my first time properly around horses, and secondly it was difficult because they were not my boy and suddenly I had to consider / deal with / accept completely different behaviour and manners from these horses and fundamentally, I didn’t understand them and found that very hard.

When you spend all your time focusing on one horse, you realise how much you don’t understand and cannot relate to any others. I knew my boys mannerisms inside out. I knew when he wasn’t right even when other experienced horse owners thought he seemed fine – there is nothing amazing in that, except that I am proud to have had that relationship and proud that we were as close as close can be, and that I wasn’t just another horse owner who didn’t really know her charge.

Two months on...

It is so very true that everyone is individual when it comes to how they deal with their grief when they lose someone who was so special to them. Whether that is a person or an animal (who are mostly far better people than humans) matters not a jot, if you loved someone unconditionally in spite of them making you cross occasionally as well as providing you with so much love in return, you will be beside yourself with how to deal with the loss.

After Herbs came home and Bren and I felt we had my baby back we began to settle ourselves a little and I turned my attention to trying to make something good come out of losing him. That came in the form of The Herbs Trust, which started off as just an umbrella name that I came up with to hold the funds which I decided would be given out over coming years to horses that need it.

Herbs was insured for veterinary fees and “loss”. The “loss” bit is something I never really thought much about except once when my premium went up quite a lot and I realised that I was paying more than some people I knew and that this was because Herbs was insured for a reasonable amount of money so that I would receive funds should Herbs be “lost” to me. I thought at the time that I should not bother with the loss insurance because I would never want the money as Herbs was priceless. It’s easy to think that I thought that after everything that has happened now, but that is truly what came to my mind some months, maybe even a year ago.

As it was, I didn’t do anything about changing the insurance and so I received a payout from the insurance company. It is just not right in my mind that I should keep that money, and so I am contented to have decided that the money should be put into a separate bank account, and even if it takes me 10 years to spent it, I am determined that every penny of that money will be donated to horse charities and causes specifically involved with enriching the lives of horses that are not as fortunate to be loved as much as Herbs was and always will be.

I decided that the first thing I would do is hold a show in honour of Herbs and this was set for 29th June 2008. The number of entries was overwhelming, to the point where it was getting scary that we would be able to complete all the classes in one day, and clearly the judges would be quite worn out after judging for at least an hour and a half for each class!

Well, everyone at the yard was so excited about the event and I received £158 in entry fees (and some hadn’t paid yet!) so the day looked like being off to a really good start.

The rosettes arrived 3 days before and I was really pleased with them and two trophies arrived duly engraved with “A Handful of Herbs Summer Show” on them so we were close to being all set.

Then, the scum of the earth transcended on the yard during Friday night / Saturday morning one/two days before the event and stole almost everyone’s saddles and bridles.

Well, of course the yard was in turmoil, the break in was brutal and whilst some people were lucky enough to keep their tack, some were even insensitive enough to ride out on the Saturday morning whilst others were still reeling from the shock, feeling violated and trying to work out how to deal with insurance companies.

In amongst the drama, people were talking about what would happen with the show and frankly I felt there was no option but to postpone. Not so. After a vote, it was clear that no one wanted to let the bastards give us any more grief than that already had and so a quick change saw us holding just two classes. In Hand, and Gymkhana – but both to be led / in hand classes with head collars or bridles only and NO SADDLES permitted.

The show was an amazing success. Everyone from the yard came together and had a great time, and the horses looked fabulous. We raised a whopping £410! To top it all, my friends had clubbed together and organised for a canvass to be printed with a picture of Herbs. It is absolutely beautiful and now on the wall at the end of the hallway – the first thing I see when I come through the door.

The show proved to be the start of a very successful fund raising scheme, and to find out all the latest information on what is happening with The Herbs Trust, go to www.theherbstrust.com where you will find details of the events that have been run, together with money raised and donations given. I am so proud to be able to do something positive for my boy, after feeling so devastated.

Herbs now has some lovely pictures permanently pinned up outside his stable, and his name painted on the floor where it was written into wet concrete some time ago, and there is a brand new notice board at the yard, especially for information about The Herbs Trust and to advertise events that are happening at other yards.

As far as I am concerned, Herbs lives on through The Herbs Trust which is one of many ways for me to remember the most amazing friend I ever had.

My beautiful boy

2008-05-25T19:05:00.003Z

In Memory and With Love

2008-05-24T10:38:00.013Z

Missing You

2008-05-24T09:54:00.003Z

I had a couple of more settled days this week, and I even asked Bren why I seem to have been calmer on Wednesday and Thursday. Neither of use really knew. I've been to the yard every day to water your flowers and I put a lovely red rose on your door on Wednesday and didn't have any really bad wobbly moments. Yesterday was very difficult though. I went to the yard on my way back from London and started to chat to a few people and went to see Katy. Her big brown eyes and her grey face just reminded me so much of you I had to go away and then seeing other people stroking their ponies really got to me and I had to leave.

There are some things that I think I'm only just now beginning to realise. Firstly that you're gone and I won't see you again, and secondly that because of that, I won't stroke you, groom you, ride you and talk to you, trim your feathers, plait you up, wash your tail, tack you up, sponge you off, sponge off the poo you laid in overnight, feed you titbits, give you a likit, make your breakfast, make your haynets, organise your tack, clear out your grooming kit, turn you out, bring you in, ride round the farm with you, have a blast up the permissives with you.... the things we will never do are endless.

I won't ever load you onto the box again, drive you somewhere and keep asking if you are ok, I won't take any more pictures of you, I won't know how white you go as you get older and I will never buy you another set of shoes. John won't turn you out again and tell me about your antics in the field and what a lovely boy you have grown up to be. You won't give me a playful double barrel when ask for canter on the lunge, I wont ever ride you walk to canter again and love it, your lip won't stick out again when you get scratched and I won't hear your funny hiccup again.

Life is cruel, wicked and cruel. How is it ok for you to have only 9 years and for me to have only 4 years with you?

I'm so protective of you even now that if anyone asks a dumb question I get snappy. So many people just don't get how this feels but me being snappy isn't fair because so many people have been in touch and are so sad about me losing you.

I have too much time on my hands and no motivation to do anything. I've gone from having no time and rushing everywhere, to having too much and no reason to do anything. I think that's one of the toughest parts of this, there are things I can do but they are not important and I can't generate the energy to do them.

I might bring your bridles and saddles home from the yard and clean them and put them away with your rugs and other bits and pieces. At least that's something to do that's related to you.

I have to write the other blog entries about Wye, Frensham etc but I have to write happy things so that will have to wait for another time.

It's a 3 day weekend now, and it's going to be so difficult to fill the time without you.

I miss you.

Your Tribute Drink

2008-05-19T12:44:00.006Z

On the day I lost you, I told Chris and Sharon that I would like them to ride to the Fox and I would meet them there and we would all have a drink to remember you.

I then saw some other friends on Thursday and they said they would like to come. By Friday quite a few people were mentioning it so I put a note on the board telling everyone they were welcome as I didn't want people to feel I was excluding them if I hadn't mentioned it to them, I just didn't expect so many people to express a wish to come.

During Friday I decided I wanted the ponies to wear a button hole in their bridles so the florist made me five, one each for Spirit, Coy and Ludo, and one each for your stable door and your casket.

I headed to the stables first to see the girls off and pick up Alice who was going to look after me for the day and we then collected the button holes and went up to the pub. We arrived as the horses did so that was good timing; they had a wonderful ride and thought of you as they had a lovely canter up the long straight bit on the common.

We got the Stella's in and had a toast to you, then more people started arriving. I was overwhelmed and I know you were too, that so many people wanted to come along and pay their respects. The people that came were:

Sharon & Mr Coy
Chris & Spirit
Linda & Ludo
Laura
Tony
Linda
Briony
Megan
Alice
Gina
Pat
Holly
Andy
Bren
Christine
Pauline
Emily and
Penny

Tim was there, and very upset the hear the news, he promptly headed over to the shop to buy carrots for the horses. David and Louis were there too and very sad. Tim asked me if he could try to press one of the button holes for me, which I said I would be delighted with - people are so thoughtful.

We all talked and talked about you, about the accident, about your life, about our relationship and about the truly amazing reaction at the stables. Your stable looks even more amazing now, as there are so so many cards, and flowers for you there. I will put some pictures on here soon.

After drinks at the Fox, went back to the yard with Megan and waiting and generally got in the way as the horses were brought in and tucked into bed.

Then a few lovely lovely friends agreed to come home and see you, so Gina, Holly, Tony, Megan, Linda, Briony and me all sat around talking about you munching on pizza and drinking wine and then putting together the classes for a show I am going to hold later in June in your honour.

The day after was really flat, nothing to focus on and no real energy but I have tidied the Herbie room and you now have pride of place in there. Its nice that I can sit here writing this with you next to me, and I've printed another lovely lovely picture of you too.

Kate phoned today, she is a real brick because I work with her and she knows how it feels to lose a horse as she lost Fafa last year. I'm going to go into work for a couple of hours tomorrow, mostly because I have to go back some time and I would rather go back when Kate is in the office.

Write more soon my lovely boy. I dreamt that there was another horse in your stable in amongst all your flowers last night so I'm going to the yard again today and I will make sure Michael knows that I am keeping your stable for some time.

You are so beautiful.

All About You

2008-05-16T23:35:00.009Z

16th May 2008

All About You.

I got up and started thinking about loads more things and it came to me that I had to write all about you. I wrote you a long letter yesterday because there were so many thoughts rushing through my head that I had to get them to you somehow so I wrote them and put them in your stable.

I started writing about us on your blog a couple of years ago and was thinking yesterday that I really should put my letter on there instead of leaving the blog without a continuation and now I know that All About You is the way to continue the blog.

Pretty much every morning I would pull up in the car into the car park and you would be watching out and I would stay quiet and then say “hi honey” or “good morning gorgeous” or something similar and you would yell back when you heard my voice. I loved that, it was like our first special communication of the day.

I had some crazy sayings over the years including “how did you get so sexy when I wasn’t looking?” and “are you handsome or just pretending”, “hello my little chicken pie chips and peas” (those that heard me say it will remember it distinctly!), “night night baby boy love you” when I left the yard every evening, and “see you tonight little man, be good” when I left for work. “Hi baby blue” and “Alright my lover lad?” were things I said more recently.

In the winter, I would change your stable rug to your turnout rug before giving you your breakfast and you would get “gobby” as I did the front buckles up. You always did, never bit me, just always got gobby as if to say “get on with it and hurry up”. Sometimes I would walk to you to undo the buckles on your stable rug and I would follow you around the stable for a second or two because you would wander off. I never knew why you did that, I just put it down to impatience. Then I would walk down the barn in the morning with your breakfast and quite often you would call for it, you were certainly always looking over the door for me because you knew exactly what was coming.

I would put your boots on when you were eating your breakfast and you never minded, you used to move your legs sometimes to help me out. When the last boot was on I often gave your leg a cuddle, always the right fore, and a kiss because I always thought you had such sexy legs and told people that too. You had nice big tough legs with lovely muscles all of which I saw grow stronger and stronger from the day I brought you home.

I did a “leg check” every evening too, to make sure you were ok from your day out in the field because you were so playful and you worried me so much. It became so important to me that even Sharon used to make sure she checked your legs when she sometimes put you to bed. When I did this in the evening I often gave your right fore a kiss then too.

You’ve got a lead rope clipped onto your stable bolt which I put on after someone let Coy out of his stable one night. The lead rope has been on there a good year or so now and it became your toy. After breakfast, teeth still full of food, you would get hold of it and chew it and fling it around. It’s got unravelled over time and it’s really grotty and it will be coming home with me soon because it holds so many memories of every time I walked down the barn and saw you with it in your mouth flinging it around.

This year when your coat was changing from winter to summer you were so itchy. We were just getting to the point where you would turn to have a scratch and I would say “show me” and you would give me an idea of where it was and I would scratch your itch for you. You loved it, and for me it was such an important bonding moment. Bonding moments were important to me from the day you came home, because I wanted you to trust and love me as I did you. And I know you did.

Back leg scratches were the best, and combing your tail always triggers itchy legs and you would lift them to tell me they needed scratching and I used my nails or a comb to give all around your hocks a nice long scratch. More often than not you wouldn’t let me stop and I quickly had to put you in your stable so you could carry on on your own in case you fell over you daft boy.

There are things that are very particular to the last few months which we didn’t do before, like the leg scratching and the cuddles at the mounting block.

I have to write all of this because I’ve always worried about my terrible memory and I can’t bear the thought of not remembering things about you.

Just looking at my pictures on the wall and one reminds me that so often I would take loads of pictures of you at a show or at home and when I looked over them there was often one or two of you with your tongue sticking out – I will have to put all of those together.

I used to give your bum and under your back legs a squeeze when I was grooming or when I walked past you when you were tied up outside your stable and I was going about mucking out and things. Again, it was part of our bonding that I should say “hi” whenever I walked past you or tell you where I was going and what I was going to do next. “Just doing your buckets honey then we’ll get going” or “two ticks buddy” was a common saying of mine. I was always talking to you, because I knew you could understand me.

When you first came home you had a stable in the barn and I thought that would be good because you were so nervous and it meant you would have other horses to see and could get used to all the noises going on and it would help to settle you a little.

Even the first weekend people told me we had a bond already. I don’t know how or why they thought it but I loved you from the minute I laid eyes on you, there was no question that you were the one for me.
A little while after you moved in, I bought some rubber for the floor because you used to sleep and stand in the same place and even if there was loads of straw in the bed you would make a hole in it down to the floor. One time you pulled a muscle in your shoulder and I worried that you did that whilst you were getting up from your snooze because you’d moved all the straw so I put the rubber down.

After a year your new lovely stable came free and I must admit I fought a bit for you to go there – sorry about that to everyone I got a bit greedy with but I was determined! That stable was lovely for you, you loved it, I loved it, and it will always be yours. When the holes in the floor got fixed I drew your name in the cement in a couple of places.

When we first went out together you spun a lot when you were scared of something and did a complete 180, often ending up with me on the deck – but you didn’t run away, you stayed with me, and after a couple of years the spinning started to stop and I could see scary things ahead and reassure you that it was ok and you would listen to me and trust me that it was ok and we’d ride past and I would tell you what a brave boy you were.

When I first brought you home you wouldn’t stand at the mounting block, and Kathie and I taught you it was ok by moving a little set of steps around for 2/3 months and giving you a treat every time I got on. In the end you stood still by the mounting block, or anywhere I asked you to when I fell off, and didn’t move a muscle until I said it was ok.

I truly believe you had as much love and respect for me as I did and still have for you.

Everyone at work knew how much I love you. They used to always give me their apples that they didn’t want and I would bring them to the stables for you. I used to tell everyone that it was a crime that they should eat apples because they were pony food only. I’ve probably eaten the odd apple over the last 4 years but actually I can’t remember eating even one and if I had I would have done it with guilt or thinking “it’s ok cos I will get my baby double the amount this week” or something like that.

Pony carrier bags were always more important that my food bags. Just ask Sharon. I would feel so guilty if I didn’t put carrots and apples in your feed and very rarely did I not. Often you had suede, turnip and pears too – but you were never that fond of brussel sprouts.

You were my life. My everything. That’s why I took so many millions of photographs of you and that’s why I kept a blog for you and that’s why I named my company after you and that’s why I named my wireless network (mad but true) after you and that’s why my passwords were about you and that’s why I bought a lorry for you, and that’s why I was making myself get brave again about jumping, because I owed it to you. My heart is broken without you.

I wrote on every rosette because I never wanted to forget just how much we had achieved, we had to bounce back after that first pleasure ride and we did. I wrote down the ribbon on the rosette “Herbie’s first outing, battered but not defeated”. I knew if I gave you so much unconditional love you would get braver and we would be an amazing partnership. We proved that, I am so proud of you and I can’t believe I have lost you, my world has fallen apart but I am so proud to have known you and I am so proud of our bond, our unbelievable bond.

I always knew when you were hurt, I always knew when you needed something, you couldn’t talk to me, but that’s what made our relationship even more special. You had to tell me in your way and I learned to understand you, just by the look in your eye or the fact that you just were different that day or at that time.

When we were riding along, if I just touched you on the neck in a certain way you stopped still and turned around to me because you knew that meant I had a sweetie for you. Although that was never a very regular thing that I did, you always knew the difference between a scratch on the neck to tell you turn around for a sweetie, and a scratch on the neck just to say hi, I love you.

I don’t think there is another pony that learned how to open the yard gate as well as you. I couldn’t make you back up at any other time without you worrying and saying “I don’t understand mum” but at the gate you would walk straight up to it, I would lift the latch and you would start walking backwards as I opened the gate. Then you would walk through and line up whilst I shut the gate and I only had to say “stand” and lately didn’t even do that, and you knew to stand still and wait for me even if your friends had all walked off. I was always so proud that you did that.

I thought I would have you forever, to the point where I worried so much about who would take care of you if anything happened to me. I thought many people wouldn’t consider it but actually a couple of people have since told me they had worried about it for them and their horses too. I was pleased when Chris and I made contact again because that meant that as well as Sharon who of course would need to look after your buddy Coy as well as you, Chris was around should anything happen to me and you needed to be cared for.

When you were lying in the field, Debbie and Gina said your friends were all around you pushing the other horses away, they were protecting you. When they came along the horses left and we like to think that they were protecting you until help arrived. When John called me I asked him to stay with you and not leave you and I know he did.

When I arrived I was worried about all the other horses coming over and I wanted them shooed away, but I thought about it later and felt sorry I did that because of course my grief and my wishes are one thing, but you had your friends around you, the part of your life I didn’t entirely understand and of course we humans just don’t know enough about how you bond and communicate and understand each other so I hope I didn’t upset them or you when I didn’t want them near you.

I stayed with you for a long time, just kissing you, stroking you and closing your eye. And smelling you. I will never know that smell again. I was rather rude to Lacey when I first arrived at the yard, but I quickly apologised and I know she understood. Gina and Debbie have helped by telling how very brave you were and telling me enough of what happened as they know it to comfort me but not upset us.

Lacey kindly went and found the baby blue and navy rug that Bren bought you from Ireland and I covered you with that. I think I remember only putting it on you once but it was covered in your white hairs and I think it may have even had a bit of poo on it.

John thoughtfully already had some of your mane for me to keep and kindly took some of your beautiful tail for me too. I have them here at home and think I will plait them up for you – Lauren may need to help me.

John was my brick. I never ever questioned his judgement on looking after you. Quite a few times he made a point of saying – unquestioned – how he felt that I had done you proud and that you were a different pony to the one that first came home to Wickham Court. I do feel proud. I know I did the best I could by you my baby, and I always wanted people around you that would do the best by you – sometimes I was rather over protective and didn’t “give a little” but that was purely owing to the depth of love and care I have for you.

I feel slightly differently to John’s view, in that I did what you allowed me to do and continued to do what achieved results, in that you became happier, cheekier, more handsome and healthier the more I cared for you. John loved you, John cared for you and really cared about how much I wanted you to be loved and looked after to the point where he second guessed everything I did and truly helped me to be the best mum I could be to you. I will always love John for the love he showed both of us, and I know you will too.

Last night (14) I went back to your stable and tidied your bed and put some flowers on your bed that people had sent me. I didn’t want the flowers at home with me because they are for you and they should be where you lived so they are now laying on your straw and the bow that came with them is on your name plate on your stable door.

I had that name plate made in America because I was fixated that I had to buy you a slate name plate because you are grey. I found the man that made it on the internet and ordered it. I was so excited when it came, it was perfect and I had deliberated about what name to put on and whether it should be Herbie, Herbs or A Handful of Herbs. Herbs seemed right because I like the name so much.

People called you Herbie Glynn. That’s because one day when I was telling you off I said “Herbie Glynn will you stop” it’s because I used to call my cats Foggy Glynn and Izzie Glynn so calling you Herbie Glynn was a natural progression. The funny thing is that everyone else did it too and occasionally I would hear someone call you that and it would make me smile.

Just recently you had taken to cuddles and I adored it. When we went to the mounting block in the school you would turn your head to me as I stood on it and put all your weight on my lap and I would kiss and cuddle you like no other time you would let me because you were being a teenage boy – gerroff mum and stop being soppy. You would have stood for ages and ages at that mounting block letting me fuss over you just to be cute and avoid being ridden. I never let you off but loved those cuddles meant so much, they were so special.

I wrote an online diary of you, every event we went to was recorded there because i was so worried that there would be things I would forget. This year we did some dressage at Fickleshole and sponsored rides at Wye, Frensham and Warren Barn and we were booked to go to Speedgate in 2 or 3 weeks time. I haven’t written your blog for these events yet and a day ago I didn’t honestly know if I would but now I do, because I want to have a complete story, I’m just not sure when I will because writing this is more important right now.

Everything about you is so beautiful but your white eyelashes always melted me. No one but me will remember your leafy ears. When you were only six you had black marks on the back of your ears just like the veins on a leaf; they were the first dark bits to go white. I always wondered how white you would become as you got older, you certainly changed a lot in our 4 years together but I loved the silver white colour you were going, it wasn’t a creamy grey but a silver white colour.

Christmas 2006 I made up a pin board to put all my favourite pictures of you on with all of your rosettes. Everything is clamouring for space so I’m going to buy a huge photo frame and put all my pictures in that, and your rosettes can stay on the pin board where there will be more room.

I thought long and hard about your show name. I started with Irish names related to Guinness and things but decided I had to have a reference to Herbie in your show name and so came A Handful of Herbs. I was always proud to write that on a show entry form.

Just a week or so ago I bought you a new head collar, navy blue and very soft and I bought a new while, baby blue and navy lead rope to match. I put it on you but didn’t like it, and the girls at the stables thought I was mad until I made them look at you wearing it and they agree the old one was nicer, so I kept using that. Even John didn’t like the new one and said it without me even asking him. I’ve got our favourite one at home with your lead rope now.

Remember the hail storm? We were out with Coy and heading toward the common for a ride and saw big black clouds in the distance and deliberated on what to do. Then suddenly we saw fork lightning in the distance and decided to head up pig alley towards home. More thunder and lightning as we went up the bridle path and Sharon and I were very quiet as we walked back down Queensway. Half way down the heavens opened and the most awful hail storm started. Hail was pelting at us and some people in the house nearby were looking at us out of their window as we stood there waiting for it to pass. Sharon and I didn’t have a clue how you would be react but Coy just turned his bottom to the storm and as it got worse we turned our back to it too and you just stood there, not panicking, just standing waiting, not enjoying it, but not getting upset either. You were always such a good boy and times like that made me so so so unbelievably proud of you.

We were a team, a partnership and now I’m on my own without you. I am devastated. You are so handsome and so everything to me I can’t stop the tears streaming down my face.

Bren is worried that I will give up being involved with horses but I already know that I owe it to you not to do that. To give up being involved with horses would be letting you down and I could never do that. I have to keep going back to the yard because that is where you lived and so much of my life is there that not to go back would be like leaving you.

Today (16) and thankfully only two days later you are home now. Bren and I drove down and picked you up this morning. Bren immediately felt so much better and when we arrived there I just didn’t know whether I would be able to go in but I was blown away by how wonderful the man was. You always worry about someone looking after your baby because you know it won’t be how you would, but honestly little man I have nothing to regret about you being with those people. Your casket is so beautiful I broke down again, you name is engraved on it and it is written so beautifully, and your shoes are wrapped up for me and they look so beautiful. They even gave me a card for you with a poem inside. I am just overwhelmed and I was stroking you and blowing you kisses all the way home.

I wasn’t sure where I was going to keep you but last night I mentioned this to some friends at the stables as we all stood outside your door talking, and I said that Bren had mentioned the study. They agreed that this was a good idea because I have pictures there and when I thought about the fact that this is where I would have been when I thought about you most at home, printing pictures, writing the blog etc, I decided that the study is where you should be. Bren said we now call it Herbie’s room and not the study anymore.

I thought about taking you to your stable once you were with me and saying a few words there but to be honest that isn’t really going to be practical. Bless them Tony and Megan said they would help me do that if I wanted to.

I talked to the girls on Wednesday (14) about them having to ride on Saturday and that they must go to your pub and have a drink there and I would meet them and we would toast you. Lots of friends at the yard said they would come to the pub too even if they didn’t ride their horses there.

I also thought of organising a little show for all your friends to come to and we will have rosettes to give everyone with “Remembering Herbs” written on them. I would like to do that in remembrance of you because I can’t simply let you go because I owe you so much for everything you have given me. I talked to people about this last night and they thought it was a lovely idea and Tony reminded me of the show he organised at the yard last year so we are going to try to organise the same thing again for you and I am going to ask Kathie, Stan and Anita to come too. Bren is right when he says that “Remembering Herbs” isn’t quite the right thing to put on the rosettes so I think something like “Sponsored by Herbs” would be a good idea.

I’m going to put a photo book together too. I was going to do this a while ago and cover everything from the day you came home to our first red. Now I will include our pictures from Wye and Frensham this year too.
Not many people are that obsessed that they have a room in their house named after their horse and a separate car just for the stables. I have so many things of yours I just don’t know how I am going to cope with seeing everything. Your rugs, your numnahs, your bridles, your two saddles, your lorry, your pessoa, your feed, your veggies, your field boots, just everything was yours and about you. I have to stay strong and brave for you though don’t I? Because you were so brave for me.

I truly can’t believe you have gone. I’m so desperately sad that I have lost you just at the time when I had sorted so much out that I would be able to spend even more time with you. What did you do? You were only in the field about half an hour before it happened. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you all the time but I hope you know I stayed with you and looked after you. I hope you know that I would never ever leave you and that I thought and felt so desperately for you as soon as I knew you needed help. This was always unquestionable and unconditional. There would be no doubt that I would always be there for you, come what may.

It is simply not possible in this world for anyone to love their horse more than I love you. You were my world, my life, my priority, my every minute thought. I rang John if I ever forgot my phone and gave him a different number in case he had to contact me. My phone never left my side when I was away from you so I was always there if you needed me. I would sometimes check it at around 4pm and think to myself that you were fine because by then I knew you were in from the field and that if you had got yourself into trouble then I would know about it by then.

I could never bring myself to leave you and go on holiday so we went together instead. I came to see you every day when you were at Bell because not to was unthinkable, I remember how touched I felt when I walked into the barn that you were staying in and you yelled at me when I hadn’t even spoken and you didn’t know I had arrived until you saw me at that moment. There is just nothing more powerful that that swell of love that I felt.

I do believe you knew how much I loved you because I told you and you were so honest you would have believed me. I don’t think you would ever have doubted me, because I never doubted you.

You will never leave that special place you have in my heart that you settled into the first day I laid eyes on you. I will love you until the day I die and I hope I will see you again then. Until that time comes I will never stop thinking about you, caring for you, talking about you and reliving my memories of our time together. Until then, I hope you will also come to me in my dreams.

I love you with all of my heart my precious beautiful baby boy.

Other people loved you so much too, and I am overwhelmed at the reaction from people at the stables, my friends, Bren’s friends and the people we both worked with.

Your stable looks amazing. When I went to the stables yesterday I found cards left for us and that Kathie had left you flowers with a special note saying she loved you. By the time I left the yard I had spoken to so many people about you and more people gave me flowers for you. Lauren, Pat and Jo bought you a beautiful arrangement, Rachel gave you flowers and me a card from her and her family, and Hannah gave you flowers from her and Scampi. Liz, Fred’s mum gave you some beautiful lilies too and they are in your stable in water in the hope that the flowers will come out. I spoke with Chris today and she said John had never seen such a reaction, that’s how much people care about us and loved you. I’ve had lots of text messages for you, and I thought I would write them here too so here goes:

Hi Sarah. Give me a call when you can. Pls try not to worry, Thinking of you and herbs. If you need anything pls ask. Can come up to yard anytime. Love Sx (Sharon)

Sarah. Maxine just told me about Herbie. I’m so sorry 4 u. Can only imagine how upset u r. Luv lynn/ludo x

Oh my god I can’t believe wot I’ve just hard u poor thing. I no u hv lots of friends but if I can do anything 2 help ease the pain pls let me no. Take care. Linda x (Ludo)

So sorry to hear about herb. All you can do is think what a great life you gave him x (Anita)

So so sorry about herbie sa don’t know what else 2 say 2 u. i do know how u feel and its so unfair take care max and family x

Hi Sarah im v sad to hear bout herbie cant believe it god knows how you feel. We should hold a funeral 4 him. He was such a lovely horse. Take care. Luv Ruth x

Sarah im so so sorry to hear about Herbie I cant believe its happened am thinking of you. Sue xx (Marbee)
Sorry 2 hear about herb thinking of you sarah (Sarah & Jemma)

Im so sorry im really upset lots of love a and g (Alice & Grace)

Im so so so so so so so sorry i feel terrible luv a and g (Alice & Grace)

Hope ur ok hon. Cant stop thinking about u. Take care. Love u lots. Spk tom Cx (Chris)

There are no words 2 say how we feel 4 u and herbs. Love u sarah and we r here 4 u. Love Soph & Gina.

This message is for a few of you very special people. Others I don’t have numbers for but I will see. Times how much you understand that I love Herbs by 1000 and even then it’s not close. He was and is my world. Sincere love and gratitude to you for understanding what kind of relationship we had and for your messages. When you pass his stable, please blow him a kiss. Sx

Thank you for your lovely message, our thoughts are with you. Love Lacey xx

Love and respect u 4 your ability 2 respond when not expected to feelings for u both r real no one person or horse can ease your pain fan was upset as im sure many older ones were they r aware n will be unstable too (Linda & Maddy)

He’ll be sure 2 get loads of kisses from me. Much love Lx (Linda & Ludo)

sad (Dan)

We were all terribly sorry to hear about Herbs. I know how you feel even thought it must be much worse than losing Milton. Take your time getting yourself back together. See you when you come back. (Kev)

Hi, just want you to know i am thinking of you. If you need anything just let me know or i can pop round if you want me to Sxxx (Susie)

We are so sorry that you have lost herbie he was so precious to you. God bless love carrie and georgie xx xx

Very sorry to hear (sad) let me know if I can do anything here to help you out. Big hug, Stu

Hi Sarah, Thinkin bout you. Call if you would like to talk. Love S x (Sharon)

Hi hon, how r u feeling? Been thinking about you all day. Cx (Chris)

Hey hun. Ive sent you the show stuff I have at the mo. I hope today goes wel. Thinking of u x x x x (Tony)

Sarah, so sorry to hear the awful news, hope ur bearing up, good wishes from Debbie, lucie and ellie x

Hi Sarah. I’ve just heard about your boy. Soo sorry to hear. I hope you’re ok. Thinking of you Xxx (Steph)

Hi how r u doing – I can’t stop thinking abt u & herbs it all seems so unreal Hp2 c u sn. Lx (Linda & Ludo)

Honey it's rather late on Friday night and we’re going to the Fox tomorrow to have a drink and think about you. I was at the stables tonight and there is so much more to say, but for now, I will post these thoughts of mine about you, and the messages from others who are missing you already.

I love you. You will always be in my heart.

Everyone Loves Stella

2008-01-01T12:14:00.000Z

Click on this post to see three fabulous videos....

Speedgate Sponsored Ride

2007-10-12T20:55:00.000Z

Speedgate Sponsored Ride 16th October 2007 .......

We booked this ride before the holiday and its 5am finish so by the night before I wasn’t sure I could handle more driving and lorry loading but by the time the morning came I didn’t want to miss out so we set off again.

This ride was organised in July this year too but the take up was so overwhelming they had to turn away over 100 riders so I really wanted to check it out this time.

Apart from probably wondering whether their lives would now be a constant round of loading and unloading after the events of the last week the boys loading beautifully (Coy first time again!) and we arrived after a 45 minute journey.

At the beginning of the ride there were loads of jumps all looking rather scary and I would have had to be a lot braver than I am to attempt them, especially after no warm up. The rest of the ride before returning to the woods and jumps again was all off road around the edges of huge big inviting fields and I think was one of the best rides I’ve ever done, largely because Herbs was so chilled out and I felt so much more confident.

For almost 2 hours we walked, trotted and cantered according to the ground and I’m pleased to say there were loads of canter opportunities, I even managed a jump at the end of the ride and arrived back at the box with a very happy, sweaty horse.

I’m so glad I made the decision to do the ride because it was wicked, and I won’t hesitate to do it all again.

HE IS SUCH A GOOD BOY!!! ~very proud mum~

Coldblow revisited.........

2007-09-15T20:58:00.000Z

Coldblow – again! 10th to 15th September 2007

Well last year was such a success that we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go again so Sharon and I booked to take the boys back to Coldblow Farm in Detling for a week.

We booked to arrive on Monday 10th September and initially hoped that Chris would be able to join us for a day and evening so she could accompany us on a ride and have a few bevies with us at the cottage. Well, Chris didn’t manage the ride on account of the girls being at school and it looked like we might get even more company – read on for the details!

Having ridden the BBAG ride on the Sunday (see previous post) saddles and bridles stayed on board the lorry and once we got back we started to get everything else loaded so that we were almost ready to load the horses and go on the Monday morning.

As only girls can do, we did the good old Sainsbury’s shop on Sunday afternoon and came back to the yard with so much food and drink (non-alcoholic of course) anyone would have thought we were going for a month! So, having a mini panic attack I decided to take everything out of the lorry that wasn’t essential - “we don’t need this sponge do we?” – just in case the weight was a bit OTT once we were loaded. Completely ridiculous but it’s a Sarah thing – you wouldn’t understand.

So, we were surprisingly organised and set off (on time – hurrah!) at 11am on Monday. Oh, lest I forget – organised yes, knackered yes! Sharon had the really intelligent idea of completely clearing out her stable in the morning so guess who got roped into that?

The drive down was easy, fairly quiet and this time we didn’t go wrong. Just before 1pm we arrived and led two very chilled out horses into their stables. The lovely big barn was all ours for the week so we chose two lovely huge stables....

....and wandered off to check the fences before turning the horses out in their own big field.

In Herbie’s case, he could have the luxury of being bootless for a week because he and Coy are not likely to play or mess about together, so no sexy porn star look -naked except for black boots , get it? ;-)

The fences were fine, no loose stakes or anything but there was another small problem.

Sugar.

Sugar the Sheep.

Not entirely sure she should be there we checked with Dora who told us she was fine but lonely. Her mate Pickle died the day after they were both sheared and they were organising to put her back with a flock as soon as possible, Foot and Mouth movement restrictions permitting.

Turning the horses out with Sugar was hysterical. Neither one of the boys knew what to make of her and she kept running off into the bushes whenever they came near. We left them alone and set about unpacking the lorry. It’s only when we had to take it all out that we realised quite how much stuff we had, but within an hour we were unpacked and sitting outside our cottage watching the ponies in the field with a glass of red in our hand – oh, and texting everyone to tell them what we were doing whilst they were hard at work! I know, it’s a bit unkind but they all do it so why not!?

Every now and again both the boys would canter off toward the bushes, tails high, when they caught sight of Sugar, then leg it back the other way before settling down to eat again. Poor little Sugar was terrified!

After a busy weekend for them and us, we gave the boys the Monday off and brought them in from the field at about 7:30pm with bulging bellies and a lovely dinner to look forward to – except with Coy still being on a diet his was yummy but didn’t last as long!

One of the wonderful things about being away with the boys is that there is no need to drive anywhere. When your normal day is to load the car with work and horsey clothes, drive to the stables, then on to the station, do a day’s work, then back to the station drive to the stables, ride, feed, then drive home; it’s just so wonderful to have everything with you and not have to go anywhere – except on horses of course – so after feeding the boys and putting them to bed it was quite a novelty to wander back to the cottage and just sit there – again! – not having to do anything, go anywhere or organise anything – bliss! Dinner and more wine followed.............YUM!

Tuesday morning we fed the horses, turned them out, mucked out and set about working out a route for a nice long ride.

Dora and co have set up another TROT ride since last year so we settled on the Rattlesnake ride (if you don’t know what I mean you should have read last year’s blog so there) which we extended to take in the new off road ride which had beautiful views over the River Thames.

One thing that was really noticeable from the beginning of the ride was how much more chilled out Herbs was compared to last year when every hedge or garden wall had something scary behind it. This time, wandering along the road Herbs was really relaxed so he is obviously growing up!

The Rattlesnake part of the ride was stony as we expected and we didn’t get any chances to canter as the ground was so hard but at the top of the hill Mrs Map Reader (moi) took over to try to connect this part of the ride with the TROT part. We went wrong twice – but I knew we did so that’s ok :-)and finally found the gates we needed. Some mad woman was off wandering with a baby and a dog whilst leaving another load of dogs (must have been 30 of them, it sounded like it) in the back of a van in cages yelling their heads off right next to where we needed to ride, so once she came back, lobbed the baby in the back of the van and buggered off, we could continue.

The TROT ride isn’t extensive but a lovely welcome addition to the ride, and the boys got to stare out cows and freak at sheep so some good experience there! Coy nearly galloped off backwards down the hill when the sheep came running in our direction to get out of our way – mad, but that’s sheep for you. whoever said they were intelligent?

Of course no ride would be complete without a trip to the Hook and Hatchet so we made our way to the pub at the end of the ride for a well earned beer or two and some crisps for the horses. The weather was beautiful, lovely and dry but not too hot and after a short 30 minute ride we wandered into the yard at about 5pm, untacked the sweaty horses and turned them out for a couple of hours more grazing whilst we had a GnT.

It was a wonderful ride to start us off and the evening routine was another joyous combination of horses, dinner and vino with NO driving – bliss.

I was fairly snap happy on the day so here are the results:

Wednesday,

Time to tackle the underpass, be afraid, be very afraid.

We’ve done it once so we can do it again. That’s the attitude. Nice and confident.

Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A nice long route was planned for today, taking in two lovely underpasses beneath the M20. The ride down involved walking over some loggy things that are set at each end of a bridlepath to stop motorbikes etc. going down. Last year it was an effort to get Coy over these as they were for some reason ridiculously scary but this year he proved how much he has grown up too as he didn’t even seem to notice they were there.

The first underpass was very uninviting and both the horses froze when we asked them to walk underneath. After a few moments we decided to walk under in hand as they were becoming quite beside themselves with worry. Herbs was naughtily walking backwards when I asked him forwards and Coy was rooted to the spot so there was no point in forcing them.

From the other side, we made our way along another bridlepath which had a small log on the ground between two sections. To the left of this was a pallet up the bank and right alongside the log was a scary flower pot.

I asked Herbs forwards and all I was rewarded with was walking backwards again, little sod. This seems to be a new way of dealing with something scary and its only when they start doing it that you realise how hard it is to make them walk forwards against their will. I fought and fought and the whole thing ended up being a battle of wills. I was certainly not going to give up because, for one, walking backwards isn’t acceptable, and secondly, the objects in the way were not THAT scary – goodness me we’ve seen worse loads of times.

I think if Herbs had got his way his ideal would have just been to back off enough times that I let Coy go first – I think he just couldn’t be bothered to be the brave one. I wasn’t having it so after a while I managed to get him past everything quite nicely whilst proclaiming quite loudly that he was a complete tart.

Coy followed us along a nice bridleway that sloped downwards slightly and at the end it seemed compulsory to turn and canter back up it as the ground was so hard everywhere and you just never knew when you’d get another opportunity. It’s amazing how short these stretches are when you canter – we reached the end in no time!

A short ride through Bearsted and we spotted The Oak on the Green, nicely situated for a pint or two before the ride back. We planned a different route home and cut across a field (permitted!) for a nice canter before finding the underpass that would take us back over the other side of the motorway again. This direction and bridge was rather more inviting as it wasn’t as dark and I’m pleased that Herbs didn’t really think much before just wandering underneath. Yippee!

Then we had a nice canter along the Water Lane bridlepath, then walked through the lanes and up a steep hill to extend the ride onto the paths that come out opposite Coldblow Farm.

Now this bit was tricky because the map was quite clear but the land wasn’t. If only those people that spend so much time making sure maps are accurate would spend as much time making the land fit the maps we would be fine but oh no, signposts are completely unnecessary! A few wrong turns later we found what we were looking for, a rundown old shack with dogs yelling their heads off. Nice.

According to Dora it is dogs that make this route little used but she described a small path with a fence one side which the dogs would leap up at and a big fat tree the other, nicely placed to wallop your knee on so we knew we were in the right place.

As luck would have it the dogs couldn’t get to the fence but the fence was corrugated and the light was shining on it so whilst not being bothered at all about the horrendous noise the dogs were making Herbs was too blinking scared to go past the scary shining lights – such a weed/wooss (how the hell DO you spell that?/tart - so we had the walking backwards routine again which made his mother rather cross! Needless to say, after borrowing Sharon's crop and being a little threatening he did walk down the scary scary track in the lead despite it taking a little while to get him to “WALK FORWARDS!”

The spritely Sharon did a bit of fence repair a little farther on and we returned to the farm in one piece and having thoroughly enjoyed our day quite a few hours later!
We got company on Wednesday when two other girls, Nina and Mel turned up with their horses Max and Harry. They were camping and their horses living out so we moved our boys to a different paddock so that they were nearer theirs whilst they grazed overnight. They were a bit looney too so we got on well!

Thursday....

No grazing for the boys Wednesday evening as we were back so late so Thursday we took a plod in the other direction for a ride through the woods then onto the Hook and Hatchet for chill out time. The ponies had worked so hard the last two days we thought it only fair to have a bit of a breather, and Chris was due to visit with the girls so we didn’t want to get back too late.

As it was they arrived as we were untacking so we turned the ponies out and then got the BBQ going before bringing them back in for bed. The girls had school Friday morning so Chris had to take them back home but promised to come back Friday evening with Gina for a boozy night and left with a lovely long shopping list.

Friday...

Sharon felt less than perfect in the morning - AND IT WASN'T ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FOOD! but we set off for a reasonably long ride and thought we’d just see how we got on. We hadn’t intended to stay Friday night but on account of the girls coming down we booked to stay for longer so it seemed only right to get another long ride in.

We worked out a route than gave us as many cantering opportunities as possible (not that we're speed freaks) and set off once again for the underpass – albeit the nice one. Hey? We’re experts. No dramas this time, the horses took it relatively in their stride and we headed back down to The Oak on the Green.

It was kill or cure for Sharon and she felt surprisingly better afterwards – work that one out!

The ride back was lovely, long soft canters with chilled out horses and a perfect end to a perfect week.

The riding at Coldblow isn’t the best in the world but then I reckon you would go a long way before you found somewhere that offered such wonderful facilities (and pubs!) as well as all off road riding.

Our horses are very used to roads and in fact the drivers in the Detling area are so considerate and the roads so quiet it is far less stressful than negotiating the roads at home.

The grazing at Coldblow is lovely, we have a cottage to ourselves and Dora, Jeff and the team are very relaxed so it’s a very easy break for us. They have a lovely sand school but we didn’t use it once which is nothing short of a miracle considering what we’d be doing at home, and I truly believe the horses enjoyed the break just as much as we did.

On that point, Herbs continued his relaxed mood all week and he really was a different horse to ride compared with last year. At the grand age of 9 I suppose the effort of taking him to so many new places over the last few months has paid off and he is relaxing more in new situations – bless – he’s just getting cheeky with the backwards thing!

That about does it for an account of the holiday, with one exception – the party.

We knew that drinking with Gina would be a new kind of experience but I don’t think any of us was really prepared it. Here are the highlights....

1. Decided to take pictures of all of us wearing glasses and a stern expression – go figure (Chris couldn’t do it) ...
2. Decided to ---- --- ---- -- and take pictures of our ---- anyone good at hangman? – Oh, Chris? I still have that picture, sorry, I couldn’t find the delete button ;-)
3. Sarah and Gina chased each other around the cottage and fell over in a heap on the floor
4. Gina kept topping up Jeff’s wine glass (he’d only come out of the house to check on the chickens) and ended up making him sick
5. Jeff’s daughter rang him to find out if he was ok as he had left the house hours ago
6. Dora thought it was the unpasteurised soft cheese that Jeff ate before bed that made him ill ;-)
7. Gina dropped a massive plate of salad onto the floor outside then jumped in it several times
8. Chris spent all evening tell me she loved me and trying to delete aforementioned picture – but was too pissed to succeed
9. Sharon was so smashed she missed her mouth with a marshmallow and kept asking us to get her something but we couldn’t understand what she wanted so just ignored her and left her alone to mumble. Finally found out she wanted a quilt
10. Chris and Sharon tried to put the sofa bed together when drunk – hopeless
11. I was Little Miss Perfect all evening as I was driving the lorry the following day so didn’t drink too much and I didn’t do anything stupid and no-one will ever know if I’m telling the truth or not because I’m the only one who can edit this blog so there
12. Gina and Chris said Sharon and I could have a lie in the next day and they would put the boys out

Finally, the evening ended at 5am with everyone crashing out and doing lots of snoring.

The fun continued the following day:

1. Gina and Chris DIDN'T put the boys out - yeah what a surprise!
2. Gina was nearly sick whilst mucking out and had to keep sticking her head out the door for fresh air.
3. Chris was rough, rough, rough
4. Sharon just looked vacant most of the day and had the cheek to fall asleep on the way home – so much for co-pilot!

We arrived back at the yard at about 5pm. Knackered but safe, and settled the horses into their lovely familiar beds. We all had a great time and I think half the yard wants to come next year!

Maybe we can sneak in another visit in the Spring????.............

Here are the rest of the pics...........

Bromley Bridleways Access Group Ride

2007-09-09T17:36:00.000Z

BBAG ride 9th September 2007 ....

This was to prove a busy weekend, having taken Tony and Sophie to a show on the Saturday and what with thinking about packing for a holiday the following week, we also decided we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go on the BBAG ride that was put on locally.

The ride was similar to the Pearl Anniversary Ride that we did last year, in the same area but with slight changes to the ride and with the whole thing being ridden backwards to the route we took last year.

Herbs and Coy are pretty chilled out now when we go to new places as we’ve given them quite a lot of experience recently but this was the first time that Coy loaded first time without halting at the bottom of the ramp - go boy go! What a good lad, he didn’t even blink, just wandered straight up.

The journey was easy, just 20 minutes away and the ride was lovely. The ground was quite hard but there were opportunities in places that we took full advantage of.

I remember doing this ride last year and standing at the start of the ride with Herbs trembling like scaredy custard but not this year, he was as cool as a cucumber and we had a great time.

Rosette and Bucks Fizz later I remember saying to Sharon that this was the first sponsored ride type of event that I have really relaxed on and felt totally in control and at one with the boy.

It can only get better from here.....

Our First Red

2007-07-27T15:39:00.000Z

On Saturday 18th June we started preparing for the Warren Barn Showing Show that was to be held on Sunday 19th.

Everything was going well until the heavens opened and two bedraggled ponies came in from the field looking less like they were ready for a showing show and more like a couple of hippos who had been wallowing in mud for a week.

Never mind, Herbs’ mane still got plaited and the lorry loaded ready for a relaxing start the following day.

Sunday proved to me that plaits should be sewn, Herbs having rubbed his overnight and created a nice bushy effect at the bottom of each one which made it very hard to roll them up. Coy was quite firm about plaits being for puffs and objected in the form of sticking his nose just everywhere it shouldn’t be whilst we were desperately trying to band and roll.

Anyway, a beautifully plaited tail courtesy of Alex later, we headed off for Warren Barn at 11am – which was fitting with our usual levels of punctuality since we’d planned to head off at 10:30am.

Warren Barn is 30 mins away and after an easy journey we arrived, settled the horses with haynets and got ourselves booked into the Show Hunter and Cob Championship classes with Herbs and Coy respectively.

Oh, lest I forget – this was of course after much second washing of Coy’s tail because he gets rather loose when travelling and by the time we arrived it was looking rather green…..it’s amazing how grass and hay comes out looking pretty much the same as before it went in!

My turn to “exhibit” arrived first after a nice leisurely Tia Maria and Coke for the nerves and we both headed for Ring 3.

The order of the day was a walk trot and canter on both reins as a group and Herbs behaved perfectly. The other horses looked rather lovely, some with particularly flowing paces and looking like they had come straight from the dressage arena; coupled with perfect plaits and perfectly attired riders, in tweed jackets and stocks. We looked lovely enough, but the show jacket and wonky plaits did stand out in comparison!
After the first bit we lined up and were asked to walk away, trot back, do an individual show and gallop at the end.

We went last of the 5 and did our bit fairly successfully. I decided to ride a 3 loop serpentine to show trot on both reins, and on the first bend Herbs obliged with a lovely canter (whoops) so I kept that thank you, and did a good job of pretending I asked for it! Consequently we cantered a left circle, picked up trot for the 3 loop then cantered a right circle, followed by a gallop at the end.

I had convinced myself long before this stage that we wouldn’t get placed very highly as the others looked rather more the part, but what do I know???
Clearly nothing, since after a final wander around the judge called me and the boy in first. I thought perhaps she was calling us in reverse order which wouldn’t be usual but you never know! We were presented with a lovely red rosette and a trophy no less, and the judge said we stood out from the rest because Herbs did everything I asked of him when I asked, wasn’t pulling or heavy in the hand, gave me a good seat and stayed sensible in amongst the group which is exactly what is needed when out hunting. I was delighted, and fear I may have slapped Herbs a little too hard in appreciation!

Sharon also did extremely well with Mr Coy, getting a lovely blue second place rosette in the Cob championships. Mr Coy was rather hard work in the group ride but came into his own on the individual show with some lovely canter work and a nice example of trotting on the bit so well done to them. Oh, and we mustn’t forget that Coy didn’t tank off at any stage, a particular bonus since they were working in an arena full of jumps so he could easily have decided that the class was cross country instead. Enormous progress!

The drive home was lovely, no red lights! We arrived back at the yard in time to sort out the lorry and put the boys to bed with lovely big dinners and fat hay nets.

All in all – a very successful day!!!

Here are a few more amateur pics of the day....

Speedgate

2007-07-22T17:35:00.000Z

Speedgate Open Show – Sunday 22nd July 2007

Saturday: Quick ride up the common, lots of lovely canters as the group was lovely because of the amount of rain we’ve had. Boys in the field. Trip to the local tack shop, then of course, the pub for a quick (yes we were only there an hour this time!) lunch, then armed with a bowl of carrot peelings from chef which is now a weekly present for the boys, we headed back to the yard, got the lorry ready, got the boys in from the field and started the painstaking process of plaiting and fluffing ready for the Showing Show at Speedgate.

Stop Press……………. We set off on time! 8:30am and we were on the road, and arrived at 9:30am after a really easy journey.

Our first class was at 11am, the show started at 9am and by the time we arrived the showground was packed and we thought about turning around and going straight home - Oh my god how posh was this do?! I don't think we saw a smile on anyones face all day they were so serious. Anyway...

We both entered the Open Riding class at 11am and both came bottom of the pack, I managed to squeeze a rosette but to be honest the other riders should have been at Olympia or Hickstead so we were just happy to have sensible horses who did their best.

Next, we split up. Coy for the Cob class and me for the Ridden Hunter class. It started going a bit wrong when the boys wouldn't stop yelling at each other across the show ground but chilled out as we are we just thought it was funny. I have a feeling some of the other riders considered the behaviour rather rude but they can stuff off :-D

The boys went really well in both their classes with Coy picking up the rosette this time and Herbs and I coming 7th and 3rd from last in the Ridden Hunter.

I was very pleased with Herbs on the day, he didn't misbehave at any time and certainly didn't buck in the show ring unlike one of the others that got placed ahead of us.

Go figure....

Another Off

2007-06-10T17:34:00.000Z

Another off……… 10th June 2007

Popped over the tree root, jumped the nice log on the floor, then prepared to slow down for the end of the bridlepath when..... WALLOP.... straight over his head and hit the deck. Goodness knows what he saw and spooked at but it did happen mid canter this time and I saw his hooves heading my way. Fortunately horses are very clever at avoiding you when you’re on the floor so he stopped short and by the time I had got up he was happily munching on the ferns. My brain rattled in my head a bit and I had slightly dodgy vision for a couple of minutes but I didn’t hit any trees so this “off” scored 10 in the unplanned dismounts ratings.

Bloody sore the following couple of days and with some lovely scratches but otherwise, just another to add to the growing collection…………

Warren Barn Pleasure Ride

2007-05-27T17:35:00.000Z

Warren Barn Pleasure Ride - 7th May 2007

After Frensham we had no doubts about doing this – except the last time I was here I fell off after 10 minutes and ended the ride there.

The problem was a steep down hill track through the woods that Herbs decided to canter -being young and unbalanced the whole ride blew his mind a bit and a particularly nasty tree branch sticking out on the left had me off.

This time I was a little nervous but much more confident in Herbs. The trouble is, you go back somewhere where you had a drama and no matter how far you’ve come, until you “bury the ghost” it’s always in the back of your mind.

I was assured however, that the route had changed since the last time I rode there, apparently because there were quite a few dramas on the downhill, so I didn’t actually expect to encounter it.

The journey there is easy and we were quite chilled out until I realised I’d left my body protector at home. Now I NEVER ride out without wearing it, owing to past experiences, and to have come to a cross country ride without it was a bit stressy.

Fortunately, some friends from the yard had excess body protectors (somehow?!) so I borrowed one and prepared to set off.

We kept the first part of the ride sensible, as usual, and Herbs and Coy were very well behaved. Then we found the water………… Well we were warned at the start that the water ditch was deep “because someone left the tap on overnight” – huh?? But this was something we just had to get the boys through – an opportunity not to be missed.
Ok, here comes the embarrassing bit. Herbs doesn’t care about water, puddles large and small don’t exist to him when we’re out riding, in fact sometimes when I want to keep his legs dry it’s an effort to make him walk round them because he doesn’t understand why he cant just go straight through.

Coy on the other hand used to hate water; puddles and soggy mud were a big no no. Over the last year or so he has overcome much of his fear through gentle encouragement and sometimes pure persuasion so one would think that a water ditch would be a bit of a scary event for him.

No.

No, No, No.

Herbs wouldn’t even approach it, and when pushed on simply kept backing up – oh the shame! Whereas Coy continued to take tentative steps, often backing out sideways once his feet were wet but the brave lad didn’t give up. Herbie by contrast stood rooted to the spot and kept going backwards if I tried to encourage him past a certain point – his legs weren’t even wet!

After much encouragement from Sharon and a risky bit of wading from Tara (not to mention hysterics from Mandy on the other side of the water – who incidently was getting this on video!) Coy finally took the big plunge and got about a third of the way through. This was followed by a longing look at the side of the ditch (not a good way out) and a hasty retreat but two girls on other horses were hard on our heels and came to the rescue.

A lead proved invaluable and once the other two horses had gone across Coy was far braver. I took the opportunity to practically shove Herbs’ nose up the bum of the last horse and together, the woosy grey man and his ‘genuinely scared of water but oh so brave’ buddy made it through. Not only that, the cheeky so called tough Irishman got to the otherside first!

The ride through was not without its interesting points as Coy realised that the water was way past his knees and splashing up to private parts that simply shouldn’t be splashed! Herbs was a little less worried being bigger but I just cant get over the fact that he plain made up his mind that no way was he going to be brave – “me mate can do that”.

Well, after the drama, another ride through was essential and this was drama free – who knows what will happen next time we face a water ditch though???

Next, just up the hill and across a field, we DID come across that scary downhill “ghost”. So much for the route having changed, I was a bit jumpy about it but the woods had been cleared away so much that the path through is now really wide which made me feel a lot better about it. Consequently, the walk down was uneventful.

The rest of the ride was lovely, lots of beautiful countryside, and perfectly well behaved ponies.

For what must be the millionth time in the blog I must say; schooling, a good bond, trust, love and time really does pay off. If you put enough effort it, they will listen to you and give the same effort back.

The ride finished with a horseshoe jump which I must admit I was debating. As I rode towards it I decided it looked a bit scary but then again where better to fall off than where there are a million people to pick you up? Ok, it would be grossly embarrassing but I'm sure I was also quite buoyed up about doing it as the ride had been so much fun.

Herbs gave it a good look and jumped it a bit wonky but since that was 100% me thinking “will he, won't he” I am proud that we did.

I didn’t buy these pics because they are not that good, but for the blog, have a nosey.

Frensham Sponsored Ride

2007-04-22T17:05:00.000Z

On 22nd April – having had a few days of nervousness, we set off from the farm at about 7am for a trip across to Guildford for the annual Frensham Sponsored Ride. I rode this about 10 years ago whilst still a novice and whilst I enjoyed it immensely I was nervous about doing the ride on Herbs too soon as it can easily been seen as a bit of a party for horses and I'm too old to want completely looney rides these days!

Well the drive was 2 hours and the boys were as good as gold during the journey, despite there being diversions to the route we had planned and the last 30 minutes being lots of windy roads and low branches.

The ride was well organised and we parked on a lovely flat field with lots of tie up space but we were a little late – what’s new there then? Our start time was 9:05am but the stewards weren’t bothered and we were able to set off when we were ready.

The ride has over 40 optional jumps, some of which are right at the beginning so it’s impressive when people jump them because the horses aren’t even warmed up at that stage, needless to say we didn’t attempt them!

The ride was lovely; sandy tracks and a wide variety of jumps but we stuck to flat riding so as not to excite the horses too much on such a big ride. Maybe next year they will have grown up even more and we can trust them not to get too silly.

Sadly the photo jump was a rather large uninviting (for newcomers anyway) hedge with nice bright flowers by the side so not only could the horses not see over it but it was altogether rather colourful and scary so we had to leave that one too.

Both horses were very well behaved since there were over 600 taking part and whilst Herbs insisted on getting up the bums of whoever was in front on the first part of the ride he settled down nicely after the refreshment stop about two thirds of the way round.

The ride off from the stop was rather amusing as it started with a steep up hill canter which Coy decided to run up sideways resulting in his heading off in completely the opposite direction to where he was supposed to go and Herbs getting rather confused and leaning that way too! Once successfully corrected we headed to the top of the hill, arriving with two rather puffed out horses.

The rest of the ride was quieter, the ride having spaced out quite nicely and our boys were very good when other riders cantered up behind us and jumped whilst we rode alongside.
All in all we couldn’t ask for more and arrived at the finish in one piece and confident that the boys will take any ride of this kind in the future in their stride.

Here are a couple of pictures that John kindly took after we’d finished.

Prelim 1 & 10

2007-04-08T17:34:00.000Z

Fickleshole – Prelim 1 & 10 - 8th April 2007

Oh why do we do it? Not only do you have to plait up and look gorgeous you have to learn the test too. Well stuff that, call on the services of dearest Chris to call for you and as long as you have a rough idea of what you’re doing you can’t go far wrong – ahem, read on to Prelim 10 and you’ll know that’s crap!

Prelim 1 came first and Herbs warmed up quite nicely. I was pleased to receive comments from a couple of friends that hadn’t seen Herbs in a while who said that I was riding much better and that Herbs had changed and grown up an awful lot – all that flat work is paying off!

The test went ok and apart from nearly nipping out of the arena on one part when the plastic markers got a little scary and doing the banana dance a bit in the corners we rode the test quite respectably and were awarded 3rd place – behind, I must say, two very good horses.

Prelim 10 involved a canter across the diagonal which we proudly achieved (outside rein, outside rein!) and I must admit I thought I had done ok as there was so much that could have gone wrong but the points on the board didn’t reflect how well I thought we had gone and I was quite disappointed. I felt better though, when despite Chris’s brilliant calling I realised I had gone wrong and returned to the wrong marker after a movement so it was quite justified that we came 7th.

If I had a decent memory and could rely on myself to remember the test before, and during riding it I think I would do more dressage, but so much effort has to be put in and with only 2 or 3 minutes to impress the judge I think the whole thing is a bit of a lottery really.

Which means… all credit to those who do it and perform consistently well. I know what’s involved!

Here are some pics of the event, courtesy of my camera, and the exceptionally photography of dear Alex who is being dragged to these events quite regularly by Jo!

First, here are some pics of the training we did the day before....

and here are some taken on the day itself....

finally, here is Mr Curly Tops after the hard work, bless xx

Bridleways should have traffic lights...........

2007-03-31T19:42:00.000Z

"I'm slowing down for the old woman's a*se!"

"Ok, thought you might"

[back to trot for a bit, then pick up canter again once past old woman's a*se]

"Oh ****"

other rider "are you ok"

"yeah"

"if you are anything like me you've had lots of practice"

[Coy laughing] [Herbs wondering what I'm doing on the deck in front of him]

Yep, you got it, another off.

But.... if only bridleways had traffic lights then you could have a lovely canter (would still have to slow down if old woman's a*se in the way) but you WOULD NOT MEET ANOTHER RIDER ON THE SAME PATH FOR YOUR HORSE TO SPOOK AT WHICH CONSEQUENTLY ENDS UP WITH YOU ON THE DECK!

There we were, two lovely canters behind us and enjoying the third when I spotted a woman leaning into her car (a*rse sticking out) as we rounded the bend. Sensibly, I slowed Herbs down and trotted just in case she suddenly decided to jump up (old but could be spritely) and spook him. Succeeded in zero spook, picked up the canter again and within a few strides the chap caught sight of another rider kind of through the bushes and did silly things.

I don't actually know what the silly things were but they were enough for me to experience that "it's ok I'm staying on" moment, very quickly followed by "ah, feck I'm not", in between looking at the ground and seeing a nicely positioned tree stump and very quickly working out where I didn't want to fall.

The only place left (apart from risking impalement - ok it wasn't sharp but it wouldn't have been pleasant) was the path right in front of Herbs. Fortunately he doesn't tend to move a step when I fall off and he just stood still looking at me with a bored expression on his face.

The other rider who didn't use the traffic light system kindly waited until I was on board before moving off, lest Herbs decide to follow and trample me, and we went on our way.

Only one thing left to do - the pub was lovely and local...... :-)

Sun, rain, wind....... pub!

2007-03-04T18:54:00.000Z

Me and the little grey man have been out and about this weekend.

Saturday has been glorious so a trip to the pub was in order - no, we don't take EVERY opportunity, just most :-0

My friend Chris has started to share a horse at my yard (it's so great she is back in the saddle again) so four of us - Sharon and Coy, Chris and Edward, Ruth and Ruby and of course me and the chap ventured off to the local common for a few wet and soggy canters with the sun shining beautifully.

We had a great ride, although Edward was a little naughty, and it was lovely to turn the horses out in the afternoon for a few hours of munch time with the sun shining on their backs.

By the time they came in Herbs was practically asleep on his feet from having such a full tum and there is nothing nicer than a happy horse at the end of a sunny day.

Sunday, Sharon and I rode out with Jo and Kiko. Kiko is a newcomer to the yard and just a baby rising 5. We took our usual route and nothing, but nothing fazed him. He is such a star! There were the 8 and 9 year old Herbs and Coy saying "ooo what's that scary thing" occasionally and Kiko just wondered what all the fuss was about!

We met lots of traffic as we took in a bridlepath around the local ponds but they all behaved like superstars. It was, however, rotten weather. We arrived back at the yard absolutely drenched and had to give the ponies time to dry off before turning them out in their lovely warm rugs to get wet again!

During preparation for bed, and cosy in his jim jams I took a few pics, and there are also some from a few days ago taken in the field and stable yard.

Herbs is so photogenic - lol. Spot the odd one out!

Beautiful Bedgebury.......

2007-02-04T19:43:00.001Z

When at Coldblow Farm last September we learned lots about TROT rides (Tollrides Off-Road Trust) as it turns out the farm is the headquarters for a group of people who dedicate time, energy and money to working with land owners across the country to set up routes across their land that riders can use to keep away from the traffic and connect to local bridleways. TROT enables riders to ride land that would otherwise be private and hack for hours across beautiful countryside. Check out this site for more details: http://www.tollrides.org.uk

So, we had planned to ride out in Bedgebury one day between Christmas and New Year but Mr Coy put paid to that by breaking his bit in half when he got a little spooked so we had to postpone the event in favour of buying new bits of tack!

Finally, after another false start when we realised we didn't have a gate key, we booked with Dora at Coldblow to travel down on Sunday 4th February. Armed with hatbands, the ever important gate key and lorry sticker and for the extortionate cost of £5 each - this is break the bank stuff - not - we arrived at the yard, mucked out and loaded the lorry ready for the trip.

The boys got dressed in their sexy travelling boots and rugs - Herbs has an exceptionally sexy poll guard which makes him look like a complete tart but he hasn't yet seen himself in a mirror wearing it and the other horses don't let him hear them laughing so he doesn't realise - when I remember to take a picture I'll post it and you'll see what I mean!

So... timings. We intended to leave at 10am - and were away at 10.30! Not bad huh? I reckoned the journey would be an hour and a half and it was exactly that. The boys travelled like pro's again and we arrived in the dedicated box park at midday.

Herbs sweated up dreadfully but the fabulous secrets of the Thermatex rug www.thermatex.co.uk meant his saddle area was lovely and dry. Whilst we settled the horses with a hay net and nose around the park, Sharon and I had a very important tipple before setting off. The park was quite busy and some riders returned whilst we were about to set off. They had ridden hunting pace and trotted and cantered wherever possible and managed the ride we were going to do in about 50 minutes. Now to the maps....

Well, to start with there is a nice red ride on the map which we thought we'd do first, and see how time goes. The green ride joins to the red so we could always take that route to extend the ride depending on time and good behaviour (from the horses not us). The rides are marked out on the land with the red ride being - orange (?) and the green one being - green (seems sensible).

Mounted and with "Wow this is new" faces on the horses we set off confidently and found the first orange sign, left we went, then kind of left again, a bit of right, then trotted up a hill - and found ourselves back where we were when we took the first left - some nice people on foot kindly pointed out that we were back pretty much where we stated, after like, 15 minutes.

Much map consultation later we rode on and tried to follow the orange signs but they seemed to be a bit thin on the ground - I think someone went round and nicked them all before we set off. Following our noses - big mistake, we ended up on a road dithering about which way to go and a fella came to our rescue. Needless to say we were absolutely nowhere near where we thought we were. But we had a plan!

Ok, so we got most of the red (sorry orange) ride wrong but we knew we could extend onto the green (yes, that's green) ride so a little later along a path a lovely green sign appeared - eureka! Hmmm, then came what looked like a lovely canter which was begging to be ridden so we had a lovely spurt up a small hill and the track went on, and on, and on - just wonderful! Herbs was a little strong but sensible and toward the top of the track we flew through some water which of course is Coy's worst nightmare. Still he did us proud and flew threw the lots without Sharon flying in a different direction so all praise to the little man.

Now we were on confident ground, a plethora of little green signs and we were off on a mission. After riding for quite some time over a mixture of soft ground and tracks we passed Louisa Lake (which we were meant to come across when we were still on the red/orange route - oh well.... and then realised we were at the nice long canter spot again. You guessed it - it had to be done! Well this time my boy was a dream, we had a lovely sedate canter all the way through and he was sooooooooo sensible - kisses aplenty for the chap :-)

Ok, so we thought we were going to have to walk back down the track we cantered but nah, suddenly it worked out that for the first time in the whole ride we knew exactly where we were and trotted back to the box park.

Happy ponies now settle with more hay and tack loaded we got the lunch out (oh yes, we remembered to bring food for ourselves this time - very uncommon!) and checked the map to see where we had ridden.

Hmmm, we didn't ride where we thought we had at all, and in fact we did practically the whole thing completely the opposite way around to what we'd intended. So what, we got back didn't we??

At the box park we got chatting to a couple who had ridden out across the forest and beyond armed with 1:25000 maps and compasses so maybe I ought to brush up on my orienteering skills - they got me a bit interested in Trek riding too so that's something I might try some time soon - watch this space.

We had intended to leave Bedgebury at 3pm so that we were back at the yard when it was still light but we are useless and left at 4:20 instead. Coy and Herbs loaded beautifully again and we set off back home. We likened driving with the boys on board to driving the kids home from somewhere when they are sleeping in the car - they were so quiet you wouldn't even know they were there.

It was an easy (if a little cold until we persuaded the lorry heating to start working) and after driving the last part in the dark we arrived back home safe and sound just before 6pm.

Unbelievably, we had the horses rugged up and settled in their stables pretty quickly, sorted out the lorry and were away home just after 7pm so I think we're finally getting our organisation organised!

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the event, owing to some thieving gits nicking my camera at New Year - this is a story in itself that I still have to write about but all will be revealed in the next week or so when I write about our New Year ride - I'm going backwards with this Blog!

Kisses to horses for a superb day, and we look forward to the next one. As for the boys, I'm guessing they are now dreaming of grass and twigs to chew tomorrow.......

Bedgebury is thoroughly recommended, and all riders should be encouraged to investigate TROT rides in their area as they really do open up the riding opportunities.

www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury

Happy hacking!!

Where did my fur go?????

2006-10-23T19:30:00.000Z

"It itches, I've got bumps, I'm bald and I feel stupid - so why does Mum keep saying I'm lovely now??? "

21st October - the clip and rug spend extravaganza. Poor Herbs, I just had to clip him, he was starting to get so sweaty during the evening training in the school that I just knew this year that it had to be done. Last year it wasn't necessary but then he wasn't working as hard as he is now and we had a real winter that we haven't seen any signs of this year. So, the decision was made and armed with my clippers the job started. Herbs was a dream, I don't think he moved once during the hour and a half that it took, just stood there and dealt with it. Bless. But, it did mean that a new purchase was necessary as the clip would put him in rugs a littler earlier than normal so I bought a new lightweight turnout as I have one, but don't like it very much and any downpours leaves you with a wet rug the following day so having two is a wise move. (plus I like buying but we won't talk about that :-) )

I think he is lovely clipped, so much less work and much less worry about whether he is put to bed so warm he sweats in the night.

22nd October - "rain rain rain, I'm Irish, but that doesn't mean I don't prefer the sun!" - thank god he is clipped and riding in the wet in the evening doesn't cause even more dramas with drying off. BUT - he is not impressed with having no fur in the field and is consequently honing his rolling blinking skills and coming in like a walking mud pat.

BBAG Pearl Anniversary Ride

2006-10-23T19:29:00.000Z

Before the fabulous holiday Sharon and I were very very tempted to book to do the BBAG Pearl Anniversay Ride. For me it seemed like a great opportunity to see how far Herbs and I had come with regard to trust and control. Control is a funny thing. As a rider you want it but I have always wanted a partnership kind of control, a respect rather than fear or force.

These thoughts take me back a bit to one time when I rode Herbs in the school and he spooked at something and bolted to the other end of the school. I was mortified that I used the bit to stop him as I knew he was genuinely scared but at the same time you really do have to look after yourself.

These days I have such a bond with my boy that any "oi!" or "will you just behave" voice commands don't freak him out or scare him like they once would. In the early days I had to really control my actions with him as whilst mounted he would react very badly to even the kindest "oi!".

Now, he is far less worried. Not cocky though. I can "oi!" without a reaction but if my short crop moves it's panic stations!!

I think we have an amazing bond. Herbs know how far to push me without making me cross, and I have to say its a very long way and I will forgive him every time if I can because I am very aware that we humans have such unnatural expectations of these animals to which herd and flee are first instincts.

Having come this far, it was a definite that we would book in for the ride despite my slight worries!

The BBAG represent riders around the Bromley area, and work hard with the local council and other groups to maintain existing bridleways and have land prepared for new ones. They have been in operation for 30 years and frankly at £5 per year I consider my subscription a bargain.

Their 30th Anniversary Ride was set for 18th September and I must confess I was tempted by the ride AND the stunning rosette I would get at the end.

Sharon and I prepared the lorry the night before as usual so that we felt a little more organised on the day and could concentrate on the horses. We wanted to get there fairly early as it's always good to set off when there are fewer horses around and the event is quieter. We failed. Not badly but we ALWAYS seem to take forever to get things together, partly because once away from work it's nice to relax and not be ruled by time as is the norm. Finally we got away about 45 minutes later than we'd planned which was a pretty good effort.

The boys had loaded like pro's as they always do - it was nice to get a comment some time ago from a friend at the yard who said that it was a pleasure to see the boys load as we have the good fortune to be able to load two very very good horses who have no dramas and have such a good bond with us and each other that they just take it all in their stride.

Talking of bonds, this is probably a good time to talk about how Herbs and Coy feel about each other as buddies. They are not. They tolerate. They use each other for bravery. They give each other "the look" far more often than true buddies would. Oh, and Coy lifts his leg when Herbs gets too close. But then Herbs always gets too close and Coy is back ended so thats forgivable.

In general, they get along beautifully. The will happily eat from the same haynet and drink from the same bucket, together, at the same time, but I would say they are associates rather than friends. They are ridden together very often and are turned out together after the ride at the weekend and will then stick together in the field knowing they will be brought in together. But during the week, when they are turned out separately, they wont really have anything to do with each other. So their relationship is based on familiarity and routine rather than a real bond with each other in the horsey world.

They will worry where the other is during loading onto the box and show obvious signs of comforting each other when they are in unfamiliar places but thats about it.
I think it's a good thing that they are how they are. You want your horse to be an individual but to have a mate for comfort when they most need it, like being spooked when out on a ride. It's nice that they can learn from each other too. Coy is now much more confident walking through puddles which he used to consider absolutely terrifying, that may just be growing up and confidence but it certainly helps when the horse they are with takes it in his stride and Herbs doesn't care about puddles. Herbs is also learning to be less stressed when out on a ride. Again, that may just be about growing up but it's great that he has a brave soldier by his side when he's scared.

Now, onto the ride....

We arrived at the farm where the pleasure ride started and parked up when it was still quite quiet - despite being later than we wanted ;-).

There were a couple of boxes there and we were able to quietly unload the boys and relax a bit before tacking up. The beauty of these rides is that the BBAG organisers are there on site whilst you ride so there is little worry about leaving your box and belongings there when you ride.

We tacked up and prepared to set off with a mindset of keeping the ride quiet so as not to excite the horses too much. This was to be part of their training from the point of view of "this is fun because we are somewhere different but not a party" - a term I've adopted from a trainer at the yard!

We walked to the starting point which was a large field and bless him, Herbs was shaking all over with nervousness. We started to walk around the field and he settled but we were constantly aware of other horses ahead ("I want to catch up mum!" or behind and kept things as quiet as we could. That first field led us to a second and we grew a little in confidence so had a little trot.

Ok, this might sound pathetic, but you have to remember that Herbs and Coy are rising 8 and 9 and have rather a lot of energy from being very fit but little experience out and about.

The ride progressed to yet another field - all credit to the BBAG for getting us off road so much! - and we cantered on this one. The boys behaved impeccable and at this point I think we both knew we had two very good boys on the day.

As if it couldn't get better the ride progressed to a bit of road through to a bridlepath and we met up with a couple of girlies we see around our local area occasionally, one of which I rode with for some weeks when I was taking group lessons at a local riding school. We chatted for a while and they rode on ahead of us at which point the ride came to an end if you wanted or progressed to a number of fields on the other side of a road.

Well who in their right mind would pass up an opportunity to continue a ride onto land that isn't normally rideable when their horse is being so very very good? Not us!! So we rode on and even took the opportunity to gallop up a hill before wondering if we were lost because the land was so vast and returning jubilant to the farm in search of the promised Bucks Fizz and rosette.

We rode for about two and a half hours and we couldn't have asked for better behaved horses so this ride will go down in the Herbs Blog record as a major achievement and one which I hope/feel will set us up for many more sponsored rides and pleasure rides with confidence.

And you know what? Whilst we were chilling out after the ride letting our very sweaty horses have a nice munch of hay and a drink we witnessed some people having very great dramas trying to load their horses for the journey home. We waited to load ours so that they had some space and in the end time was ticking on so we gave up and walked ours onto the box with ease. What confident and happy horses Herbs and Coy are - I'm so proud.

The day ended with big smiles and happy horses munching in the field. Finally, I think our experience of a pleasure ride is a happy and settled one.

Here are some pics of the event......................

Stuff about me, by Herbs

2006-10-04T20:12:00.000Z

I used to live in Ireland
I didn't get much grub
Or a nice warm stable
All cosy and snug

Now I get a nice warm bed
And three square meals a day
I play all day with my friends
Then munch big nets of hay

I really like those orange things
And things with stalks are scrum
But if you want to give me titbits
Please first ask my Mum

Food I Love.....

Stud Muffins
Mint or Herb (I think they made them especially for me) flavoured treats
Any nuts or cubes
Orange things
Things with stalks
Most stuff that grows in the ground
Walkers Ready Salted crisps - best eaten in private, uncontrollable things happen when I eat them :-o
Swede and Parsnips
Polo's and Extra Strong Mints (makes my breath lovely but Mum says I shouldn't have too many because of fillings - whatever they are)
Sugar Beet - mmmm yum, why do I only get it in winter??
Honey, scrummy mummy thank you, more please
Crispy fluffy hay - its grass really but dried up. I don't know how they do it but I can eat loads and loads and almost go pop sometimes

Food that is wrong.....

Banana's - wrong (as Adam would say - he knows who he is, Mum worked with him)
Medicine of every kind - no horsey should have this horrible stuff put in their dinner
Chocolate - yeuch
Brocolli. You can live on it, but it tastes like sh*t so why bother
Turnip. I will eat it but its pointless

Things I don't like.....

People growing - my Mum can explain, and no, I don't mean her because she's lovely :-*
Being told to be sensible when I really want to be a lunatic
My mane being pulled. I prefer to look like a loo brush than have it pulled out
Being groomed when my new coat is coming through - ewwww, its annoying
Being bitten. I've had enough of midges, they target my bits and it's NOT NICE

Things I'm good at.....

Staying (reasonably) sensible if my horsey friends in front of me gallop off
Learning stuff. I never get naughty when I'm in the sand school and I do try. Some things are hard though and I get confused
Leg yielding! I like that, its easy
Opening gates, I'm getting really good and I really listen to what Mum wants me to do
Not diving off to eat grass when I've got my head collar on

As I think of more things I will add them to my list just for you. Right now, I need to get back to munching my hay because otherwise I might not finish it by morning and that would be very WRONG!

Aaaaaarrrrggggghhhhh.....

2006-09-21T19:42:00.000Z

im panicking.....

I'm heading off for Shaun and Kat's wedding this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to it, except I'm freaking out about leaving m'boy.

The wedding is in Lanark, bonny Scotland so I'm flying up on Saturday morning with Dan and Renae, then back on Sunday hopefully in time to see the little man before lights out.

The ever dependable and trustworthy (I know she'll read this!) Sharon is looking after Herbs and I've even taken the huge step of letting someone ride him while I'm away. Megan is looking forward to riding out with Sharon and Mr Coy and I've given strict instructions that the ride mustn't take in the pub but I don't hold out a lot of hope of them sticking to it!

I might take some photo's of my stricken, drunken, sad and missing him face during the weekend. But then again I might be too busy on the mob checking he's ok. (or just too pissed)

Only genuine horse lovers would understand.........

Our holiday at Coldblow 4th-8th Sept

2006-09-11T11:53:00.000Z

We're all back, safe and sound - it was brilliant!!

On Monday, Sharon, Rachel, Laura and I packed up horse boxes and trailers with bridles, saddles, bedding (for us), food (for us and the horses but the horses, predictably, got more!) and got the boys suited and booted for the short journey to Coldblow farm, near Detling in Kent.

We arrived after an easy journey of just over an hour and settled the horses into a large paddock to graze whilst we checked out the accommodation and facilities.

Herbs, Coy, Chief and Spyder each had a lovely stable in a huge barn with large windows to nose out of, and a huge paddock just for them.

Herbs liked his lovely big window.

and Mr Coy rather liked his, but not as much as his mum!

There were no other horses staying at the farm during our week (apart from the residents) so we pretty much had the run of the place. The farm has a lovely large outdoor sand school, a Le Trek course and a paddock specifically for show jumping.

Dora greeted us shortly after we arrived and showed us around. We could choose to put the horses in individual paddocks or in a large field all together. As they are used to each other we thought the large field would be better for them as they would be happy to graze with friends and the added bonus was that we could see them from our cottage.

The cottage was just perfect for the four of us with plenty of space and a nice kitchen and bathroom. We did do a bit of bed hopping though.. the sofa bed was a bit uncomfortable so each night a couple of us checked out the bunk house. Outside the cottage we had a couple of benches to laze around on and I was really looking forward to chilling out watching the horses each evening.

We decided to keep things relaxed on the first day. The boys were behaving impeccably but as there were so many new things to look at and sniff it wasn't sensible to push them too far. Well they say it's a small world and as it turns out, Rachel knew Leanne who works at Coldblow because they trained together at Hadlow.

So, armed with Leanne's directions we tacked up and headed off for a hack through some woods just up the road from the farm. We thought we were following Leanne's directions but after a while we found a bridle path heading us either left or right. It was trial and error to decide which way we should be going.

Not far up the right track we came across a "danger, fallen trees, do not pass, fear of death, on your head be it, I wouldn't if I were you, Uh Oh are you bonkers?" sign (well it said something like that) so we turned around and headed the other way. We soon got stumped by the overgrown hedges - well, Sharon did to be precise as Mr Coy forgot she was on board and pushed through the lot leaving a yelping Sharon hanging on and being walloped by trees. Tee hee, the rest of us did a beautiful about turn and wondered what all the fuss was about!

Well we headed back to the farm rather than go exploring and get shot for trespassing and all did some schooling in the sand school which was just wonderful to ride in, and newly harrowed - bliss.

Four hot and sweaty horses later, Herbs and Coy went out to play in the field for a bit whilst Chief and Spyder relaxed in their stables before lights out.

Sharon and I brought Herbs and Coy in at about 8:30pm just as it was getting dark, and tucked them up for the night with lovely big haynets and their usual yummy feed.

Tea for me: Thai Green Curry

Tea for Herbs: HiFi, Baileys No 4, carrots, apples, Cortaflex, garlic and mint

Day Two started with feeding the horses at about 7am (oh the joy of being young - I've forgotten about the difference in energy levels when you are 22 versus forty something). Anyway, we'd collared Leanne to take us out on a hack as it would be a good way of getting to know the place without panicking about being lost and we were to set off at 11am so the boys had some nice grass munching time before we brought them in at 10am to rest bellies and tack up.

Leanne was riding Enya, a very pretty Henson mare, who is the only mare of that breed in the country. The previous weekend she had been to a competition and done really well, picking up a respectable number of rosettes including one for 5th place in the show championship - clever girl!
http://www.henson.fr/englishv/infosgb.html

It was a lovely ride, with mainly Enya or Chiefy leading the ride which was nice for Herbs. On most hacks he leads as he has such a forward walk, and isn’t terribly good at slowing his pace and staying behind, so its nice for him to relax and leave the braveness up to others once in a while.

The first two pubs we visited were in Bearsted,

...the second was just across the green from the first, and the third was about 30 minutes hack away. From there, it was a short hop back to the farm. All in all we were out riding for about 3.5 hours. We had a trot in places (naughty little canters from Herbs and Spyder) but kept the ride very quiet as we didn’t want to have little looneys on our hands as could easily have been the case with 5 of us riding on unfamiliar territory.

Back to the yard, and a swift decision was made to visit the pub for dinner. We brought the horses in at 7ish for tea and bed and set off across the fields (directions courtesy of Dora) toward the Hook and Hatchet. We were told it was more than half and mile away but not more than ¾ of a mile – they lied………

It was a good job we headed off in daylight; a wander along the footpath, then across a field with pigs in (oink), out onto a small road to the end, then right up another road… trust me, it was minimum 1 mile but a lovely walk – and we only had to scare one person asking for directions. He opened his door when we hailed him, goodness knows what he was expecting!!

The pub is lovely, a warm friendly welcome and really nice people. We each had a gorgeous meal followed by puddings for Laura and Rachel.

Laura’s chocolate fudge cake was obscene!

The landlady was really nice and her daughter rides so was very helpful in talking us through some other rides in the area that we decided to check out on Wednesday. She has two horses nearby so is well versed in pointing out the good canters.

Jasper, however, stole the show that night. This little beagle lives what has to be the best life a dog can get. Apparently he regularly visits nearby farms (including Coldblow – we saw him there the following day!) and has been known to take the odd train trip when the mood takes him. Generally he makes his way home because he knows his local area very well but his owners have had the odd call to come and rescue him. He got the next train back with the driver on one of his escapades!

The walk back from the pub was rather more entertaining than on the way there because we all proved ourselves to be completely pathetic in the dark!

Tea for me: Pate and Nachos
Tea for Herbs: HiFi, Baileys No 4, carrots, apples, Cortaflex, garlic and mint (he said he doesn’t get bored with it)

So, on Wednesday, we decided to split up our rides just in case all four together got a bit stupid. Herbs and Coy were turned out in the morning whilst mums went back to bed – I felt crap that morning, don’t know why – and Rachel and Laura took Spyder and Chiefy out on a hack around River Lane then into the Le Trek course.

When it came to our ride, the girls told Sharon and I that it was a lovely canter from the bottom of River Lane so we set off to ride that route then extend it. The canter was lovely and long, although the ground was a little hard and Herbs was a complete tart on the way there because he was leading and everything was sooooooooo scary.

We continued on a route Rachel from the pub had pointed out, negotiated some tracters on the road past Cobham Manor’s lovely x country course and up a steep scarp slope (past the rattle snakes, honest!) and got rather confused about just exactly which blinking left turn to take to find the next nice canter. We eventually found it after I’d thrown a few hissy fits and it was well worth it. A lovely long controlled (that’s a bonus!) canter across the fields came out at a church and a short hack later we were at the Hook and Hatchet again where Laura and Rachel met us with their boys for a drink.

Here are a few pics taken during the supping….

Back at Coldblow the horses grazed for a while before bed and we got the BBQ going.

Tea for me: Burgers, Sausages and Steak
Tea for Herbs: HiFi, Baileys No 4, carrots, apples, Cortaflex, garlic and mint (still as yummy as ever)

Thursday was a chance to ride out together so we set off on a variation to rides we’d already done which took in a ride under the M20 which we had done on the ride out with Enya. All the horses were fine about the traffic noise overhead on that day but you never can tell what they will be like without the bravery of the horse that is used to it. Fortunately, Chiefy took us through with no problems so that’s another experience all the horses can add to their repertoire.

We had a nice first canter, then headed to the Jockey Club gallops with the hope of letting the horses have their heads along a lovely all weather surface. Unfortunately the farmers were working the land so we couldn’t have a cheeky gallop for fear of being shot! Still, we headed onto the ride Sharon and I did the day before so that Rachel and Laura could enjoy the canter that we had.

Umm sorry girls, I screwed that one up. Herbs set off a bit daft and too excitable and we had agreed that we would all pull up if anyone was in trouble. Unfortunately I was telling Herbs off and telling him to “stop” his silly excitable behaviour which Laura responded to by pulling Chiefy up and me stupidly wondering why everyone was stopping. We set off again but the stop start stuff sent all their heads a little silly and the combination of that along with some walkers with dogs brought the hopeful canter to a stop.

Back to the yard and ponies got to munch again while we arranged to have a Cross Country lesson with Kadiya the following day before heading home.

Early evening we set up the monopoly board for a giggle.

Sharon spent most of her time in jail and probably collected the most rent as a result of being locked up and not landing on anyone else’s property
I was accused of cheating – the dealer always is but I promise I didn’t!
Laura spent £10,000,000 on a property worth about £300,000 and kept complaining that people didn’t land on her properties when they did. She had to take a couple of loans out….
Rachel was quietly confident but kept trying to buy my property so she could get a set and build loads of apartments. No consideration for green belt – shameful!
No one managed to build any apartments or hotels – that either shows that we are careful investors or crap at risk taking… your guess
Why can’t you collect £2,000,000 when you pass go in real life? I’d just find a sign and drive backwards and forwards loads of times.
I think Rachel probably won but we didn’t get that far. Oh, she made a great barmaid :-)

Tea for me: Roast Turkey, Potatoes and Veggies
Tea for Herbs: HiFi, Baileys No 4, carrots, apples, Cortaflex, garlic and mint (thanks for giving me more nuts mum because the hay tastes like s**t)

On Friday we had our X country lesson booked for 12 so the horses went out for a bit in the morning.

I thought Kadiya’s lesson was very interesting. She gave us quite a few techniques to use at home and we started off the lesson by cantering standing in the stirrups. Left rein combined with mine not being short enough meant we were very wobbly but for balance it is definitely something I will try to do at home.

The x country course is very inviting as there are jumps alongside each other of varying heights so there is nothing to encourage the horses to duck out and every opportunity for them to jump with confidence.

We all started off jumping an inviting practice fence, approached in trot then canter and got some advice from Kadiya as to our good and bad points. Herbs is a very honest jumper and completely unfazed at natural jumps so he flew over quite happily.

My main thing to learn is to let him go, rather than hold him over the fences. I did this quite successfully a couple of times over the practice jumps but I must admit it doesn’t come as naturally as it should.

We progressed from that to jumping the tyres which I knew Herbs didn’t fuss about so each jump was lovely. We learned that when a horse stops, then reaches down for a sniff and inspection of the jump before going over, generally they are not refusing, just checking it out. So if this happens on the approach, keep your hands down on the withers so that your horse knows where they are then let him jump over.

At one point over the next jump which was a large log, I felt my confidence slip but knew Herbs would do it, so I put my hands on his neck and let him get on with it. Predictably, he jumped it beautifully.

We moved on to a course which was very exciting to jump. It was great to have Kadiya there for confidence and I did struggle a bit with letting Herbs go but he had a fantastic time jumping the course twice and I have taken some top tips away with me.

The key thing is that I know that Herbs is not scared of x country jumps; quite the opposite, he is a confident but not cheeky ride.

I will remember lots of the tips that I was given and put them into practice when show jumping and I’m hoping to set up a x country lesson nearer home in the very near future. Key things to remember – “soften the hands!!!” and “trust your horse”.

We didn’t get any pics of the jumping I’m afraid. Disappointing for us that we didn’t have anyone to capture it but I will try to be better organised next time.

I did however, take a couple of shots of the state of the cottage at the end of the week. I guess when ponies are your priority you dont think too much about living in tidyness!

Rachel pretending to clear up

our very tidy cottage....

Our week was over, we had a ball. The horses were so well behaved and settled into their new surroundings beautifully. The sun shone and we didn’t have one spot of rain all week. As far as I know, Herbs has never stayed away from home and been expected to work before and I am very proud of him. He relaxed into things very well, largely because his mates were there with him and both Herbs and Coy loaded and travelled like pros.

Enormous thanks to Dora, Jeff, Leanne, Kadiya and everyone else at Coldblow for their generosity and for making our stay so relaxed and flexible.

Back at home, Herbs chilled out and I think he was very happy to be back on familiar territory. Owing to the number of poo stains on him on Saturday morning, I think he really enjoyed his stable on the first night home!

Well I’m very determined to try this again. Next time I would like to take Herbs somewhere for a week’s training; both flatwork and jumping, so watch this space, it may be Coldblow!

Anita's jumping clinic

2006-09-09T19:38:00.000Z

Anita holds these training sessions reasonably regularly at our yard and they are alway enjoyable.

Just before I took Herbs on holiday we joined in on another session and really enjoyed ourselves.

The jumps were small but the session was all about technique, not height - thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Actually it was very very windy that day and so I think we were all grateful just to be able to have a go as it was touch and go as to whether it would be sensible.

Fortunately, only a couple of jumps fell with the wind and none at the point of take off so we had a great time and stayed on board.

Rachel took lots of pics of Laura, Sharon and I as we were in the same session; and Kirsty took some of Rachel in the earlier group. Enjoy....

Hitting the deck, goals and rosettes.....

2006-08-19T18:46:00.000Z

Stuff we want to achieve…

• For Herbs to walk past a local huge pond without freezing, walking backwards and snorting, and me having to get off first! Perhaps he can be trained to be more interested in the ice cream van, that might help
• To develop such horse and rider trust as to be able to jump a 3’ clear round without Herbs worrying about any jump but loving every minute instead
• Gorgeous roundness at the touch of a button

Accounts of unplanned dismounts (as beautifully named by Helen)

• Herbs got spooked round the farm in 2004, dumped me and galloped back home
• Spinning used to be very popular, once I got dumped on a bridle path as he span 180 at the unexpected sight of a dog
• Spun at something during a trot along a bridlepath – ate earth that day..
• Got dumped again in the sand school as a stray dog decided our lesson was interesting and joined without an invitation. Brain got rattled in my head and I still had the effects of concussion 5/6 weeks later
• Mustn't forget the 3 offs during out indoor jumping lesson - git. Rubber is NOT soft
• Rest to be posted as I remember – oh yes, there are many……

On a more positive note, the rosettes….

Top row from left….

BBAG Christmas ride 2004
BBAG Christmas ride 2005
Special for Mini show
2nd for Most Handsome Gelding (ridden by Kirsty)
2nd for Working Hunter (ridden by me!)
3rd for Novice Rider June 2006
5th for Most Handsome Gelding June 2006 (Kirsty again)
Clear Round June 2006

Second row from left….

Special for Mini Show
Pink rosette from a dressage clinic
The famous first ride. Down the ribbon reads "Battered but not defeated!" 31st May 2004
Clear round rosette - at Mini Show
9th for Prelim 4 16th April 2006
Combined Training - when we were eliminated in the jumping. 2005

August 2006

2006-08-19T18:35:00.000Z

We’re going on holiday!!!

This month I haven’t done anything very exciting. Just schooling in the week and hacking out at the weekend. The ground has been so hard it’s been a case of picking and choosing the ground and hoping for canter opportunities. On one or two occasions Herbs has behaved like a naughty school boy (of all the boys at the yard I think he can be best described at the one who acts firsts and thinks later and always has a runny nose) getting far too excited and squealing in anticipation of a canter. On one occasion we fell out when I let the others on the ride canter ahead and made him walk it. Well, as I've told him before “if you can’t do it nicely, you won't do it at all”). I think he’s rather enjoying the abundance of grass disguised as hay that in the field at the moment because more than once his “going home legs” have been working overtime on the way back from a hack.

However……… its booked… 4 of us from the yard are taking our horses away on holiday for a week in September. I promise loads of pictures and a full commentary as soon as we get back!

Yippee!!!!!!!!!

Until such time as those photo's are posted, here are a few that I've taken this month with my new camera. I'm getting a bit obsessed now I've got this blog going... enjoy.

The following pics were taken on Saturday 19th August. Sharon had gone to watch the gooooooooooooooooners and I was looking after Mr Coy as well as Herbs. I took the camera to the field and got accosted as soon as I got close enough for a picture. That’s what you get for giving ponies sweeties when you get them in from the field, bless…

Look at my fat belly mum!

Dan, Shaun and Stu love the dreads but seem to think the look isn't complete without a spliff!

Think I might just bite Mr Coy’s bottom.

The early months of 2006....

2006-08-17T20:13:00.000Z

Jan - July 2006

Well, such is my memory, I cant remember loads of what happened at the beginning of the year. Here's hoping writing this brings it all back.

The winter, early months of 2006, were hideous. So bloody cold everyone at the yard was complaining and wondering when what felt like the longest winter in history was ever going to end. Frozen fingers and toes are just about the worst thing ever and its just no fun tacking up on a dark evening and not feeling your hands and feet before you've even got on board.

Well, Herbs and I got through the early months of the year doing as much work as possible and getting fed up with smelly rugs and muddy fields. I was looking forward to getting the lorry out so as soon as April came Sharon and I booked a jumping lesson at a nearby indoor school. Having never set foot (as far as I'm aware) inside an enclosed school before and certainly never having seen a black rubber floor I was quite proud that Herbs strolled in without too much of a drama. Even the mirrors on the walls and jumps propped up along the outsides of the school didn't put him off once he'd had a good look at them. He jumped really well, and fairly consistently given that his canter is still unbalanced. After the lesson we wandered off onto some of Sharon's old stomping ground for a hack, and then back to the lorry to pack up for home.

We booked again in May however that was a rather different experience. Spring fever got the better of Herbs and after I fell off once when he ducked out of the second part of a double he then proceeded to buck me off rather splendidly as I brought him round for another go. Then the little sod took a sharp turn after the second part of the double on another attempt and I was off for the 3rd time. A rather more graceful fall on the 3rd though - I slid off as it was easier than hauling myself back up from the half on position! We had planned to hack out again after the lesson but to be honest I felt so battered and bruised I didn't bother.

On Sunday 25th June 2006, I took Herbs to a local show. I was hoping that the recent jumping lessons I'd had would pay off and wanted to ride a clear round (whether or not we went clear would be another matter but I wanted to have a go anyway).

Whilst really enthusiastic about going to shows, the biggest pain is the preparation beforehand, what with plaiting up, washing his tail, washing off the poo (a never ending job with a grey) and giving tack the once over, all this has to start the day before. Then, when a show starts at 8:30am it still means arriving at the yard at about 7am to get loaded, wash off more poo and redo all the plaits that have fallen out over night. None of this I mind at all, but doing this on a regular basis whilst keeping a full time job is tiring and consequently I don't do it as much as I'd like to.

Anyway, we arrived at the show on time, first box there! Got the horses off to settle a bit and put entries in for the classes. I'd chosen to enter a clear round, and the novice riding, then Kirsty from the yard was going to enter him in Most Handsome Gelding for fun.

I was delighted during the warm up because Herbs was so strong in trot but lovely when I asked for canter and we even managed to jump the practice jump in canter a couple of times. That's the first time I've cantered in warm up as I always felt there was a risk Herbs would just get silly and bolt because of the show environment so even if we didn't do any classes that day I would have been pleased.

Anyway we went clear in the jumping (the judge let us off jumping the last from the wrong direction so I'm not complaining) and even though the wall was a little scary (again), Herbs didn't actually step back so the halt before jumping wasn't classed as a refusal. Happy happy me, I really really didn't care what happened after that and actually we went on to get 3rd place in the Novice Riding class. There were a few in the class but Herbs behaved impeccably walking, trotting and cantering as a group. I even think we may have done better if our individual show hadn't been so long - sorry Herbs! The final event of the day was Most Handsome Gelding for Kirsty as I'm a little old (you have to be under 16 and much as Id love to I cant fool anyone) and they got 5th place. All in all, we had a wonderful day and I couldn't have asked for a better behaved boy. Go Herbs!! Mwah!

Here are some of the pics I took at the show...

Herbs looking rather gay!!!!

Sharon with the boys...

Among lots of hacks at the weekend and schooling during the week, I have also had 2 lessons with an instructor at a nearby stable yard. This was extremely useful albeit very expensive so I've tried to remember all the points made and will continue to work on improvements at home. Happily, in July I tried another rather well qualified instructor who came to the yard to give me a lesson and I was rather pleased that my position has improved so much and that I'm not heading Herbs off in any dodgy training directions. I got some great tips from Sarah and in the week or so that I've been putting them into practice I can really feel an improvement.

Oooh, I've missed something hysterical...

I reckon it would have been sometime in May that Sharon and I took Herbs and Coy to a local dressage show. Neither of us had learned the tests (we hate full time work) but we enlisted the help of Megan (chief caller) and knew she would save our embarrassment. We arrived, got a lovely parking spot where the boys could munch happily and I started to get Herbs ready as we were first on. Well, forget the warm up - completely impossible. As soon as they were separated the boys kept yelling at each other across the show ground, thus stuffing any chances of concentration. The whole day was completely hysterical because this just didn't stop and as soon as either of us headed off to do our test the boys would start yelling all over again. In the end, Herbs and I didn't get placed in the first test but did achieve 9th in the second so I was very pleased considering I'm not really competitive and kept collapsing with laughter every time one of them neighed. Bless.

So, how are we riding now??

Generally we went into 2006 with a good walk and trot and a sometimes rather hurried canter, albeit much improved. From about May, I've been trying to concentrate on achieving roundness and we are getting there. Ivy had a few jumping lessons too which had helped to improve his concentration and steady the paces a little.

With regard to the roundness, Herbs kinda knows what I want but as his back isn't rounding he is not on the bit properly. This will come and I have lots of time to practice. I've set myself a goal of achieving true roundness by February 2007 so watch this space to see if I achieve it.

Year 2 dramas

2006-08-15T21:25:00.000Z

So, for the first few months of the year I concentrated a lot on school work, trying to get to the point where I established a nice canter.
I think I attended some dressage clinics in the first part of the year but all the work was pretty much about training and hacking rather than showing.

This was going well until the saddler came up and announced (as I had predicted) that Herbs’ saddle no longer fitted and that he was back sore in places (didn't know about that bit though!). I was horrified that I had hurt him but also know that he would have shown more signs of discomfort if it had been very bad so I decided to get a bit of a grip. A year later I would know Herbs so much better as to know that most of this was down to his sensitivity and wasnt pure pain. Anyway, I booked the physio and until he was fine couldn't get a saddle so it was lungeing for us for a few weeks.

Well this improved the canter no end, and once we'd bought our lovely new Bates Caprilli we were ready for action. At this time, I started a new job after having 8 months off so it now starts to become a bit of a shock to ride again in the evenings. Dressage and Working Hunter
At some point in the year we went to another show. This was both a hysterical giggle and a very proud day. Some friends at the yard had kindly offered to bring us home in their box so Sharon and I entered the dressage classes at a show and intended then to go on and do some showing classes.

The dressage was a complete washout, with us arriving at the showground after a bloody awful hack filled with scary things and horrible traffic to find that they would let us ride the test that we were late for as long as we got in the arena immediately. Neither of us knew the test so we arranged for the delightful Molly to call it for us. Well, ahem, lets just say that Molly’s calling skills need a little fine tuning as both Sharon and I were eliminated for errors within about the first minute of the test! Lots of giggles later I entered the Working Hunter class and Sharon the Ridden Cob. This is where I get very very smiley indeed.

First, we jumped a couple of rustic fences and that separated those that would go through to the next part of the class and those that wouldn’t. We did just fine albeit my steering was rather dodgy, still, we were through. The class was very busy and so was split into two classes, one for Ponies and one for Horses. I think there were about 8 in the horse class after the jumping. Individually we had to show all four gaits and demonstrate the ability to come back to walk from gallop without a struggle (or tanking off out of the arena!). Well Herbs did me proud, we got the gallop and came back to walk quite nicely, whilst some of the other riders didn’t establish the gallop or were a little more ungainly. Consequently we came away with a rosette for second place and a massive grin.

Straight on from that Kirsty took Herbs in the Most Handsome Gelding class and got us another lovely 2nd place rosette.

As for Mr Coy, well…… unfortunately the Ridden Cob class was the last of a long day and Coy behaved impeccable during the class until the lap of honour. 2nd place rosette flying proudly he decided to jump the arena rope and head for freedom with a very determined looking Sharon on board! Bless him, once he gets something into his head there’s no negotiating – he is after all, a typical Cob!

Unfortunately, whilst there were lots of time for fun, 2005 will forever be known as injury year.
During 2004, Herbs had a couple of injuries. One time he came in showing 80% lameness but a couple of day’s box rest and he was fighting fit. I think it was just a pulled muscle and as he was so unfit and poor the larking about in the field took its toll.

Another time, he had a kick to his near fore and had to have xrays just to check there was nothing serious and then rest whilst it healed. This was a bit of a drama because as soon as the wound had started to heal he decided to nibble the itchy bits and opened the whole thing up again so it was a case of starting over. I did find some great stuff to slop on it though to stop it drying out so quickly and this seemed to do the trick.

Whilst frustrating and worrying, these injuries were nothing to what we went through in the 2nd half of 2005.

First Herbs got what looked like a barbed wire cut on his chest. He had staples and dressing over it and fortunately didnt chew at it (unlike the leg injury - little sod) so it healed really nicely and I could still ride as it hadnt affected any muscle areas.

Next he got a similar wound under his chin, just missing where the cavesson goes. This again needed staples and Herbs had to be tied up at night to stop him scratching his chin on the wall. He bore this pretty well but I hated having to do it. Again, I could still ride with the nose piece off the bridle so he still got exercised after a couple of days and once the initial swelling had gone down

My worse nightmare came one Sunday when I brought him in from the field with a very bad cut to his near hind fetlock joint. Joint fluid was oozing so the emergency vet was called again. She declared that he would need to go to hospital and there followed the worst week of my life followed by another horrible 10 weeks.

Herbs spent a week at the equine hospital after an operation on the Sunday night when 9 litres of saline was flushed through his fetlock joint. This was to flush the infection which was found by testing the fluid when we first got to the hospital. During that next week I visited Herbs every afternoon (work were great about it) and finally on the Thursday he was allowed to come home after much dressing changing, litres of antibiotics and sufficient further joint fluid checks to prove that the infection was definitely gone.

Herbs came back home on the Thursday night and I was just delighted to have him home.

Our discharge notes ordered a 10 minute walk twice a day but otherwise box rest for 6 weeks. Sharon helped relentlessly with the bandage changes which Herbs was initially not too chuffed about because he’d been poked and prodded so much already. Within a couple of days he relaxed though and like the good chap he is, just trusted us and let us get on with it.

Well I wont bore you with the following weeks dramas suffice it to say that I had a bit of a looney on my hands from being kept shut in a stable all day and some people at the yard were less than sensible around him, including those that sent him doolally by loading their horses right outside his stable.

The good news came in 5 weeks when the vet confirmed he was fit enough to be turned out and so, sedated, he started being able to graze in the sick paddock. A week or so later I had my first ride in the school and he was as good as gold. I progressed through a programme of slowly bringing him back into work only for him to get another injury above the knee (typical, he wears sexy boots in the field now but somehow I knew an injury somewhere else would blinking happen) 2 weeks after going back into the normal grazing paddock and we were then into more staples and 10 days box rest with no riding.

So, as you see, 2005 was a traumatic year. I did buy a horse box in October as Id got sick of not doing shows because of the hassle of hacking there so the latter part of the year was spent getting to grips with driving it and trying to keep Herbs injury free.

Ozzie, the 'orse Box - so named by my work colleagues who spent an entertaining afternoon putting names into an empty chocolate box. Ozzie was the first name out and let me tell you I am soooooo glad it wasn't some of the others!

After a nightmare time at Christmas and New Year when I was constantly having to drag Herbs out of the field because he simply would not stop playing I ended up cutting his feed down to nothing to see whether that had any impact. This, combined with having him dragged in from the field at the first sign of naughtiness and a huge dose of growing up he has now settled down quite a bit. I just hope it continues.

Our first year

2006-08-15T21:23:00.000Z

Now then, this is history and I have a useless memory so trying to capture everything will be hard. I will do my best to get it right!!

Kathy agreed to give me lessons on Herbs and sorted out a second hand saddle and bridle to get us started.

I had my first lesson on Tuesday 3rd February 2004 and after declaring the saddle and bridle fit for purpose we quickly realised that Herbs wasn't used to (correction, didn't have a clue about) mounting blocks. I can't quite remember how we managed to get me on but it certainly took a while.

Once mounted Herbs proved to be quite spooky and sharp and, typical of an Irish inexperienced horse, didn't have a clue about leg aids. Essentially, everything was about speed, and we were only walking and trotting, no chance with canter as there was pretty much no steering in walk and trot. Purely and simply, he was scared. Brought to this strange place, with new sights, sounds and smells, and different friends in the field, I didn't expect anything less.

Over the next few weeks I had lessons twice a week (for my confidence as well as his). I remember riding alone one evening and Herbs spooking awfully at one end of the school, turning on nothing and heading flat out away from whatever was scary. I felt so awful about pulling him up as this was the most pressure I had ever put on his mouth. I agonised about it afterward but of course these things happen. It was just that it was so early on and I felt rotten.

The mounting was solved over a number of weeks by Kathy kindly lending me a small plastic set of steps that we could take to Herbs and move around as he did away from them, rather than expecting him to line up perfectly next to the static block in the yard. Perseverance paid off and within two to three months; he was lining up perfectly for me to mount. Yes it took a while, but patience makes perfect and to this day he is absolutely fine, even while out on a hack, he never moves when I'm getting on.

So, the first year was a mixture of lessons and hacking. The first time I cantered was out hacking and I remember thinking then how lovely his canter gait was and time and again I marvelled at the thought that he was mine.

Had to put this picture in... its shows just how messy Herbie's tail was back then because half of it had been hacked off when he was clipped before I got him.....

It would take until January 2005 before I was confident cantering in the school, until then Herbs was so wobbly and unbalanced and couldn’t keep the pace that it was really hard work. It seems ages, but there is never any point pushing forward if you're not confident with what you’ve achieved so far and I was happy to wait until we could get it right. More about that in "Our Second Year".

So, the events of that year among the lessons are:
May 2004

I found out about a pleasure ride locally, a ride around privately owned countryside and thought Id give it a go. Helen agreed to take me there in her trailer and the week before we just checked out that Herbs would load ok. He did, beautifully.

So, the day of the ride, a few of us turned up and we rode off in a group of 5, not my ideal, to be honest I was hoping to be with just one other horse but hey ho. We set off uphill at walk and decided to have a canter up to "get some energy out of them" which I think to be honest was our downfall. After that was a fairly steep downhill ride through woods and after deciding he would have the lead Herbs lost his head and cantered it. Unfortunately I fell off whilst avoiding a tree, not a nice fall but I was ok.

At the bottom of the hill once we'd re-grouped I was considering riding on and then madness unfurled. A horse going on from us had an energy fit, bucking like a looney and chucked his rider who needed medical treatment. Unfortunately, her horse took a shining to one in our group and kept galloping over and wouldn't be caught. It was a while and many rein burns for the handlers before he could be walked back to his group and by then I'd had enough. I got my first rosette that day for falling off after 10 minutes – the back reads….. "Our first outing – beaten but not defeated".
Can't quite remember when, but....

In the summer, I decided to enter a riding club combined training competition at a nearby equestrian yard. Unfortunately most of the events near to our yard are a fair hack away so these competitions are not easy to attend on a regular basis. Well the dressage went ok. It was in a marked out grass arena and we did stay inside the markers so that was an achievement. Next came the jumping which was a 2’ course with typical show jumping rules. As we were scared stiff of the wall and the spotted poles we had enough refusals to be eliminated and were therefore eliminated from the combined competition. I had no great expectations of Herbs that day; everything was so new there was every chance he would freak out at all the activity and yet he behaved impeccably, so we rode home very pleased with ourselved and with Herbs a little more grown up for the experience.
These pics were taken on the day....

The wall - repeated

I did go back to that yard on 25th June 2005 when there was a show on and decided to enter a clear round. I think I entered a walk and trot test again that day as well??? Anyway, the organisers were great, Herbs had the usual concerns about the wall and spotted pole but they kindly let us have attempt after attempt until we came out having jumped them all clear. 6 attempts at the wall and a huge leap gave us our first successful jump of the scary plastic red thing. Yay!! All credit to that yard for giving riders and horses the chance to try, try and try again. Without this those without similar jumps at their home yards simply wouldn’t get the chance to train their horses over scary obstacles.

We got a pic of that first time over the wall, thanks to the Equine photographer at the show.

September 2004

A mini show was organised at my yard so we had a go at a walk and trot test and clear round. We didn’t get placed in the test but did come 7th (probably out of 8th but who cares) and this was Herbie’s first experience of riding within dressage markers and with a jeep in the school so I was pleased. We got a rosette for taking part but when I look back at the pictures now I cringe. As a team we look awful! All out of balance and messy! Still, if I look on the positive side at least I have those pictures to see how far we’ve come. The clear round was a success, we went clear even though the jumps were about bottom hole. I had intended to jump them small just so that when I went in later to do another round at 2’ ish he would have seen them all already but to be honest after the test and the first clear round I thought he had had enough for one day. That was Sept 2004.

November 2004

In November, I entered a local showjumping show to ride a clear round. This was rather nerve racking as my boy couldn’t cope with cantering in an arena full of jumps, partly because he got so excited and also because he was so unbalanced. Trying to get him together in a new environment was just too much to ask. So, we entered the clear round class in walk and trot – who cares?? Ok so some riders are there looking cool, calm, in control and rather posh but they still had to start somewhere didn’t they???

Well I was very proud. Herbs refused the practice jump three times at which point I gave up – I think the barrels frightened his socks off – so we just had to go for the course and see what happened.

I think there were 9 jumps. Herbs refused one and I cant blame him because it certainly looked the most scary – the bright red brick wall - again! - (ok, for all you non horsey people its all made of plastic and doesn’t hurt but its still bright red and it still might jump out and bite us if we get too close!) and I think we had one other down – a fab effort from my young man, we hacked home very pleased with ourselves and with a challenge to get him over a wall the next time.

I guess from then on we concentrated on getting through a typical British winter and just training as and when possible in the evenings. The year did end with Kathy getting drenched on New Years Eve cantering Herbs around the sandschool in an attempt to establish and maintain some sort of rhythm. I was determined that my goal for 2005 was to have Herbs cantering nicely in the school and me feeling in control.

Herbs comes home

2006-07-10T19:24:00.000Z

That same Thursday that Herbs passed the vet check, the credit card came out and shopping began in earnest. I picked up two rugs from my nearby saddlery as Herbs was coming with an empty wardrobe then headed for the yard to make his bed. That evening Kate came along to another saddlery with me and we picked up bins, buckets, bucket covers, haynets and anything else we could lay out hands on.

Friday morning was spent at the stables, trying to get everything ready for his arrival and Chris did an amazing job of keeping me calm whilst getting excited with me about every 2 minutes. I must had driven her mad - sorry Chris!

Herbs travelled beautifully, courtesy of Julia who wanted to check out his new home, and he arrived at lunchtime on Friday 30 th January. A nice warm stable awaited and he was treated to lunch once he had settled a little. The carrot part was quite entertaining; Herbs had eaten his first carrot only the day before after much coaxing and was still very suspicious of these strange orange things in this lunch bowl. Polo's? Forget it -why on earth would anyone want to eat those funny looking things? Soon enough carrots were the best thing ever but it would be another 18 months before he took a risk with the Polo's.

In terms of condition, whilst quite a happy chap, Herbs was very under weight. Julia bought him from Ireland and had stabled him at her place for just over a month so hadn't had any chance to fatten up after arriving in England. He was clipped out and undoubtedly did the whole boat journey without a rug and so probably dropped a lot of weight just during that time.

It was my job to "fatten and fitten" him and so I started him on three square meals and day and unlimited hay. Alpha A, Cooling Mix, Garlic, Oil and lots of veggies made up his Breakfast, Dinner and Lunch - I think he thought he was in heaven! On the Monday 2nd February 2004 I put him out in the field to graze and meet his new friends - how scary was that? Tail held high he galloped around the field like a lunatic, setting everyone else off, before finally calming down enough to sniff a few new people and then stamp around some more. He wasn't out very long, a gentle introduction was necessary and at Julia's grazing was restricted to one day a week so I knew he would love being out every day even if it wasn't for long at first. I had that first week off work and spent the week getting him settled before I had to go back.
Here are some pictures of Herbs that I took that first weekend which show just how underweight and un-muscled he was. And how dark grey back then!

And these were taken 1 month later on 1st March 2004...

Oh, I forgot. That weekend that he came home, he couldn't be turned out straight away because he needed worming so I walked him around a little but had no tack at all so couldn't even think about riding him. The farm has a huge sandschool so I let him have a run around in there on his own on Sunday and he galloped around like a lunatic, he kept coming back to the gate to see me before setting off flat out again for another circuit. Looking back it was a completely stupid thing to do, I was just so lucky he didn't decide to jump out and didn't hurt himself.

The Find.....

2006-07-08T18:21:00.000Z

Warninglid - Julia Greenall's stableyard....... the first part of this story is so quickly told...

Firstly I was introduced to the light bay - lovely; then to the mare - lovely; then to the grey - love at first sight.I was completely hooked.

This little dark grey horse was very poor in condition but had such a lovely eye I felt an immediate bond. He was described as the calmer of the 3 (good) but with very little experience albeit willing. I watched him being ridden first and the rider was clearly very good so I was a little apprehensive but after the events of the morning I was hoping a little more luck was on my side.

I rode for a while in the school, this little grey horse (ok so he stood about 15.2hh at the time but he was so poor he has to be described as little) had basically no idea and was scared stiff. He couldnt turn off the leg on either rein and couldnt understand what the contact was all about. This is a reflection of myself as a rider, as I said I saw him ridden but to feel him ridden by me was quite a different thing. I never saw myself buying a green unschooled, inexperienced horse but without a shadow of a doubt I was hooked.

I arranged to hack him out that coming Friday and kept my fingers crossed for the next 3 days that he wasnt sold.The hack was 30 minutes or so, just in walk and trot as the ground was so hard a canter wasnt possible. He was sharp and so worried but so genuine that I was just as hooked. I promptly went home to ask around for a trainer to come to see him so that I had an expert second opinion on whether he was right for me, and indeed even worth buying.

At some point in the horse buying process you really do have to get real you see; I have seen so many riders who own difficult horses I was determined that although I was completely obsessed by this little man, I wanted an honest opinion from someone who didnt know me so that the whole process could be completed objective.

Kathy Gentles agreed to come and see him on the Sunday that week. A rider at the stables rode, then me. Kathy saw his sharpness and worried looks, ran a hand over every part of his body and declared that seemed a kind horse, suited to me and very much worth buying

The deal was struck and all that remained was for me to arrange a 5 stage vet check for this handsome, skinny, Connemara X gelding known to the stables as Herbie.

Herbs was vetted on 29th January 2004 after a night of very heavy snow during which time I spent hours panicking that he wouldnt be able to be seen. Fortunately the school wasnt frozen and he passed the vet with flying colours

Herbs came home on 31st January 2004.

The Search.....

2006-07-07T21:48:00.000Z

Oh Boy, how many magazines did I check out?

I remember sitting with Kate one day having searched through the Sale section in Your Horse, ringing what felt like loads of possible horses but in fact was probably no more than 6. That's adrenaline for you, once your mind is made up, you want want want!

At that time my focus was on buying a willing happy hacker. Never having had lots of experience at schooling and being generally crap at canter in the school I was well aware of my own level of ability - that being mad fun over the countryside, jumps included and I didn't want to over horse myself. Also, I was well grounded from the point of view of giving a horse a great home but not holding them back if my ability or limited time wouldn't afford them the career they deserved.

I rang loads of people but the search pretty much comes down to just 3 visits.

Firstly, I went to a stables with Kate and rode a dark bay mare, about 15.2hh which was fun but she really was too small for me so although I was extremely excited as she was the first I tried I knew I had to say no.

I rang loads after that and you very soon get to know the honest people from the dealers pretending not to be and you certainly get a feel for the kind of people you would or wouldn't feel comfortable meeting. The horsey world can be rather strange and over the years I had at least got wise to that! With having only weekends to look, often by the time I got ready to visit the horse was promised to someone else or I got the impression the owners weren't quite what I initially thought they were - and if that's the case, who knows about the horse.

At one point during the search I had a week off, and I was determined to work out once and for all what kind of horse I wanted to buy. I rang an owner and arranged to look at a dark bay gelding in Kent. I met him in the stable and said hello but didn't immediately feel a great bond, the owner's son rode him in the sand school which had rather low fences and I did clock that he was rather motorbike-like in canter. The rider took him over a fence at a ridiculous speed and I started to get a feel for what my ride might be like. I mounted and rode quietly, trying to suss him out a little but with absolutely no intention of jumping. A walk and trot around the sand school on both reins was just fine until I asked for canter. VERY strong on the left rein but I kept asking back to trot then up to canter and back again and he settled a little. I changed reins and trotted a little then asked for canter on the right rein (oh crappedy crap) - he was so unbalanced we headed straight... FOR THE FENCE! Quite honestly I had no chance of turning him away, a better rider would undoubtedly have been able to handle it but I know my limits, so I bailed out rather than jump the fence and end up galloping off on concrete. The horse tore around the arena for about ten circuits until he could be calmed and I confidently told the owner he wasn't for me....

Spookily, when I got back to the car there was a message on my mobile. During the search period, I had checked out a number of stable yards and met some old friends. At my preferred stables, Helen had suggested I contact a particular riding school who often sell on their schooled horses. I had done so and the owner promised to call me when they had visited a dealer they regularly use for finding them new horses. The message confirmed that the dealer had 3 horses I might be interested in.

Fresh from disappointment and a rather bloody finger getting trapped in the reins I rang back. The three horses were a papered light bay Dutch warmblood, a dark bay inexperienced mare and an Irish grey. I was so cheesed off with the last visit I went straight there......

My riding history.....

2006-06-29T09:35:00.000Z

My husband bought me 10 riding lessons back in 1994 (I think!), it was all I ever wanted as I had dreamed of riding for a long time but frankly just didnt know how to go about getting started. So, I had my 10 riding lessons at a local riding school and on the 9th, two friends came along to watch. Sue was rather exasperated at how hard work it was as the horses I had been given to ride (rather sensibly for a first timer) were a little "dead to the leg", meaning that I had to work so hard to get them going it was pretty hard to do any concentrating on position and learning how riding really should be. Sue kindly agreed to give me lessons on her own gorgeous girlie and shortly after the first 2 lessons Sue had a back problem and I rode her horse a few times in the school and out hacking which was, frankly, wicked. Folly is a strong, fast (scary for a beginner!) horse and I thoroughly enjoyed my rides but it was a bit of an eye opener. I liken it to learning to drive. Once I'd passed my test I was soon driving a tank of a volvo courtesy of my Dad and any silly girlie driving was quickly put aside in favour of the need to be able to drive a mean beast. Folly is not even slightly a mean beast, but to a complete beginner it was truly a case of just getting on with it and not expecting any forgiveness. That said, Folly was and is kind - she gave me a fantastic start and looked after me so well as she is so genuinely kind.

After I had been through some stable management initiation with Folly and my good friend Jackie's horse Barney - not to mention Flynn who was a handful to say the least but now 10+ years later is a complete sweetheart - I moved on to sharing a horse called Donald, however not for long. Oh what a mind.. Donald knew where he wanted to go and at what speed, not too clever when that meant taking a sharp right and trying to canter home up the hill on the road that led in that direction - thank god for no cars! I gave up sharing Donald when he decided to take off across a busy road flat out after being asked to stand and wait for traffic for what he considered too long a time. We hit a car and were both lucky to walk away. As a complete novice, I decided I wasnt ready for that, despite him being a lovely boy albeit with a significant wind problem. Forever in our hearts, Donald has now passed away and is still being missed by those who had the good fortune to meet him. In fact, before I cancelled my share, I took him on a long sponsored ride and he looked after me implicitly; this was a major thing for me being so inexperienced and I'm so grateful I was in his capable hooves.

Ok, after that I shared Rhett for a very very short time as I have a back problem (dont all riders?) and at that time I was in a great deal of pain and gave up sharing Rhett as I just didnt know what I was dealing with. I got medical treatment ("you dont have a strong back - live with it") and when things started to settle down I started having more lessons. These were great for me as my experience was mainly around hacking and since my first 10 or so lessons I hadnt concentrated any time on really learning.

My next significant share was courtesy of my friend Kate who found Caroline, a local lady who had a number of horses that needed exercising. Between Kate, Chris and myself we set up a share arrangement which meant that we could ride on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Caroline's horses lived out and over the course of 2 years we rode Bandit, Brummie, Jack, Kizzie and Lou Lou (Lou Lou was gorgeous but just a little too small for us at 14hh ish. Muddy furry coats didn’t get us down too much but the impossibility of riding horses soaked through was rather frustrating, still, we had some fabulous rides in the glorious countryside and many in the sunshine involving trips to pubs!

Bandido

Bandit was my fave, don’t know why, I just developed more of a bond with him than the others but we did make a point of swapping around so as to give each of us a chance with a different horse. Even so, it just so happened that we each had a different favourite which was lucky. Chris favoured the handsome Brumski Beat and Kate fell for cheeky chap Jack Flash.

Brummski Beat

Jack Flash

Kizzie

Lou Lou

Unfortunately Jack was sold which left Kate very sad (he was her favourite) but soon Kizzie came along (Jack's half sister) and although unbroken, this was soon remedied and we each had a couple of rides on Kizz, mine a little more traumatic than the others!

There is a long familiar route through the woods near to where the horses lived and I rode Kizz along there one day, with Kate riding Bandit. Unfortunately, Kizz didn’t much like puddles and was diagonally jumping any that she came across to the point where I was thrown about a bit. At one point, whilst riding a fast canter, Kizz shot sideways so fast I was unseated and thrown off, I had nowhere to roll to safety as Bandit was right alongside me and consequently I was kicked in the chest as I hit the deck - not helped because Kizz has knock-knees and her feet turn outwards!

Some things can be funny when you look back but not the pain. I distinctly remember some kids coming along and having a sword fight with our crops after Kate had used one of their phones to call the emergency services - I just kept thinking, "Please don’t hit me with that!"). Well, the ambulance service were a bit stumped because they couldn’t flatten me enough for the stretcher so the air ambulance had to be called to drug me into la la land and I was transported to hospital.

I spent an agonising week on all sorts of drug cocktails trying to stabilise 3 broken ribs and a punctured lung - not to mention the black boob, ouch! Kate and Chris came and cheered me up in hospital although I don’t think I seemed very grateful at the time because it bloody hurt, so sorry girls! Oh, just for completeness, Chris came to the rescue of the horses and Kate and Chris rode them back to the stables, unharmed, albeit flat out as I understand it!

Well the accident left me off work for about 5 weeks as I was rather fragile and certainly high on drugs for the first 3 weeks – I was told I left a rather rambled message for my boss saying I could work from home, needless to say he didn’t reply as he later told me he thought I was out of it!

Anyway, I did go back to work as soon as I could and was very anxious to get back onboard as soon as possible. Kate and Chris were there for me one day when I finally decided (about 2 months after recovery I think) that I wanted to get back on. I chose my beloved, dependable Bandit for a ride and he didn’t let me down. I rode in walk, mates by my side and I admit to being more nervous than I expected. My brain was excited, my body was bricking it! A ride in walk was just wonderful and quite enough for one day. That whole drama happened between May and July 2002.

Well, I rode Bandido for a while after that but owing to family commitments the girls gave up and whilst I love riding, there is a sensible side of me that recognises the safety in riding in numbers so whilst I rode a little I didn’t do so with such regularity.

This is me on Bandido and Kelly on Brum...

I was still around horses but rather intermittently during 2003, thinking more and more about the commitment of having my own and concentrating on being sure that I wanted to take this on.

I took a long while to decide this as anyone who owns a horse and is truly committed to the responsibility knows how much effort it takes. Essentially, I wasn’t prepared to buy my own horse without being able to contribute all the time and money that is absolutely essential when owning a horse. Unfortunately, there are far too many people who own horses and don’t take their responsibilities seriously enough.

I kept looking at horses for sale in magazines but to be honest nothing felt very real. I talked to friends about how to find the kind of horse I was looking for and eventually I started actually calling people and discussing what I wanted. This helped me to understand (or so I thought!) was I was looking for and so I started making appointments to ride some horses for sale.

The search begins............