Long rides

Maybe the next step for me is a long ride...  Horses are a great way to see the world.

This guy has just finished riding from Canada to Brazil.  You can read all about it here:

http://feedly.com/e/JGsoXGvz

Super tolt!

Another lovely day in Surrey at the weekend.

This post is delayed because I was struck down by an evil 24 hr bug.  Or was poisoned.  As you like it.

Maggie optimistically gave me a map (I can't read maps) and to be polite I tried to look at it.  And noticed that the Devil's Highway is, of course, in Surrey.

And off Maggie's cousin and I went for a lovely ride.

Sorry for the view, Monita!

Meanwhile, Maggie was coaching and look at who she was helping!

Pony in pyjamas

I PROMISE I don't go ga ga over animals very often but I have never seen a pony like this: the pyjamas!  The tolt!  The afro!  The noise he made as tolted along! 

I WANT ONE

This is what the tolt looks like, for those who've never heard of it:

It's a completely different gait - very comfortable, apparently.  You learn something new every day...

Year of the horse

It is year of the horse!  Well, nearly.

As we approach Chinese New Year and those of us working with Chinese businesses begin a mad scramble to get everything done before our Chinese friends disappear, I thought I'd post something I've wanted to write about for ages.

Image borrowed from Wikipedia

It seems that the year of the horse is the best possible year anyone could choose to ride across Mongolia...

The Horse (馬 午) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac.   Apparently the coming "Wood Horse" year will be "a time of fast victories, unexpected adventure and surprising romance. It is an excellent year for travel and the more far away and off the beaten path the better."  

For more detail or if you think I made the above up, look here.  

Is it true though?!  Do you believe in astrology?

Magick Monita

I felt v.honoured yesterday to ride Maggie's own horse, Monita:

Monita (what a pose!) and me (Lynne and Cheyenne in the background)

What a lovely lady.  I joked to Maggie that her horses are ruining me, but she pointed out that it's important to know how it should feel.  And how did it feel?  Like I was riding a mind-reading horse - Maggie said it was weight distribution, but I'm not sure it wasn't black magic.

An air of mystery surrounds Maggie: she told me a secret that has stopped the Vile Beast from laying waste to my demesne.  By this I mean that my cat likes to empty his bowels inside my house.  On one memorable occasion he did so having eaten something disagreeable and been caught short whilst sleeping between my pillows.  I cannot repeat what I said when I discovered that at 2am.  

I previously tried everything.  And I mean everything.  Chemical sprays which smelt vile, food bowls in his favourite laying waste spots, restricting his access to anywhere containing soft furnishings (he loves a soft landing) and, in my darker moments, shouting:

"YOU BELONG IN BATTERSEA CATS' HOME YOU VILE BEAST".

All this has stopped since Maggie told me the secret.  I'll tell you in return for hard cash.  Apply at rmmongolderby@gmail.com.

One day Maggie is going to find I've spun my own spell and magicked her lovely Basil...

Will dance for dinner.

Into the Vile Beast.  Who does fetch, after all so perhaps it wouldn't be too rubbish a swap?

Woof.

O the wild charge they made!

Last night I went to the Household Cavalry Barracks to watch a Riding Club London lesson.

For those of you who don't know, the Household Cavalry are the Queen's personal bodyguard with ceremonial duties which include trooping the colour.  They have barracks on Knightsbridge Road, opposite Hyde Park, where no less than 250 horses are kept!  Members of the Riding Club London may join lessons on these horses.  I went along to watch one...

Mounting of the Guard (me on the right) (joke)

Mounted bands: trooping of the colour

The entrance to the barracks is a curious little gate set in a wall on Knightsbridge Road.  Having signed in, I suddenly felt too shy to ask for directions so ran off with no idea where anything was.  Turns out the barracks are Quite Big and what I think is my "excellent innate sense of direction" is actually "no sense of direction at all".

Strange neighbours for Harvey Nicks!

Anyway, I followed my nose to the stables and was immediately struck - these horses are not just Quite Big but Very Huge.  Presumably because they have to carry mounted soldiers in full ceremonial dress?  It was funny to see some of the smaller riders next to their mounts!

Victoria and the aptly named Colossus

The horses were all very interested in the goings on...  

Who, me?

This pretty mousey bay was so excited at the prospect of a ride he did a little dance in his stable!

Aqaba 

Once in the school, the horses seemed to feel the light weight of their riders and, well, frolicked!  I thought of what someone once said: it's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.  And felt a bit vicariously nervous.  

The school

I couldn't hear an awful lot of what the teacher (Steve) was saying from behind the glass of the balcony but I liked his manner and all the riders I spoke to thought he was excellent.  Perhaps his magic touch was inspired by the (large) coffee Katharine delivered to him before the lesson began!  ;)

Tim, Katharine (who runs the Riding Club) and Lizzie keeping me company on the balcony

After the lesson, everyone trooped back to the stables.

Happy Aqaba and Ada

Yes, I have my own guard to wash me

Out of nowhere, some soldiers appeared and although they were very self-contained and kept out of our way, they obviously loved and knew the horses.  Colossus seemed to be a particular favourite with all these tough guys...  I could see why - no word of a lie, he offered me his hoof just like a dog!

Well hello, Mister!

I can't wait to come back and ride!  Thanks Katharine! 

Walking like John Wayne

I'm walking a little delicately this morning.  I think I started the rub on Saturday (riding) but noticed it and rubbed raw on Sunday.  I was very surprised to see a patch about half the size of my palm getting ready for CrossFit this morning...!

I should have time to work out anti-chafing solutions though because I just heard that my Derby saddle will be shipped to me in due course.  I am much more excited than I feel I can let on to anyone.  So, you know, totally cool.  It's just a saddle (!!!).

On a separate note, it's a beautiful day here in London.  I work in the City of London (the financial district) and on days like this you get to see the juxtaposition of old and new in the best light.

Guildhall (ceremonial & administrative centre of the City of London - in part medieval)

St Alban's was a church in Wood Street, in the City of London.  Of medieval origin, it was rebuilt in 1634, destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt once again, this time to a Gothic design by Sir Christopher Wren.  It was severely damaged by bombing during the Second World War, and the ruins cleared, leaving only the tower.

It's just a shame that my iPhone struggles with light levels.  Hopefully I'll have a new camera soon!

Horse: lesson 1

Don't have time for the full post? Read the

Short Post

A week in which I met a Derbyist (see my earlier post and particularly her blog), said happy birthday to a friend and went to my first Riding Club London social.  Lindsey ran off to Berlin and I ran off to Hampshire to ride.

How was your week?!

Dante

The Full Post

The Riding Club, London

Living in London and not having a horsey background, I knew when I signed up to the  Derby that getting the hours in the saddle I needed to ride the race would be difficult.  When I stumbled across the Riding Club London on a Horse and Hound forum I was definitely interested - the idea seems to be that the club organises access to horses for its London-based members.  The forum post said that members were posh, but nice and the club had access to really great horses. 

I sent the club an email and Katharine, the director, invited me along to drinks at the Fox Club, Mayfair to meet the club.  It sounds really promising: they have an incredible network of horse contacts and organise lessons, hunting, polo - you name it, they sort it.  I left cheerful and definitely tipsy so a thumbs up from me.  I'm looking forward to my first event!

The Fox Club

A weekend in Hampshire

My friend Katy invited me up to her parents' place to ride a friend's horse and start learning to find my way around a stable.  We hacked out Saturday morning across Surrey countryside and then took two horses back to her parents' place for their, and my, edification.  This is what I learnt.

"Fun" is used in Hampshire to refer to activities most of the world would more commonly describe as "dangerous".  Like backing four year olds (note the safety gear).

Chip

Chip and Katy

And "fresh" or "bright" does not mean clean, or rude, or cheerful - in Hampshire this means TREAT WITH CAUTION.

Sadhira

It's difficult to see from this photo of a beautiful little mare that she is really something else - quick, neat and didn't think twice about throwing an almighty buck a good half an hour in and out of thin air.

She is lovely, though...

Sadhira and adoring fan

Anyway, horses ridden Katy went to the party later prepared to charm.

Minx

And charm she did.  She didn't seem to notice that her dress had ridden up dangerously high, but the perfect man we'd gone to meet might have.  He sent her a Facebook message before we managed to get home and then another and a text and tried to ring before she had a chance to reply!  Not sure where he got her number from...

As the sun set, we headed back to London tired but happy.  What a great weekend!

Amazingstoke

I'm quite tired, even though I only rode one horse today!  Katy, she of the stupendous knockers and excellent seat rode three, one unbroken... 

The mare below is a rather pretty Arab Katy rides for Maggie Pattinson - Sadhira.  

Anyway, must dash, Katy has perfect man to meet. Watch this space for my weekly update tomorrow ...