5 minute read
Riding Jane Paterson
Looking forward to spring and good weather
THEYsay there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing, but Come On, seriously, haven’t we had enough rain now? It’s a sodden January and we are all tired of sloshing around in the mud. Having to keep horses in more than we would like to not only means delving into feed and bedding supplies which were meant to last a little longer into spring, it also ensures that the aroma of wet bedding and horse poo is still clinging to us as we stagger either into the pub, the house or wherever at the end of the day.
The lovely Eau de Manure is par for the territory in this game though, and never more than when you’ve opened several Christmas gifts and they’ve all been smellies from the Mad Cow brand.
It makes you realise that perhaps there’s a message! I think I’d rather have that cold snap which came before Christmas than all this rain and wind.
Sunshine galore was wonderful and the sight of a hoar frost is unforgettable, but the sub-zero temperatures especially up on top of the Mendips, meant that all Tarmac and concrete surfaces were like skating rinks and lots of gritting was required in order to get the horses out safely.
Some arenas froze over and racing was abandoned at many venues. Ten days of racing was lost for Team Ditcheat, which must have been both frustrating and disappointing. When races are cancelled it’s not that easy to re-route.
Some tracks suit particular horses better than others and the going has to be right, so a pause in the calendar can mean missed opportunities. However, there was some terrific spectator sport on Boxing Day as well as the rest of the holiday period.
Paul Nicholls who trains Team Ditcheat must have been very satisfied with some great results at Taunton, Chepstow and Wincanton, and then to win the Grade 1 Ladbrokes King George VIth Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day for the 13th time, must have been the icing on the cake for not only him, but the jockeys and owners as well.
Bravemansgame, a now eight-year-old gelding who won the King George, has been ridden by Harry Cobden since 2019. The pair have had some fabulous results, amassing a very impressive wallet of winnings amounting to something a little north of £300,000.
Paul has reported that this talented horse likes to have a good break between runs, so we may not see him out again before the Cheltenham Festival in March, hopefully for the prestigious Gold Cup. Exciting times lie ahead.
The Mendip Farmers had a good turnout for hunting on
With JANE PATERSON
Boxing Day, with around 45 riding out from the meet at Priddy Green. A good number of spectators joined in the occasion, helped along with mulled wine from the Queen Vic to warm them up.
It’s amazing how quickly after setting off, all evidence of horses and hounds quickly disappears as they trot away. I have tried many times to follow on foot but within minutes there is no sign of them.
Occasionally the sound of the hunting horn can be heard, and maybe the speaking of the hounds as they pick up the scent, but that’s it. The more savvy youngsters zoom round on quad bikes nowadays, which looks like a lot of fun and of course navigates the terrain like no other vehicle can.
So, after a sociable chat with a few like-minded folk out on a quintessentially British occasion, it was time to retreat back home for a warm by the fire, some Christmas day leftovers, followed by an afternoon of superb racing on the telly.
What bliss. Dates for your 2023 diary: Mendip Farmers Point to Point at Ston Easton, Sunday, March 19th. First race is at 12.30.
Badminton Horse Trials, May 4th to 8th. Ticket office now open, with Early Bird tickets available until March 31st. There is an extra day this year due to the Coronation of King Charles. There will be some dressage on the Saturday, but the Cross Country will be run on the Sunday.
Boxing Day at Priddy
Riding club awards are handed out
EAST Mendip Riding Club has announced the winners of its 2022 awards scheme.
Its Instructor of the Year award went to Martine Lee. The club says Martine stepped into the breach for them earlier this year and has done a great job. Martine is really great at making sure each horse and rider are comfortable with what they are doing.
Its Baraka award, for the person whose relationship with their horse works so much that it really shows, went to Barbara Cary and BK. BK is an ex-Arab racing pony and when he first came to clinics, he thought he still
had to gallop everywhere!
The club says BK “really was a bunny in the lights but Barbara has worked really hard with him and is a lovely calm rider and now he loves coming out, behaves impeccably and is a totally different horse”.
Member of the Year award has gone to Sue McCullagh who moved to EMRC from another club while the Camp award went to Michelle Miller.
Under starter’s orders
Club secretary Jo Rossiter (left), who founded the club, with one of the award winners
An award-winning riding school in the heart of Mendip
Pony club racing at Wincanton
ENTRIES are open for the 2023 Wylye Valley Pony Club Raceday at Wincanton Racecourse on Saturday, April 22nd.
Ponies of all heights, shapes and abilities will take over the track for the afternoon with eight races including one with 12 Shetland Ponies. More than 60 young jockeys are expected to take part and previous fixtures have seen the launch of future careers in the sport.
The day is free to attend and all of Wincanton’s facilities will be open, including bar and Tote. The first race goes off at 1pm.
To enter, visit: https://branches.pcuk.org/wylyevalley/ponyraceday/
Return to riding!
We all know it can be a bit of a challenge to get back in the saddle if you’ve not ridden for a while – but we have the answers! H Ride and coffee mornings H Adult group lessons H Quiet Hacks Call or email us for more details
