‘A
Short Break or Riding for the Beginner’
(Click
on an image)
I
needed a short break away from exams and revision. My friend
Jodie had
recently set up a riding school with the help of her step-dad, David,
and I thought that I could persuade them to put up with me for a few
days.
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The
phrases ‘When are you coming?’ and ‘Bring
some working clothes’ meant
that my part of the deal was to be the stable boy, gofer and sometimes
an electrician (my trade). Off the aircraft and David met me
at the
airport – the only really poor weather of the trip was
then. Arriving
at their home, they had already set up the bed and got the first of the
tasks awaiting for me (joking!). |
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The
serious stuff started the next day with breakfast at 6.15am and then
down to the stables. The joy of this early hour is that
Pedreguer is
still half asleep although the workers in our regular café
were all
there having a bite, brandy and coffee.
Down
at the stables I renewed my acquaintance with Harry, a huge, gentle
Friesen and some of the other horses that I remembered from my last
trip. Star came and said hello and I met Don Simon (the
donkey) for
the first time. |
First job was to help Jodie and Amanda
(a friend of Jodie’s) with the mucking out and then watering
the
horses. After that, the jobs needed around the stables, like
working
in the sand school and painting the walls were tackled in
turn. In
exchange I got my board and lodging and lager on demand…!
While
I was in Pedreguer there was a medium distance race with shorter
challenges for those that maybe were not up to the full distance
– me?
– no chance! The winner of the short 4 km distance
was a four year old
girl! Amazing! A real party atmosphere and over
2000 contestants –
really impressive in size and organisation.
And I
also got to ride.
Interesting this.
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I
last rode 20 years ago and that was a mere five
lessons… And so your
esteemed webmaster was to be seen wobbling around on Star for an
hour.
His only vice is that if you don’t keep nudging him, he
stops. At
least it is better that way round. Jodie soon had me sitting upright
–
‘NOT LIKE A SACK OF POTATOES! SIT UP!’ and I sat
up. Oh boy did I sit
up!
But she knows her stuff and soon had me walking
and
(some) trotting around the sand school. Jodie is a British
Horse
Society qualified groom and has been teaching for some years now, she
knows her horses well and these ones have been chosen with care. |
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Now
a few words about Roberto - he is a truly lovely animal and I was shown
a photo of him when they bought him – an ex-racer and uncared
for – the
head was down and the body drooped. In the few months that
Jodie has
had him, the improvement is unbelievable. She now has trained
him for
free rein, ie responding to voice and visual signals (like a sheepdog
but much bigger) and he is having a second childhood and loving
it. A
truly lovely animal. |
It all got too much...
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At
the end of two weeks I left with regret. And while Willesden
is
nowhere near as attractive as Pedreguer, the remaining exams were
calling and I needed to return.
I will be back.
Mike |
Two
cats, one dog and a rug
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