Tinsel, Cards and Memories
Great excitement at Nag’sR’Us as it is Christmas, reins are tinsel-bound, and cards are being handed out ‘To J and Clyde from Petra and Mr Foxy’ - ‘To Belle, Caresse and Teegee from J and Clyde’ – no dilemma about adding horse names to cards as not only does everyone understand that Clyde is a very important member of the family, but also at the stables we all define each other by horse. i.e, I am probably known as ‘you know, the woman with the unfortunate haircut. No? OK - the woman in the coat three sizes too big. Still no? Clyde’s Mum’ ‘Ahhh yes’.
Further excitement! there is a new horse at the stables, always a bonding thing. Pat recently travelled to Spain to purchase a horse for Mr TallHat, a man who already has two gigantic superstar nags. The other day we were hosing down Clyde who was tolerating this gloomily, and Pat summoned us into the Livery Barn, a place so closely guarded with its premium selection of show jumpers and eventers you need a security pass to enter. We needed no second invitation and stood cooing over the stable wall. Diamond is dark grey with black mane and tail, a fancy Spanish breed, dainty but strong. We saw him giving an exhibition in the bottom school the other day, everyone was hanging over the fence drooling at his fancy paces. One of his moves was so fancy, indeed, that I thought it was a spook and clutched the rail with white knuckles lest Mr TallHat was about to be ignominiously dumped. But apparently this sideways step with frisky heel flicks was some advanced dressage move. I guess it reminded me of Whisper, a mini-Diamond, and who could perform the exact same move, only not on command but when she spotted something really scary, like a puff of air, or another horse.
Talking of Whisper, I have been thinking about her a lot lately. She was a beautiful pony. Too good for us and our bumbling novice ineptitude, of which stolid Clyde is endlessly forgiving, but in another year……. She was ours for so short a time; we loved her and feared her in equal measure. I hope she found a good home where she is cherished and can flourish. I hope she wins everything at Sudeley Show next year so we can say ‘She was ours once. If only.....’
Further excitement! there is a new horse at the stables, always a bonding thing. Pat recently travelled to Spain to purchase a horse for Mr TallHat, a man who already has two gigantic superstar nags. The other day we were hosing down Clyde who was tolerating this gloomily, and Pat summoned us into the Livery Barn, a place so closely guarded with its premium selection of show jumpers and eventers you need a security pass to enter. We needed no second invitation and stood cooing over the stable wall. Diamond is dark grey with black mane and tail, a fancy Spanish breed, dainty but strong. We saw him giving an exhibition in the bottom school the other day, everyone was hanging over the fence drooling at his fancy paces. One of his moves was so fancy, indeed, that I thought it was a spook and clutched the rail with white knuckles lest Mr TallHat was about to be ignominiously dumped. But apparently this sideways step with frisky heel flicks was some advanced dressage move. I guess it reminded me of Whisper, a mini-Diamond, and who could perform the exact same move, only not on command but when she spotted something really scary, like a puff of air, or another horse.
Talking of Whisper, I have been thinking about her a lot lately. She was a beautiful pony. Too good for us and our bumbling novice ineptitude, of which stolid Clyde is endlessly forgiving, but in another year……. She was ours for so short a time; we loved her and feared her in equal measure. I hope she found a good home where she is cherished and can flourish. I hope she wins everything at Sudeley Show next year so we can say ‘She was ours once. If only.....’
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