Monday 1 October 2018

Thurlow Hunt Ride

I had a lovely quiet weekend last weekend, I did basically nothing but lay on the sofa and hope my shoulder and coccyx would heel after my unscheduled dismount on my first hound exercise of the year (that's the last time I get on a horse I don't know or trust that's for sure!) but on Sunday Georgie was scheduled to attend the Thurlow's hunt ride around their beautifully estate and as the weather was due to be nice I figured 'what the hell' and decided to get up fairly early to help. 
With mounting of horses at no later than 10.45am to set off promptly at 11am we were on hands on deck to get there and be ready. 

Georgie had the good idea of getting B ready and tacked up at the yard and trailer him the short distance to the meet rather than tack him up there once his adrenaline had started. Fresh after our successful last show of the season B has now had a clip and is looking autumn and winter ready. No woolly bear in sight! Georgie had the good idea of getting B ready and tacked up at the yard and trailer him the short distance to the meet rather than tack him up there once his adrenaline had started. Fresh after our successful last show of the season B has now had a clip and is looking autumn and winter ready. No woolly bear in sight!



We arrived in good time, unloaded B and Georgie was practically ready, already in her boots and jacket when leaving the yard so in no time at all Georgie was on board and was quickly being passed a port and a sausage with the other mounted followers. After a quick social chat getting to know the other field members instructions were shouted by the Master and off they went. It was a sight to behold seeing around 30 or so horses of all shapes and sizes set off along the hedgerow some way away and watch them trot along in a (generally) well behaved line.

Now going back to my previous comment of being ‘due nice weather’ it would seem Thurlow did not get the memo as leaving Newmarket the clouds had thickened and the wind picked up and it was decidedly chilly for a day forecast to have 20 degrees on the thermometer! With the field now well out of site Mum and I settled down for the wait until they all arrived back and with Fenella due a bottle I got Mum set up out of the wind in the trailer on a chair and Nel snuggled up in her buggy. With little room in the trailer for me I settled outside in another chair, wrapped up Georgie’s now shivering jack russell Ruby in B’s rug and snuggled her up on my lap to keep me warm. Good ol' Mum had packed us up some food so we sat chatting in the fresh air, feeding Nel her bottle and snacking on some yummy sarnies!


It was a couple of hours or so until the field finally rounded the hedgerow and made their way back to the lorries and trailers, everyone chatting and smiling on how much of a nice day they had had. Even the tumblers!
As luck would have it the clouds had begun to clear and the wind die down and with that the sun came out and provided much needed warmth for my fairly frosty fingers and meant the horses didn’t get cold too quickly after having their tack removed!
B was still very much full of running and wanting to carry on it would seem as it took him some down to calm back down. He was quickly washed off and Ruby removed from his rug so it could keep him warm this time!

With it now being around 2pm I was keen to get packed up and home so Georgie ate a sandwich while Mum loaded Nel in the car and I put B in the trailer and we headed off back to the yard to turn B out and have a nice cup of tea!
Overall it wasn't a very exciting morning for Me and Mum but it was nice to spend some quiet time with her and have a good chat and a catch up while Georgie seemed to have a wonderful time. 
That reminds me, I really must process her GoPro footage so look out for that!

What we've got planned for the next couple of weeks I don't know! Perhaps just enjoy some time off from competing?!

What have you all got planned then?

Sophie x

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