DianaRich horsey people and spoilt bitchy girls? (LINK)
May 10th 2008 11:11
The atmosphere at the National Equestrian Centre is wonderful this weekend: and Rose is very very popular!
But already I digress; we are camping at the Centre while the kids compete in the State Horse Trials. Our campsite is right in front of the stables; the place is totally jam-packed with other families camping.
At powered sites, people have patio-heaters, colour tv's and microwaves. Some have towed floats and caravans! Many, like us, have one or two large tents, a few bikes to get around on, maybe a dog tied up and heaps of kids.
Now, you may think 'horsey' people are 'rich' n stuff, but these horse-trials types are pretty down to earth and practical and there is not such massive signs of wealth as there is at lush horse shows.
The kids I really like, too. Not spoilt, bitchy, stuck-up or horrible, like some 'showies' can be...
Not for these kids the fuss and glamour of satin-coated, virtually useless show-horses; their mounts are sturdy, reliable pony clubber campaigners, capable in the main of lasting the distance through dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. The kids,average age 13, are reliable, self-reliant,hard-working and wonderfully supportive of their fellow-competitors (again, unlike the bitchy show-ring, which let me let you is killer stuff!!)
Today in the tremendously exciting x-country phase, a girl fell at the water-jump and was trodden on by her horse. She was taken off by ambulance clearly damaged. Other kids ralllied round and cared for her horse while the distraught parents went in the ambulance. Every parent's nightmare, I agree.
The weather was cool and damp, russet autumn leaves fell in drifts around the historic buildngs, and in the nearby open-range zoo lions roared, sending a shiver through the listening horses.
And Rose.
Yes, dear reader, I did not have the courage to turf her into the paddock yet and so we have her camping with us. Tethered at the back of the float with the puppy, the two are big drawcards with the passing foot traffic. Small children come back and back to pat the gentle lamb or marvel at her sleeping on my lap during the meal breaks. All the dogs are fascinated and so are some horses! Tonight, she was very comfortable sharing a bucket of lucerne chaff with our grey horse, who politely allowed her to have her little mouthfull before lowering his big gallant head down for his own. It was very cute!
Right now darkness is fast falling and all around me are the sights and sounds of a huge communal camp getting ready for the coming night. Some people are going to the catered dinner; others are cooking dinner as I type; in the oval in front of our site my kids and a heap of others are playing footy, soccer and running around with their dogs. Rose is curled asleep at my feet.
I will bid you adieu and chat more anon! Off to get pizza!
But already I digress; we are camping at the Centre while the kids compete in the State Horse Trials. Our campsite is right in front of the stables; the place is totally jam-packed with other families camping.
At powered sites, people have patio-heaters, colour tv's and microwaves. Some have towed floats and caravans! Many, like us, have one or two large tents, a few bikes to get around on, maybe a dog tied up and heaps of kids.
Now, you may think 'horsey' people are 'rich' n stuff, but these horse-trials types are pretty down to earth and practical and there is not such massive signs of wealth as there is at lush horse shows.
The kids I really like, too. Not spoilt, bitchy, stuck-up or horrible, like some 'showies' can be...
Not for these kids the fuss and glamour of satin-coated, virtually useless show-horses; their mounts are sturdy, reliable pony clubber campaigners, capable in the main of lasting the distance through dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. The kids,average age 13, are reliable, self-reliant,hard-working and wonderfully supportive of their fellow-competitors (again, unlike the bitchy show-ring, which let me let you is killer stuff!!)
Today in the tremendously exciting x-country phase, a girl fell at the water-jump and was trodden on by her horse. She was taken off by ambulance clearly damaged. Other kids ralllied round and cared for her horse while the distraught parents went in the ambulance. Every parent's nightmare, I agree.
The weather was cool and damp, russet autumn leaves fell in drifts around the historic buildngs, and in the nearby open-range zoo lions roared, sending a shiver through the listening horses.
And Rose.
Yes, dear reader, I did not have the courage to turf her into the paddock yet and so we have her camping with us. Tethered at the back of the float with the puppy, the two are big drawcards with the passing foot traffic. Small children come back and back to pat the gentle lamb or marvel at her sleeping on my lap during the meal breaks. All the dogs are fascinated and so are some horses! Tonight, she was very comfortable sharing a bucket of lucerne chaff with our grey horse, who politely allowed her to have her little mouthfull before lowering his big gallant head down for his own. It was very cute!
Right now darkness is fast falling and all around me are the sights and sounds of a huge communal camp getting ready for the coming night. Some people are going to the catered dinner; others are cooking dinner as I type; in the oval in front of our site my kids and a heap of others are playing footy, soccer and running around with their dogs. Rose is curled asleep at my feet.
I will bid you adieu and chat more anon! Off to get pizza!
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Comment by Gaia
Comment by Mars
Comment by Hephaestus
Comment by Gaia
(But does remind me of a friend's mischievous husband who wanted to, umm, you know, have a roast dinner ... so to hint to his wife he strapped a bottle of mint sauce on their lamb .........!)
Comment by Demeter