So its been a week since the shake up and all is well. Doing two lots, means a lot of driving, but it also means lunch at Valley Farm Equestrian Centre at Wickham Market, Suffolk. The only place you can get a decent home-cooked lunch while watching a lesson, and looking at llamas and a camel!
Its hard work having the herd split, and sometimes we are pushed for time. But the three on holiday are as happy as pigs in shit. We are lucky if we get a wicker. Its like "Hello, nice to see you but can't stop! Grass to eat". Next door there is a mule, and a couple of ponies.
Totally unhandled, Jo and i have been fascinated with them and have been making friends. On Tuesday, we noticed the mule had escaped, and was frolicking on 30 Acres of Sugar Beet Crop next to their field. We think it belongs to their owner. We phoned the vet and asked them to let the owner know. On Wednesday, the Mule had been joined by her field mates and they all looked like they were having the best time. Today our landlord told us people had been trying to round up the escapees with sheepdogs. By the time we arrived all was quiet.....but the intrepid trio were still loose. Hope our herd don't decide to join in!!
Meanwhile back at the Ranch, Molly has well and truly settled in. At the moment the herd are following her every move (But she doesn't yet know Mini is actually in charge......Mini is biding her time). Its nice to see them settled. Molly has become more relaxed each day. To start with I was feeding her, as she is a little underweight, but after wolfing her grub for two days, on day 3 she wasn't interested. They have plenty of grass and ad-lib hay, so she has realised she is not starving. Because there is plenty to eat, she has chilled out no end. To start with her droppings were dry and 'stressed', but now they are dark and shiny like everyone elses. When she arrived she was tucked up, (a sign of stress). At last today her belly has 'dropped'. She is part of the herd now, they are all grazing side by side.
Molly has had some very welcome visitors from the RDA. Clare, who used to ride her, and Ty. Moll was happy to see some old faces, as were we. When we get the others back home Clare and Ty will be able to hack out on Moll and Daisy, while Jo and I concentrate on Charlie and Lil. Happy days ahead!!
Ok so it has taken me three days to sufficiently come down from this high-point of the year to be able to write about it (even now I may babble a bit!).
As regular followers, and people who know me, will know, RDA is, and has been a huge part of my life. I was Stable Manager for Hollesley RDA between 1998 and 2008, and would never have given it up. Sadly life and other ambitious individuals got in the way (another story, but not for this blog).
Anyway, as you all know, I returned to teaching an RDA session in September 2016. At that time the future of Hollesley RDA was in question as we had to vacate the premises at Sutton Hall, where we had been for around 20 years. An extremely generous person allowed us to rent land in Clopton, near Woodbridge, and frantic building work began on an all new purpose built centre. As we had moved even further away from Hollesley, we got ourselves a new name...
Woodbridge and District RDA.
The new centre still needs a few finishing touches, but the main school, complete with built in Community Room, Office, Stalls, Kitchen etc is done. We move lock, stock and barrel next week.
So the management team asked HRH Princess Anne to officially open the new building. To our delight HRH agreed. She must like us.....This is the fourth visit to Hollesley (Woodbridge) RDA!!
And so the big day was Tuesday. There was frantic activity from all quarters!!! As we haven't quite moved, 5 ponies were taken over for a few days to be in the display. Suzanne our Operations Manager must have been tearing her hair out working out all the logistics. Not to mention Clare (our Stable Manager), who lives on site, getting up at 4am one morning to clean the kitchen!! Viv made sure the ponies were smart and the tack was all matching. Liz worked out a routine for a short display. I thought I would be the one in the background, making sure horses and riders were ready etc.
WRONG! On Monday I arrived for the run through. As we were a leader missing, I stepped in, leading Lottie, who is about 30 and was at RDA all the while I ran the yard. We also used Maddie, a New Forest pony on loan to us, Dolly the driving pony, and Smartie and Inca, our 2 big black mares, who are the mainstay of the adult riding sessions.
After several practises on Monday, leading the ponies, we agreed we (roughly) knew what we were doing and set about cleaning the tack, while the Driving crew polished harness and cart. I was then told, I had better stay as leader....
Oh and Liz and I would be introducing the Ponies and Riders to HRH.
Panic stations on my behalf.....I have a thick Suffolk accent....and I was worried I might forget names! Swear! Nudge the Princess! Accidentally knock her over?
Suzanne, who would be sitting with HRH throughout, told me NOT to catch her eye, as we seemed to be having one of those inappropriate giggle fits when we looked at each other. Not sure how I slept, but I did.
So THE morning dawned....Winter Wonderland....Thick Ice. Managed to get up on time (not my strong point). We had to park at the other end of the mile long drive to The Bays (our new centres name) and catch a Mini Bus to the yard. Major activity all round, polishing, plaiting and oiling the ponies. Meanwhile outside people were scattering salt on the icy yard. There was a minor panic when one of our child riders texted in sick. Luckily we had another child rider, Hope, who was going to present a posy. What a star, she agreed to ride Maddie, who she had never even sat on before.
I must apologise here to the helpers (errr and everyone), for being bossy. I somehow forgot I am not Yard Manager anymore!!! I found myself yelling "Turn off all mobiles", and "Time to tack up", and "Get the ponies in the arena to warm up".
In no time at all we heard the Helicopter arriving. As HRH made her way through the Community Area and walked across the Arena, I had a moment of sheer nerves, which completely dissipated as we started our display. We went a bit wrong, but recovered well and no-one noticed. Sarah Hall,and I who were leading the lead ponies, seemed to have a telepathic connection and managed to right the wrong, with just a few nods and grimaces.
At the end of the display, the Princess came to meet the riders....Deep Breathe as someone took charge of Lottie and I joined Liz and Suzanne for the introductions. HRH Princess Anne was lovely, and I found myself chatting away. We talked about the cold weather, Ian Stark buying horses from auction, and racehorses refusing to run.
Next up was the Long Service Awards.....At this point Shirley Green still hadn't arrived. Shirley started Hollesley RDA many moons ago, when she ran Poplar Park at Hollesley. She then moved to Sutton Hall and was my immediate boss, while I was there. Shirley was County Instructor. She was also involved in many BHS activities such as Riding and Road Safety Examiner, and Dressage Judge at big events, where i used to be her writer. We were all getting concerned..... Apparently Shirley used the worst taxi firm in Suffolk, and had a very long trip touring the villages of Suffolk, before arriving.
At this point the Long Service Awards were drawing to a close, and I was back in the pony lines, when word came down that Shirley had arrived. I didn't think, I just ran to meet her, nearly knocking out a security guard while flinging open the door to the Community room. I thought to just quietly escort her to her seat in the Arena, but her arrival had been announced and Princess Anne came to meet us, as Shirley was met with a standing ovation!!!!
After the official opening HRH left and I seemed to take charge again (SORRY), yelling for the riders to be dismounted, and the ponies to be untacked before the helicopter took off. We were then able to relax (In fact 12 of us buggered off to Valley Farm Riding Centre in nearby Wickham Market for lunch (They have a brilliant cafe), and meet and mingle with clients and helpers.
SO...What a day. Many thanks to the helpers, horses, and riders for making this one of the best days of my life.....And sorry for getting all bossy and in charge like!! XX
