Highworth, 19th November
What
a glorious day! Driving west down the M4, autumn colours had finally arrived,
shown in all their glory in bright sunshine. A pair of apple trees had shed
their leaves but not their heavy crop of fruit which looked like bright
Christmas baubles! Just more to lift the spirits in expectation of Highworth!
Our host, Johnny Manners was mounted and, with a posse of prospective
racehorses, followed proceedings, shouting encouragement to staff and members of
the field alike. There is nothing quite like this anywhere else and it adds to
the delight of hunting at
Highworth.
The first line started on the other side of the road, returning to the format of
some 8 years ago, and encompasses post and rails, hedges, some
with
ditches behind and some with drops, and a Cotswold stone wall. Robin disappeared
back to the lorries to change horses and was rapidly back with us to re cross
the road for the remaining three l
ines.
Line 2 starts over a substantial piece of upright timber, followed by the widest
hedge here - a step too far for my rehab show jumper who lost faith on take off
(Highworth definitely has my name on it!). A tricky double of post and rails
(Charlie Mann's name!), a big hedge (several other notable scalps!) and a
yawning ditch,
gave plenty of fun and achievement for a notably still large field.
Pause at the river for more horse swapping! Robin switched back to horse of line
1, while Phoebe claimed Jeff's new 17.3hh. Line 3 is the other side of the
river, today seriously full. Phoebe, now on happily on a tall horse, accused the
field for
being
wimps in not crossing the river! It certainly sorted out those on tall horses
and the young and foolish! Tim, our redoubtable runner, had finished line 3 at
this point and was asked to cross the river, yet again, to open an almost
completely submerged gate. Ever obliging, off he went, water to his armpits!
Several horses found that the best
way
to negotiate this depth of water was by leaping, best displayed by Rupert, who
was having a great day on his lovely big hunter and now appeared to be riding a
kangaroo! In all the horse swapping, Robin had left his horn on the wrong side
of the river...hounds were not impressed! This line is all post and rails and I
confess never to have done it - the show jumper is smallish and I am not young
and maybe
getting
sensible! The journey back across the river looked easier than the passage
out...experience is a wonderful thing!
Last horse swap for Robin and away we went on the last line - more
hedges and ditches with tiger traps over. Maybe Tim had slowed down from his
efforts in the river as we caught him some four hedges from the end of the line.
Head count here totalled 28, by far the largest number that has made it to the
end of Highworth. I think it is true to say that I was the only faller and I
landed on my feet!
Several then repaired to the pub for tea and debrief! It had been a great day
with very jumpable hedges. All praise to Andrew Rickman who had surely been
dropped in at the deep end, never having ridden Highworth before, had
intimidating inspection of all the hedges in their preparation with Ian Balding
and then been left to fieldmaster for the first time while our chairman somewhat
surprisingly took off for warmer climes and golf! If the coat made the man last
week, the job made the rider and the horse this week.
