With so much rain
having come down (4.5ins in the month and 1.8ins over Friday/Saturday), I was
surprised that the meet was still on and even more surprised how amazingly dry
the ground was. I got no mud on my coat, only water splashed from the water jump
on the cross country course of line 2 and had a remarkably clean horse at the
end. Trust the draining of the chalk downland in future! It was not one of our
larger fields that turned out and those
who might have been put off by the wet
missed a great day of galloping and jumping.Kindly hosted, as always by the Brunskill's, a glass of port or whisky mac went down well in the blustery wind. The field was of allsorts, from a remarkably sensible point-to-pointer, a not so sensible ex-racehorse, to a charming little Welshman with 7 year old on board - whenever I saw them, the pony was bucking! Dad was in somewhat distant attendance and the tiny
partnership made it to the
end! 
and a secretary but
everything worked. Greater presence of deer than on Boxing Day, groups of 3 and
4 were frequently sighted, but hounds were not distracted. On the first line,
old hounds led the majority of the pack astray in short circuiting the first
wood, came further off line, deer in sight, lead hound stopped for a pee, pack
checked, and returned to the
line!! Whew!! Lucky escape, as even my super-fast
boy was not in touch at the time - a day's treat from straightening tempi
changes and improving canter pirouette, and did he enjoy it!! Handstands as soon
as Robin put hounds on line!! Fun and excursions on the second line, round what
is a rather technical cross country course - pause for thought for our regular
followers. A quick spin around Marcus Tregoning's gallops and very jumpable
timber fences before a real blast over hurdles
on the last line. It may only be
across one field and all the way round another huge onebut it was terrific fun
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