Rain was
forecast and rain it did!
One newcomer said before the meet, "Yesterday it
seemed like a good idea..." At the end of the day his beaming face clearly
showed that it had been, despite his misgivings! "Such fun, I'll definitely come
again." John, the sole whip today, summed it up with "wet, muddy, warm and
happy." Even Robin had mud on him, which being in the lead and on 18.1hh of
horse, seemed fairly impossible! Others were an awful lot muddier, one having
had her horse slip over on landing.
I was horseless and so helped Richard transport hounds, collect caps etc. Penny
(joint-master from over the road), another to doubt the sense of turning out
while it poured down as she changed into hunt clothes, looked mortified that I
hadn't let her know. Another newcomer, looking a little like a military
policeman (I think it was the eminently practical black breeches that did it),
offered me a pillion ride at the meet and, obviously having had a great day,
said at tea, "I can't think why you didn't take up my offer - my horse was
flying!" Well, it might not have done with two up, although he was considerably
bigger than me!! I got totally enveloped in a hug! I tell you, having done a wet
day on foot, it is much colder and wetter on the ground!
But you can really
appreciate how much fun everyone lucky enough to be on a horse has. Yet another
newcomer who fell at the first fence, fell somewhere later, got lost on the
second line and was spotted having a "discussion" with her horse as to whether
to jump a gate, a log or neither, was bubbling with the excitement of it
all at tea. Another convert - "I have never had such fun!" The only plus to not
riding was that there was no wet and muddy horse (although I helped John with
his), wet and muddy tack or wet and muddy clothes to deal with afterwards.The Rickman family were out in force, generously hosting the meet and providing a wonderful spread of hot food for tea. Robin was clearly back on form (see IOM report), having two mountainous plate-fulls! The lines were much the same as last time but with a return loop on the first. This
had a narrow miss with trail
bike riders on a parallel track but hounds were oblivious and I think only those
of us at the end of the line knew. Nikki Rickman then made a swift change to
second horse, perfectly timed for the start of the second line. Knowledge
acquired from the last meet here had Caroline (photographer) running to the
mushroom fences - and
nearly getting flattened by Andrew as he led the field on
a different route from the one Robin and John had taken! People went out in
various directions on this line, some scarcely in control, and came back by
another assortment of routes! Hounds hunted extremely well in the wet and
ignored deer and hare on the third line. As always, great jumping and galloping
at this meet and the ground was very rideable.Hot tip from today, provided by Amy who was sporting a pair of scarcely discernable, but obviously very effective, waterproof breeches - They are available from http//ri-dryclothing.co.uk . Rockley has two different height at quite a few of its fences and as Amy said, "It is amazing how the presence of a photographer gives you the confidence to tackle the bigger!."