Hacking

What could be better than hacking out on a happy horse, with sociable companions, on good ground and in bright sunshine tempered by a cooling breeze? I always like the colour of the horse I am riding: the green grass always looks best between bay ears, with that little rim of black, or between chestnut ears, a lovely bright golden tone that shows up well or then again, grey ears are always rather… good thing I have access to many horses so I can continue this endless internal debate.

I love fence judging. Watching an athletic horse soaring gracefully over an obstacle in partnership with the rider is a wonder of harmony and grace. But then, I dislike getting up very early to drive to the event, travelling for far too long down really boring motorways. On the other hand, I do enjoy the tea and a bacon butty on arrival and greeting the familiar faces who regularly volunteer, week in week out, over the eventing season. There is the characteristic scent of crushed damp grass as we hear all the same old jokes from the TA during the briefing.