Working Equitation

We all had to have a go at the riding club's 'Working Equitation' event at the weekend.  It seems that She and Her chums are great admirers of the Portuguese rider Pedro Torres and dream of emulating him.

Posy rapidly assessed the situation and realised that it was just horse agility all over again, only with more circles, a 'ring-a-bell' exercise and a 'bull' where the rider had a lance and was meant to pick up a ring (see Pedro Torres above!).  

We were all very suspicious of the 'bull' and I snorted at it, but it didn't snort back and I soon realised that it was just a show jump with a calfskin draped over it and a roll of masking tape balanced on top.

To make it all seem authentic they played Spanish music (presumably on the grounds that Spain was near Portugal) and some of them wore Spanish costumes.  Maddy was one of the participants, but she didn't squeal at all, presumably out of embarrassment for her rider's tenuous grip of geography.

Maddy's flamenco costume 

Anyway, a good time was had by all, even if none of them performed anything like Pedro Torres.

How quickly the excitement wore off though, as we came to terms with the tragic news that deer had been in the orchard and eaten all the remaining apples, thus decimating our treat supply.  I don't know how we are going to manage.