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Report from the Field Rickney Farm, Rickney Bridge Jo has asked me to write a 'report from the field' on the day at Rickney Farm and I must confess to being a bit slow at getting it done. It's Thursday and I've only just got around to brushing off the black jackets. The going was a trifle wet on Sunday, not as bad as Hever mind, but there's certainly a lot more post hunting cleaning to do compared to Black Robin Farm last week where we finished as clean as we started.
Anyway we had a great time at Rickney. After drinking Pop's health at the meet, his 97th birthday, we set off across the levels, cantering through standing water at one point. Charlotte, who's mare is about 15.2, bless her, got well splattered with mud. Avoid following horses with big feet or knotted tails, even worse if they have both, in deep going. I always try to find one with a long tail which acts as mudguard. A tiger trap in an awkward corner on the second line caused more than it's fair share of problems as did the following fence, a short striding in and out of a spinney. Throughout the day a young girl on chestnut with it's head on the floor kept catching my eye; I'd seen a very similar couple somewhere before, but where? It came to me on the last line. As we headed across a concrete bridge, a chestnut flash shot past and despite the poor girl's protests attempted to jump the water. Damn nearly made it too, but not quite. Thankfully horse and rider were unscathed. It jogged my memory; it was deja-vu. Two seasons ago, at the very same venue, we were hunting across the levels when a horse and rider failed to realise the field was going right handed for a good reason (a drainage channel) and galloped straight into the dyke. That time that duo weren't so lucky and though the rider was thrown clear the horse ended up winded and floundering in the mud trying to get it's footing on the bank. It took four of us about ten minutes to get him on dry land. Mercifully he was none the worse for the ordeal. I couldn't believe it, here we were two years down the line and a very similar combination had had a very similar upset. The moral of the story must be to never mix chestnuts and dykes! Anyway this pair, Nicola Wilson on the well named Speedy, picked themselves up and carried on, finishing the day jumping a nice big hedge near Montague. All great fun. There was one disconcerting moment when waiting to start the third line when the knacker man to the local hunt arrive, complete with truck! There were murmuring from several members who tentatively asked Claire "What was it about the next line that she wasn't telling us about". In true Coakham tradition a great day's hunting was complemented by a fantastic tea both provided by Claire and Robbie where we all celebrated Pop's birthday with a rendering of 'Happy Birthday'. Pauline Holmes |
