Absolutely brilliant!

What a day Grotty Groom and Calum had yesterday! To say that they were nervous when they arrived at Ashen Equestrian Centre at 7.45am, doesn't begin to cover it, but they could see the Boys as they approached in the car and both were happily munching in their paddocks after their night out. Clever Bird's plan was to groom and tack-up in the paddocks rather than bringing them in. So Grotty groomed Wessles as he munched hay, then they went and watched a little of the first lesson. Freda Fretter had quickly realised that the other four women on the course were all really experienced riders who had trained with Becky lots of times before. Watching the first lesson with a very advanced rider on a very advanced horse, put Hormonal Hannah into a mini-meltdown of panic, so Clever Bird decided to take Baggy away from it and go and get Grotty ready and Wesley tacked up, rather than watching any more.

Of course Wesley has never been tacked up in the field before! Grotty didn't tie him up! No problem, he stood like a poppet. By the time Baggy got Grotty to  the arena, she felt sick with nerves, but as Grotty and Calum had walked the Boys around in the manege the night before, Wesley knew what to expect. The previous rider had lunged her horse before she got on. Grotty didn't! She hopped straight on. Wesley inspected the loud speakers as he walked past; that had Becky's voice coming out of them! He wasn't bothered. Grotty demonstrated Wesley's dressage diva mode, although he wasn't easy to ride. And explained his "quirks" and her desires for the course. Becky hopped on to check what Wesley rides like.

To paraphrase (a long description) he rides like a "jack-knifing jelly fish"! Yep! Baggy, being a soft touch, has basically made Grotty hold Wesley together for years - it's not easy "carrying" half-a-tonne of horse! Grotty got back on and followed instructions for a new way of riding Wesley.

It wasn't easy. Baggy's legs, arms and back were working hard. Then they trotted.

Loved it. Big grins all round. Then it was Calum's turn. He explained the one-handed riding he and Joey are used to,  then Becky hopped on.

Para-phrasing her description of Joey, he is an "angled steam-roller". Much "conversation" went on between Becky and Joey before Calum hopped back on with a new riding style.

He too had lots of achy bits very quickly (not helped by the broken toe from the night before,  where Joey jumped on him), but a big grin. Joey was very proud of himself and showed off to the handsome horse in the mirror!

Last night the course finished at 7.15pm. Baggy and Calum had a pub meal, lay on the bed at 9.30pm and woke up at 5.00am! Baggy got up so Creative Clara could give you bloggees a brief update! Now off to breakfast, before heading back to the Centre for day two. Yee-hah.........