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10 th December 2005 saw the annual Christmas Ride out from Bentleigh Farm hosted by SSSS - yes, once again, Smári Slater the Sexy Sexagenarian was leading a band of merry revellers across the Wiltshire countryside in the general direction of the Hook and Glove Public House in Farley.
Smári and his SWMBO - The Munificent Mandy - were, as ever, generous in offering horses to ride which meant that my SWMBO and I could zip up the A303 from Devon in the car rather than creep up in Malcolm the ex-pantechniconette (he's only a small,short ex-furniture lorry after all). This was a boon - especially after the ride when falling asleep on the slow drive home in the lorry is usually on the cards.
Saturday
morning dawned bright and clear - the weather was ideal which made up
for the two previously quite wet years. As the riders started to assemble
at Bentleigh Farm I realised that, once again, we had left all our tinsel,
Christmas lights and Santa hats at home but, fortunately, Celia came
to the rescue and we were able to decorate our horses with some seasonal 'cruppers'
and breastplates from her tinsel bag.
I'd been given Parker to ride and,
once he got over his huff at having to carry FatBoy for the day he settled
down nicely and we had a great day together - he's a good sized, four
gaited gelding with more tölt
that you could want, a very nice, rounded canter and he will even give
you a pleasing trot if you insist (he'd much rather tölt - shame
eh? 
)
We'd
brought Harry the mild-mannered lurcher with us for the day and, suitably
attired in a bright orange reflective safety vest bedecked with tinsel,
he joined us along with Smári's dog Kippy for the ride. The ride
to the pub was quite relaxed and gentle, well - I say relaxed when maybe
I should say 'relaxed for an Icelandic ride' - most livery yards would
probably label it a 'suicide hack' but they mostly lack such sure footed
horses that also do not mind riding in close proximity to other horses - that's
what makes a big ride like this fun but safe at the same time.
We all arrived at the pub for lunch plastered with grins and mud - the horses were quickly tied up to the tie rails and we descended upon the Christmas lunch en masse. My first brussel sprout of the season (Yummmmy!) all washed down with a glass or two of my favourite beverage (Yummmmier!)
Of course, following a large lunch and a few drinks one does rather want to slump into the arms of Morpheus - however this was not to be and it was up and off back towards Pitton. Obviously I had been over indulging at the bar as it seemed to me that Smári's horse had changed colour, Lu was on Kvika and my SWMBO was now riding Dropi?
Yes, dear reader, I'm afraid it is true: post prandial bridle swapping had occurred.
There were a number of rider/horse exchanges following lunch but, judging by the grin, I know who was the happiest.
All too soon we were blatting
across the top of the hill on the final straight before the descent to
Bentleigh - Parker was still giving it
large - this time at gallop - and I was 
delighted
with the way he was going - FAB Thunderbirds are go! ** However Sharon
on Kokkur came up behind us and, after a brief negotiation involving
carrot bribery, Parker changed down a gear and we floored it after sneaking
a quick 'over the shoulder' photo - Oh! Yes indeedy, none of your namby-pamby 'Yes
milady' here!
It was then a short walk down the hill and along the road back to Bentleigh - I'd walked Parker down the hill along with Fiona whilst the others went on ahead and I was reassured to see that our ever faithful mutt, Harry, had decided to leg it back to Bentleigh with the other horses rather than wait behind with his decrepit owner - that's his New Year's Honours List nomination for the Greyfriars' Bobby Medal blown out yet again then.
Back at Bentleigh it was time to untack and hand Parker back to Mandy & Smári - hopefully I've not undone his training by more than a few months? I think everybody had a great day, no spills but quite a few thrills - indeed, 'twas a good day out eh Grommit?
Pass the cheese.
** Sorry - just had to write Thunderbirds in somewhere - he's got to be called Parker for some reason other than a writing implement - surely?
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