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Riding Club Camp 04 - 07 July 2008

It's mid summer and here we are planning our annual riding club camp and the sun is nowhere to be seen!

With weather warnings looming we pack up our bags, our beloved 4-legged friend and head off to UPEC the chosen venue.  We arrive mid afternoon on Friday thinking we need to get the horses comfortable and  tents erected ahead of the storms that were forecast for that evening.

For anyone who has not been to UPEC before the facilities are really first class, lovely large airy stables with rubber mats and unlimited hay/ haylage and hard feed – what more could they need.  Oh I nearly forgot – a hot shower cubicle!  (No I am not joking)

After making the boys & girls comfortable we washed out the trailer, thinking that may be a safer bet than the tent, and drove off to the camping area.  The rain had started by this time and the wind was also following on.

Tony, was already there preparing the facilities for our weekend.  With two lovely caravans and large awnings already up, thanks to many helpers a few days before – I heard they were the most complicated form of tents attached to caravans that they could get!

Kirsty & I were preparing ourselves to try and put up the tents we’d borrowed when the offer of a bunk each in the caravan came – thank you soooooo much. 

When everyone had arrived and settled in their horses, the storms were threatening so what else is there to do but ……………….   Go for a ride!  So off we went around the lanes of Upton Pyne getting acquainted with the weather that was to come – the horses didn’t seem to mind, they got to know their stable companions better – and for a while thought they were off hunting plus don’t forget they had a hot shower waiting for them when they got back!

After getting our boys and girls tucked up for the night we, all soaked through, ventured back to the camp site.  Once changed out of our wet clothes we settled in for lots of lovely food and drinks before retiring to bed.

First morning after a very rough night (due to the weather) all yard chores completed we had a lovely breakfast c/o Phil and then it was off to our first lesson.  After a group deliberation we came to the decision to break off into groups of 2 and have one hour sessions in the morning and afternoon.  After all it was inevitable we were going to get wet so we wanted to keep the sessions as intensive as possible so we didn’t get cold.  (The instructors were the unlucky ones who had to get wet for 2 hrs!) Despite the weather we had excellent sessions.  Ground work in the morning and jumping in the afternoon. 

Debbie had kindly arrange an equissage demo and also gave a talk on bitting both were very interesting and informative.

Once again the boys and girls were tucked up in bed after their hot showers and we were just soaked through. 

Kirsty & I were prepared though and brought our bikini’s with us and when all horses were done made use of the hot shower cubicle, lovely, I can see why the horses like it so much!    And didn’t we smell nice in clean dry clothes……………

Back to camp and when other halfs joined us in the evening it just confirmed to them what they knew already -  we are just a mad bunch……………….!

Day two and the sun makes an appearance, spirits lifted and aching like mad we go into our lessons.  Viv & I decide we are concentrating on our dressage skills and in very positive mood plan our next competition.  In the other half of the arena Kirsty and Briony look like they are training for the next chase me Charlie charging around jumping everything in sight, laughing and cheering as they go!

After another positive lesson in the afternoon, in the sunshine there’s a bit of friendly rivalry between us. Roisin with her lovely paces will easily score higher but if Crystal concentrates on the accuracy of the moves it may be close – no doubt you’ll hear the outcome.

To finish we have a group photo with our instructors Ellie and Michael – and the sun is still shining – looking at the photo you will never know how wet we were yesterday.

Packing up to go home the rain starts again but it is not going to dampen our weekend we all had a lovely time and we would like to thank everyone who made this weekend possible.

Hev & Kirsty

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PS:  We’re already looking forward to the next one

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