Suddenly it all came back. And I remembered why I found it so hard to leave the UK.
I was at a dressage show in down south, normally a pretty boring affaire, and really enjoying it. It took me back to the days when I was a groom and got to go to big shows and be around great riders. Not that this show was big, the horses that nice or the riders at all great, but my old boss was there. Nereds had come to town.
A former dressage rider and now a grand prix judge, Nereds is normally right where it is happening. Well maybe apart from last weekend that is, when she was in our neck of the woods. Some genius in a local riding club, now my new favorite person, had decided to invite her to judge at the summer grand prix show.
It was so good to see her again. Her stories at the evening bbq of judging incidents and general mischief she had got up to lately had us laughing so hard the organizers must have feared for their garden furniture. With a weakness for wine, oakley’s and sports cars she is not your average 70 year old. Rumour has it she was spotted at the dressage show in Aachen last year wandering the streets with her Sat-Nav looking for a wine shop.
As her groom I was always updated on the latest gossip, given large amounts of wine and Pimms and frequently “lent out” to other riders. The latter might sound like an unfortunate fate but for me it was invaluable experience and an opportunity to work for some top class riders without being employed by them –which is normally not so great.
I was at a dressage show in down south, normally a pretty boring affaire, and really enjoying it. It took me back to the days when I was a groom and got to go to big shows and be around great riders. Not that this show was big, the horses that nice or the riders at all great, but my old boss was there. Nereds had come to town.
A former dressage rider and now a grand prix judge, Nereds is normally right where it is happening. Well maybe apart from last weekend that is, when she was in our neck of the woods. Some genius in a local riding club, now my new favorite person, had decided to invite her to judge at the summer grand prix show.
It was so good to see her again. Her stories at the evening bbq of judging incidents and general mischief she had got up to lately had us laughing so hard the organizers must have feared for their garden furniture. With a weakness for wine, oakley’s and sports cars she is not your average 70 year old. Rumour has it she was spotted at the dressage show in Aachen last year wandering the streets with her Sat-Nav looking for a wine shop.
As her groom I was always updated on the latest gossip, given large amounts of wine and Pimms and frequently “lent out” to other riders. The latter might sound like an unfortunate fate but for me it was invaluable experience and an opportunity to work for some top class riders without being employed by them –which is normally not so great.
In the last year I have missed my old horsey life less and less. But suddenly I was right back there. Remembering all the fun we had when we went to Carl’s for lessons, organized the summer dressage festival and that time James’ breeches split right up the back just before his test. The mind has a funny way of toning down the bad times. Because we sure had plenty of them too.
The thing is those days are gone forever. I will obviously never be 19 again. And the 26 year old me does not want to work 24-7, live in a shared house (16 of us at one point) and be paid hardly any money. But the interesting thing will be how I can shape the future. And seeing Nereds again confirmed that anything is possible.
1 comment:
Wow, brought a tear to my eye. x
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