CHERYL IS DETERMINED TO TEST ME 14th DEC.

We are running a bit late. Laura has been out of action since Friday. It is just Cheryl, Don and I. Cheryl informs me I am riding Chester this morning. He is a common horse of note, about 14.2 hands and about 6 years old. Chester is still learning about the outrides. We head for the stables and not far up the road we spot the youngsters out of their field. Don and I round them up and start the run after them. It is a scorcher. It is far to the stables. I break into a jog. Where the energy comes from, fails me. I get them into their field. I have lost Don. I continue on to the stables, half jog, half walk. We have a big group this morning. I get to the stables to see Cheryl rounding the horses from the fields opposite the stables. I go to lend a hand. We feed the horses and tack up. We head out.
We cross the river and come to a halt, waiting for the Cheryl who is watching the 4 year old on Blaze. I am standing behind Nsync on Chester, minding my own business, when Nsync decides to kick out at Chester and catches him on the neck with his hind leg. Chester spooks, as do I, but I stay on. We continue on. Chester is very aware of what is around him. He is on his toes. I am prepared for anything. I notice he is apprehensive around paper and plastic bags. I encourage him on all the time. Don is in front with a few horses behind him, then there is a gap and then there is me. Chester sees a car coming and stops. I put my legs on him. He doesn’t want to go. I persist and persist. He is turning, he is on his toes, and he is skittish. We are directly in front of the car, which has stopped. It can see I am battling. Cheryl instructs me to discard the cigarette from my mouth as I need all attention on Chester and my focus is all on Chester. We cannot risk him bolting off and perhaps the cigarette drops from my mouth onto him! Don comes back to encourage Chester to move on. He does so. Chester is not a lead horse (not used to being in the front of the line), so he was hesitant and nervous. We go on. I am enjoying this learning curve. I have two girls and a man on Buckle behind me. We cross the bridge and Don is preparing to canter. The riders behind me announce they do not want to canter, so we walk up the hill.
We walk and trot the beach and head for home. Just up the road past the shop, we have a small canter up. We are at the last house and are going to wait for Cheryl and her group. As Chester nears the other horses, two Labradors come running out the house and are barking at Chester. We spook and leap left towards the ditch. We are down off the path and on the road. I love this challenge. Again, I stay on. I am proud of myself. We get back to the stables; it is too late to go home. Don goes and fetches pies. The clients for the afternoon ride arrive. There will be six of us. We grab the horses we want from the paddock, feed them and saddle up once again. I am riding Gunstone, the beautiful Dun. We have a most enjoyable ride. The clients can only trot. Cheryl holds them back and tells Don, September and I to go on ahead and enjoy the canters home. We do so. We are tired, bed the horses and decide to go to Morgan Bay Hotel for a drink. We are home late. Don cooks up some lovely Pork Rashers. I eat, wash and get to bed. My first night to bed before 23h00. I am finished.
M