# Ron's Hunting Diary 29 November



## JenHunt (2 December 2014)

This weekend was a meet at a place I've never been to before - well, we trot past it fairly regularly when Mother is trying to keep us out of the mud on the hills, but I've never been IN the place... As it was local we had a fairly leisurely start to the day - mum did our manes the night before, so it was only tails to do before breakfast (mum always does mine before breakfast, because apparently it's not the done thing to plait a tail that is full of poop already!). She put Tom's tail up like mine this time after he complained about having it washed last week, but he whinged about this too... can't win!!

anyway... we set off at 10.30 and strolled through the village, petted a small child who's mother was oohing and aahhing about us all done up smart, and arrived at the meet bang on time for a change rather than 5 minutes late! We managed to find a spot against a barn wall where I could see the hounds, and watch the food being served. Tom was in a right fidget though, and kept on biting me, nudging me, biting mums knee and generally being annoying. 

I was busy watching the whip watching the hounds watching the huntsman when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the cameralady. She likes to point the thing at me when I'm least expecting it, and then wonders why I scowl at her!! she had a few attempts, and had a laugh about it with mum and the OH then wandered off to take covert pictures of other unsuspecting horses. Tom meanwhile complained about her not taking pictures of him. I pointed out that it was no wonder given the faces he was pulling! He just bit me back.

We moved off in short order, and managed to get somewhere near the front of the pack, and headed away from home, past the place with all the clucking birds, and eventually turned off the road onto field margins. We eventually came out onto a patch of land that I know we jump hedges on, but it was not to be - the ground was really wet (as evidenced by the mud splattering we were now sporting) and the landing side of the first hedge was sown winter wheat. Boo to that.

We came out onto the road after a short while, and were hanging about whilst the master talked to a farmer, and the huntsman gathered his hounds up. Then just as I was relaxing the cameralady got me! She pointed the camera in my vague direction, and just as I spotted a hound walking off the wrong way, she moved and caught me with my ears forwards, looking pleased to be there! I should point out that I am Always pleased to be out hunting, but I don't want to ever seem Toooo enthusastic in case mum thinks it should be a full time occupation for me - I'll have you know I need my sleep, and it takes me a week to recover from hunting you know (well, not really, but that's what I'm telling her!)

We lined out the road for a bit to stop the hounds from getting onto the road, and I managed a short nap whilst Tom continued to fidget and annoy everyone except himself. He dug a huge hole in the verge (must remember not to canter down that bit any time soon!), bit me, bit mum, bit the OH's foot, nearly shoved mum off me, and was generally a PITA. We did move off eventually, sort of retracing our steps back to where we came from until we came out on the road again not far from where we left it originally. Then we crossed over it, and went round some very wet fields along side the old railway line, before turning round, coming back most of the way to where the ditches either side of the line are jumpable, then back onto a farm track, through the old hall estate grounds and onto the the road by the old station. 

By now it was time for the hunt staff to swap horses, and mum and the OH were discussing the plan - to go home now (a pretty short hack), to see which way they went next and then decide, or to follow on for a bit longer and possibly have a longer hack home. They decided to ask a master, and it turned out that if we stuck with them a bit longer then we'd end up nearly on our doorstep (the other side of the main road, but only a mile or so from home). With horses switched, we set off again at some speed, and Tom took the opportunity to show off his mega-trot whilst I just powered along beside him. Don't tell mum, but I must admit that when I go in the outline she asks for, it is a bit easier than going in what she says is my 'Camel impression'. Plus, it stops her nagging me!

The route took us onto one of our lesser used bridleways (the gates are awkward) back towards home, and just as we were about to turn for home there were two little jumps! Just rails, but jumps all the same. Tom and our friend were both messing about in the queue for the jump and for a moment appeared to get stuck together as they leaned on each other. Most amusing. I was tasked with giving the lady master a lead with Paddy, but it seems I'm too fast because I got there long before him and we lost them. Mum told me off for racing. Next thing I knew we were onto the old main road loop, having avoided the oinkers that we have to pass if we stay on the bridleway. Yippee!! But the rest of the field were being taken back up that track, towards the oinkers. Imagine my Horror! Fortunately we were turned for home at that point! Phew!

Home, untacked, and Tom (still wired and annoying) was turned out, whilst I got a warm bath, and a half bale of haylage to munch on. Tom came in about an hour and a half later, but mum had to go and get him because he was still listening out for the hounds. He got a wash, mum and the OH fell out after she accidentally washed the OH's leg with a cold hose, and then we got dinner. The following morning was a short hack out up the hill, before an early lunch and turnout. Oh, and we're now into the matchymatchy his and his black heavyweight rugs... Oh Joy. Cue 12 long weeks of Tom pretending we're twins!

carrots until next week.... except mum has just informed me that we're not hunting next week... she was muttering something (between curses) about Christmas Shopping.... so until next time. 
Ron


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## Happy Hunter (3 December 2014)

Sounds like a fab day out Ron.
The photographer lady finally got a picture of me the other day - Rather pleased! 
(Except Mum told me off for ripping off a button from her jacket whilst we were tacking up...)

Carrots - Penny. 
p.s. My hooves are clumsy on photo bucket, hope the links work.


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## AdorableAlice (3 December 2014)

We need pictures of Ron in his best clothes out hunting.


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## dalesponydiva (3 December 2014)

Oh yes please... Pics of Ron and Tom


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## JenHunt (4 December 2014)

I'll see what I can do!


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## stencilface (4 December 2014)

Glad to hear Ron is still full of beans any enjoying himself!


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## Bernster (10 December 2014)

. Naughty Tom though!


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## JenHunt (27 January 2015)

sorry it's taken so long for this!! but here are a couple of pics of me and mother, and the OH and silly Tom....































ETA - I bought copies of these photos from the wonderful Hurworth Photos, who have a cracking website www.hurworthphotos.co.uk.


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## Happy Hunter (28 January 2015)

Lovely!


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## Bernster (28 January 2015)

Ron's a sweetie but I think I have a crush on Tom - I love a hunting cob.  And those ears !!


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## JenHunt (28 January 2015)

Bernster said:



			Ron's a sweetie but I think I have a crush on Tom - I love a hunting cob.  And those ears !!
		
Click to expand...

Tom's a muppet! He's not normal I swear! Mind you, his mum was a 14hh welsh pony, and his dad was a 17hh coloured warmblood.... the result is an overgrown (16h) welsh pony who had to be handreared because his mum rejected him!! He's also got a touch of ADHD, so has the concentration span of a goldfish to go with his funny wonky conformation and arthritic joints.

But he's very sweet, a lovely character and very talented. In his day he's show jumped 1m20 on a sunday after jumping everything the bedale could throw at him on the saturday! My sister used to have problems keeping him behind Nicola Wilson's mum when she was master of the Bedale. These days a day out with hounds winds him up like it always used to but it takes him longer to recover.

Those ears.... yes. The only horse in the world who actually wants you to clip his face and ears! He spends the entire time trying to put his face on the clippers. He loves you to get your thumb or fingers inside them and rub them for him too.... definitely odd!


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