Phew it’s hot hot hot!  Seems the summer holidays are in full swing and what with all the sunshine we’ve all been very grateful for a good sponge down after all our hard work in the ring.  Some of our riders have even wanted a soaking too!   

Holidays seems to be the thing everyone’s talking about.  Molly is on holiday in Scotland with her owner Liz.  Word is, she’s been taking part in some local competitions, coming 4^th in a very popular class for Best Ridden Horse and entering Equitation and Coloured Horse competitions too.   Och Aye for Molly!  Apparently she’s been getting some good tips from ex-eventer Philip Gilbey, so we’re all looking forward to her return so she can share some of her wisdom.  Apparently not much of a holiday for weather though, she got a bit wet in her ridden horse class.

After all the warm weather here, I think some of us would be grateful for a refreshing rain burst this end.  After all, no-one likes to do too much on all that hard ground, although we’ve been enjoying some lovely hacks under the trees on the Common.  But far be it from me to wish for raindrops, at least it’s made us all feel like we’re on holiday too. It’s the end of holidays for Sheena’s Rocky, he’s returned to Wales now, ready for the hunting season.  We’ll miss you Rockstar!  Well, it might be goodbye for now to old friends, but there are a few new arrivals here which have all rather caught my eye.

First, there’s Starlight, a lovely little pony who replaces Rosie for Alex and Charles Bird.  She’s a cute little grey mare and she’s settling in very well indeed. Hatty is another grey – a very pretty 15 2hh mare, over from Ireland.  Her mum Olivia is looking forward to bringing her on, and they’ve already started jumping and seeing what Hatty can do.  She has potential that one, mark my words!  Both Hatty and Charchie’s Holly will be making their WVS debut in the Member’s Show on Tuesday August 31^st .

Olivia leading Hattie off the lorry from Ireland

Now there’s only a month to go remember, so don’t forget to put your name down if you’d like to give it a go.  You know we like an excuse to show off what we can do and it’s a perfect way to experience your first show with everyone from WVS in support.  Do come along, and even if you don’t enter, it always gives us a boost when we hear your cheers

Alex on Starlight

Now how could I forget our third arrival – Minnie.  This little one is a real beauty.  Bred by Carol, and part Welsh she’s a complete stunner.  But with a mum like Bea (who used to live at WVS and was Steffi’s jumping pony) and a dad like Carentino Glory, what do you expect!  Five year old Minnie seems to think she’s on holiday, but little does she know this is the start of her working life!  She’s enjoying her first experiences, coming along very nicely and doing well down the high street, with Inky and friends keeping her company so she knows that buses and brollies are nothing to worry about whatsoever.  Us old hands like to help out the young ‘uns when they’re not sure what’s what.  Actually, she’s very lucky to be here at all, as a youngster she was very poorly indeed with grass sickness, something only 10% of horses recover from.  She’s a little fighter that one, a very good looking one too – and doesn’t she know it!

Not everyone is away sunning themselves and relaxing, some of our riders have been working very hard indeed.  I’ve noticed Claudia Perotti has spent her summer at WVS with her head in all the books, testing things out on all of us ahead of her BHS Stage Two exams.  And hooray, she passed both the Riding and the Horse Knowledge and Care at the first attempt.  Well done Claudia, we knew you would do it from the way you practised your lungeing and plaiting on us. I think that deserves a holiday for sure.

Now talking of rest and relaxation, I’ve decided it’s time I took a little holiday from writing the gossip column (but don’t worry I’m not going anywhere), particularly as Kerry whinnied that she’d like to put her hoofprint on it.  And now that she has a new owner, the lovely Linda, the time also seems right for a new point of view from the other side of the yard.  Especially as Kerry can see what they get up to on the other side.  Watch out, she’ll be watching you Ted and friends.  Good luck Kerry and Linda, I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful partnership.  And good luck Kerry with the next gossip column!

So happy holidays to us all.  Which reminds me, please don’t forget to tell us if you can’t make your ride, we do look so forward to seeing you.   Oh and one more thing, apparently tickets for our 30^th party are selling like hot cakes (although I prefer carrots personally), so do make sure you let us know asap if you want to come.  In the meantime, I hope you all get the chance to put your hooves up and enjoy the sunshine.