JFK AIRPORT I haven't seen one live horse since... the 13th of December. I haven't seen any dead ones, it's just the only horses I've seen have been in commercials. Not even a donkey in a field! You get used to seeing equines everywhere in Ireland, whether it's the horses you ride yourself, or the …
Boot and Saddle
... read the sign on the shop. My heart leapt! Only three days away from the horses, and already pining. But I checked my euphoria. I was, after all, walking down Christopher Street in NYC. Something told me it wasn't what I thought it was. It wasn't. And then I saw an antiques shop on …
Ho Ho No!
Saturday. My last lesson of 2008. Christmas cheer already imbuing the yard, and I had gifts for Nikki and Barbara, and everybody was already talking about their holiday plans. In a festive mood, Barbara was sporting a pair of red felt antlers, complete with bells. Rebel was in a mood, bolshy, impatient, and I put …
Needs Must When the Devil Drives
People do crazy things on buses. Or, at least they do when I'm on them. Once, in New York, I was on an east side bus going uptown, and someone was flossing her teeth. The entire bus smelled like mouth. The other day, on the 130 heading into town, a woman [is it only women …
Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something!
So. Canter poles. We'd done them before, maybe once or twice, but very far back in the mists of time, back in the day when getting the canter at all was fairly up in the air, much less keeping a canter whilst negotiating foreign objects lying on the ground. Much less jumping with them lurking …
The Great Debate
It's got nothing to do with breeds or feeds. Do I take off my half chaps after a lesson, or keep them on? It wouldn't be much of a debate at all if I drove. Since I wait for the bus, I have to make a choice. If I take off the half chaps and …
Mentallers
...is what I think, when I see runners pounding down the coast road in the driving rain. And then, of course, I think of myself. The first alarm goes off at 6 am on Thursday mornings. This bleating is generally futile, and the back up bellows half an hour later. All going well, I'm out …
Friend
I haven't had a go on Amigo yet, but he is absolutely lovely to hang out with. He's kind of ginormous, a flea bitten grey who's about... 16hh? At least? Anyway, as high as he is, he's just a puppy dog. Er, a 1600 pound puppy dog, but still. He just can't get enough of …
Four Pairs of Jodhs, Three Pairs of Boots, Two Riding Hats…
NO PARTRIDGES Also, one broken long whip, one slightly broken long whip, a short whip, four pairs of gloves—!— sheesh. People [taxi men] always say, isn't horseriding expensive, and I'm like, no, once you get the stuff, you're sorted. But I like the stuff, so I keep buying it. The thing with the gloves, though. …
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When Worlds Collide
IT'S NICEÂ One of my instructors bought Drama Queen. She had it with her so I could sign it. ! I sat on Delilah, and after unwrapping the irons and getting myself sorted, I looked up, and there was the book, face out, propped up against the wall along with the day's list, and the …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 