Loraine Homer’s showing blog: Horses are great levellers

They say horses are a great leveller and boy is that true. The high from my last blog has certainly been dampened by Royal Windsor and Devon County and I don’t mean the weather.

Nobody should expect anything, but I certainly could not have predicted such disappointing results with what I consider to be beautiful horses and ponies. They say be happy with the ones your taking home and that certainly applies in my case.

I was always taught when judging to think of your championship and that it was your responsibility to ensure it was a spectacle with the best ponies or horses on display. Some championships at Windsor were indeed this, but sadly in my opinion they didn’t all quite get it right.

All young horses have to start in the ring somewhere, as do mine, but to be on a lovely baby horse going correctly makes you feel very proud of the job you. So while the judges may not have shared my view, I was very pleased with my horses on the day.

OK rant over. I would still rather have been at Windsor in the sunshine than not. It was a shame there were so many shows on that same weekend. I do hope they all got enough entries.

It’s always disappointing when shows have to cancel, and the question of where the qualifiers will go always comes up. Hambleton and Devon County have both been very quick to inform competitors where their qualifiers have gone and shows have opened entries up to accommodate.

It won’t be easy to please everyone though. Some qualifiers are now midweek when people are working and therefore unable to go or have moved a long way from their area. Cancelling itself is a tricky one — not whether to, but when.

I’ve heard some very sad and conflicting reports of an accident in the lorry park at Devon County. My thoughts are with anyone who suffered in any way.

Thankfully I had decided not to go to many shows over Bank Holiday weekend or half term so wasn’t caught up in too much stress, although Alice was due to ride 2 show ponies for Cath Hughes-Jones at Devon. She was very disappointed to miss that opportunity.

During the past few weeks we have moved 2 houses and a yard. It has been quite a task! During the move we uncovered many old photos and scrapbooks of Dad. My father is an unbelievable man. I can honestly say they don’t make them like that anymore!

Loraine

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