At 5.45am poor Doodle was dragged out of straw-bed on Sunday morning to be got ready for A Nice Day Out. With the lights on in the stable yard, hot water ready to remove stable stains, plating thread pre-cut to required lengths, we made good progress getting ready so that by 9am we were loaded into the horse box and on our way up the Fakenham Road - to The National Kidney Research Fund’s Sponsored Ride at Sandringham.

The journey was good and we arrived with an hour to spare before our start time. 

Horse unloaded, un-rugged, quick flick of brush and tacked-up and then we were ready to start. Doodle loves the company of other horses so his blood was up, raring to go. 
 
 

We set off towards the House, veered left up a wide shingle track and on in to crisp, autumn woods at a smart trot. The scenery was fantastic, the woods quiet with only the scrunch of leaves under hoof and bird song, and chimney smoke in the air as we approached a lane to turn down, following the ‘Horse Ride This Way’ arrows. 

Cantering up into open country, through lavender fields and grass tracks we had the whole world to ourselves it seemed, Doodle’s shoulders going like pistons when he caught sight of other horses ahead, thoroughly enjoying the thrill of it all. 
Reining in as we turned a corner into more woods, we slowed to a walk, catching our breaths. Again, the stillness of a Sunday morning ride, the wildlife you only tend to see on horseback never on foot, as if the animals know that by riding on a horse and entering into his alliance, that you mean no harm. Nobility without pride, the horse. 

And so we rode on, passing wide banked streams and rotting tree trunks and then turning left onto a quiet road. In the distance I could see Sandringham West Gate. We walked back into the park to the finishing post to collect our rosette, had our pictures taken and then back to our box for refreshments.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Preparing a grey horse for showing demands that a grey should be whiter than white, manes should be plaited, hooves should be oiled, tack spotless and rider’s turnout immaculate. 
And because this ‘showing lark’ gets into your blood, even a casual hack out means that you still tend to present your horse with that ‘100%’ is not good enough’ mentality! 

Not a bad thing, really, especially when it comes to Sponsored Rides, and definitely when said ride is around the beautiful Sandringham Estate. I mean, supposing the Queen is peeping out from behind a chintz curtain watching?!
 
 

A REALLY HUGE THANK YOU to all my family, and friends in Foxley, who have kindly sponsored me to do this ride. Once all the money is collected, I should have raised a total of £280.00

Samantha J Elmhurst BA Hons