This is my new blog to continue my journey with my Dales Ponies. It will also be the story of my building a new life for myself, alone now, except for my friends, horses and dogs, since my partner died in March 2009. We had lived and worked together, mostly twenty four hours a day, for nearly 28 years and I have never lived alone before. It is a tribute to my wonderful friends that I am still here, still sane(ish) and ready to re-invent myself. I love them all more than words can ever say and can never thank them enough for all they have done and are still doing. It is also a tribute to Alexandra Kurland and 'The Click That Teaches' that I know how to save myself now. To new beginnings.......

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Devil's Horsemen Medieval Banquet.

I took a party of 30 adults and 4 children to the Medieval Banquet at the Devil's horsemen's home base on Saturday night. It was as a way of beginning to thank them all for all that they've done for me and it was the most fantastic night of my life.

http://www.thedevilshorsemen.com/

When we went in we were announced by a 'fool' called Peterkin who just made the show. He introduced me and the 4 friends I walked through the door with as "four wanton ladies of easy virtue". When I said "thanks for that" he added hastily "but they're not cheap!".

He made loads of people stand up and do various embarrassing things but the revelation of the night was one of my farmer friends. He vaulted in over the high wall when called upon to go into the arena and was just SO adorable, helping Peterkin who pretended to be inexperienced on stilts and doing a mime run when called upon to catch him if he fell. He loved every second of it, as did his 7 year old son who was watching and told his 2 year old sister the next day that "daddy had to dance with a man on stilts." I told him the next day that he is totally wasted and should be on the stage.

We all laughed until we cried at Peterkin and the horse action had me just aching to join in. I would have vaulted the high wall too if anyone had offered me a go at jousting or garrocha!!!

One of my friends had to choose whether to be carried of over the shoulder of Daniel or Gerard Naprous and was in raptures over being carried off by Daniel. Personally I would rather have taken Peterkin home as I love being teased and made to laugh more than anything. It was a magical evening of a lifetime and I had some big hugs from my friends in return.

It's inspired me to get on with training my horses again and I rode Bella for the first time in a while today and we both loved every moment of it. We also did our first jump with me in the saddle together which she thoroughly enjoyed too. I did some in hand work with Kate, who is a little claustrophobic in the school still at times, and clipped Grace ready for my lesson with Rosie this weekend. I wanted to do something with Jack too but my farmer/actor friend brought me some haylage and it was the first time I've been able to talk to him on his own for ages, and I make the most of every opportunity I get to talk to both of them as they are my rocks, my solemates and my guardian angels still, even after all this time. I must have been very good in another lifetime to have deserved them.

3 comments:

  1. That sounds like a great time out! What a special gift to give to thank your wonderful friends. Very thoughtful of you.

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  2. What a wonderful gift. Sounds like you had a marvelous time and more incentive to move forward. We have a place like that in Chicago called Medievel Times. It is a banquet hall with shows going on. I have never been but some friends of mine have and my daughter's dressage teacher taught horses and riders for the show in Florida at a period in his career. HE was a show in himself! AAAh, the good old days.....

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