A special horse. Spending the day with Black Caviar.
I spent the weekend of 20th August in Melbourne, because my Dad, Terry, had that "The Number That Shall Not be Named" Birthday during the week, which meant that we had to have a Birthday Party for him on Sunday. I flew in on Friday, and just spent the afternoon pottering about. Then on Saturday, because I can't help myself and have to spend time with the ponies, I got up early, and, after thanking Peter Moody profusely for allowing me the privilege of spending more time with the mare, I began my journey to Murchison, which is on the Golden Valley Highway about 2 hours north of Melbourne, to reunite with my Famous Pony, Black Caviar.
Black Caviar begins her morning's work with Peter Clarke at 8.30am sharp. She spends 15 mins on the treadmill, and then she is taken into the water walker. I watched Peter put several horses into the water walker. Some of them get hysterical, some are nervous, and others, like the Famous Pony, just stroll in, because they are in a happy place, and they have learnt to enjoy it. She spends 30 mins, changing directions every 5 minutes, in the water walker. She walks, and then surges forward to her front gate, and then relaxes to a walk, before commencing her next surge forward. She then comes out of the walker, for a horse and a rub down, and then is popped into her paddock that she shares with Billy the Goat and the pony whose name escapes me! We gave her an hour to drive, then Marg (Peter's gorgeous wife) and Kendall (his equally lovely daughter) came with me to her paddock, where we fussed over her, and created lovely images.
I had the most glorious day. The trainer, when showed the photographs later that day at Moonee Valley, was slightly dismissive of the absolutely beautiful apparel I put on her head. The leather bridle she's looking so regal looking in is my darling Freelance's good bridle, and I'd bought the most beautiful browband with pearls on it, and yes, I bridled her! When we did her little private photo session it was 3 girls getting together to create lovely images. It was the most wonderful 4 hours spent with truly fantastic people, one of whom is an incredible horseman, in gorgeous surrounds, with the most wonderful horse in the world.
Black Caviar begins her morning's work with Peter Clarke at 8.30am sharp. She spends 15 mins on the treadmill, and then she is taken into the water walker. I watched Peter put several horses into the water walker. Some of them get hysterical, some are nervous, and others, like the Famous Pony, just stroll in, because they are in a happy place, and they have learnt to enjoy it. She spends 30 mins, changing directions every 5 minutes, in the water walker. She walks, and then surges forward to her front gate, and then relaxes to a walk, before commencing her next surge forward. She then comes out of the walker, for a horse and a rub down, and then is popped into her paddock that she shares with Billy the Goat and the pony whose name escapes me! We gave her an hour to drive, then Marg (Peter's gorgeous wife) and Kendall (his equally lovely daughter) came with me to her paddock, where we fussed over her, and created lovely images.
I had the most glorious day. The trainer, when showed the photographs later that day at Moonee Valley, was slightly dismissive of the absolutely beautiful apparel I put on her head. The leather bridle she's looking so regal looking in is my darling Freelance's good bridle, and I'd bought the most beautiful browband with pearls on it, and yes, I bridled her! When we did her little private photo session it was 3 girls getting together to create lovely images. It was the most wonderful 4 hours spent with truly fantastic people, one of whom is an incredible horseman, in gorgeous surrounds, with the most wonderful horse in the world.
Horse heaven! Thank you Peter, and Peter..... And thank you Marg and Kendall. And to my darling pony, the beautiful Black Caviar, thank you for spending your morning with me.
I of course now need to spend serious time getting my own mare Freelance's winter coat out, then she needs bath, and then she puts her own bridle back on, for her own little photo session, and I will whisper in her ear that she looks just as beautiful in the same bridle that the best racehorse in the world was wearing. I know that Freelance will not be jealous, that she will say she knows that.
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