Chloe and Cracker
Authors: Kelly McKain
To George, with love - thanks for all those trips to Redwings Horse Sanctuary!
With special thanks to our cover stars, Chelsea and Dusty, pony guru Janet Rising, star instructor Jody Maile and all at Ealing Riding School.
www.kellymckain.co.uk
Entry One: Monday morning – at Pony Camp!
Entry Three: Still Monday morning, in our break
Entry Four: Still Monday, after the ponies were given out
Entry Five: Monday 6.32pm In our room
Entry Nine: Wednesday, after tea
Entry Ten: Wednesday, after lights out
Entry Eleven: Thursday 11.12am, before the treasure hunt
Entry Twelve: Thursday 8.41pm, waiting for my turn in the shower
Entry Thirteen: Very early on Friday morning!
Entry Fourteen: Morning break on Friday
Entry Fifteen: Just to quickly say…
Dear Riders,
A warm welcome to Sunnyside Stables!
Sunnyside is our home and for the next week it will be yours too! We’re a big family – my husband Johnny and I have two children, Millie and James, plus two dogs … and all the ponies, of course!
We have friendly yard staff and a very talented instructor, Sally, to help you get the most out of your week. If you have any worries or questions about anything at all, just ask. We’re here to help, and we want your holiday to be as enjoyable as possible – so don’t be shy!
As you know, you will have a pony to look after as your own for the week. Your pony can’t wait to meet you and start having fun! During your stay, you’ll be caring for your pony, improving your riding, enjoying long country hacks, learning new skills and making friends.
And this week’s special activity is a challenging treasure hunt. Just imagine you and your pony cantering across the countryside together, solving clues! Add swimming, games, films, barbecues and a gymkhana and you’re in for a fun-filled holiday to remember!
This special Pony Camp Diary is for you to fill with all your holiday memories. We hope you’ll write all about your adventures here at Sunnyside Stables – because we know you’re going to have lots!
Wishing you a wonderful time with us!
Jody, the lady who runs Sunnyside Stables, gave me this cool diary when I arrived just now. Her letter at the front says it's to write down all the adventures I have this week. It's fantastic here â there are two outdoor manèges and lots of cute ponies and dogs everywhere and even a swimming pool! I'm hoping to have lots of adventures â especially jumping ones!
I really wanted to come on this week because when Mum rang up and spoke to Jody, she said they're holding a special jumping competition on the last day. In our lessons, we're going to work on building up to an
eight-jump
course, and it's even going to include some cross-country fences for fun â I can't wait!
I love jumping but I've only done a couple of smaller courses at clear round events at my local riding school. I'm really hoping to improve while I'm here â and I'm desperate to go clear in Friday's competition.
The reasons I want a clear round so much are:
a. because I've never had one before
so it will be a big
challenge for me and
b. to make Dad proud of me.
Although Dad knows how much I love ponies (I'm always talking about getting my own one day!), he's never actually seen me ride. He's always working, even at weekends. But he said he'll really, really try to come with Mum to pick me up on Friday, then he'll be able to see me in the jumping competition and I can amaze him with my clear round (fingers crossed!). I really hope he keeps his word and doesn't get stuck at work as usual.
As soon as I got here, I kept asking Jody what we'll be doing every day because I was really excited. She smiled and said Sally, the instructor, will explain that when everyone arrives, but I really, really wanted to know straight away so she gave me a copy of the timetable to stick into my diary. She has warned me that it will change, though, because we have special activities on some days. Like, it says in her letter we're going on a treasure hunt this week â that sounds really fun!
Here's the timetable for the week:
8am: Wake up, get dressed, have breakfast
8.45am: Help on the yard, bring in the ponies from field, muck out stables, do feeds, etc.
9.30am: Prepare ponies for morning lessons (quick groom, tack up, etc.)
10am: Morning riding lesson
11am: Morning break â drink and biscuits
11.20am: Pony Care lecture
12.30pm: Lunch and free time
2pm: Afternoon riding lesson
3pm: Break â drink and biscuits
3.20pm: Pony Care lecture
4.30pm: Jobs around the yard (i.e. cleaning tack, sweeping up, mixing evening feeds, turning out ponies)
5.30pm: Free time before dinner
6pm: Dinner (and clearing up!)
7pm: Evening activity
8.30pm: Showers and hot chocolate
9.30pm: Lights out and NO TALKING!
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Wow! There's so much to do here! I just can't wait to find out which pony I'm getting â having my own pony to look after for a whole week will be fab!
This morning we're having an assessment lesson where we all ride in together, and then Sally will decide who goes in which group. So the timetable's different already because there's no lecture this morning. It's now 10.35am and not everyone is here yet, including the girls who are sharing my room â but, oh, now I can hear talking and clumping on the stairs. Maybe it's them!