I've missed going to a couple of driving events while Ruby has been suffering from some eye ailment (which I now suspect was an allergic reaction to something ???) So I was not totally committed to going to our Fell Pony Breed show until the night before, when Ruby had taken me for a five mile drive and come home in cheeky spirits wanting more.

So we went.

Ruby was on VERY good form, possibly on account of it being Fell Pony Weather - ie, p***ing down with rain. In fact although it faired up at the end of the day we had to be towed off the field because my horsebox, good though it is in heavy conditions, just sat and span on the 3 inches of mud on the roadway out.

The day turned fine in time for the driving class so I did at least get out of the waterproofs and didn't need the plastic bag inside my too-well ventilated helmet! Before the class began I took Ruby up the hill to Brougham Hall and past the Church in the Barn and "the Llama Farm", perhaps a mile and a half away, and then came back to the showfield. Ruby was going nicely, sharp when we trotted and relaxed but ongoing in walk. In the ring she didn't put a foot wrong - I managed w/o a groom as my usual helper lady was away, and Ruby really showed herself well. We didn't get the "floaty snorty trot" (she'd used that up before we got in, when a riding class went by at canter going splosh-splosh through the mud) but she was really using herself and having fun. We were second out of five. The winner cantered a lot of his show - perhaps excusable with the ground being so wet and the dray weighing nearly half a ton - but Ruby DID manage to control her exuberance. UNtil we got to the cones course ... remember how sweet and light I said she was earlier in the week, when we had grand-daughter Naomi in the cart? Forget that. All she wanted to do was tank! Preferably through her OWN choice of cones! Was I glad I'd decided to use the everyday reins with the webbing handparts! after the slalom halfway through the course I had to stop her galloping "for the finish", so out of frustration she did her bounce on the spot and wasted about ten seconds. She stormed through the last 3 cones and galloped out. (We were third. It was a tight course and we hit one but I think EVERYBODY hit at least one.)

So I think we can say she is better! I know the skin round her eyes will peel off after being swollen and itchy, but it all looks normal again underneath and she is not showing any signs of pain in her eyes. The driver of the winning turnout remarked that he had successfully given a horse Piriton (chlorphenamine maleate) for a similar allergy a few years back - has anyone on the List any experience, good or bad, of using human anti-histamines for horse allergies? I won't need to experiment if there is good knowledge out there.

Sue in the English "it's only liquid sunshine" Lakes