Monthly diary — March

It is always an amazing experience, co-habiting with nature, and one that brings sharply into focus the dexterity of horses. We rode over rocks, through rivers and up and down such steep, jagged mountains that sometimes we had to dismount and lead. The horses carefully picked their path through whatever they met at whatever speed. It certainly made me think about the trend for event horses to be told everything, rather than being allowed to work things out. Horses naturally look after themselves if we let them, though we need to play our part by looking after their engine, line and balance, for it is we — not they — who have walked the course. Having a horse cantering beautifully on the bit makes an upcoming fence invisible to him — he needs to raise his head to see it. To see ditches or check uncertain footing, he needs to drop his head. By understanding how we can help our horses help themselves more, we can only benefit.

Back at home Bill enjoyed a month's holiday too. Coming back into work he is much stronger this year, so it's time for him to prove himself as an eventer or it's back to the hunting field.

Cry Freedom is really happy with Jo Aston and the pair came for a play over skinnies and oddities recently.