I don’t do hot holidays very well so David and I have spent a short week touring the countryside in Cyprus. Away from the big tourist centres, in the mountains, Cyprus is beautiful and it’s compulsory to drive off road. The coastal track from Paphos to Lacci can get exciting in places and we did wonder what would happen if we got two punctures in quick succession. The sun, sea and sand are mostly wasted on me as there aren’t many horses and apart from the odd herd of goats, too few animals altogether. I snook into the internet café a few times to catch up with my e-mails and check out the picture of Cello but it has been great to totally relax for the first time in a year. The latest adventures of Mme Ramotswe and The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency kept me going for a couple of days but Alistair Campbell’s Diary of the Blair Years has been heavier going: oh for the thick skin of your average politician – absolutely no choice but to confront issues and make enemies. On a (much) smaller scale I do that with horsemanship; I’ve got a few horse hitters on one side and real natural horsemanship fundamentalists on the other. I might rename my horsemanship “Casual Horsemanship” because I don’t adhere to one set method but I am consistent in what I do and it’s meant to be easy and fun for the horse and the handler. Sometimes I’m tempted by the politics but wobble if anyone gets too feisty with me - horse bullies are often people bullies too; probably better to go passive and just keep on doing what I’m doing. Next week it’s business as usual with lots of evening sessions as the nights draw out and Kelly’s demo to look forward to on Friday.
Kelly will also be doing a book signing at Botley Mills Saddlery Southampton) on 7th June, 2008.
