16th June, 2009 Tribute to Ron

I have just received the sad news that my friend Ron has died. When I met him he was sixty-six and wore a flat 'at. He learned to ride when he was 60 and you could see that horses were the love of his life. He was evacuated from London to the countryside when he was young and never wanted to go back. We used to ride out together, him on Bianca and me on Rosie and we had such a good laugh. The funniest thing he ever did was when we riding down a lane in Brigstock - there was an upside down welly in the ditch. Next second, Ron was off his horse "hauling" on this boot saying, "it's okay mate, I'll get you out!" He was a bit prudish at times and I never forget his reaction to a man wearing a frock in the garden of the small railway cottages - I think we'll say a train came by and blotted out what he said. He accompanied me down to Dorset when I moved, there was no room in the cab of the lorry so I sat and listened to his tales as we shoved up with four horses and four sheep in the back. These last few years I have written to him and sent him pictures of the horses I have worked with and he was so pleased that I had taken this path. Within a couple of days he would ring me up to thank me for my letters and I could recognise him instantly from his voice. R.I.P Ron. I hope there are horses up there.