Day 2 - Wednesday

After a long sleep I was ready for whatever might happen today. I had a bit of time in the morning to take some pictures outside the back of the house overlooking the mountains. It really is a spectacular setting and it brought home to me how very privileged I am to be here.

Morning scene from the back of the house

Looking down to the barns and training facility below

Mat and Austen, the two photographers arrived to take pictures for the magazine. We all had a quick photo opportunity and as I was standing beside Monty with his arm round my shoulder I asked him if he didn't ever get fed up with the endless photo opportunities he must have to do. He explained that he had spent so many years being ignored and not taken seriously that he was happy to accept the attention now.

My moment in the spotlight

He really is a man on a mission. He just never stops.  Then we went down to the stables and watched Monty and Lisa filming a short interview about the Equus Online University, then some stills outside and some more in the barn with Shy Boy, the world's most famous Mustang.

Lisa interviewing Monty with Celebrity Aristocrat standing between them

Shy Boy poses for the photographers

Monty showing Lisa the scars where Shy Boy survived attacks by Rattlesnakes and other predators in the wild

The next photo opportunity was back in the arena again and Monty asked the young photographer how good his nerves were as he had an idea in mind. The idea was to have him right by the fence and then run Chrome towards him and do one of his amazing slipping stops, pulling up just few in front of them. It must have been quite a buzz for him and I was quite envious of the fantastic equipment he had.

I got a few shots I was pleased with though and when we went up for lunch I downloaded my pictures and found I had a few that showed the position the photographer was in and just how close to him the horse was stoping and he actually asked if he could have one of them, so that was a nice moment for me.

Photographer in position

Sliding stop ending  just feet before the group

The morning had taken its toll on my legs, pushing Rolley through the sandy surfaces so I was very relieved when Debbie offered to bring the scooter down and get it out of the car where it had been sat since Monday night.   It was great to have the scooter going as I was starting to worry that I was rapidly running out of spoons and wasn't going be able to keep up with the afternoon's events, despite having taken the precaution of a double dose of Tramadol.

The first event of the afternoon was a Join-Up in the famous round pen and I was delighted to find that there was a ramp up to the viewing area.  I've watched a fair few of Monty's Join-Ups on video and even done a few but it was a real privilege to see Monty doing it in real life and from so close up.

The horse dropping its head - one of the four signs that he is ready to Join-Up

The moment of Join-Up

Follow Up

Explaining the process to the photographers

He did it twice, once to talk it through for the photographer and again with Mat in the round pen pen standing right beside him and shooting everything from Monty's side. Quite an amazing photo opportunity and I wonder if he realised just what a privilege it was.

The last photo opportunity of the day was Lisa and Monty riding together up the tree lined avenue and then the photographers left.  Back at the house, after a session of downloading and writing, it was dinner time, preceded by a tour to the wine cellar which was quite a sight to behold, a real wine buff's paradise.

During and after dinner we were regaled with some fascinating stories from Monty - some of which were too private and sensitive to repeat. I heard some more about the strange Aunt who seems determined to discredit Monty, for no really obvious reason, other than maybe loyalty to Monty's father, who was also a horse trainer but unlike Monty, he trained horses using violence to cause submission. Or perhaps it is jealousy that she isn't getting the attention. I only found out her a few months ago and found it very hard to swallow that she seems set on a such a path of destruction, but then again, I'm all too aware of how vindictive and unfeeling people can be when they see another person being more effective at what they are doing than they will ever be.

The deer that have chosen to live on the Farm were also the subject of many stories, including one called Yoplait (because he was hand reared on yoghurt) who took a dislike to Pat's dog for barking at him. He became more and more adept at playing ticks on Pat, including following her around whilst she planted flowers in the garden and as fast as she planted, he was pulling them out again. It all came to a head when he managed to get into the garage where her prize Jaguar was warming up and danced a merry jig all over the car, ruining its paintwork and even managed to knock a picture of Pat and the dog off the wall and crap all over it. I had no idea that deer could be quite so vengeful, but it was ever such a funny story (probably more so in the original than my shortened version).

The final treat of the night was a demonstration of Cody the dog's many tricks. He has been trained to do the most amazing things - motivated in large part by cheese. He has a cage that's his den/ bed and is able to not only open the closed latch to let himself him, but if the cage is placed with the door up against a wall, he can drag the cage away from the wall and open it up. He can close the door too, and when told to find his bed he'll charge off to locate it wherever it's been hidden and bring it back and put it into his den. Very, very cute indeed.

Cody the Dog

Tomorrow is another day, and if it is as jam packed full of fascinating experiences as today was, I'll be more than happy. I think this two weeks is going to go past very fast indeed.