We had the Harold family with us on Saturday. Melissa is a pony clubber from the Mittagong area in the Southern Highlands.

It was a pleasure to have them here. Melissa plans to come back and have a week here.

We started Saturday morning with flatwork, teaching the riders their diagonals and leads and what would be expected of them in the show ring doing rider and hack classes.

We split the group and went around the sporting tents and did some jumping before lunch.

It was too hot to ride after lunch so we went to the pool to cool off for the afternoon. By the time we arrived back the rest of the families had arrived so everyone saddled up for more sporting, jumping and flatwork for the benefit of those who weren't there in the morning.

With hunger setting in, it was time for tea. Well, some wanted pizza, some wanted Chinese so we all pitched in and bought both. Thanks to Wong's Chinese Restaurant and Steve's Pizza and Kebabs.

With that meal over, they weren't finished yet so with the lights switched on it was back on the horses.

We spent time doing troop drills and jumping. I think the children could have ridden all night but the instructors knocked up and dismissed the riders for showers and bed.

Sunday was a little slower getting started with some tired children from the night before.

We did a little flatwork but spent most of Sunday playing games.

They had egg and spoon races, musical poles, red rover and pillow polo, which is a game where there are two teams and a pillow which must be passed to each team member before they can score over the line, with the opposing team trying to take possession of the pillow.

There were only two falls during the weekend and they belonged to Katherine with no damage done.

At the beginning of this month Belinda Gough, Trish Scott and Debbie Tribe travelled to Bourke for an instructors' school.

The school was hosted by the Bourke Pony Club and was run by chief instructor Allan Morall.

Congratulations to Trish and Belinda on gaining their probationary certificates.

For Debbie this was an update on her current level one certificate.

The school was well run and informative, going over a lot of basics for the intending probationaries. There were some other instructors attending the school too who were pleasant and friendly, and we are looking forward to going back there.

instructor,

< p>Lightning Ridge Pony Club