The good samaritans

One of the most wonderful aspects about the ride was the number of people who went out of their way to help us - either in setting it up, helping out with logistics, rescuing us along the way or staying to man the fort while we were away.

There were so many of them that there is a grave danger of me missing someone out, but I thought they really deserved a blog all to their own, so, with big thanks to all of you, here goes :-)

• Linda, who provided brilliant horse and person B&B for our first night, dried out all our soaking wet stuff and even lent us fluffy slippers!
• Jo Ellis, who rode with us on the second day on her lovely horse Devon, and who arranged the most wonderful accomodation for our first 2 nights.
• Liz, Adrian and their lovely dogs and horses, who gave us another memorable stay, with wonderful hospitality, and who remained unfazed despite having to help us with the traumas of our third day when Morris was injured.
• Louise, who provided the "horse ambulance" to rescue Morris and then made another long journey to set us back on our way again afterwards.
• The unknown stranger who took pity on us in Knighton and remembered having seen somewhere that might be able to house horses, when we turned up in the pouring rain and needed to give Ghost an unscheduled rest day after he was kicked. He not only took me there and brought me back, but his wife made Sarah a cup of tea while she waited in the rain with the boys!
• Mr and Mrs Hodnett at Brook House Farm, who generously allowed us to house 2 wet horses in their wonderful barn for 2 nights when we turned up "homeless" on their doorstep, as well as providing limitless hay for the boys and cups of tea and home made cake for us.
• All at the Horse and Jockey in Knighton, who provided human accomodation and endless supplies of ice for Ghost's leg!
• Sal and Peter Hall at Urchinwood, who provided beds, food, sympathy and advice at the end of the Welsh leg, and gave the horses such a 5 star stay that they didn't want to leave!
• Carol in Petherton, who took pity on Felix and I at the end of a long day in the Somerset levels, and rang to get permission for us to ride through Petherton Park rather than do another loooong detour to reach our stop for the night!
• All the staff at the Blue Ball in Triscombe, who allowed Felix to graze the beer garden lawn and spoiled him with carrots!
• Sam and Lucy, who rode on the last day and made it so much more fun, both for me and for Felix, and Ted who came and took the fabulous photos.

And of course, as always, Andy here and Lee at Sarah's, who stayed at home to keep everything ticking over and without whom we wouldn't have been able to go at all, plus my parents and Andy's Mum, who all came to keep Andy company while I was away :-)