Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2007 | Page 77

EQUESTRIAN

life

All the king’s
horses and
all the king’s
men were very
much a team
when trying to
fix old Humpty.
Horses on holiday
So when the King’s men go
on holiday, they like to give
their horses a break too.
For a glorious week in
September, the Royal Horse
Artillery of the King’s Troop
were invited to Kennerley
Farm at Godshill – arranged
by the parents of one of their
number, Lance Bombardier
Peter Skelley – for a week’s
rest and relaxation. And the
horses, of course, came too.
“It’s very good for the horses
to get out to graze, and also
to swim in the sea,” explained
Captain Dominic Ibbs. Based
as they are in St John’s Wood in
London neither grazing nor sea
feature in their day-to-day lives.
So the 19 Irish Draught
Horses had a paddle at
Shanklin Beach, grazed on the

farm, were taken out hacking
across the Downs, and did a
little showjumping. And when
they really were resting, the
23 soldiers who came with
them fished, bowled, did a
spot of golf – and played
shooting at Headhunters.

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