Fun in the Sun

I went to the New Forest Show yesterday. Naturally, I took a pack-child with me to carry things (well, if you’re going to have children, you may as well put them to good use). So, DD and I set off bright and early, since DH was at work and the killjoy boylet wanted to fester at home. We left Dexter to keep an eye on him, which was just as well because the show was absolutely heaving and he isn’t keen on people in small numbers, let alone in their thousands.

It was fun…apart from the very long traffic queue to get in (and out again). The middle of the New Forest isn’t really geared to catering for the arrival of hundreds of cars. I think they’d rather you arrived on horseback!

I’d decided to go to the show primarily with a view to taking some suitable pics for the Chariot card in my Meniscus Tarot. I’m not sure yet if I’ve succeeded, since I’m still going through the photos, but even if not, it was still a good day out, especially if you’re keen on horses…and retail therapy.

There were thousands of horses (2,500 over the three days, apparently) and hundreds of retailers, selling everything from hair clips to boats, not to mention a massive selection of local and not-so-local produce of all sorts. To be honest, there was so much there, you probably need to go on all three days to see it. I failed to look at probably half of what was there and I couldn’t even find some of it.

The horses and ponies came in all shapes and sizes, with Shetlands pulling dog carts and 8-year-old Pony Club games competitors leaping on and off their small ponies, all manner of native pony breeds, elegant American Quarter horses and Morgans pulling equally elegant carriages and the full range of heavy horse breeds, from Percherons to Shires, my particular favourites.

Squeee!

High-stepping Hackney

Lovely Shires

And then there was the Household Cavalry. Very impressive when hurtling towards you

Or, indeed, when just hurtling around in ever-decreading circles

As for the retail therapy, I bought some jewellery and some (heavily discounted) walking boots for myself.

Necklace (has earrings too)

DD stung me for some shoes, a bag and a hat, but in return she was, as previously mentioned, my pack-child, carrying almost everything except my camera kit. She was also game enough to accept my chilli challenge…

Sampling the Chilli products in new hat

Braving the Hottest One!

Ciders, interesting cheese and sausages, chilli sauces and garlic mayonnaises. Nom!

The food areas were pretty good and she did get the hot chilli sauce as a reward…or perhaps, punishment? Anyway, along with the Fatalii Chilli Sauce set I also bought for DH, I’m sure he’ll eat it if she doesn’t. The final foodie haul (plus the Fatalii set, and some Strawberry cider and Apple juice that were consumed in situ) looked something like this –>