I headed over to Great Hockham today to meet up with a friend for a ride in the forest. I was rather honoured to be offered the chance to ride her mare, Cressida.

Now I’m much more of a gelding girl. Mares and I haven’t always seen eye to eye.

She’s also a chestnut. And chestnut mares have a bit of a reputation for being rather fiesty. Dragon riding has been mentioned in the past.

I love the film ‘How to train your dragon’. I’ve watched it many times. So was hoping that would put me in good stead. I didn’t need any of it. Cressida was on her best behaviour. She was very lovely to ride indeed.

The irony is that it was also a Cressida who wrote the book the film is based on. Must have been a good omen.