Jim Who?

Courtesy Tokoro RC

While the kids were giving 'Jaguar' a good workout around the outside track at Tokoro, I was busy polishing my old saddle - it had fared surprisingly well considering its lack of use, with only a crusty coating of sand and red dust from the local farms, and it wasn't as stiff as I was expecting either, given the climate it has had to contend with recently. After a good rubbing down with an oil rag and cleaning cream, it looked half decent, and if I change the stirrups to a pair of racing ones I have sitting in the car, that should reduce its weight quite nicely.

Why am I polishing the saddle? Well, I've decided to enter the gymkhana in November. But not with Jaguar, as this saddle doesn't suit the peak in his back - I've decided to use 'Tenn-chan' (Tempai). Poor old Tenn-chan nearly died a while back, and has never fully recovered. However, as a seven-time JRA race winner (including a Procyon Stakes victory), he's a proud horse, and I want to use him in competition at least once in his twilight years - it will be my first competition with him since buying a share in him a couple of years ago. Even if we have to walk around, as he will dictate the pace, I want to create a nice memory of our time together...