French lesson in attitudes to lady riders

A female friend is planning to take a working holiday in France this summer. She intends to ride out at a racing yard to further her experience. As she has ridden in numerous races with success, she emailed prospective employers her CV and details hoping to find a suitable position and was overjoyed when a well-known, successful French trainer left this message on her answer machine: "Salut Monsieur Roberts, we would be 'appy to have someone wiz your experience working. Peut-etre you ride in races for me. I like to give ze talented young jockeys a little 'elp when I can".

My friend was delighted and rang the trainer back immediately to ask when she could start. When he answered the phone and heard her voice, he abruptly began backtracking. "Madame may not be suitable for the job in question and possibly madame may prefer to work as the nanny and take the children to school instead?"

The conversation left my friend momentarily speechless (a rare occurrence). When she eventually stumped up the words to inquire about the race riding opportunities the answer was clear: "No…no madame, no women". Outraged she rang me for a rant down the phone.

I laughed: "Next time don't tell them just turn up. French trainers are not keen on lady jockeys, especially the English ones". I tried to appease the situation, but she maybe heading for the European courts next.

I was caught out by last weekend's heatwave. After spending most of Saturday working outside plastered in factor 20, I was smug in the knowledge I'd avoided getting fried and adding to my abundance of wrinkles. However, following my first ride at the point-to-point on Sunday, I staggered into the weighing room ready to faint and promptly threw up my breakfast in the toilet. No, I'm not pregnant, unless God is planning to use a less virtuous example for the next immaculate conception. Sunstroke apparently.

I feebly handed over my rides to more able-bodied ladies as I tried to keep myself and the horses hydrated for the rest of the day.

Like the first drops of snow in winter, when the sun arrives for us to bask in its glorious splendour every May we are completely unprepared. I find the early spring mornings as enchanting as dawn-cubbing in autumn. The birds are almost deafening outside my bedroom window. I have taken to riding the racehorses out earlier and they get turned out for an hour in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the midday sun. Horses cope well in the cold, it is the heat they cannot tolerate for long periods.

Dehydration will reduce their ability in a race by 20 per cent, which is why they need electrolytes regularly to replenish lost nutrients and fluid.

The yard is very relaxed at the moment. Most of the pointers will be turned out after this weekend and the annual spring clean starts, disinfecting and painting everything as there will be a few empty stables until the youngsters arrive.

Winged Farasi is in fine fettle. He has not sulked or refused to be caught for months. The last thing he tried to kick was the dog. Pingu was attempting to eat his feed (she loves to lick up the oil we add to the horses feed). Winged Farasi was unfortunate at Sedgefield last week, he fell at the last when in second place. He runs tonight at Cartmel and I am confident, he won there last year and has every chance.

CW 29/5/10