Day 5 - Pakistan

Today started with Individual Sword, so my first opportunity to get my sword bag out, which was immediately admired by one of the South Africans! This is a prototype by Swags and Bags and really helps when you are trying to carry a saddle, lance and sword.

We arrived at the ground and my trusty "sham e qalandar" was waiting for me, and Jacky had the same dark bay stallion, however all the other horses had not turned up!

The problem is there is a local event running parallel, so some of the horses had been run too hard and couldn't compete again so quickly.

Gerald was on a lovely roan owned by our friend Awais, Tina was put on a young dapple grey and Mike was on the chestnut that he rode the previous day.

Sham-e

However we were on sword pegging and those with new horses had to literally get straight on and sword peg, which is extremely difficult as any pegger would know, as if you haven't had a run, you are not quite sure what the horse will do.

Unfortunately things were not going to plan, Tina's horse would not run straight at all, and her only opportunity to even hit a peg was around 4 out from where she should have been.

Awais' lovely horse 

Jacky's horse had obviously got out of bed the wrong side and he was rearing at the start and running blind, unfortunately not necessary in the direction of the peg, and at one point the crowd looked a bit worried and scattered!!

Prince Malik decided that Jacky's horse was dangerous and Gerald's horse was too slow, so promptly changed them. We then took the opportunity to swap out the dapple grey Tina was on, as it was way too green and couldn't run straight at all, however Geralds horse was perfect for Tina and umm without the excess baggage could run faster!!

Michael had a good run and finished fourth overall, so despite the difficulties the brits were holding their own

Jacky's 3rd horse of the day - rejected!

Lunch was followed, and we still got treated to ice cream, so my resolve to cut down on the food isn't exactly holding up.

Post lunch we came back to the ground for the afternoon session of 2 rings and a peg and lemon cutting. However once again were a bit stunned as the horses weren't all there. So Michael was put up on another grey and Jacky on a different chestnut, with Tina, Gerald and Me all having the same horses.

Michael's horse #7 and Jacky's #7 or #8

Now the problem is that the Pakistan horses don't often see gallows, so once again the others were on strange horses that had never done rings before. We had issues, and Michael was struggling to get his near the gallows, which didn't help our points total.

Michael stuck with his horse, but we swapped Jacky onto something that looked safer

Tina performed the best, but unfortunately only two full houses were going to secure medals, so the South Africans who hadn't had the same horse issues took these.

Lemon cutting came next, and the horses were slowly getting used to the gallows, however once again double full houses were required to get into the medals, and although we had a fair few points, just not enough to be in the top 3.

Tonight was dinner at the Chenab Club with the High Commissioner, which was good and chance to do a post mortem on the day, hopefully we should have the horse issues resolved tomorrow!