Survey King 開心人 2011

Over the years, female riding instructors in Hong Kong seem to have fallen into a stereotype – from their 20s (or is it 30s?) and up, a bit rough round the edges, comes with a certificate issued by certain overseas equestrian associations and, more often than not, blatantly patronising. One would thus understand the case for wanting to fly below their radar around the riding

stables or, for that matter, other places as well. On this day, however, even the morbid thought of running in with one of them was not enough to stop me from going into the paddock where my old friend Survey King was being turned out, and give him a big affectionate hug.

The last time I saw SK was in 2007, at the Hong Kong Riding Union in Shek Kong, not long after Nicki Loiterton and Alison King took over its operation. He was then already 18 years old. Although nursed back to health from the appalling condition he had been in under the hands of the previous management, the remnants and scars of years of abuse and hardship were nevertheless unmistakable. In his eyes I saw both dignity and sorrow, strength but also resign. It was as if he was saying: "I'm still here; with steely bones and fortitude I have survived... I'm ok now, but I'm also getting really old, those horrendous years took a heavy toll." I remember stroking him gently along his forehead, and whispered: "Don't worry old boy, you're in good hands now, they'll look after you... the nightmare is over, it's a sunny day outside, you can relax now..."

Nicky Loiterton did look after him. The partnership deal with the Hong Kong Riding Union fell through, after which Nicky founded her own equestrian outfit in 2009 - the Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre, and soon brought SK to his new and probably last home. What Nicky did was particularly admirable, given the fact that SK was very old and did not represent a commercial proposition for a riding club.

Saturday afternoons are usually for recuperating from the excesses of the previous night (and sometimes also that morning), but on this particular one I decided to join my dear friend Kerrin at the Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre to watch her daughter Natasha compete over jumps. I had always hoped that Nicki would bring SK with her to Clearwater Bay, but have never actually enquired if she did for fear of disappointment. So one can imagine my joy when I saw him having a whole paddock to his own, relaxing under a bright sunny day, virtually word for word as in my whispers of comfort 4 years ago. For a 22 year old his body condition was good enough; he was placid and calm, but still alert and curious enough to meet me half-way as I approached. I patted and stroked him gently, only this time there was no need to whisper any words of assurance.

It wasn't long until my happy reunion was cut short by a woman looking high and mighty on her horse who could only be the riding instructor. " I want you to be on the other side of the fence, " she said aloud, assuming I was an idiot. I don't know why I bothered, but I told her why I was in the paddock. She then paused for a moment, as if she knew what I was talking about, and then merely repeated "I need you to be on the other side of the fence". Ok lady, I get it, it's your territory! On my way out I looked over my shoulder and saw SK preoccupied and muzzling with Natasha, his coat looking even whiter than it already was underneath the rays of a fabulous sunset.