Ruby Grimshaw in her Indian riding seat

I am back from my sponsored ride in India, with only a few bruises and no Delhi belly. However, my joy at not having to bring a sleeping bag was misplaced. It was so cold camping that I wore my padded riding jacket – brought only as an afterthought – throughout the night. The challenge for me lay not in riding the frisky horses but in negotiating the tent ropes at night when crossing the sand for a pee, and climbing up and down the tiny ladders leading up to the loos without tripping and breaking my leg.

Riding these feisty Marwari horses through farmland and villages, sometimes at a very fast pace, was thrilling. They are superb athletes and excel at endurance. (They can be seen tent pegging at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May.) Their confidence in traffic was amazing. Not one curly ear twitched as tractors, honking buses, and camels pulling rattling carts passed us, all tooting and waving in their excitement at seeing 29, obviously eccentric, white women on horseback.

Wherever and whenever we stopped, a small crowd of local villagers would appear, wrapped in blankets, settling in for a long stay to watch us.

“Indian trot meant charging across country like a bat out of hell”

We learnt that putting ‘Indian’ in front of a word altered its meaning. Indian time usually meant adding up to an hour to an agreed departure. In true Brit style we would be ready clutching our helmets, water bottles and sun cream, only to have to wait while horses were slowly saddled up. We learnt that Indian trot meant charging across country like a bat out of Hell. Goodness knows what Indian canter is!

I had been dreading the visit to a brick kiln, because I remembered how upset we all were in 2004 when we saw the state of the donkeys working there. Mules are now gradually taking the place of donkeys and while it is still hard work for man and animal (the average wage is £4.50 a day), I was relieved and very impressed at the improved conditions due to the work of The Brooke Charity. This women’s group had formed to take over the care of the mules. They invited us to their village where they sang and danced for us. It was a lovely end to our week.
So I can assure all those people who kindly sponsored me for this challenge that their money has really made a difference to families and animals in India. Thank you.