The pick of the picnics

Sport is the main part of an equestrian day out, but good food enhances it. Netia Walker finds out about picnics that will beat the burger van if it ever stops raining

AN athlete’s nutrition is vital to supply energy for both body and mind. An empty stomach can leave you jittery and weak, while a heavy meal can make you feel either sick or lethargic. And we all know the effects of too much sugar and caffeine. While we make such efforts to ensure our horses’ nutritional needs are perfectly met, how much care do we pay to our own diet on show day?

For many it is a toss-up between the burger van and a picnic on a long day out with horses. But it’s frustrating to put time into producing a picnic only for the intended recipients to sniff the air longingly as the wafts of bacon drift towards them, and look forlorn as you try to tempt them with a curling, day-old sandwich with soggy bread.

If this rings true, it is time to up the ante on your picnic offerings. Take advice from these experts with ample experience of keeping riders in all fields well fed, and their soups and hot drinks warm.

HE HUNTING PICNIC

IF you spot Beaufort Hunt secretary James Smith lurking with intent near a car on a hunting day, you can be pretty sure it will belong to caterer Peanuts Smithers, widely regarded as having the best-stocked car boot in the west. Word has spread about her delicious quail Scotch eggs, earning her a loyal following. It is a three-day process to make the perfect "Peanuts Scotch egg".

"Boil the quail's eggs for exactly three minutes," says Peanuts. "Take them out of the boiling water and put them straight into ice-cold water, leaving them to chill overnight.

"The following day, peel the eggs, wrap them in good-quality sausage meat and chill them in the fridge. The better quality the meat you use is, the better the finished product will be.