It’s been a long old day at the Area 14 Horse Trails. This is my seventh time commentating and running XC control there so I must be doing something right huh?!

Nearly 120 combinations came past the control box, almost all of them made it back home. A few eliminations and a few fallers. Sadly, one needed an ambulance so we had to hold for well over an hour. Thankfully the rider concerned was OK.

Once we got back underway, we managed to make up some time, so didn’t finish too late. Once more, I came back inspired and with a few more favourite horses.

Bert got in on the act too. Not sure how helpful he was as he decided he wanted to be a parrot rather than a Sprocker. Made it a bit hard for Gabby to keep track of the horses.

My brain is mushed, my feet hurt and my voice needs a rest. It’s utterly bonkers, full on and I blooming love it!

I had a rather Practical Pip day today. Lots of little jobs sorted out. One was to move my saddle pole to give my dressage saddle a bit more space. So ladies and gentleman, I give you Fairfax Corner.

I was quite impressed with myself. No injuries and only a minimal amount of huffing and puffing. The same couldn’t be said for the removal of one of the saddle poles in my lorry’s tack locker. It has four saddle poles fitted in it. But the likelihood of me ever needing that many saddles is highly unlikely. So I thought I’d take two out. Great idea huh?!

Well the first one I couldn’t get any of the screw to move. So thought I’d start with the other one. Managed to get three of the four screws out. The last one wasn’t budging. So I got a hacksaw to cut threw it. Clearly the screw knew the game was up as it miraculously started to move.

At least I’ve removed one. It gives me more space to store Buddy’s boots and other stuff. The downside to two saddles is two lost of saddle pads. So actually keeping one extra pole means I can hang them over it. Clearly I wasn’t meant to remove it. Let’s go with that rather than my ineptitude with a screwdriver…

I’ve had a day of meeting up with former Virgin Money work colleagues. First I headed over to coffee with one. Then this evening three more came round to meet Bert and have a curry.

Clearly Bert was a big hit. He was also very enamoured with the knuckle bone we was brought. I can’t say I was as enamoured with scrapping sound. Slightly off putting when you’re trying to eat.

Thankfully the conversation was loud enough to drown him out.

I think it’s wonderful that we still get together and have so much to catch up on – even though we haven’t worked together for six years! But then I have so many friends that I’ve met through work. You spend so much time together, it’s easy to become a part of each others lives. I wonder who my longest serving former work colleague is.

As I was leaving my coffee catch up, I spotted this gorgeous doggie. Wonder what Bert would make of it…

The old wives tale is that curiosity killed the cat. Well that could have been true for Hugo. And more grey hairs for me.

The good news is that after four nights away, he’s finally home. The bad news is that for those four nights, he was trapped in a neighbour’s garage.

I knew I could hear him, but I couldn’t work out where it was coming from. And why he wasn’t coming when I called. I feared that he was injured or trapped. It was the latter.

Thankfully I managed to get him out and he’s none the worse for his experience. Well apart from being very hungry. He’s eaten a lot today. He’s also had lots of cuddles.

Let’s hope he learns a valuable lesson from this – not to be so curious.

I’m so relieved to have him home. I can’t tell you how worried and sad I was. My animals are so important to me. He’s purring on my lap as I type. He’s very happy to be home that’s for sure!

It’s been a bit of a funny day. And not just in terms of the weather. It’s been sunshine one minute, hail the next. I brought the big coat out of hibernation. Even donned my overtrousers for the yard.

Not that I am complaining about the rain. We desperately need that. Just not sure why we have to have all of the weather in one go. But then I’m British, an equestrian and dog owner, aka weather obsessed.

It’s been funny cause Hugo has been MIA for a few days now. So I’ve been door to door asking my neighbours if they’ve seen him and if they’d check garages / shed etc for him. No sign of him yet.

Dodo is here, but seems a bit unsettled without his brother. He’s been calling almost as much as I have!

Poor Bert doesn’t understand what’s going on as I keep going out to look for Hugo.

It really shows the difference between cats and dogs. Bert follows me almost everywhere, whereas cats can be rather nonchalant about it all. The kittens are quite home bods really, which is why it’s out of character for Hugo. Everything crossed he comes home soon.

It was saddle check day for Buddy. And the first check my dressage saddle. I absolutely love it. Even if I’m still not 100% confident in it. I’m honestly not sure if I’m a good enough rider to have such a thing of beauty.

The brain is a weird thing sometimes. When I bought my Fairfax Event saddle, I’d never spent that much money on a saddle before. The expectations in my head were huge. We’d be proper eventers with its help. Has it help us be better? I don’t know about that, but I do know there hasn’t been a moment where I regretted buying it. It’s saved my bacon more times than I care to remember.

I’m sure I will be the same this time. It was even more expensive than my other one. It’s not about the price tag. It’s about the feeling I get when I’m riding in it. I could canter in it for days.

I had a chat with my saddler today about it. She summed it up. I thought people would look at the saddle and expect us to knock out a Grand Prix test rather than ballsing up a Prelim (on a good day). Who cares though?! It fits Buddy. It fits me. We will shatter any expectations as we go along.

And no, this isn’t a post for everyone to tell me I’m a good rider. It’s an honest post about how self-worth can be linked to weird things. Who decides if I am worthy of an expensive saddle (or two)? Me. And Buddy is most definitely worth it. I am too…

In the words of Winnie the Pooh, it’s been a blustery day. It’s like we gone from Spring back to Winter. So glad I hadn’t packed away my coats just yet. I needed layers today. It was rather fresh.

The lilac in my garden was looking stunning. It’s looking a bit battered now. Lilac always reminds me of my Nanna. It was one of her favourites. Each year it makes me smile when I see it explode.

Her other favourite flowers were Lily of the Valley and freesia. My favourite is a rose. But then I am an English Rose…

There have been a few tears today. Happy ones though watching Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo winning Badminton for a history-making third time.

Winning a 5* is impressive. Hell completing a 5* is impressive. Actually completing any form of event is impressive. What’s the phrase, why mess up one phase when you can totally mess up all three?!

Eventing is flipping hard. I’ve walked many a top track and am in awe of the horses and riders. The ease they navigate obstacles us mere mortals can only look at from afar (they look smaller that way).

Given Ros gave birth to her second daughter 16 weeks ago makes this achievement even more incredible in so many ways. But then horsey girls are a breed to themselves.

I’m sad I wasn’t there to witness it, but watching it on TV was the next best thing. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one crying…

Not to be outdone by the pair of tits nesting in my roof, Bert has made a nest under my saddle rack. Well he’s had a busy day tearing around in the sunshine.

He does make me laugh so much. He’s back to normal that’s for sure. He’s definitely a great addition to my life. Even if he can be a little demon at times.

Today, he took great pleasure in running round the house with my sock, my shoe and a stick. Not at the same time of course. Sticks have been banned so that was taken away sharpish. So were my sock and shoe before they got too soggy. No-one needs a soggy foot…

This bug is really weird. One moment I have so much energy I’m bouncing off the walls, the next I’m on the floor. Rather odd. At least the punched in the face feeling has gone.

Riding the crest of a high energy moment, I decided to tackle the front lawn. I saw lawn, it’s somewhere between moss and meadow. I’ve been trying to leave it to nature, but even I have my limits!!

It didn’t actually take me that long once I got going. I left the edges so that there are still lots of flowers and plants for the insects. I even did an hour weeding the driveway. That’s a thankless task!

At least I got to admire the beautiful irises. I was gifted them a few years ago. Ever time they flower, I can’t help but wonder at how gorgeous they are.

And they’re a good distraction from how overgrown the rest of the garden has gotten. I think it’s going to need a few more hours weeding. Good job I find it rather therapeutic.

Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes a podcast or webinar. Today I just listened to the birds and soaked up the sunshine.