Bert and I were up out early this morning for his walk. OK so probably not as early as some. I’m not really a morning person.

Don’t get me wrong, I can do it. But it’s not when I’m at my best. Once the Baby Sprocker was safely back in the cool, I headed to do Maid Duty. That was a sweatfest! And it was only 8:45am!

I thought I’d take Buddy out some recovery mash and put some electrolytes in his field water. The latter looked like I’d sprinkled fake snow in it. The former was tipped on the floor in his eagerness. He loves it a little bit too much me thinks.

All my animal duties done, I then played the game of how to keep the Baby Sprocker cool. I put his cooling vest on. Honestly, he is rather suspicious of it. And when I refreshed it, he acted like I was assaulting him.

Thankfully there was some shade by the shed. In fact, we both hung out there for a bit. I had some online learning to catch up on so it was rather pleasant, especially as the breeze picked up. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I was a little chilly in the shade. Then I headed into the sunshine…

As it’s been a lovely week, I broke out the sun lounger yesterday. It gave me distinct ‘I’m going to collapse’ vibes. It’s probably 20 years old. And while it doesn’t get that much use, the fact it’s seen better days isn’t wasted on me.

So I thought I’d pop to the local camping place and treat myself to a replacement. Typically they didn’t have any I liked. When I got home, I found one I liked online. But thought I’d risk the sun lounger once more and get a replacement another day.

Someone clearly had other ideas as I managed to spill my coffee all over it. So off I headed to the shop and picked up a new zero gravity chair. I put it up and sat in it (and got out again) without injury.

And yes I was singing ‘Defying Gravity’.

Well that’s less than ideal. I’m still at a loss what happened either. I was mowing the lawn and heard a very loud bang. Turned round to find this!

First thought was that a bird had flown into it. OK that wasn’t my first thought. My first thought was crap I’m going to need a new conservatory. And wanted to throw up.

The outside pane is intact. It’s just the pane inside. I say just. The whole panel has gone crackled. It was making a very weird creaking noise to start off with too.

The only thing I can think is that while I was mowing the lawn, a stone flicked up and hit the glass. Given I wasn’t close to the conservatory at the time, it’s a bit of a one in a million shot. Only me huh?!

I’m sure the panel can be replaced. Well I really hope so. If not, that’s why I have home insurance. For now, it’s on the ‘things to do before winter’ list. I’ve covered it with. Bin bag for now.

Trust me to have a smashing time.

Given that Bert is borderline obsessed with balls, I thought he’d find the tennis rather interesting.

He was more interested in his bone. He wanted me to throw it for him. I declined. So he kept putting the rather soggy, chewed bone in my lap. Subtlety isn’t on me of the Baby Sprocker’s strengths.

The tennis match was a real rollercoaster. It was the men’s final from Queens. Not long till Wimbledon now. I can almost taste the strawberries and Pimms.

Wimbledon has been on my bucket list for a long time. I’ve been in the ballot for many years. Not got a ticket yet. One day I’ll get there. Till then, I’ll just have to be content with watching from afar and my own little ball boy.

My everyday riding hat was getting a tad pungent, then I remembered the liner is removable. So brought it home to wash.

Pungent was the right word. I guess the clue is in every day, I wouldn’t want to have seen the colour of the water washing this one.

I have some hat deodoriser, but clearly it needed a bit more. After our rather sweaty ride today, it really needed it. Buddy got a lavender wash down and I had a shower. It’s pretty humid still, so hopefully it dries quickly.

And hasn’t shrunk!

I popped over to watch a few friends riding in a clinic today. Gosh it was a hot one. I had thought that being near the coast, it would be cooler. I was wrong.

I ended up being a walking hydration station to make sure the riders kept drinking. We ended up having an interesting conversation about hydration. As riders we make sure our horses have electrolytes, but rarely ourselves.

This is definitely something I’ve been working on. I keep electrolyte tablets in my lorry so I can have them when I’m out and about.

Of course, that didn’t help me today as I didn’t have the lorry with me. At least I was able to have some when I got home. I may have sweated a bit. And I wasn’t even riding!

I washed Bert’s bed the other day and think more stuffing came out than was left behind. It was his first bed, so had been chewed considerably. Funny how you don’t notice the holes till there’s stuffing everywhere.

He’d been using another old one. But that had seen better days too. Definitely time to get him a new one. I’d been holding off till I was sure we were through the ‘chewing / destuffing’ phase. Needs must though.

I had to run some errands today and accidentally fell into a local garden centre. They had a pet section, so new bed for Bert.

It hasn’t made it into his crate yet. He’s claimed it already. He seems very happy on it. Let’s hope it’s still intact in the morning.

After a few busy days, today was a catch up day. The beauty of doing a mini-camp is that there’s nowhere near as much stuff to sort out and wash. Good job too as I woke up to rain.

I checked the greenhouse to find this treasure. I’ve only been away a few days, but clearly Mother Nature has been on good form! I get so exciting seeing something I’ve grown. OK I may not have grown it per say, but I definitely played my part.

Buddy, Bert and I are back from our mini-camp. I took Buddy for a leg stretch in the forest before our lesson this morning.

Bert had always been for a run round so only seemed fair. I even hacked in my dressage saddle. Not sure that’ll happen outside of camps. It did feel rather odd.

We had a baby horse in our lesson. It was her first real experience of being riden away from home. She was very sweet and Buddy soon put her at ease. My little boy is quite the babysitter. She was very happy trotting around with him.

Her canter was a bit more forward than his, but he led the way, then let her go on her own. It’s quite the compliment to be asked by another rider to support her homebred freshly backed baby horse. Buddy rose to the occasion.

As always, we came home tired, but good tired. We learnt a lot in a short space of time. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces. And meet some new ones too.

In case you haven’t noticed, I do love camps.

Guess who’s having a mini-camp?! Well clearly us. Buddy, Bert and I headed over to Forest Edge for a dressage camp.

Yes, you read that right. Dressage camp. Two words I wouldn’t have thought I’d be saying. I didn’t think I could do the full six lessons, so we’re here for two and a night away in Toby.

We had our first lesson this afternoon and we’ll have another one tomorrow before heading home.

Not the best planning on my part with Buddy jumping yesterday, so he was a little confused when I brought him in from the field and lead him towards the lorry.

He seemed very happy with his camp treats. The arena here seems vast with no jumps in it. That fact wasn’t lost on me or Buddy. Still it was a lovely lesson and we learnt stuff as always.

Bert has been for a good run round the forest. So many of the campers have watched him grow up too. He came for his first camp when he was six months old. He’s as much of a pro at these as Buddy and I are now.

I may only be here one night, but it’s good for my heart and soul. My legs may be telling a different story tomorrow of course…