Author: langlep

So 2020 was going to be my year. The year I got my life sorted after being served redundancy notice from my job in November 2019. The year I ticked off more things from my horsey bucket list. The year I got my mental health back under control and reduced stress in my life. I had a plan. And it was a good one. Then the plan changed dramatically on 2 January. I came off my horse at speed and broke my ankle. Badly. Like all good equestrians, I got back on and rode back to the yard, sorted Buddy out and then drove myself to A&E. That’s where this journey really began... I was sent home from A&E and told to crack on, only to receive a phone call later to say they’d missed a fracture (and a rather serious one at that). Whoops! So fracture clinic on 3 January, surgery on 5 January and home to recover. I started this blog as a way to chart my recover back to the saddle. As I cleared clinics and competitions out of my diary and wondered what the next few months would bring, it's been a safe space for me to say how I'm feeling. The new plan was to get a new job, to keep Buddy is kept ticking over and recover from my injury. Another good plan! I didn't expect a global pandemic, lockdown and all that happened in 2020. This blog has changed over time but it's continued to be my safe space to share the things going on in my life, with Buddy and the cats. Enjoy!

Redwings

Buddy is off to Redwings! Well his image is. They got in touch with my friend Helen at Weddell and Turner for some gluten free / dairy free gingerbread. Horse shaped of course.

Helen has met Buddy and thinks he’s particularly handsome. So she asked for a headshot to use. I’m honoured he’s now in biscuit form.

Aren’t they brilliant?!

Is it weird that I can tell they’re him?

Leap of faith

This made me smile tonight. I went to the Full Moon Soundbath and the lady who runs it had put a card on each of the mats along with a coloured scarf.

I picked a mat, but didn’t like the pink scarf that was there. So I swapped it with the orange scarf and card on another mat. This was the card I picked instead. Talk about apt after the weekend. That was a leap of faith on so many levels.

We ended up with one spare mat. The one that I’d put the pink scarf and card on. So I ended up with that too. Obviously meant to be.

Cloud nine

Back home after a truly magical weekend at The Longines Royal International at Hickstead. I’m still on cloud nine! And can’t quite believe that we actually jumped there. Think that might take a bit of time to sink in.

I’m not sure I ever believed that dream would come true. It seemed too big, too out of reach. But I’m itching to go back next year already.

There are so many people I need to thank. Who’ve helped me get to this point. I could write a pretty good Oscar acceptance speech at this point. You know who you are. Those who’ve cheered me on. Those who’ve guided me. Those who’ve picked me up when it hasn’t gone to plan. Literally at times. Those who’ve believed in me. Those who’ve let me have a go. Those who made me feel like I could do this. And we bloody well did!

Thank you each and every one of you.

But the biggest thanks has to go to my little Buddy Boy. Thank you for making my dreams come true.

Hickstead

We did it! It wasn’t pretty and we had 4 poles but we completed our first round of show jumping at Hickstead. I’m rather emotional to be honest. I’ve wanted to do that since I was a 5-year old horse mad little girl!

Then I didn’t have a horse, a pony or any idea who I would make it happen. But when you have a dream…

One of the fences I had down was the Hickstead planks. The one fence I wanted a photo over. Thankfully fence 1 also contained a plank so I’ve got my photo. Buddy was such a good boy. It was a very buzzy ring with so much to look at. He held it all together and stormed round. A little too fast at times – hence the poles.

I am one very happy, tired, slightly overly emotional Pip. Dreams really do come true.

Buddy and I will both sleep well tonight.

Ambitions

So this happened today. I can now say that I’ve ridden a horse at Hickstead. And jumped. It was only a practise fence this evening. But it still counts.

Growing up down the road, it’s been a life-long ambition to bring a horse here. Today I did just that. Tomorrow Buddy and I will be representing Carleton Riding Club here.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I’ve ticked something off my horsey bucket list.

It’s felt so good coming back to Royal International. It’s such an amazing experience.

Clear vision

I’ve been recommended a new app and it’s one I’m fascinating with! It shows how horses see compared to us.

It’s very different to us, that’s for sure. I took this photo of the same flower. You can see the difference. Seems horses don’t see green grass at all! Things are very brown and grey.

I might use it next time I’m walking a course to see how it could look to Buddy. Could be really interesting.

Of course, it doesn’t explain why he decided to stand on my foot this evening. That was just him getting bored during his pedicure. Well it was dinner time.

Pearly whites

I had to do one of my least favourite things today. Go to the hygienist. It’s been over 4 years since I last went so there was a lot to scale. I have sensitive teeth so it isn’t terribly comfortable. And now my mouth feels really weird!

I know it’ll settle down but my teeth don’t feel like mine. Does that make any sense?!

Good job I had a lovely distraction this afternoon when Victoria and Ernie came over for a hack. Ernie had a right march on to start off with. Till he realised he didn’t know where he was going. Buddy was happy to show him the sites.

And I got to show my pearly whites to everyone we met.

How we roll

This is such a horse thing to do. He has a lovely bath, tail and mane wash and he doesn’t even wait for me to leave his field before he drops and rolls.

He was looking lovely and shiny after a great jumping session in the morning sunshine. Not so much after his exuberant roll.

Watching a horse roll really is a weird thing. They’re so graceful on four legs. Buddy look like some sort of demented ninja turtle rolling. And then there’s the old man groan as he gets up. Always makes me laugh.

Mown down

I woke up this morning with a sense of determination. The kind of day where you end up saying ‘Right!’ a lot and springing into action (sometimes with a thigh slap for good measure).

I tackled the front lawn first. I say lawn. It was rather overgrown. It took 45 mins of huffing, puffing and lots of sweating to get it done.

Then it made the borders look really overgrown so plugged into a podcast and started the weeding. The podcast was really interesting. About values and how change can be uncomfortable because it’s hard.

Sadly rain stopped play (and my semi-dry washing wet again). Mad dash to get the mower and the washing in when the heavens opened.

So no doubt my lawn will already be growing again. Still at least it resembles a lawn now. It looks so much better when it’s done.

Selfie fail

Today we put the band back together! It’s been a while since we hacked. It was like no time had passed at all. We chatted the whole way round. The boys seemed pleased to see each other too.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is my inability to take a selfie on a horse. This photo made me giggle when I saw how it came out.

Sometimes it’s the little things in life. A catch up with a good friend, a good ride in the beautiful countryside and at good laugh at your own ineptitude.