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.

Sunday stroll

Headed over to Blickling Estate NT this morning to meet up with camp mates Katie Hall and Vicky Mary (and her daughter Jasmine). It was only last week that we were together at camp, but felt like longer. So great to catch up.

After an hour plus stroll round the estate, I introduced Jasmine to the now famous National Trust Hot Chocolate. Let’s just say she’s an even bigger fan of Blickling after that!

Her pony got a lot of attention too. He was very happy to say hello to the other children we met on our route. And we met another Buddy. This time a dog. He was a very good boy on his first time meeting the horses.

My Buddy’s ears pricked up when everyone said ‘good boy Buddy’. Which of course he was. In fact they all were. And so we’re us girls.

Horsey family

Spent a rather pleasant evening at Carleton Riding Club’s social night.

I’ve met so many people through horses. Some have become my horsey family. It’s lovely to spend time with likeminded people. And we don’t just talk horses…

Horses are the commonality that brings us together. The friendships are built from there. I have people in my life that I’d have never met if it wasn’t for horses.

My life would be very different without them, that’s for sure. In fact I was very miserable without a horse. Very thankful to have Buddy and the horsey people I have around me.