Welcome to blog! I started it in 2020 to chart my recovery from breaking my ankle (hence the name). I guess no-one saw a global pandemic coming. It's turned into a place where I can talk about the things happening in my life, my horse and my cats. Enjoy!
It’s been a while since we had a ‘Pip injured herself’ post. Can’t take full responsibility for his one. My Baby Sprocker had a part to play in it too.
A friend took me to the local pub for lunch. She wanted to say thank you for the support I’d given her recently. Very kind of her. As it was such a beautiful day, we thought we’d eat in the beer garden. Unfortunately, the door opened outwards, so Bert dived out and I caught my hand on the door handle. Right between my fingers. Ouch!
One for me to work on as he does have a habit of diving through doors. This is the second time I’ve caught my hand. But the worst one as it’s blew up immediately.
Sure I’ll live. And didn’t stop me scoffing scampi and chips. Yum! Best break out the arnica…
Bert is off to Badminton Horse Trails next month. I’ll be there too. I know I get on really well with the people I’m going with. Bert is a bit of an unknown quantity. So today he met the two dogs he’ll be going with.
Rambo wasn’t that fussed about Bert. He preferred to mooch round the dog park enjoying the sniffs. Buster, on the other hand, was very happy to run around like a loon chasing him. So funny watching them tear around and play.
I’m very relieved that they got on. A little bit too much as Bert tried to hump both of them. A tad embarrassing. He’s a raging sea of hormones at the moment. The joys of adolescence eh? Let’s hope that’s calmed down otherwise it’s going to be an interesting trip…
Well it wasn’t just Christ who was resurrected today. My show jumping ‘career’ with Buddy was too. For the first time since December 2023, we entered a show jumping competition.
It wasn’t pretty. We are VERY rusty (bit of an understatement). Given he had the majority of last year off games, I’m over the moon!
I kept it low by entering the 60cm & 70cm. It wasn’t the triumphant return it could have been. I went with low expectations. I just wanted to see how Buddy reacted.
Sure we had two poles in each round. Sure I couldn’t see a stride for toffee. Sure I rode like a muppet. But we did it and that’s what counts. I know my eye will come in the more we jump. I also know I’ve been a bit lack in our training.
My Baby Sprocker has been winning in those stakes. That is paying off. He came to his first competition. He even jumped a little fence. He got LOTS of fuss. He slept in the lorry while I took Buddy off to compete. Afterwards, he got to watch some of the action. It was all rather exciting to start off with, he soon settled though.
Bert had a puppy play date with another spaniel today. She’s a working cocker like his Dad. She’s soooo pretty and an exceptionally well trained gundog.
We went for a walk round the fields and let them go ‘truffle hunting’ in a local copse. Bert had so much fun. Spaniel mode was definitely activated.
Not sure I should be trusted with two spaniels. I got lots of spangle tips.
Well today has been a very Good Friday. Bert and Buddy both got baths. Bert’s was much needed after he discovered a mini-swamp. Talk about pungent!
Buddy’s was also much needed after he did the wall of death round his field when he saw me putting his tack on the lorry. He was a bit of a sweaty Betty when I got him in, so needed a wash down. Then we headed over to Clarkes Farm for a clinic with the ever wonderful Caroline Meads.
Buddy was on top form. She’s laid out a really fun set of exercises. All working on the quality of the canter. Something I’ve been working really hard to keeping consistent.
As if I hadn’t burned enough calories, I decided to mow the back lawn. It was Bert’s first experience of the lawnmower. He wasn’t sure and there was a lot of ‘shouting’ at it. But he soon got bored and found one of his toys instead.
He’s snoring on the sofa now… Bert’s first Easter has started well. That’s for sure.
This is what happens when you pop to the shop for a bag of salad and have to queue. It’s really is true what they say that you should never go food shopping when you’re hungry.
I’m not a huge chocolate fan, but I love a KitKat. This was very intriguing, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. Of course, by the time I got home, had dinner, faffed about for a bit, I totally forgot about it. So that’ll be a treat for me another day.
It may shock some people that I can have chocolate in the fridge and not eat it. But I’ve just finished the chocolates I was given for Christmas. Let’s see how long these last in the chocolate drawer…
I was meant to get an important delivery tomorrow. I woke up to several messages saying it would be delivered today instead. Great! But I had plans. So had to take a raincheck and rearrange a few other bits so I could be here.
Now I’d had a few failed deliveries recently. Frustratingly I was actually here. So I checked my doorbell. It seems it had stopped working. Fixing it was on the list. In preparation for today’s delivery, I moved it up the list. Quite impressed with myself for fixing it. Nothing a screwdriver and some WD-40 couldn’t sort.
I patiently waited for said delivery. I even moved to work on the sofa so I could see when anyone came to the door. No-one arrived so I checked the tracking details. It said the parcel was refused. Huh?! I was right there…
Cue terse phone conversation with the delivery company. Yes, I actually got to speak to a person! A real, life one too. She told me that ‘because the road was closed’ the delivery driver moved onto the next one.
Now it’s true that they are doing gas works and have closed a bit of the road, but there is another perfectly open way to get to my house. Any SatNav worth it’s salt would have rerouted him.
And the bit that’s closed is maybe 50m at best. The driver had my number, I would have happily walked up the road to meet him. Or he could have walked to me.
By this point, I’d hit my exasperation levels as you can imagine. A lack of communication really annoys me. So does a lack of common sense. When did common sense become a rare skill?!
Let’s hope the next delivery driver actually uses their brain a bit more. Not that I actually know when they are going to try and deliver it. I’ll have to wait till tomorrow for that joy.
Still I now have a working doorbell. And while I had the WD-40 out, I sorted out the sticky door on the Buddymobile. So not all bad…
Well this has certainly slowed my little piglet down. Bert loves his food and was gulping it down so when I saw this yesterday, I thought I’d give it a whirl.
Honestly, I must be the only person who goes to a horse event and comes back with three things for her dog and nothing for her horse! Buddy will be having words I’m sure.
I’ve tried to find ways to slow Bert’s eating down. He literally inhales the food! Tactics so far have included a treat ball, a snuffle ball, putting it in boxes, hiding it in boxes, scattering it on the floor, splitting it into small portions and a puppy tornado!
I was getting to the point where it was taking me longer to get everything ready than it was taking him to eat it!
The puppy tornado did help to start off with. Till he worked it out (that took about 2 mins). Puppy Tornado is definitely a good description for Storm Bert when it comes to food. Never seen anything like the frenzy. He’s clearly starved poor chap.
Bit like the Oversized Labrador who stamps his feet and demands his food. Then his eyes practically roll up in his head while he’s inhaling it! He can’t eat it fast enough.
There are benefits to having food-orientated animals, that’s for sure. At least Buddy doesn’t try to eat his empty bowl unlike Bert. He just poops in it…
Tales, Tails and Talus 