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 full on this week. I’m two weeks out for the big conference I’m helping to organise. It’s hit that stage where there are lots of deadlines and moving parts. It’s been a bit chaotic. But nothing I can’t handle. Well today anyway.
It helps when I have the best stress outlet going. Though today, someone was a tad spooky. Buddy was very weirded out by the cobwebs everywhere. To be fair to him, there were everywhere!! Guess he’s not a fan of Halloween.
Anyone else’s cats queue up for pizza?! Just mine huh? I was off to Carrow Road tonight to watch Norwich City play. I was running late, so threw a pizza in the oven while I got ready to go.
Believe me there was a lot of debating on layers and coats! As a result, I burnt half the pizza. The other half was like molten lava, so I burnt my tongue and the roof of my mouth.
Once at the game, I thought I get a hot chocolate. Yes, you guessed it, I burnt my mouth. Again. Seriously, I’m 53! You’d thought I’d have learnt by now.
Sadly the hot chocolate was the highlight of the game.
So they call pigeons flying rats. Well in my garden they are flying pigs! These little piggies were gorging themselves on holly berries most of the day.
There are so many berries about at the moment. That means a hard winter, if you believe the old wives’ tale. Considering it’s been so mild, who knows?!
All I know is these two were having a wonderful feast. Even if there wasn’t much variety.
I lost a good friend last week. Our yard did too. So today we went for a yard hack today in her memory. We wore her favourite colour – pink. We rode one of her favourite routes. And when we got back we toasted her and ate her favourite cake – fondant fancies.
I walked the route. Nearly 5 miles. Well Buddy had worked very hard at camp so he got to sit this one out. But I wanted to be a part of a special moment. For a very special lady.
The sun shone for you Martine.
Oh my days! What a lot of rain we’ve had today. Now you might be thinking ‘but Pip, you’re British. You should be used to it?!’ It was torrential. In fact, I’m not sure what the next category of rain is after torrential?! Anyone?
I was woken up at 5am as it was so loud on the lorry roof. It didn’t stop all day. But we are far from fair weather riders. And we have wet weather gear. OK, so pretty much everything I brought is now wet as my lorry is leaking. Again. Still it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm.
We had been due to go XC schooling at Burnham Market today. Weather put pay to that, so Emily set up a spot of Arena Eventing instead.
Another fab lesson. Even if we were like drowned rats by the end. Buddy flew everything! And I understand finally why I get so many dodgy lines to jump. Definite lightbulb moment.
They say that mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Well here it was mad women in swimsuits go out in the afternoon rain. Buddy got an extra rider after our lesson for a fun photo. She even popped a jump on him. Such fun!
Cuppage was the word of the day. Bear with, I’ll explain. Two brilliant lessons today. And we stayed dry for the most part.
Flatwork this morning. Working on encouraging Buddy to go rounder. Lots of leg yielding and straightness.
This afternoon, it was jumping. Building on what we’d done in our first lesson.
Really like Emily’s style of teaching. She explained things in a way I could get. Learnt a lot in a short space of time.
Back to cuppage. Emily put a number of jump cups and blocks around the arena to help us to get the right line in and out. When one of us missed it, cuppage was shouted across the arena. Made us all giggle.
We finished off the day with a swim, more food and lots more giggles. There was even more cuppage in the pool. But what happens at camp, stays at camp…
We’ve arrived at The Grange for a 3 day training camp. Buddy has a huge stable, a huger bed and if possible, an even huger haynet. Right now he’s loving life.
He might not feel the same when he realises he’s got two lessons tomorrow. Eased him in gently with a leg stretch down a disused railway line.
There wasn’t a soul in sight. About a hundred partridges though.
After a huge Chinese (me, not Buddy), I’m snuggled up in the lorry. Listening to the rain. Storm whatever your name is, please breeze on by. Though I have brought lots of clothes. Just in case.
The woolly mammoth that was Buddy is no more!! Doesn’t he look sexy all clipped? And shiny after a hot towel off too.
The weather has been so mild, I haven’t needed to get him clipped. But his coat has grown so much in the past few weeks, it needed to be done. He was a right sweaty betty (or should that be Buddy) after our lesson last week. And was overheating on Sunday. He should be feeling much better now.
Time to break out the rugs as we’re bound to have a cold snap now. I love the feel of a freshly clipped horse. So soft.
Think it’s safe to say that I’ve been missed. The kittens have been close at hand today.
Think it’s safe to say that I’ve missed my bed. And the kittens of course. As lovely as it’s been being away, it was very lovely waking up in my own bed. I do love my little house.
Hugo decided that snuggles were in order. Typical as I was getting ready to go to a Committee meeting.
Don’t feel too bad for him, he’s purring loudly next to me as I type. He’s one happy boy.
Today Buddy and I did our first competitive 90cm show jumping class. It wasn’t pretty, but we did it. I’ve been wanting to step him up a level for a while. Our last few 80cm rounds haven’t been clear, so wasn’t sure if I should.
I was obviously having a good day when I put the entries in. And feeling brave (or stupid). The last time I competed at 90cm was with Murphy. That was at least 8 years ago.
This morning I wasn’t feeling like leaving the house (not even my house), let alone pushing our comfort zone! Still as I headed to the yard, I made a deal with myself. Go and do 80cm class and see how I felt.
Buddy was rather pleased to be out jumping and warmed up like a dream. Optimism was high! That quickly dipped when he entered the ring and spooked at the timing equipment. Cause he’s never seen that before!!
Still we jumped round in a lovely rhythm. Even jumped our first competitive triple too. The 2 we had down were my fault as I pushed him out of his rhythm. It was a technical course, so I was really pleased with him.
The last time we jumped in competition was at Hickstead. So not like we’ve been out much.
Then it was onto the 90cm. It was definitely a case of ‘we came, we jumped’. We left most of them up. Still had 5 poles though. Haven’t had a cricket score for a while.
So imagine my surprise when I was told we came 3rd! Apparently, we weren’t the only cricket score.
I couldn’t have been happier with Buddy. He tried for me and I know we’ll be getting clear rounds soon. We’ll both sleep well tonight.
Tales, Tails and Talus 