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!
Now I’m very used to spooks with Buddy, but today was a different type of spooky. I was judging a Halloween show jumping show. It was great to see so many people making the effort to dress up. And the horses weren’t left out either! Lots of fun had by all.
This made me giggle as I left the venue. Clearly this rider wasn’t ready for trouble.
It’s been a while since I walked down this particular road. I used to do it twice a day for many year when I worked here.
Today I passing through on my way to various appointments. Some things looked the same. Some very different.
Funny how a street or a building can bring so many memories flooding back. I met some wonderful people in my time working for Aviva. Many I’m still in touch with. And made some fab memories.
Today was an annual thing. Buddy had his annual trip from the dentist. And I had my annual trip to the hairdressers.
My hair has been really annoying me lately, so decided to have a bit of a chop and go shorter. Must have had a few inches off it. Feels very bouncy and light.
Reminded me that as a kid, my Mum would get my hair cut short for the winter but let me grow it long in the summer. Kinda felt the wrong way round then. Seems I’ve done the same.
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.
Tales, Tails and Talus 