Resurrection

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.

All in all a very good outing…

Brass monkeys

What a fab way to start the festive week. A lovely ride round Blickling. It was brass monkeys weather that’s for sure. Where does that saying come from?!

Fear not, we didn’t freeze. Buddy is super fluffy (he desperately needs clipping) and I was toasty in my Equidry.

I wasn’t too warm to forgo my National Trust Mocha when we were done though. It’s sooo good. As were our ponies…

Hosconf24

Well that’s it done!! Another Conference done and dusted. I woke up at 5am and have just got into bed at 2am the next day!! A very, very long day!!

But an amazing one! It wasn’t without its hitches, no event is. So far the feedback I’ve had has been overwhelmingly positive.

My feet hurt, my body hurts and my brain has gone. I know I did good. We all did. It was amazing to be part of such a wonderful team.

I will sleep very well tonight….

Signed off

I’ve had the best start to September! Buddy flew through his lameness retest this morning. He’s been signed off by the vets! Hurrah!!

We now have permission leave the ground again. Only 30cm initially, but building up to 50cm in a couple of weeks. As long as there are no further issues, we have the green light to crack on. Now I just need to keep Buddy from falling over the ‘trip / spook hazard’ heights for a bit.

I’m so relieved, emotional and excited all at the same time. This has been my first real experience of dealing with an injury like this. So it’s been a long 16 weeks from diagnosis to now.

Buddy’s support team have been in full force. It shows that with the right people around you, you can overcome anything. What is it they say about it takes a tribe. Well I am forever grateful to mine. Thank you for caring for Buddy so well and putting an arm around me when I wasn’t sure what was going on.

There have been so many people who’ve checked in on us too. So many have come on this journey with us. Thank you. It means so much knowing I have good people in my corner.

The downside to not riding as much is that I am feeling it now we are building up the work. I’m about 2/10th lame I’d say. My fitness has dropped off too, so we’ll both be blowing to start off with.

So it’s onwards and upwards!! For us both.

Good

I saw this and it kind of sums up my week, not just my day. I’ve done lots of things this week that have made someone’s day just a little bit better.

It’s amazing how simple things can make a big difference. I helped a friend move. I took another friend’s horse to the vets. I went with her to collect said horse. I made people feel seen and heard at the chiropractors. I listened to people in my life who needs to vent. I’ve been there for others.

It’s been a good week. I will sleep well tonight.

Thunderclouds

I wasn’t expecting two thunderstorms today. None of my four weather apps mentioned that! As a good equestrian, I have multiple to try and stand a fighting chance. They usually all say something different. But they failed to mention thunder, lightening and hail.

Thankfully I dodged the first one. I watched it roll over from the safety of the conservatory. But the second one hit while I was mucking out. The hail caused a few issues. Several wide eyed horses and rather disorientated swallow fledgling. Poor thing got stuck in the worst of it, clinging to a door hinge. I kept a good eye on it and as soon as I could I rush to its aid. Wafting a poop skip to encourage it to fly off. As you do!

It soon found a parent and flew off. I felt like I did a good deed.

Archie

Another day and another set of ears. I am a very lucky girl indeed to get the chance to ride so many different horses.

Each one makes me smile in their own way. They’re all very different. Today I got to jump Archie. He was a total dreamboat.

Reminds me that not only am I good rider. I am a confident rider too. Having only sat on him once very briefly, today I got on and popped him round a few jumps.

Took me a few jumps to work him out. And him me. I haven’t jumped a different horse for a while so I’m rather used to Buddy. Once we worked each other out, it felt so good to be jumping again.

It wasn’t that long ago that my confidence was shattered. It’s been a long road to getting back to me. I’m sure there are many silver linings to Buddy being off games. This is definitely one.

Blue

I headed over to catch up with Natalie this afternoon. She’d kindly offered me the chance to ride one of her horses. I met Blue. He’s 17HH so bigger than Buddy. Just as cheeky though. He definitely made me smile.

I’m grateful that people have offered me their horses to ride while Buddy is off games. It’s very flattering that they consider me good enough.

But riding other horses reminds me that I am a good rider. Sure I’m no professional. I class myself as an enthusiastic amateur (with the emphasis on enthusiastic).

The same could be said of Blue as he jogged along. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride! I definitely wasn’t blue by the end. Though my foot might be after he stood on it. Guess you can’t win them all.

Chauffeur

Today I did a good thing. I took a friend and her horse over to Mousehold Farm so that they could have a lesson there. She doesn’t have transport, so I decided to pay it forward. I remember what it was like before I got transport.

I get a warm fuzzy feeling doing a good turn for people. That was about the only warm bit of me! It was blinking freezing! Honestly, I was wearing lots of layer. Felt like we’d either gone back to January.

It’s like Winter and Spring can’t decide who’s turn it is. Let’s hope Summer gets in on the act soon.

Not sure I’ve ever lit the twig burner in April before. At least I’m toasty now.

Naked pony

They say things come in threes, but today mine were all good.

First, I got laundry on the line. With the sunshine and high winds, it was dry rather quickly.

Second, Buddy had a naked day in the field. He was very pleased to see me

And finally, the Buddymobile is fixed. More on that tomorrow.

All in all a good day.