Tag: horse

Stubble

We headed over to Sam’s to have a pony play date with Halo and a stubble field.

Oh it was such fun cantering round. Buddy was up for it too. He set off like an Exocet missile. Thankfully he listened when I asked him to come back to me. And when he realised he’d left Halo behind.

He was happy to tuck in behind her and even trotted next to her while she cantered along. Bless him. He’s a bit of a gent sometimes.

Makes a change from his hooligan antics on our own. He does make me laugh. I think we both needed a good blow out.

Astroturf

I’ve seen a lot of XC courses with astroturf jumps on them. So I pimped one of my jumps today. Doesn’t it look great?

I put it in the arena along with a mix of SJ and XC style jumps and popped Buddy round them.

He did jumped the astroturf jump but I could tell he wasn’t reading it right. We had a couple of stops at it. And a glorious stag leap. So I made a few adjustments and put some poles across it to help him.

Think I might need some white battons on it. Still really pleased with my DIY jumps. Anyone else look at objects and think what kind of jump they’d make..?!

Notch

It had to be done! I now have a ‘Royal International Horse Show 2023’ notch on my Notch – Passion For Life bracelet.

I was given the bracelet as a present a few years ago. But it’s only this year that I’ve added to it. I was given one for my birthday to celebrate our trips to the Combined Challenge Championship this year and the Five Star Championship last year. Seemed appropriate to add one for Hickstead.

It’s a great concept. You add achievements. And let’s face it, I love an achievement. I’m already plotting and planning our next ones.

Fuzzy

I woke up feeling fuzzy still so decided to switch my day around and ride this morning instead. See if I could shift the fuzzy feeling.

That and the builders next door were ripping the roof off. It was a tad loud and hard to concentrate.

This really is the best therapy. Just me, my little boy and miles of beautiful countryside.

It filled my soul for sure. And emptied my sinuses for a bit…

Redwings

Buddy is off to Redwings! Well his image is. They got in touch with my friend Helen at Weddell and Turner for some gluten free / dairy free gingerbread. Horse shaped of course.

Helen has met Buddy and thinks he’s particularly handsome. So she asked for a headshot to use. I’m honoured he’s now in biscuit form.

Aren’t they brilliant?!

Is it weird that I can tell they’re him?

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.