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!
Well today has been a rather Good Friday indeed. Started with a great lesson this morning. Buddy worked very hard. As did I. It was lovely to be able to turn him out naked afterwards.
Of course, I soon regretted it when he had a roll. Thankfully he wasn’t too muddy when I put his rug back on.
This afternoon, I finally mowed the lawns. I say lawns, they’re definitely more moss than grass. Still it’s been on the list for a while now. But the weather has put pay to it.
It was a full body workout I can tell you! I did have two robins helping. So cute.
It was touch and go if the lawns would get done today. I made the fatal mistake of sitting down. Hugo came for a cuddle too. Well I guess it is a bank holiday after all.
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than riding round a deer park, jumping a few XC jumps and having a bloody good gallop! And in the sunshine too!
Headed over to Gunton for a pony play date for Buddy.
We’re so lucky to have access to a country park like this. The deer weren’t bothered by us at all. We hacked round as a warm up, jumped some jumps, splashed in the water and finished on a gallop up the hill.
Buddy found top speed and fully embraced his TB bloodlines. I do love my little boy. If we can crack the rest of it, I have no doubt we’ll make the time after today’s turn of speed.
Buddy had his first bath of the year. He needed it after our rather intense lesson. One of us was a tad fresh and one of us had to do a lot of sitting trot. I’ll let you guess who was who.
Let’s just say Buddy was still in XC mode. Now as much as it’s good to have forward, we also need rideability. There’s always a balance to be struck.
Still we got some wonderful trot work by the end of the lesson. I may be walking like John Wayne tomorrow. Definitely found new muscles. There are some times when I wish I could have a bath too. At least the hot shower helped.
I’m a big fan of a cracking photo. Especially one of Buddy in full flight. I’ve bought one or two (hundred) over the years. There’s a reason.
I don’t have many photos of my first horse Mac. In fact I only have a handful. And no footage. I had him in a time where we didn’t record every minutia of our lives. Some may say it was a simpler life. We lived with the jeopardy of sending a roll of film away to be developed. You could get a masterpiece. More likely you’d get a packet of blurry images. We were busy making memories to think about recording it.
So when I bought Murphy, I said I was going to document our journey together. I’m grateful to have professional photos of my horses. And videos too.
When I’m feeling down, I sit and relive the memories we’ve made together. When I’m struggling to see my achievement, I look at the Wall of Fame and I remember I can achieve anything I put my mind to.
So I had to buy this photo from Sunday’s clinic. I really need to work on my jumping face…
I was booked onto a XC clinic today. But The Buddymobile is still at the garage. Thankfully my friend became my knight with shiny trailer as she offered to take us.
It was at another new venue for us. I was a little apprehensive to start off with as our last XC outing wasn’t the best. After a shaky star t and a bit of a peptalk, we were soon flying (in a good way). And finished on a really good note.
It was very undulating, so felt wonderful to let Buddy gallop between the fences. We conquered tyres (Buddy’s nemesis) and even ended up giving another combination a lead up and down the steps.
We’ve got a 8 weeks till the Champs, so lots of training and competition on the cards for us.
I’ve had a very horsey day. But not with Buddy. And not riding. It felt rather strange being at Forest Edge without Buddy. He’ll be there for training camps and competitions soon though.
It was lovely to catch up with so many camp friends though.
Today I was driver / groom instead. I still enjoyed myself and learnt lots from watching the lessons. You really do get a different perspective.
This clinic was organised by The British Horse Society. An organisation I’m a member and keen advocate of.
I’m also a member and committee member of Carleton Riding Club. Tonight was our monthly committee meeting. So more horse chat.
I love being part of horse collectives. I’ve met so many people through horses.
After all of the travelling yesterday, I wanted to give Buddy a good leg stretch. I read somewhere that travelling a horse an hour is equivalent to them walking a mile.
I make sure that Buddy has plenty of road trip snacks. I imagine it’s what it must be like going anywhere with a toddler. He definitely gets hangry sometimes. I’m less good at remembering my own road trip snacks. But I’m making progress there.
For a long time, he barely ate when travelling. Now he barely stops. He can be quite forceful with his haynet. He has been known to undo it and accidentally throw it across the lorry. He’s so funny cause he just stands there starring at it.
He felt very good today. Striding out with the wind in his mane. But then it could be that he was eager to get back to his hay. He’s a typical Irish Sports Horse aka Labrador of the horse world.
Today saw our return to Carleton Riding Club team competitions. This time Combined Challenge (a few SJ, followed by a few XC jumps) at Horseheath.
It was also our first jumping competition of 2023. I’d love to say that my contribution to the team was vast. Sadly it wasn’t our day. I know why, so that a good thing. Once again, my team mates were awesome. So we’ve qualified for another championships by just turning up.
I got today a bit wrong. I got my timings wrong so missed the course walk. Learnt the course by eye. But that meant I wasn’t clear on the lines or how the course actually rode.
Watched too many go meaning my warm up was shorter than I’d usually do. Still Buddy gave me a great feeling over the practise jumps. It’s the first time we’ve jumped SJ on grass for a long time. The footing was a tad slippery after all the rain we’ve had.
We entered the start box and headed off toeards the first jump. Buddy flew it. So I was thinking it could be a good day. Then he slipped round the corner to number 2 and I got my line totally wrong to number 3. Still he cleared both. But by the time we got to number 4, the combination of my very dodgy line and an evil filler were too much for Buddy. First stop. Kicking myself more than him, we got over it at the second attempt.
Regrouped over number 5. Then another evil filler at number 6, two stops there and it was all over for us. Gutted, I patted Buddy and walked out of the arena.
There were lots of positives though. I didn’t get lost finding the venue. My new sticky competition riding tights were super comfy and did the trick. Buddy dealt with a very slippery and busy warm up. I knew the course. And the jumps we did do felt good.
It’s another new venue for us. And another new format. I now have two months to get the practise before the Champs. I’ve booked onto a XC clinic next Sunday and am forming a plan of how to find as many evil fillers as possible to jump.
So in May, it’ll be back to Aston Le Walls we go! At least I’ve been there before.
So it seems that in order to get the best from Buddy, I have to ride in howling winds.
We had an early lesson with Simon Grieve this morning. When I left the yard, it wasn’t too bad but by the time I arrived at the venue, it was howling. Nearly got taken out opening the gate. Parked up the lorry and it was rocking. Then got blown off the mounting block. I know there’s not much of me, but seriously?!
Still I’d made it there so we gave it a go. Started with poles and worked on adjusting the canter. Simon put out two poles and gave me the number of strides to get between then. It’s hard for Buddy as he can get a bit strung out, so a great exercise for us. One I need to repeat at home.
A few of the jumps had blown over, so Simon secured one with some sandbags. Pretty sure that’s a first for me. But it worked. And we got to have a play over the jump.
Buddy was awesome! He was so chilled considering it was really strong gusts! He was focused. The drive back wasn’t too bad either. So seems it was definitely worse at the coast.
Tales, Tails and Talus 