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!
Today Buddy got to show his friend round one of his favourite rides. Kimberley Fulcher and Irish came over to ride out with us.
It was a beautiful day for it too. Kim and I chatted the whole way round. Irish was very taken with the view from the top too. I love getting to share the beauty of where I live with someone new. I never take for granted how lucky we are to have the hacking we have.
Two gorgeous Irish boys out together. What a wonderful way to start the week.
I had the honour of jumping Irish today. Oh my goodness, what a dude. I’ve known him a few years and have always wanted to ride him. So when I got the chance, I eagerly agreed.
He’s an ISH like Buddy. But very different. We had a couple of steering issues. Mostly me forgetting that he’s not Buddy, so doesn’t turn on a sixpence.
Boy did it feel good to be jumping again. It’s true what they say that you don’t realise how much you miss something till you do it again.
Buddy and I will be back to it soon enough. In the meantime, I’m so grateful that people trust me with their horses. Thank you Kim, it means so much.
As if that wasn’t enough horsey excitement, this afternoon I headed over to have foal cuddles with Poppy. She’s a proper sassy pants. Absolutely stunning in the flesh. I’d seen photos of her, but they don’t do her justice. She is going to be a star in the show ring.
What a lovely horsey day indeed! I need a lie down after all the excitement. Oh wait, I’m about to watch England.
I thank my lucky stars every day that I found Buddy. I couldn’t love my Irish Boy more if I tried.
While we were hacking today, I reflected back on when I bought him. And how he came to be mine. I found him when I was emotionally battered from losing Murphy and having to admit defeat with Phoenix. I was also a bit physically broken as I was recovering from a broken finger (a lasting legacy from Phoenix). I was mentally drained as I didn’t know if I had it in me to conquer my confidence demons.
Buddy was exactly the horse I needed. He’s not the easiest horse but I’ve risen to his challenge. He’s kept me safe many a time. Of course, he’s completely forgotten that we’re meant to start together and finish together too. I’ve had my fair share of flying lessons from him. But when it clicks, we are definitely flying without wings.
We’ve achieved so much together and I know we have many more achievements to come. He’s very much my glass of the black stuff.
So Happy St Patrick’s Day Buddy Boy. After doing my DNA, I know I don’t have any Irish blood. But I have the luck of the Irish in him.
It’s Buddy’s birthday. He’s a teenager now at the ripe old age of 13! Let’s hope we get more maturity and he doesn’t embrace his inner ‘Kevin’.
I got him a massage for his birthday. Auntie Sam came to see him. I also got him some birthday nibbles. He was very appreciative of the nibbles and his massage. Well apart from his rather tight hamstrings.
Given the amount of work and travelling he’s done recently, I’m hardly surprised. I was expecting more tight spots. I’m pretty sure I have a few more than he does.
Buddy and I went to a bitting clinic. It was really interesting to get a different perspective on things. Buddy was on high-alert for some reason. And wasn’t at his most co-operative. But we worked through that.
I showed her the video from our SJ round last week. That helped her get a sense of the issues we’ve been having with inconsistent contact. Then she watched us in action. She could see I’m trying to be consistent but he was too busy looking ‘outside the classroom’.
She said he was very fleshy lips and didn’t like too much tongue pressure.
All was going well, till she let me know that I had his bit in back to front and upside down. 🤦🏻♀️
Funnily, he went nicer in it when it was corrected. Honestly, I wish they came with instructions sometimes!
She likes him in it for SJ / XC but recommended a different bit for dressage. We tried a few before hitting on one that felt better. It was really interesting feeling his reaction to different bits.
It makes our achievements all the more special given my ineptitude with his bit.
Buddy fully embraced his Irish breeding with a well-deserved mud pack roll in the sunshine. Seems appropriate as it’s St Patrick’s Day.
He definitely earned it after a cracking jumping lesson this morning with Lewis from Neric Equestrian. The improvement on our last lesson was marked. So were the heights as ‘Whack ‘em up Palmer’ was on full form.
We were flying 1m+ jumps by the end. Put the biggest smile on my face. Even with an unscheduled dismount. When it’s good, my goodness it’s good!! Need to get out to a competition and put it all into practise.
My little boy was flying this afternoon. Mostly away from the hedge that clearly had monster in it. 🤦🏻♀️
He’s been in this school thousands of times, but every now and then he decides that the far end of the arena is deadly territory.
I’ve been reading a cracking book called ‘Horse Brain, Human Brain’. It’s really helping me get inside his head.
At least today, we jumped all the jumps. In the right order. With impulsion. And a little bit of style. I’ll take that!!
Another couple of firsts for Buddy today. Our first outing to Gunton Hall and his first experience of BIG deer!! And lots of them. There were several herd of Red and Fallow deer. The stags had huge antlers too. They really are magnificent creatures.
I have to admit, Buddy was amazing! He was a bit weirded out at times, but he soon settled. Very proud of him today. Even though there was lots for him to look at, he jumped lots of the bigger jumps there.
Oh how we’d love to go for a blast on the stubble. Buddy and I will have to keep dreaming though. We’re not allowed on these fields. I’m very grateful for the off-road hacking we have, so I wouldn’t want to break the rules. As tempting as this looks….
It’s definitely an equestrian thing. To look at a stubble field or a beach and think bring on the galloping….. 😝
Tales, Tails and Talus 