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!
Buddy definitely slept better than I did. I had a bad night. We had lots of rain overnight. Which meant the Buddymobile leak got worse. Luckily I had some tea towels to mop up the water.
Coffee was my friend today. But thankfully my excitement of getting to ride Buddy at another camp kept me going too.
Buddy came out a bit all guns blazing for our lesson. Not sure it was our best effort. I’m definitely not match sharp. Or fit enough. I can feel I’ve lost some of my core strength.
I’ve been rescued tonight as I’m in a motorhome. Good job too as there are more showers. I will sleep well tonight…
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.
So I had a fun morning. The Buddymobile is having its MOT on Friday. So it was going to the garage today so they could give it the once over. Why are both of those such a stressful thing?!
All was going well till I turned off the bypass, the dashboard light up and the engine cut out. Right on a roundabout!
Only I can breakdown on my way to the garage!
Thankfully I wasn’t too far from the garage, so they came straight out to rescue me. Very sad watching The Buddymobile being towed away.
Lucky that I didn’t have Buddy onboard this time. And that Colette was there to pick me up and take me for a medicinal cheese scone. I’m making that a thing.
Fingers crossed it’s a simple fix and it sails through the MOT. The irony of it all was that I was driving along thinking how lucky I am to have my little lorry. Then it conked out. You have to laugh. No really, you do.
Back home after another great camp. It was an emotional week for many reason. Camp is such a happy place for me. Time away from it all with good mates and Buddy.
So many more memories to add to the camp collection. And another camper rosette too. We came 4th in the jumping competition. I know I’ve ridden better but we went clear and it was a meaty course.
We won’t mention the utter car crash that was our dressage test. Good to know that even though we’re making progress in so many areas, we still make an absolute horlicks of pretty trotting.
Still there were definitely more pros than cons to my camp experience.
Talking of experiences, the journey back was certainly one.
The fan belt went on the Buddymobile not long after I’d left Swaffham. Managed to limp it to the garage at Necton. Fun times with no power steering!!
My knight in Hi-Viz then drove to Dereham to get a replacemen fan belt and fitted it in the pouring rain. Buddy was as cool as a cucumber on the lorry while we waited. I was definitely not. I was rocking the drowned rat, overly tired and slightly emotional look.
Still we were soon on our way again. Then got stuck on A47 and my diesel went from 1/4 tank to light on. Cue minor freak out!! But as soon as we started moving, it went back up to 1/4 tank. Bizzare.
Stopped at the next petrol station to get more, just in case.
It took us nearly 3 hours to get back. A journey that normally takes just over an hour. I’ll have to sort the lorry out on Sunday. For now, it’s bed for me ready for my 5:15am alarm call tomorrow as I’m working in London for the day. No rest for me!!
Took Buddy over to World Horse Welfare today for a jumping lesson with Judith Barker. She’d set up a grid and a mix of show jumps and XC-style ones too.
Buddy was on very good form. And Judith said she could see improvements from our last lesson. So that’s good.
After a well-earned sausage roll and coffee (me not him), I went for a wander round to see some of the residents. These two cuties got lots of scratches. They’re so tiny compared to Buddy.
Winter is definitely on the way. I had to break out the ‘big dressing gown’ and over trousers earlier. And lit the fire tonight. The kittens and I are toasty on the sofa. It’s funny cause in the Summer I hardly see them.
It seems my reputation as a cat magnet proceeds me. Not a clue who this cat is. But it came out to greet me as I walked up to see Buddy. And followed me up the road.
Speaking of cats, I didn’t have the best start to the day as Dodo interrupted breakfast with a snack of his own. He came through the cat flap with a baby bird in his mouth. Managed to rescue said bird and put it in a box in the shed while I looked up what to do with it.
Went to check on it and the box was empty. I searched the shed but no sign of it. Started to question my sanity when it flew past me and out of the door.
Feeling like I’d done a good thing, I headed off into the house. Only for 10 mins later to see Dodo ‘playing’ with it on the lawn. Sadly it was cat 1 – baby bird 0. 😔
This poor little chap somehow managed to get trapped in my greenhouse today. Poor thing couldn’t work out how to get out and was flapping about. The kittens were rather interested in it all – thankfully they couldn’t get in.
After a lot more flapping and me ushering it towards the door, off it flew. Not a clue what type of bird it is, but hope it stays safe.
Tales, Tails and Talus 