A more subdued weekend this week, mainly due to the weather!
The arenas been quite badly flooded with all the rain, so I managed to get a small bit of lunging done on Saturday but Sunday was a total wash out – Literally! The horses were treated to a duvet day which they all sulked over – ungrateful!!! I mean there’s me getting drenched running from stable to stable to make the beds immaculate for my little angels to go back in, and then they are standing there fidgeting or stamping as they can’t reach the pile of hay I gave each of them to eat whilst waiting, because they flung it everywhere being the messy sods they are!! Once the stables were done and each neddy back in, the faces I got were pure disgust at having to remain in their boxes for a day (despite the hammering rain and owner looking like a drowned rat).
Anyone would have thought they wanted to slosh about knee deep in the mud getting drenched, how mean am I keeping them in the dry and supplying them with niceties! Well lucky for them on coming up early afternoon the weather had improved so they went out in the front field for a couple of hours to give me time to muck out, and despite it being soggy they all behaved themselves for once with no carting round like hooligans – so horses remained clean and field in tact! Wo hoo! I don’t leave the horses in lightly as I hate mucking out twice a day and I know they get frustrated being in despite the toys and treats to keep them occupied, but this weekend it had to be done! Looking ahead we have a dry week so will be back on it from tonight – starting ridden work again -although it may be slow due to the lakes still in the arena!
I’m hoping to get Bob out at the weekend to a Trailblazer qualifier, but need to check the weather and also the E.I. outbreak status although I’m sure it will be fine as everyone is being very vigilant. I’m looking forward to getting out with him again and doing the bigger classes (no doubt on the day a few horses before our turn I will be feeling the butterflies summersaulting round in my stomach). I’ve got him booked in for another lesson the week after which I’m really looking forward to as I love helping him improve and both of us progress!
Here are some pictures from last week's show jumping:
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Once again I threw Arlo in at the deep end, affiliating him purely for the Arena UK second round show, and once again he pulled it out the bag. How lucky am I to have such a wonderful little horse? We haven’t really competed this year. I don’t really compete over the winter, and also my horsebox was away for repairs up until the beginning of June, so I had no transport even if I’d wanted to.
With the dry ground we don’t seem to be having much luck with shoes, as little madam managed to pull both her front shoes off within 12 hours the other day! We entered the arena with two shoes on for a schooling session and left it with one missing (took about an hour to find it). Then that afternoon, as I went to put some hoof ointment on, I looked down and had to double take, thinking I was looking at the wrong hoof. But, no, the other shoe was missing too.
After having a long wait and some lunch at the onsite café, it was time to get ready for the Joan Wolfe Overall Supreme Shetland Pony Championship. I got changed out of my usual showing outfit into black trousers and a maroon top with white spots, as you are expected to be a bit more “bling” in the evening.
We were all set to go for our next outing, and were super excited. That was until I heard the dreaded clunk of a loose shoe! I checked it over, praying it wasn’t too loose, but, nope, it was going to need a refit.