Who else has felt the pain of this winter? It's hard to believe we are coming into spring, and yet the last of lockdown is still keeping those winter blues in place! Unfortunately due to the weather here, and the ridiculous hot headed nature of my horses, combined with no travel or arena hire allowed I haven't been able to take the boys out anywhere or ride.
On the plus side, it has meant we have been able to get other yard jobs done. The stables now have brick work around them, and are starting to take shape in what feels like a forever process - although we did have a few silly moments the first few days with all the horses, who apparently didn't approve of the workmanship and were too scared to go in!
I also managed to get the inside of my lorry repainted, and new rubber matting laid. This has been a huge project, as I didn't have the budget to buy a decent 7.5t and lost a lot of money when Travis broke my trailer, but I do have a newer cab, with lots of mod cons and what was an empty aluminium shell is now starting to look like a horse box, all thanks to my partner who loves nothing more than spending his weekends on a project that has been problem after problem with electrics, flooring, leaking roof ...... (watching the pounds float away)!
Anyway, all the important stuff is now done, so now I can actually start making it look pretty, with the inside horse area finished, paint ordered for the outside, decals all designed and waiting to go on once painted and windows quoted. It's been 3 years in the making and I would love to get some living put in next year. The lorry and the yard have been a nice distraction from the lack of riding and have helped me not lose all my marbles!
We are also really close to having all the new fencing finished, although now the ground has started to dry I am going to need shoulders of Arnold Schwarzenegger to get finished - atleast it will make up for the gyms being closed!
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.
This show almost passed me by as I was unaware of the show organisation. Luckily, the schedule was posted on one of the Shetland pony Facebook groups that I am a member of. The show was being held at Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex, which is where I should have gone to a show a month or so earlier, but was ill and unable to take Diva (Melland Queen of Scots).
Since the show, Bob’s been enjoying a bit of a rest with a few lunge sessions and being lightly ridden, but I’m gearing him up hopefully for a show either this weekend or next. Wish us luck, and the poor arena pole pickers too, as he does like to send some sailing!