Cloud 9............

So yes, today I write to you from the dizzying heights of Cloud 9 😀😁

But before I get to why I'm up here, we'll start at where I left off...........

After trying to figure out the entry for Balmoral, I eventually got it done. Parking had to be paid separately, which is a pain. I'm hoping my entry includes me and my groom, but I have no idea.............the RDS does 😕. Of course I did the entry last minute and the exchange rate was awful. So the stone brokedness shall continue. From what I've heard Balmoral is the RDS of the North, so I'm looking forward to it. Lots of work to be done before now and then.

As well as Balmoral, I sorted out my entries for the upcoming Corrib RC festival - which I'm super excited about!! Mind you, I may have to rethink the camping, because as I look out the window there is a carpet of snow everywhere and it's bloody March 21st!! Global warming folks!! It is real!!
For Corrib I've put in the entries that I'm fairly sure I'll be doing for the RC festival in Stradbally. This is dressage, dressage to music, working hunter, lightweight hunter and coloured class, for both. I need to get my ass in gear this weekend and put together a routine for the dressage to music. I made use of the lack of sleep last night and came up with one routine, but we'll see if it works. I love adding the music in. I'm always hearing songs at work and quickly throwing up my videos on youtube to see if the music matches their gaits. Unfortunately Slayer doesn't quite match 😔

I took CC out for a hack this evening, the weather was grand and he needs to hack out more to get experience. We went a different route, down the main road and off on to a by road. While we were on the main road we passed my neighbours with their two stupid dogs that went mental and he was uneasy about, I wouldn't mind but up until that point he'd be chilled out. So after that he was anxious. He was starting to spook at something and getting closer to the middle of the road and a van came around the corner at speed, I waved him down and the gobshite almost speed up..........of course it was the day I'd no helmet cam on. But I know exactly who it was and the next time I see him I shall tell him exactly what I think of his driving!! We soldiered on and he relaxed eventually. On our way home we then had to pass the stupid dogs who were now out being walked, I thought, crap, this could be interesting, but we were trotting anyway in order to get off the main road faster and he just kept going. 

Wednesday evening I brought the boys over the road to do a spot of jumping. It was still bright when I got there, so I warmed Fred up outside and then took him in when the lesson had finished and popped him over a few fences. He flew it and absolutely loved it!! Delighted with himself, I put him back in the box and took out CC for the lesson. He was chill bill tonight, I really need to do more hacking because it benefits him so much. The course was up for jumping and some people had started. It came to my turn and he asked me if I wanted to do it. It was bigger than we'd jumped before. And my stomach started to tighten a bit but I said yes. I need to stop being such a chicken. He absolutely nailed it! He changed leg when he needed to and kept it pretty chill. We knocked one, which was completely my fault. I wasn't coming in right and started asking myself are we doing this or not? Oh, ok we are. And then did not have him ready for it. But still he did it. So we did it again and he cleared it, no problemo.  Needless to say there was muchos patting on the neck for him.

Thursday. I've been trying to organise somewhere to go schooling on Sunday but am having zero luck. I may have to do the hunter trial as a schooling session at this stage. One place is closed and the other the people are off out competing. The other options are not great.

Friday. Weather is absolutely shite for Paddy's. So I just fed them and had quality time via hugs and kisses. I've upped the balancer I'm giving CC and started giving him oats to try and help him improve his condition behind.

Saturday I was working. The weather is not as crap, but still crap. I have to ride CC because he's gotten oats for the last few days and I need to make sure he's not gone nuts. I've decided to go on an XC trek with others from my club. I need to do something before I try a hunter trial with him. So I managed to study a few Lucinda Greene videos on schooling whilst in work, sssshhhhh 😉 I'm feeling well prepared now. I know what to do when we get to our first coffin!
I get home and the last of the French Welsh 6 nations game is on. I need a nap, I am wrecked. I have my nap and catch the end of the game which went 20 mins into overtime?!?! I have convinced myself that I'll ride CC in the morning because the weather is crap and I want to see the Irish game and it was that easy to talk myself out of it..........

Sunday. Great sleep, I am ready for the day!! It's windy and wet - wahoo
We arrived slightly late because I had issues getting the horsebox on and then had to get diesel and cash.........typical. But actually, it suited me. Another lady from the club was late and they had 2 horses. So we headed off together to catch up with the others. We jumped a few logs, he had a little look at the first and was like are we doing this mam?! A little squeeze and he popped it. The others had gotten a little bit ahead of us, so he wanted to go a bit faster to catch up. The next challenge was 3 slightly bigger logs on to a coffin. I jumped the logs and brought him back to a walk for the coffin. I wanted to show him it and get him to pop it in walk. We had a few conversations about that at it and then I could feel him about to spring and then up and over. He didn't want to do it back the way though. So we went over it from the other side again and just over and back, in walk. And that ladies and gentlemen was the very last time we had any issues. Into water, jumped logs, up banks, boats, coffins, non existent jumps ( a stream about a stride out from a jump, which took me by surprise!!). He was on FIRE!!! We caught up with the others a few jumps after the coffin. His first time in a group of horses. He was fine to be fair, but the longer we were out the more excited and stronger he got. I didn't mind, as long as he came back to me. There were a few struggles there at times, but nothing unmanageable. He pinged everything! In a 2 hour, full on trek, he clipped only two jumps. And very lightly. He gave some a very high berth! But I'm delighted to say I stayed with him for everything.

SPIDER!!!!

Loving every minute of it!!

I just can't get over how I, the lady who can barely jump SJ cos she's a chicken, brought a 6 year old horse for his first time XC and first time in a group, and I did not feel one bit nervous. Cos that's the kind of rockstar horse he is!! I had a grin on my face for the whole lot of it. Near the end I kept him out of some jumps because I was afraid of doing too much and I thought it'd be a good education that he didn't have to do what the others were doing. He absolutely loved the day and having thought that we'd do pre novice at the hunter trial, I think pre novice singles will be our warm up and then the novice course! P.S he was in a snaffle on Sunday!

And that, folks, is why I'm slowly coming back down to earth from cloud 9............

Tonight I'm bringing CC over the road to do a spot of jumping and to make sure that he realises we don't gallop at jumps all the time. Thursday I am hacking out with a few friends and tomorrow evening I hope to hack out Fred or maybe tomorrow morning.........IF I can get up early...........I hope I can. Saturday I plan to walk the course for Sunday and to video my routines for dressage to music. Now, these are the plans, but sure we'll just have to deal with what the world throws at us and the weather!!

Signing off from Cloud 9............

CC loves the camera!!