WestFest............and you would have loved it
( For anyone too young to tweak the title, it's from an ad in the 90s and it was Glastonbury.....)
I am still in recovery mode after the MANIC weekend I had............but it was fantastical!!
Tuesday & Wednesday I gave the boys the days off. They had a tough few days ahead, so they deserved some chill time. They're out on grass all day, but in at night. So it was a break for them, but I still had to muck out & feed them. I made a list of stuff that I need to bring with me for the weekend. I'm a big fan of lists, because I tend to forget things, so I like to tick things off as I go.
I got new saddle racks online for the tack room & daddio put them up for me, so the place looks nice and neat now 😊 (temporarily at least!).
Wednesday evening I got all my tack together to clean it. The joys. I hadn't cleaned any of it in ages, I used to better at cleaning them more regularly, but then it was easier when I had less tack & horses to look after!
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Rusty was zero help!
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Still feeling like crap, zero energy. So much to do, so little time and so little energy........ it's all fun and games 😓
On Thursday I went over the road to get some practice in. CC was high as a kite after all the grass. It was a yee haw session, no bucking or anything, but he was pretending he was a race horse.
Fred was in good form. Slow shoulder-in really works for both of them. He was using himself well and doing a lovely extended trot. Met some people from my riding club over there too. It was late enough when I got home. I fed them and left them out. I wanted to have a sleep in to be nice and refreshed for the weekend.
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| His brutha from anotha mutha |
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| Hi there...... |
Friday. Sleep in me arse. Oh no, body clock says rise 'n shine from before 8. I fought it for awhile and got up around 9. I had a crap night's sleep too. Not being able to breathe through your nose makes life hard.
Myself and Rusty chilled out and watched some TV for awhile. I was still feeling like shite and I had so much to do.
We went over the road to practice dressage to music. I wasn't happy with Fred's music, the timing wasn't working out. I set up an arena and took CC first. He went much better and much more chilled that morning, and the music matched up well, once I made some slight adjustments. So I was happy. Next up, Mr. Fred. I didn't get as long to practice on him and the music just wasn't working. I was too tired to do anything more about it.
We went home and I let them out for another while to the grass. I went to bed for awhile. That's how wrecked I was. Then myself & Rusty went into town to get supplies. Snackage for the weekend; bananas, probiotic drinks, dry roasted peanuts, orange juice (my attempts to be healthy) and then crisps and coke. Oh, and apples for the boys! Also, more drugs for me........will I ever be healthy again?!
I borrowed a breast bar off a friend too because I've taken the partition completely out of the box, so that Driving Ms. Daisy (ie Fred) is less stressy. He's far happier travelling now, so that makes life much easier.
I got home and started packing up the jeep and the box. Going for a whole weekend with 2 horses and myself and camping means a hell of a lot of stuff, so it was a very tight squeeze. I eventually got everything in. I wanted to be ready to just go once I had the boys washed and ready.
I gave Fred his bath first. CC wasn't actually too bad, he'd had a rug on all week, so I just did his white patches. Then chopped his feathers ( Tack 'n tails will be delighted). He stood on me while I was getting him ready.............sweet jesus did it hurt. I could feel my foot bruising immediately.......I hopped around on one leg for a minute, cursing him........
I was supposed to be camping the whole weekend, but asked a friend if I could stay with her Friday night. I didn't think my body could take camping and competing all weekend.
I took the motorway down to Galway and missed my exit, naturally, because the day had gone so well already.........CAN TODAY BE OVER ALREADY?!?!
I got to the venue around 8.30ish. There wasn't many around. I found out where the boys were staying and put them in, gave them their hay and hugs, and exited stage left. I got to my friends house and apologised for stinking of horse. She asked if I wanted to change into my jammies? I could not have heard more magical words at that moment! I got changed and had a yucky cup of lemsip. I went to bed early enough and had a great night sleep.
Saturday. Rise and shine............ alarm went off at 5.50am. I was down at the yard for 6.30. I had intended on having at least one horse plaited the night before, but yeah, Friday happened.........
That meant that I had to horses to plait and make sure they were clean by half 8. Then get my ass changed and cleaned up for the first competition of the weekend. Oh, and to look back over my dressage tests, which I hadn't managed, because Friday happened.
Luckily, after a good night's sleep and the drugs, I was feeling a lot better. No one was around either, so it was nice and relaxed start to the morning. I went over one of the tests in my head, the easier one, the one I remembered well.
I left rugs on the two the night before, thankfully, because both had a nice lie down. I left CC's travel boots on too to keep his legs clean - it worked- but the tail contraption came off. Did a bit more ketchup in the tail and he was good to go. Or as good as he was going to get. It was time for me to get ready.
CC was up first. He's head was completely fried with all the goings on and he couldn't relax. Unfortunately our test was tense because of this. I couldn't get him to shake it. It was really frustrating. I had to get off him and tack up Fred straight away.
Fred was the COMPLETE opposite. Almost to a fault. He was feeling the good grass on the other end of the scale...........the 'I'm having a fat day' mam. He was a little bit lazy and I'd forgotten my spurs. So it was a bit of a struggle. But he did a nice test and I was happy. Our afternoon test was in 5 minutes, so I had to try and learn that test again. I wasn't feeling wonderful at this stage so it was hardship. I managed to remember the whole test without any mistakes, which I think I was most happy about!!
Straight back up to the stables to get out CC. He was a little bit better this time, but still uneasy. I actually made a mistake in the test, which was really annoying, having remembered it earlier!!
I had a little break after the dressage til the showing. I took this time to get some food and drink in. The boys had a little snooze. I went up to watch my friend in the showing and decided to bring CC up, to show him it wasn't scary up there. The class was just coming to an end when one of the stewards asked me if I was doing the coloured class, I said yeah I was and she said it was up next! I thought I'd 2 hours. SHIIIIIITTTT!! Whilst running back to the stables I got him to trot in-hand ( another thing I'd hoped to practice on Friday). I threw baby powder on his legs, where he'd shat on his hocks during dressage warm up, and threw myself together. It was not an ideal start to his showing season. The class had started but we squeezed in - not unnoticed I'm sure. He behaved really well, I was delighted with him. He was a little tense for the judge, but nothing major. Overall, I was delighted with him and he got a few apples after.
It was straight back to get Fred ready then. He was pretty much good to go, just a bit of tidying up. Brush out his tail. Attempted quarter marks...........then quickly undid them. He looked well and I was happy enough going up. He rode well. Very relaxed, knew his job. One of the horses had a bit of spaz attack while we were going around. But Fred didn't take any notice. Which is part of the reason why I was shocked when he got pulled in last. He gave the judge a nice ride, especially compared to some of the others, but yet the line up didn't change. This is what I HATE about showing......I have been to some where there is no understanding of the lineup......... I was very disappointed with that, but Fred did nothing wrong, so I was delighted with him and he got hugs and apples after.
My day was finally finished. I gave the boys some hay and left them alone to chillout. I sat down for the first time around half 4. I was going non-stop since 6. My legs were shaking. I hadn't eaten properly, just snacks. I still had to put up my tent.........
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| Snackage |
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| How to know your horse has a problem..... |
I put up my tent as best I could, but then conveniently went to feed the horses whilst the others were setting up camp. When I came back it was up..........wahoo. We all chilled out by the tents for a while. Had some well deserved beers. Then it was time for the barbeque. Pulled pork was on the menu, I can't resist a bit of pulled pork.... We drank and ate and had the craic until tiredness kicked in and I hit the air mattress.I passed out until about 5 when the lovely birds woke me up. I fought waking up as best I could, but gave in after 7. I wasn't feeling great this morning. Full of mucus (beautiful I know) and feeling weak again.
I fed the boys and gave them the once over. CC wasn't too bad. He'd kept his travel boots on and Fred was fine. I took out his plaits where his hair had thinned, but left the rest in. First up was Fred in the working hunter. We got warmed up and popped a few poles. He felt good. There was no rushing the fences, he was taking it all in his stride. We went down to the arena as we were first in. They were putting up the jumps. I had to turn my back to them doing that because if I notice them going up I'll psyche myself out of it. I was already feeling like crap, as well as nervous on top of that. I really should have put CC first. I don't know why I don't get as nervous on him.
We went in. I knew the judge and he's really nice. We had the first one down and one other one, but he jumped beautifully and I was delighted with him. His first 90s course since October. The break did wonders for both of us.
Straight up then to tack up CC and get him ready as we were in the working hunter too. He was a little uneasy in the warm up, but nothing major. He relaxed once we started jumping. We were coming in to an oxer and I thought I'd give him an extra squeeze because it was bigger.....well he certainly gave it some air! Now I've always thought it felt like he jumped twice the height, but I thought it was just my imagination..........my friend Emma was there to witness it and to take some photo evidence 😀
We were ready to go in. He was skittish going in and the SJ arena was right next door, as well as the dressage arenas on the other side of the wall. Once we set off over the course he relaxed. He took a big leap over one of the jumps going in to a dog leg, so we weren't set up for the next jump and he said hell no! I just gave him a pat and we turned around and he did it no problem the next time, when I say no problem, he certainly gave it some air!!
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| Not touching that!! |
I was absolutely thrilled with his performance. What a little star bar! I had thought about changing his dressage to music entry to jumping last night, but I was sure now that I would. I would do the clear round to show him the jumps and then go ahead and do the Intermediate SJ.
We had a little break after the working hunter. So I grabbed some snacks and watched some of the jumping.
It wasn't long before it was time to go again. They were changing the course before the intermediate class, so I didn't bother learning it. I got CC ready and we started a nice relaxed warm up. Once the had the course set up people started walking, some on horseback, so I said I'd bring him around ( I was off his back). The course was nice, it was a nice big arena. The only issue I felt was from 2-3 because if you landed on the wrong leg, you didn't get much time to change for the next jump. We went in for the clear round and he did great, a few fences down just because we were adjusting to the new surroundings and he was getting a bit strong. For our actual round he was great, it was a nice relaxed round and we were unfortunate to get too close to one jump, so only four faults. And the last jump had a water tray under it, he didn't even blink! I was smiling from ear to ear!! Lots of carrots for him, just as soon as I got done......because there was no rest time!
They were waiting for myself & Fred up at the dressage to music. I tacked him up in a rush and off we went. Poor Fred had a 2 minute warm up and we got the beep. His warm up was essentially the test! And it was Cu Chulainns music and test, so I wasn't sure exactly how it would pan out. They have different strides. But it worked perfectly, thankfully. He was so chilled in it he kept blowing out! We went up the centre line to Wham- Wake me up before you go go.......
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| And we are done........ |
And that was it. Our last class. The boys did me proud. I am thrilled with how well they both went. CC had a few issues with the dressage, but that was relaxation. His jumping was unreal.
The boys got a load of carrots and got to chill in their stables while I watched my friends and chilled out myself.
The dressage results were called out and Fred had topped the polls! The judge said our music was fab 😁😁 What a way to end the weekend. It was the cherry on the top of the delicious cake at that stage. He bagged himself a nice cooler. You can never have enough!
I had packed up the tent in the morning and all my stuff. So it was just a matter of trying to pack it in to the jeep. At least the boys had all the hay eaten so I could throw some stuff in the horsebox. Tail bandages on and we were almost ready. Mammy had to manoeuvre the box out somehow. Once I got it out it was lock 'n load. There were no arguments getting in, they nearly ran me over to get in the box!! The journey home was hardship. The tiredness kicked in as soon as I got in. I had to drive home with the window down and Pantera absolutely blaring. It helped that I was trying to sing along (with no voice, which funnily enough kinda sounds like Phil anyway!).
Thankfully the journey home was not long. The boys had a nice bit of grub before they headed out to some luscious grass after a long hard weekend.
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| My boys did good |
It was straight to the couch for me & catch up with my other boys. Get in a few episodes of Narcos!
And now for a few days off...........for all of us. I am now in recovery mode. Hopefully get rid of this godforsaken cold!!!
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