Show time!!

Back to the grind and reality after Castle Leslie, unfortunately. CC had the rest of the week off as he had done a lot that week.

The Dude just loves the camera!!

On Saturday it was the final of the Ballinasloe Spring league. My cold was still at me and I had zero energy that morning. Which is exactly why I brought two horses in. 😬😬

I brought Fred in for the schooling before because he would be jumping the next week in Dublin at Greenogue. We had a few down, but he jumped everything I asked and he absolutely loved it. So that was a good start to the day.

Next up was The Dude. Cu Chulainn would be doing the 90cm class and the amateur class. He absolutely flew the 90cm. Full of beans. I went for tight turns because I knew we could do them at that height. He came 2nd in that class.I kept it a bit easier for the amateur, because I'd run out of steam. But I ended up doing some turns to try and slow him down a bit! He got a bit flat and hit one of them unfortunately, but he was still class. We were home nice and early. Two bright blue rosettes in a week, not too shabby!!

A great week

On Sunday we went to Galway equestrian centre with Amanda. It was a good opportunity to jump there as the first RDS qualifier was there and we needed some more amateur classes. It was a nice sunny day. I just entered the amateur class. We had a few miscommunications and stops. There was a dodgy line of dog leg on to a short stride double onto a dog leg and we just had no momentum left for the last dog leg. He popped every one the second time around.  Lots of brightly coloured fillers there, not that he really ever looks at that kind of thing.

Sunday morning views

D'awwwwww

On Monday I gave Fred a bath to get him ready to be clipped. I hate clipping. Hair everywhere. I like when they are clipped, but uck......getting to that point.

Bath time

Tuesday evening I started clipping Fred, and 10 mins in my clippers just died. $%*£ crap. On Thursday Amanda came out with her clippers and while I used them she tidied up the manes. But hers weren't working right on Fred. So I washed him again and said I'd try again tomorrow. On Friday I tried again and after 2 hours and getting nowhere I decided I'd see if Seamus had a set. I got his clippers and started again. Clippers no. 3. His worked. For 2 mins and then a smell of burning came. Oh sweet jesus. I just had to give up. Fred looked like Jekyll and Hyde. He was half done on one side. But I had to get packed and ready to go. We were staying in my friend Trish's up in Dunlavin as she lived near enough to Greenogue in Rathcoole. We were going to a show there to try and qualify for Northern Ireland Working Hunter. My first class wasn't starting till 12 and I wasn't sure what time the working hunter would start, so it'd be easier to leave from hers.

This is the point where the first clippers died

Saturday morning came and I plaited and cleaned up the two boys with Trish's help. There wasn't much I could do with poor Fred, except sigh. CC looked well at least. We headed off and got to the show just after 11. It was a bit chaotic and we couldn't find parking.  Fred's first class was a small bit late which actually suited us. That class was Lightweight Hunter. He was grand in it, bit strong in the gallop!! He didn't come last at least, but he really couldn't come higher with that clip. His class finished before 1 I think. I put him back in the box and met up with my friends who had arrived while we were in the class. I met Michael Harty who had a lorry full of ponies and ended up helping him for a little while.
The show hunter classes were held in the outdoor sand arena in front. There were pony classes in the indoor and then the working hunter was held in the derby arena, which was out back behind some huge banks.  It was HOURS before my next class.........but the worst thing was you couldn't see the derby arena until you got right down to it, so I had to keep walking down to see what class they were on. By the time Freds class came on, I was not feeling it. But then we warmed up and I was ready for action. He felt great. We went in and he had 2 down I think, but my god did he enjoy it and so did I!! Next up was CC. We went in last in his class. He was fired up because he'd spent the day in the box pretty much, I had taken them out a few times, but it was now 6pm. He had an unlucky one down. There was a jump up a small bank and down and then onto a narrow fence. Loads of people had issues here because the top of the bank was black sand, so it looked like a hole to them. For that reason I brought the two of them back to a trot for it. Neither of them even glanced at it and were annoyed by the slow down in their momentum!! Delighted with that. Cu Chulainn came 5th in the 90cm. Then it was time for the 1m. It was dusk at that stage!! It was 8pm. He went clear, I let him canter the bank, not a bother to him! The narrow fence still came up weird. He came 4th in that class. We practically trotted back to the box. I untacked him super fast and hit the road. It was 8.40. I hadn't even eaten properly (my fault, I know). I was also wrecked after the long day. I rang Caroline on the way to keep me awake. Then the G.I.T. I made it as far as the service station on the M4 and had some burger king. Then rang the G.I.T. back to keep me awake. I got home after 11. KNACKERED. I was so flaked I just threw them out to the field. Poor CC still had his plaits in.

This is how I look after a long ass day

Plaits are hanging in there!!

BAE

Hugs and kisses!!