July please, I'm on my knees........Part 2

September 23, 2020

July please, I'm on my knees........Part 2

No rest for the wicked......I brought Cu Chulainn out for a hack the next day, but we just walked. It was a leg stretch (not that he needs it, he lives out) but also to keep up his fitness. I had decided to enter the show on the Wednesday up in Tubberbride in Sligo.

I didn't get a chance to ride him on Tuesday because I was visiting a friend and got back late. I had just enough time to pack everything and drop it over the road, as we were getting a lift up in the lorry. Departure time set for 6.30. Gulp.

We locked and loaded for 5.50 and were all on the road by 6.30. There's no good way really to get to Sligo. It takes at least two hours and you drive the length of Roscommon..........you would not believe how long it is!!

The new SJI live app is great, because you get your time and can calculate backwards what time you need to be travelling, to be tacking up, to be warming up and to be walking your course.

I wasn't set to be on for an age, but I enjoy watching the other classes and learning from them other riders. There was a good few of us there and in different classes, so there was videos to be taken and helping tacking, stretching horses legs and letting them eat grass and other things to let the day pass.

My first class was in the top arena, which is a tight enough arena. Unfortunately the times weren't kept as well up there and I ended up being later than expected. I had also started to wilt at that stage and my energy was sagging, and my brain power.

I made some costly mistakes by not focusing and breathing. The jumps came up too fast and I didn't have time to readjust. We had two down in the 1m. I untacked him, gave him some grass and gave myself a power nap.

Our next class was the amateur class. I was feeling much better for this one. We were jumping the same course as the 1.15 which hadn't changed much from the Grand prix course. It was a tough course. In a tight arena.

I made a similar mistake in that class as I did in the previous and that was focusing on one particular jump that I thought would be an issue. Well, I ended up making them an issue. Eye roll.....I knocked the 3rd fence in the amateur class, but the rest went well. I was delighted with how we tackled the tough course but smacking myself on the back for doing the same mistake. Live and learn I guess.......

I actually don't have any photos or pictures from that day, you're probably delighted to know!!

We didn't do anything that weekend, after the busy week. Just chilled and did a bit of riding in the field with Fred. Cu Chulainn deserved a break. I did help out at the Midlands and Western dressage show, scribing for a judge. Which was strange now with corona, I was sitting in the back with a mask on, so I couldn't see what I was scribing. I also managed to rescue Derv from Ginger Ninja and co, the battery on her lorry had died.

That week Fred got most of the work, because he had a special project the next weekend. He was going to give my friend Caroline her first proper beach ride. To prepare him, I rode him quite a bit that week, as he hasn't been in continuous work in a while, having been intermittently lame, not dog lame, but just a bit off.

Well. He seemed to change bodies with a 4 year old, because he was feeling FRESH.....there was no issues with fitness. No matter how many days or for how long I rode, he'd come back the next day just as full of energy. To be honest I was a little weary of how it would all go. Caroline had not been in the saddle in a year and the last time was on Fred was a walk only hack. If I was a praying woman, I might have prayed!!

Surveying the land

Is it edible?

Needless to say it all went smoothly. Fred was the absolute gent I had hoped he would be. I forgot that when he sees the beach he just enters a zen mode. He LOVES it. He was straight in to the water and drinking it as if it was the fountain of youth. Cu Chulainn following suit of course.