Great trip to Keysoe BD & a quieter yardlife

The beginning of last week was spent starting to spring clean the yard in preparation for our first training camp here in a couple of weeks time (13/14th June – still 2 places left!). Nikolay has been weed killing & because we have bought the extra strong stuff this year we also bought him a protective suit and mask – he did make us giggle walking around spraying looking like something from another planet – although apparently it was very warm under there!

We have also had all the boards around the outside arena replaced & painted; the lunge pen, which basically blew down this winter, has started being repaired with the fencing that hadn’t blown down has now been demolished & new fence posts are in, we just need to place the boards around the edge, & complete the fencing so that it is enclosed again & it will finally be fixed. We have new letters for the arena too – everything is starting to look refreshed & smart again – just how I like it!

Last week was also a busy week of making new contacts, eGlove (More information @ eGlove) who manufacture technical sports gloves that enable you to use your smart phone (& I’m sure much more) without having to take your gloves off are sending me a pair to test ride. I’m looking forward to comparing them for riding in against my favourite gloves, Roeckl Chester. And seeing if its possible to take loads of videos while riding – always the important things.

Also EquiNutritive (More information @ EquiNutritive) are sending a 50 day dose of their calmer powder, No More Nerves, according to the website it states:

“This specially formulated blend of vervain, lemon balm, raspberry leaf, chamomile, passionflower, marshmallow root and peppermint has a calming effect by acting on the endocrine and nervous systems. This blend is a good accompaniment to sound training practices and can also be used for acutely stressful situations such as travel.”

Again I am looking forward to using it & seeing what difference it makes, & of course telling you all about it.

Giovanni W had a hard end to the week with a mixture of me, Ellinore & Sarah working him he might start to realise he has to actually earn his keep around here. Also finally he is not bum high at the moment – maybe he has stopped growing for a while?

Finally Friday came around & we dropped Hattie off at daycare for a day in the forest, packed the car & trailer, loaded Hubert & set off to Keysoe. It rained & it poured all the way – I took a deep breath, after camping in the bad weather at Sheepgate I was not looking forward to a wet couple of days at Keysoe. Luckily as we approached Keysoe the skies began to clear & even blue sky. By the time I had pitched my tent, settled Hubert into his stable & sent Ben on his way it was a really pleasant (if not a bit cold evening!) For a while I sat & watched a few people working their horses in the arenas & then went & tacked up Hubert. After our disastrous trip away at Sheepgate I was a bit apprehensive as to how Hubert would find everything, so took him outside & let him have a good look around and exercised him in & out of all the arenas – making sure he went forwards the whole time. Bless him he was a little nervous to start with but soon started to relax with time. It was a good evening as I put Hubert away and with my laptop went back to the arenas, sat in the really comfy seats & wrote my invoices for the month – although the wifi at Keysoe is shocking so didn’t get to send anything out until I came home. With the cafe shut it was a night of soreen bread sat outside of my tent at the back of the overflow car park on my own.

Saturday morning I got up super early & trained Hubert outside & what a difference from a few weeks ago, so much more confident again. It ended up quite a rush between his morning exercise, plaiting, mucking out & getting back on to warm him up. Keysoe had opened up one of the outdoor arenas for warm up & it helped a lot. It was the best warm up we had ever had. By the time we left the warm up it was getting busy & I was glad to start my test. A few little mistakes kept our score down, but he at least attempted to go forwards within the whiteboards & I came out of the test with a huge smile on my face – to be honest I had no idea what the judge was going to make of the test, but he had felt so much more confident than the last competition, which left me happy. The only problem we really had was getting out of the arenas – there were some white plastic garden chairs that had been moved & he was so scared of them we spun around 3 times back to the competition arena before someone walked in front of him & he followed them gingerly out. After a short break for Hubert we warmed up indoors for our second test & got called into the arena 7 minutes early (being on my own I had no way of double checking my time & waiting), so after a very short, but forward, warm up we went in the arena. He coped really well going from the indoor to the outdoor for the test & again he was a little more forward, there were a lot of mistakes in the canter work but overall the trot work was fab. After settling him back in his stable I went & checked my scores, 63.52% in the first test & 58.45% in the second, & also a 1st & 2nd placing – including prize money! I was over the moon!!! The rest of Saturday was spent watching the advanced classes, hand grazing Hubert & cleaning tack. The cafe closed early again so another night of Soreen loaf it was.

Sunday I could hear the rain & wind battering the tent as I woke up extra early & to be honest my heart sank. After such a good day on Saturday all I could think was that when I last tried to ride Hubert in the wind at Sheepgate I fell off. I tried to put that thought out of my head & got up as I was planning on riding again early. When I actually left the tent the rain wasn’t too bad, just the wind was blowing hard. I fed, mucked out & tacked up & took him straight outdoors. Yes it was a bit damp & the wind was certainly blowing but Hubert was even more forward as I just walked & trotted around the arenas for 15 minutes & gave him the biggest pat I think I have ever given a horse! My times were early on Sunday so I had planned everything down to the last second, & all went relatively smoothly. Warm up was indoors only (which suited me in the rain) & in the first test there was another burst of energy from him, I was so proud! Not long before the second test my reader indicated that they probably wouldn’t make it to the arena in time to read – I tried not to panic – after a good but a little tired warm up I managed to get someones attention as they walked past me & begged them to read – promising chocolate. They were so kind & agreed to help. Also the steward working in the warm up arena was such a nice lady & kept me laughing while it seemed ages waiting for the test before me to finish. It was such a good atmosphere I was already smiling ear to ear before I even started the test. The test it self was again a little more forward, but to get the forwardness I had to lose some of the connection between leg & hand as he was tired & in my opinion at the moment going forwards is more important than scores, especially in bad weather. Ben & Hattie arrived just as we left the arenas & was pleased to let me know that I had won the first test with 65.1% even with the mistakes. After putting Hubert back in his stable I dashed back to the tent & dashed back to the arenas with chocolate, for some reason I had bought 3 bars with me which worked out perfectly, 1 for Emma for reading on Saturday & the first test on Sunday, 1 for the steward to say thank you for being so friendly & working hard, & one for the random reader I managed to find! When the scores came out 61.25% & another second placing.

The rest of the day was spent taking the tent down in the wind & rain while Hattie sat on the floor playing with stones getting drenched (she’s a good girl!), packing up Hubert & heading home with the biggest feeling of satisfaction I have felt in a long time – compared to the beginning of the month at Sheepgate I couldn’t of been happier with Hubert & every time it just gets a little bit easier & a little bit better!

Back to the reality of the yard & end of month paperwork again, working the horses & yesterday dealing with gale force winds & weather warnings! Today the sun is once again shinning & I am hoping for warmer weather.

Enjoy the rest of your week!!

Anna-Lisa x