the good ,the bad and.......

An extremely busy week spent travelling around the country with the scurry ponies so not much time for poor murphy this last 10 days but he has been doing lots of hacking so will keep his fitness and he was used in the stage 3 exam which showed when i rode him in the school on tuesday on the only day I have had at home since last wednesday!!!!!! He felt stiff not off the leg and a little 'yeah whatever' but it is to be expected but by the end of the session on tuesday he had loosened up and felt a lot better but not really sure what to expect tomorrow poor pony!!!!!

Well last wednesday we went to devon. The ponies all travelled well especially considering we had a blowout on the trailer that we pull with the lorry that carries the traps hay etc. Our driver declared smoke which sent me into a bit of a panic as I had a lorry burst into flames last year on the M4!! I was much happier once he said that it was the tyre on the trailer. The bigger ponies went well and we were very unlucky to not get placed in the championship but unfortunately we had a cone down with both pairs so were just pushed out of the placings but were pleased with them none the less. The small pair chaz and dave are going through a bit of a rough patch and seem to have got a little upset by things and gone backwards so we just took it gentle with them aiming to get their confidence back in the ring.

We then travelled on the friday night to Herts county show ready to compete on saturday. We arrived around 8 as the traffic was fairly bad so it took longer than we thought. The ponies were all a little unsettled as the collecting ring was really too small for so many pairs but it was the same for everybody. Our ponies didn't go well and the course just didn't suit our and each course suits a different type of ponies. So we didn't get anything into the championship which was dissapointing but did for once allow me to watch a entire competition of scurry driving which was nice even though I would of course preferred to be competing. We then left saturday night to travel to Burghley!!!!

So Burghley well we were parked a long way from the showground which actually was very nice as it was lovely and quiet and was super for the ponies who by this time had become fairly wound up so it did them the world of good. we drove them on the sunday morning just to help settle them down. The ring was awful!!! It was up and down all over the place and full of bumps divets and all sorts and none of us were happy drivers and grooms!!! However chaz and dave settled a little and did the best round of the 3 of the week so we were pleased. Bunny and Magic became very strong so we missed the box and had to circle round to come again which of course wasted lots of time putting us out of the placings with them. Esme and Susie did a super round but had a cone down but amazing still got placed and quialified for the championship so well done them they really were on fire and at the moment are most definate going the best of the 3 pairs. However in the championship it was not to be the ponies tried their hardest but they had a cone down and the smaller ponies were much quicker and able to cut the corners so we were out of the placings. We then travelled home Monday afternoon and got back around 6. I quickly settled the ponies in for the night and rushed home to have a quick shower and something to eat as had to be at the pub to work by 7!!!!

Come Tuesday I was very pleased to have the day off and be able to have a lie in which my body very much appreciated. I love travelling and competing but sleeping on a camp bed and all the lifting etc really doesn't help my back at all so it was pleased for the hot bath and a day off. I went and rode Murphy then went with a friend to pick up a couple of horses who had unfortuantely been at the vets nothing serious just a couple of injuries which are now well on their way to mending. Then in the evening I went shopping to pick up some food for the next show.

I worked wednesday morning and got to ride the lovely murphy again who was much better then the tuesday. we then left for Bath and west county show ready to compete on the thursday and friday. the ponies travelled really well. we really are lucky with our ponies they load superbly and travell very well you don't really realise they are on there. We had all on thursday morning to have a look around the show which was nice as we don't normally have quite so much time it's usually a quick grab anything you need and back to the lorry so it was nice to look round the shops and watch a bit of the showjumping. Chaz and dave did a really nice round and we were exceptionally pleased with them. although we didn't get in the championshipw ith them they went beautifully together and did the best round they have done for ages which was really pleasing so hopefully that'll be it now back to their best. The large ponies weren't on till 12 on friday so we got up early and got all our stables down and packed away before hand so we could make a quick get away after. both pairs went really well in the super ring and qualified for the championship so we had gone from none in championship at herts to having 2 at Bath and west. Both gave everything in the championship and went excellently knocking 3 seconds of their time from the class. We ended up fourth with esme and susie and just out of the placings with bunny and magic so a really good show given our recent run so fingers crossed its all up and back on form from here. The only downside was one of our ponies had a bit of a strop in the trap by the lorry and struck out leaving a nice stud hole in my leg. very painfull but will be fine in a few days but thats ponies they can't seem to behave all the time they wouldn't be ponies if they didn't!!!!!!


Pick up my puppy tomorrow so will post some pictures of the new addition as well as some pics of the ponies.

Sometimes a time apart is the best thing when things aren't going so well lets hope so it really would be nice.

off to sleep now my bed is calling and my body is giving out.

x