So 2020 was a crazy year, and not the best for everyone, I had a terrible year, and I am so happy to have found a place where I can be myself. I'll recap everything that's happened since I started working for the Fosters as I am aware that I have been extremely slack writing my own riding story 😅, sorry everyone who have been waiting since the end of last year for me to publish this part. It's not all of the events that are happening in the month of May that is being written down we still have Shibumi at the end of the month, but more about that next part.
· We had a bad run with Huey, he got sick and ended up in Agnes Banks towards the start of this year, fuck colic. Monday morning Len and I took it in turns to check up on him and he gave me a fright at 2am on Monday. 4am though he was happy, he was presented at Agnes Banks Monday evening where they took two hours of thorough examinations. Picked him Thursday that week. Honestly so glad he came home.
· A good thing I was something with muscular guys I can handle Dan and Ben when they try to give me shit. Saw a snake too as I was leading Ben, either he did not see the snake, or he was so revved up he didn't care. Or Tim even when we go out somewhere and he becomes wound up
· Helped with the insemination of Nellie. Sadly she didn't go in foal, but I love helpings vets so this was a great experience.
· Poe won his qualifier!!!!!!!! sadly isn't running in the final, but he deservers his spell, coming back better than he was when I was with Liz.
· And competed at Moss Vale show with Batty, came 2nd out of 2 but she was well behaved, and we qualified for the Reserve Champion line up. One of my four photos came in 2nd as well in the Life up close section in the photography
· Bathurst Royal show was so much fun, I rode Huey in the Grand Parade next to Lexi and Spirit and rode my first stallion, Proclaim is his name, or as we call him freckle face. A big Thank you to Kerry and Kim, and to Len. Everyone was so friendly and nice. And Uncle Jeremy was incredibly supportive as well.
· I am so glad to have people like Len, Meg, Uncle Jeremy, Trevor and John to be my support crew, after a quick lesson in preparation for the Sutton Farm show jumping which went really well, only 1 rail down with a total of 4 faults in the 30cm class, I really enjoyed myself.
· I got dropped 4 times by Mouse. Once by Santa, and once by Batty, Batty didn't drop me I just fell 😂, at the halt. The talent.
· Hand-walked Batty, Gracie and Tex a few times.
· Santa, had a few spooks here and there, tripped in a hole and almost went all the way down, and gave me some very nice transitions. As well as some good jumping sessions. And he dumped me too, can't forget that he dumped me.
· Tex at first was very sore and moved with difficulty. But after a while he came good and was very bouncy, will slowly be coming back into work to hopefully start jumping again.
· I rode a lot of ponies since my arrival: Santa (78), Mouse (12), Batty (38), Tex (7), Huey (3), Proclaim (1). Total: 142.
· Went out a lot – Sutton Farm (29.12.20), Training day at Kingsfield stud (21.11.20), SIEC (13.12.20), Canberra (17.1.21), Shibumi (7.2.21), Goulburn (6th and 7th March 21), Moss Vale (12th and 13th March), Shibumi again (28.03.21), Bong Bong training day (03.04.21), Marulan training day (10th April 2021), another training day Kingsfield stud (17th April 2021), Hawksbury show (23rd April 2021), Royal Bathurst show (Friday 30th April to Sunday 2nd May), Sutton Farm novice jumping day (16th May 2021)
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One stride at a time: my horse riding story
RandomA little memoir of how I went from being a volunteer at a riding to a stable hand at a racing stables, to then going to be a stable hand at a training, and competing stable that also manages a stud only to find myself on a little property in NSW. Ge...
