After long chats on whether or not it was worth making the 3 hour journey to go and view the pony I simply said to Katie if she thought that pony was for her then you only live once and lets arrange to go and pick it up.
"But we've not viewed it" she said. Sometimes in life I believe you need to bite the bullet and live for each day as it comes. Is life worth living if we live it always wondering 'what if' and 'would life be different if I....'? The same happened to me after I was messed around a few months back when looking to buy some riding school cobs. I viewed endless amounts on the internet and in person, but it got to the point where I followed my gut instinct and heart and purchased Buster and Rosie without even viewing them. They have turned out to be the two most amazing and genuine horses I have ever met and I do not regret my decision. (Albeit Buster did put me in A&E the first day he arrived but he has since doing nothing of the kind!).
Anyway, so to cut a long story short as I feel this blog is going to be long enough, I asked Katie if she thought this mare was for her. She told me the sellers sounded genuine and after carefully examining the advert myself I told her to get the cash, sort a driver for my lorry and off we went the Saturday before Royal London to pick her up.
Mad? Maybe so.
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| Katie and Tally - Photo by: @Robpowellphoto |
Special thanks go to Rob Powell - my sister’s wedding photographer who kindly agreed to meet me whilst I was in Manchester and took some photos of the moment Katie met Tally. You have captured some photographs that I am sure will hold a special place in Katie's heart for the rest of her life.
**
Anyway - on to Royal London. We were due to leave on Wednesday 28th so we could allow the ponies to settle in before competing the next day. For the first time in history I had arranged to close our riding school down for the time in which we were away and allow everyone to have a well-earned break after the kid’s holidays. I think everyone including ponies deserved it. Because we were closing we had to ensure we fitted in all of our riding lessons before we left and got everything sorted. It was a manic few days but looking back on it, it was so worth it.
Packing for yourself and a pony is very much like packing for yourself and a child when going on holiday. Not that I would know what packing for a child is like but I can only imagine it is very similar to this experience.
Ceaser isn't simple when it comes to packing for. I have to take his medical box or equipment with me to most places I go in case he gets mud fever or cuts his leg slightly which can then bring on the mud fever. I think I am the most prepared person when it comes to medical equipment. I have everything in that box from thermometers to mud fever cream. Additional to this I had in my mind exactly what rugs I wanted to take, two bridles, two saddles, plenty of bandages for keeping him clean. You name it, it was on my list.
Then I had my list which for some reason was considerably shorter than Ceasers. I don't know how. I started packing on the Monday night in hope that by Wednesday morning I would be ready to go and only have the pony to load. How wrong could I be? Moments before I was due to load on Wednesday I was shouting to Mark that I had forgotten to put various bits and bobs in the lorry. Oh well I tried.
The drive down (or up....I don't do Geography) to Royal London was non-eventful. I had offered 3 of our riding school clients the opportunity to come and spend the week with us so we had 2 of them in the car and with one asking "are we there yet" every two minutes the journey seemed to drag. Children aye...?
I had hoped to get a bit of a nap in whilst on the road but with the two chatterboxes in the back there was no hope of that and all too soon we were pulling into Rugby and then onto Onley grounds. I was hoping that Onley had improved since we last went to Royal London two years ago, however upon arrival I realised it was still very much work in progress however the facilities look to be getting just better and better. Their plans for the place sound amazing and I cannot wait to visit once they are finished.
After a quick phone call to the person driving the lorry and finding out they were 45 minutes away I decided to get done all I needed to before Ceaser arrived. So I went off to pay my stable deposit, collect my competitor number and find out where my classes would be the next day. To be quite honest I have never seen two people make such an easy task of deciding which four stables to have as us! First of all we went into four front stables, only to get there and find there was some Dodgems opposite - which were bound to wind Ceaser up! Back to the office we went, to allocate ourselves four more stables....to get back to realise that actually Rosie, the riding school pony that come along to do some classes with Louise wouldn't really fit in them very well!
Not wanting to move everyone I suggested myself and Louise move to the bigger stables, leaving another riding school pony, Sooty and Megan's pony Furzey in the smaller stables. Megan was borrowing Sooty from us for the weekend so it would be easier for her to keep Sooty and Furzey together.
Finally we found two suitable stables and the lorry turned up - phew! As soon as I pulled Ceaser off the lorry I wanted to walk him round for an hour to supple him back up. Kelly, his massage lady had recommended this, so keen to follow advice I clipped his chifney on and off we went for a wander. He isn't the easiest pony to walk in-hand so hence my necessary chifney. Often he drags if he spots food or decides he wants to go and check out a larger patch of grass. Cheeky pony.
Ceaser was quite on his toes which was nice to see. Usually he worries me after travelling as he goes very quiet and has been known to show colic symptoms. However, with more precautions taken and different measures followed he seemed to settle right in and appeared quite at home!
It was alright for some tucked up in their bed as I tackled my pop up tent
borrowed from my sister. Apparently it is supposed to be as easy as 1-2-3 and
pop up in literally seconds. I don't know where they got that from. This tent
was rocket science! After nearly knocking myself and about 5 others out as I
undid the clips and let the tent literally "pop" up, I realised I
hadn't put the ground sheet down. Women shouldn't be in charge of constructing
camps. FACT!Next up was dinner time and of course the Hundleby Crew had to cause a stir in the food tent by making lots of noise and hogging the ketchup. Thankfully we were the only group eating by this time. Well, it was either that or everyone had vacated the tent after seeing us arrive.....
The rest of Wednesday evening was spent rather jolly, with us all setting up
a circle back at 'camp' and having a good chat. All the younger girls emerged
out their tent wearing their onesies and we couldn't miss a photo opportunity
of us all looking very stylish in them. I turned the music on from my iPhone
and us older ones sat drinking our VK we had bought along. It was quite nice to
spend some time "away" from the horses as such as socialising.
Thursday morning rather too soon due to lack of sleep. Despite having gone
to bed around midnight I got absolutely no sleep and quite frankly was dreading
the next few days having to camp out again. Onley grounds isn't positioned in
the best place with it being right near the motorway and all night I could hear
zooming backwards and forwards. Add this to horses whinnying all night long and
you get one very grumpy Sian that hasn't had any sleep. Lovely.Due to no sleep I found myself up and about earlier than expected, which worked out quite well really. Ceaser needed to be plaited and preened ready our Equitation class in the afternoon and under Amy, my riding instructors instruction I needed to spend roughly 30 minutes warming him up for our class.
Thankfully my early morning wakeup call or as I am calling it.....lack of sleep....I was bang on time and by the time I was ready to warm up for my class Ceaser had, had a 30-minute massage and looked every inch of white as white can be! Marvellous! Mark arrived too which helped in the fetching and carrying department!
When warming up for the Equitation class I found him to be quite forward and he felt like he could or would explode at any moment if I just touched the wrong button - put my leg on too much. In my lesson with Amy the previous week I had been working on pushing him forward with my leg more to enable him to work from behind and stretch his neck to give us a better and more longer appearing outline. There was no chance of giving with my hands as I got on as he quite literally would have exploded.
Thankfully after a 30 minute warm up with lots of upwards and downward transitions he was listening more and I was able to relax a little and allow him to take his head. Mark said the outline looked a lot better and he didn't look so tense. Well, he still felt it!
Our class didn't go too badly. Ceaser did a nice walk and trot go round with
the horses but unfortunately as it came to the canter a tractor started driving
down the track right at the back of our ring. Tried not to panic too much that
at any moment I could potentially be bolting across the ring. Ceaser hates
tractors! Anyway, thankfully, just as I was about to come head on with the
tractor I saw my opportunity whilst the judge wasn't looking at managed to cut
the corner and get to the other end of the ring. Ceaser felt a little tense now
but by the time I had got back round to the back of the ring the tractor had
gone past. Phew!Unfortunately I felt instantly I had lost Ceaser's full attention and as we were asked to change the rein he went on the wrong canter lead. I changed it immediately but it was right in the judge’s view.
We were pulled in, in no particular order and asked to do an individual show which consisted of a medium walk, collected walk, halt, collected trot, and extension across the diagonal in trot, collected canter and then a gallop. Everyone seemed to be doing their halt transition during the walk so I made my show piece a little different and instead walked away a few strides from the judge, trotted across the diagonal showing an extension, cantered in the corner, then went along the next diagonal, walked, halted for a few seconds, walked and then cantered off to the right. I think Ceaser knew what was coming as I could feel him getting more tense as I cantered around the corner......and yup, he knew! As I let him have his neck for the gallop he certainly took every opportunity he could to go for it. He immediately opened up, bucked several times, bounced and then this huge gallop came out of no where. Needless to say I knew that had pushed us to the bottom of the line up. Oh well, he makes me giggle!
That evening we were booked into the Councours De Eleganse class. As soon as I was warming up for it I knew we weren't going to have a hope in hells chance. Ceasers gallop earlier had certainly riled him up and he wouldn't stand still, nor give his head when warming up. He is usually very well behaved and not one to fidget in the line up. On this occassion I could have eaten my own words as he fidgeted around the line up and upon trotting into the main arena under the spotlight felt as if he could, again, just burst! Needless to say unfortunately no placing and Mark and I decided to take Ceaser back up to the top field to do some schooling to chill him out. That was an experience to say the least he bucked and bronched everytime I put my leg on. I think overall it took 45 minutes of intense schooling to finally get the reactions from him I wanted.
Finally it was bed time and after putting Ceaser to bed we made our way to the food tent to watch Megan and Louise take the two riding school ponies, Rosie and Sooty in the evening performance for the pairs class. I was rather nervous for them as both ponies haven't got much miles on the clock yet and haven't been in such an atmosphere before that I am aware of. Needless to say they aced their show piece and both ponies behaved immecably when trotting into the evening performance under the spotlight. I was so proud of both ponies, but especially Sooty who is only four. He behaved as if he had been showing for his entire life and didn't step a hoof out of line when the crowd clapped and cheered.
Thursday was also a memorable day for me as I had arranged to meet up with a girl I have been talking to now for quite some years. Poppy and I met when we were about 12-years-old and started playing the same horse game on the internet. We have never had the chance to meet in person and for some years lost contact, but through the joys of Facebook realised we were both going to Royal London and decided what better opportunity than to meet - and we even managed to get her a stable next to Ceaser for the three days! It was absolutely amazing to finally meet Poppy and it felt like we had known each other years!*
Friday was an early start for me as my Working Hunter class was scheduled for 9:45, Dressage at 12 and then Concours again in the evening. I was particularly looking forward to the Workers class and Dressage as they are definitely the two areas of competing I enjoy the most.
Back home, Kathryn - who usually gives me jumping lessons had given me a little pep talk before leaving. "Throw your heart over the jump first and you'll just follow. You don't get to ride at a show like Royal London all the time so make it something to remember". Basically she meant give it all I had and go for that red rosette. I was certainly going to try!
Ceaser warmed up a lot better Friday, it is as if he knew we were going to get to jump as he listened to everything I asked of him and then did more. I popped over a few warm up fences and he was jumping out his skin - so much so I considered jumping him in the next class instead as it was higher. Unfortunately Mark realised it would clash with my dressage if I did so I had to stick to the class I had entered.
After walking the course I felt quite at ease as although some parts technical, it was an inviting course that would be fantastic for mine and Ceaser's confidence. One slightly off putting thing was a lady having a rant at the course builder in the middle of the ring as we were walking round. She was complaining it wasn't up to HOYS height and didn't the judge think it should be seeing as some were using it as a HOYS warm-up. The lovely course builder simply said it wasn't a HOYS qualifier and no, it was supposed to be an inviting course, not put people off. Fantastic!I never go in first when I am jumping, but never leave it too late neither. On this occasion I watched two people go round and then went off to get in line to go next. The course was proving quite difficult with a few technical turns in and some very asking fillers. One horse went clear before me out of three and I knew if I went clear I would be in with a chance.
Ceaser went in quite full of beans and immediately I saw his ears prick and realise we were getting to jump. Sending him off in a forward but controlled canter I tried to remember what Kathryn had said to me on numerous occasions - "Don't hold him together too much, let him be free and be a jumping pony instead of a dressage pony." So, with this in mind I sent him forward.
I felt like my round hadn't been overly tidy but all that mattered is we had gone clear. Now it was time to sit tight and hope there wasn't many other clears and we could be in with a chance of a ribbon. The wait was awful, there was another eight people to go in after me.
Woohoo, last person in and gone and only four of us clear. Now I just needed to produce a foot perfect show piece and the way Ceaser was going today I was sure he could do it for me.
I tried to pull myself in relatively early in the line-up so I could go and do my show piece not long after pulling in. Ceaser tends to nod off if we are stood in a long line up and I always find he goes better if we get our show over and done with sooner rather than later! The line-up had some nice ponies in, including the pony that was being ridden by the lady who was trying to qualify for HOYS.Ceaser did a lovely show and I honestly couldn't have asked for more. Because of our bucking fiasco in the class the day before I made sure I sat on my bum more for the gallop and wow it felt amazing. He really opened up and then obediently came back down to a trot when asked.
I was over the moon to be pulled in 3rd and couldn't have been happier. We were above the HOYS pony and 1st and 2nd went to two very typical workers pony which deserved the places they were given. I was happy with my 3rd place and I think my beaming smile said it all as I did the lap of honour!
Next up was my Dressage test and with barely any time to spare because of how late the workers was running it was all systems go to rush back to the stables, put Ceaser away, run to my tent, get changed, fetch different tack, sort Ceaser out, tack him up and rush to the dressage arena - all within half an hour. From that moment everything went wrong. Someone had moved my hat AND dressage tests and because I couldn't find either I was running around like a head-less chicken.
With 5 minutes left to spare and a very moody pony who thought he was going to bed I arrived at the dressage ring and had barely any time to warm up. I am certain Ceaser felt I was a little fed-up with having so little time to warm up and he became rather difficult to ride. He was pulling, head shaking and rushing in his trot. In the short time I had I tried to calm him down and get him working properly. It was difficult and I definitely think I needed longer.
Anyway, I went into my dressage test and attempted to smile the whole way through. Ceaser's head shaking had come out of nowhere and he was being difficult. Every time I put my leg on I could feel he wanted to explode and I thought I had completely thrown any chance of doing very well down the drain. The test felt rushed and not at all pretty, but what could I do...unfortunately that was competing and if you don't get long to warm up, that is your fault, not theirs. Mental note for next time: Don't enter two classes running so close together!
I came out of the dressage in an absolute foul mood and was even more annoyed when I saw my score of 65% - for a prelim. When the people with us told me that was good I just stated that 65% is what he averages for Elementary usually!! I honestly think the prelims do not stimulate his brain enough and had it have been a novice he wouldn't have had time to be silly and forward as there are more movements. Adamant I had thrown all chances of a rosette down the drain I declared to Mark I couldn't ride and wanted to know what I was doing wrong. How could I come out of one class feeling on cloud 9 and then go into another and feel so rubbish? That's competing!We hung around to find out how I had done I was more than shocked to find we had come 2nd and there was about 9 in the class. How the heck we managed to pull that one off I will never know. However, I still wasn't happy with my score and knew we could do better. Well, I could and if I had rode better Ceaser would have relaxed more.
With the afternoon off I put Ceaser away whilst Mark and I went for a sit down and short nap. I was really kicking myself for our dressage score and I just don't know what happened to my riding.The evening bought another Concours De' Elegance class in the evening performance but unfortunately no placing. It was evident who had won the class as soon as we were parading round and I noticed the judge didn't even give Ceaser a second glance. It is a little disheartening when nothing under 15hh's is picked anywhere in the final line-up. If you're not going to place any ponies then split the classes....! Despite this I was still really pleased with Ceaser's behaviour in the evening performance. Compared to Thursday night he trotted in much more relaxed and stood impeccably in the line-up. It really annoys me when horses and ponies who throw themselves around in the line-up still get placed. To me it shows lack of manners when a judge is looking around the pony.
Unfortunately once again that is showing and if a judge doesn't like your pony, you don't stand a cat in hells chance. Again though it is why I prefer Dressage as I find judging much more fair and at least you know what you're working towards.
*
Saturday was a new day and the most important class of the weekend - Ridden Veteran. Ceaser felt like he was going well and listening whilst we warmed up. The show ground had really gotten busy there was just horses, ponies and people everywhere you looked. Whilst warming up I did lots of upwards and downwards transitions focussing on getting him supple more than anything because it was a veteran class.
Whilst warming up I always take the opportunity to look at my competition and who else is in the class. Usually you can spot then who is going to win and who isn't and I spotted the person I thought would win. Despite this there was clearly lots of good looking veterans that all stood a good chance of taking the red rosette.
He did a nice go round with all the other ponies but I just felt that they had allowed too many people to do the go round in such a small ring. In other years the veteran class has been in the biggest ring because of how popular the classes usually are. Despite this though we were initially pulled in 4th which put us just above the middle of the line-up, with the pony I thought that would win pulled in 1st.Our show piece went well and although I knew we weren't allowed to show a gallop in the show piece (veterans aren't allowed to in VHS classes), I didn't expect to not be able to show a medium trot off. Ceaser's medium trot is what usually WOW's the judge as it is very flicky, so I had to try and push him forward a little in other places. There was not anything I could have faulted with our show piece although if I had to be picky I would have said Ceaser could have been a little more forward. The judge was a little picky and told me off for having black hoof oil on Ceaser's feet saying "the only fault with this pony I can find is his black feet".
After our show piece we were required to take the saddles off and then do a conformation trot up for the judge to see just how supple the ponies were. This was the bit I always seem to dread as I have never been a fan of in-hand! Mark was under strict instructions not to get any photos of me running as it is never a pretty sight.
The trot up went well and somehow I managed to survive. After quickly putting my saddle back on it was time to jump back on and await for the final results. As I thought, the little pony won, with a nice chestnut taking 2nd, a lead-rein 3rd and us 4th out of 10. I was pleased with that as I couldn't have asked for more from Ceaser and if all the judge could find wrong with him was black hoof oil then so be it!
Finally, that was us done and as a treat I turned Ceaser out in the small paddock we had by the lorry. He seemed pleased with this and tucked into the grass like he had been starved for the past few days!After this Mark had to go home for a gig and I went for a nap to try and find some energy from somewhere! All of us had a fantastic time on the Saturday night sitting up until quite late talking and sharing various stories about everything and anything!
*
For some reason I was up at stupid 'o' clock on Sunday morning and had mucked out before 7am. I had decided to enter a last minute ridden coloured class for something to do and as a bit of fun. I always enter the coloured classes for a bit of fun and a warm up as Ceaser is a little like marmite as a coloured - the judges either love or hate him! We were pulled in 2nd and by now I could feel Ceaser was really beginning to flake through tiredness.
To finish the weekend off Louise and I took both Ceaser and Rosie for a walk around the large fields we were allowed to ride in and managed to find a water jump to have a play in. Neither ponies would go through it though so instead we had a couple of good canters around the field.And so that was that! Our long weekend at Royal London was officially over all too soon! It felt like we had been there for ages but at the same time it felt like we had barely been there any time at all. Overall I had a fantastic weekend, not just showing Ceaser but meeting up with both old and new friends and having an enjoyable few days away from the yard with a couple of our riding school clients and liveries.
Ceaser had behaved impeccably all weekend and I honestly could not have asked for more from him. Each time I look at the photos of him throughout the whole weekend I cannot help but get a sense of emotion wave over me as I realise just how much we have grown up together. The difference in this pony over the years is amazing and without him I don't know what I would do. 16 years ago when the scruffy coloured pony with long lanky legs turned up as my "new pony" I would have never imagined we would make it where we are today. He may not be a HOYS pony nor win every red rosette under the sun but wherever we go and whatever we do we have fun and enjoy ourselves, which to me is all that matters.
I am so proud of this pony.
There are some great pics here, plus it's a funny read :D
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