Tails From Provence

Little Girl all Growed up

Seventeen years ago, my neighbour asked if her friend’s fourteen year old daughter could come up and help me with the livery stables. Unsure of what I was letting myself in for – I’d seen plenty of teenagers loafing around riding schools, dodging work, getting bored and causing trouble – I said I’d give her a “trial.”

And so my best helper arrived. She was with me on Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays for years. Constantly trying to learn, constantly asking was she doing things right. Trustworthy enough to leave in charge when we had a sudden death in the family and had to go away for a couple of days. Brave enough to sit on young ponies, skilled enough to bring young ponies on, strong enough to lug bales of hay around, with an absolute passion for animals in general and horses in particular.

Eventually her dream came true, her family moved into the country and bought a horse for her. It was funny to watch our relationship change from mentor/student to an adult friendship, but that’s what it’s become.

I was so happy to be at her wedding yesterday.

Love and best wishes to Jane and Barry.
(I know you’ll read this eventually, although maybe not this week!)

A Wrinkle in Time

There was a lot going on last week, so I only managed to ride Flurry once all week. I was fairly casual about it, to be honest. After all, it’s two months before I leave, I’ll have plenty of opportunities to ride and compete before I leave for France, right?

Wrong!

On Tuesday, I looked at the show schedule for the Dressage club and I looked at my diary. What with attending car boot sales to get rid of some of the crap we own, running the Silver Spurs finals and attending the Dublin Horse Show with the tickets my daughters gave me for my birthday, plus a road trip to transport all the ED’s gear to London, it looks like this Sunday may well be my very last chance to compete here in South Munster before I go. In fact, we’ve only got three (yes THREE) full weekends at home before we leave.

I guess I’m competing this weekend, so.

Flurry waddled happily out of the paddock beside me and we went for a nice easy hack yesterday. Well, it was easy for him – he trudged along like a sedated snail while I kicked, whacked and cajoled him down the road.

Today, there was no avoiding the arena. “More Ongoing” was foremost in my brain, but the only whip I could find was the same silly short one I’d had hacking out the previous day. Still, he wasn’t too bad, lateral suppleness could have been better and he could definitely have gone forward more willingly, but he was as obedient as ever – he’s such a good boy!

Finally, towards the end of our session, I spotted the LSH passing by and asked him to find me a proper schooling whip. Once that was in my hand, Flurry produced ten minutes of decent, forward work, and we quit while I was ahead.

We’ve got two days to go before the show. Plenty of time to run through the “iffy” bits of both tests, plenty of time for Flurry to magically become forward and supple!

One other consequence of time telescoping in on itself is that I won’t get to compete Aero here before I go. I’m pretty disappointed about that, but hopefully we’ll be able to do fun stuff in France.

My ToDo List

A very dear friend stayed with me for a few days.

The odd cup of tea (or two) was consumed, along with the occasional glass of something stronger in the evenings. We discussed many things, including just how much I have to get done before we leave on September 30th.

“Make a list,” she said, “and tick things off as you do them. Then you won’t get into such a panic over the things you need to do, or should have done by now – you’ll feel you’ve accomplished something every time you look at the list.”

Some people are just so sensible!

The very first thing to go on the list was “Rehome Lilly.” TICK!

Yes! I found a home for Lilly! Early last week, I picked up the phone and started ringing any horse person I know who breaks youngsters. This time, instead of saying “I’m looking for a home for a chestnut filly, I’m going back to France in January” I was saying “I’m looking for a home for a chestnut filly. I’ve got eight weeks to find somewhere for her, otherwise I think I will have no option but to put her down.” Very sad, but unfortunately, very true.

The second person I rang said straight away, “I’ll take her.” He’s a down-to-earth horseman with a no-nonsense approach. She’ll be broken with patience, and, with him, it’ll take as long as it takes – no rushing. She won’t be groomed within an inch of her life, have her mane and tail washed and brushed and her hooves oiled every day, nor will she be fed a cocktail of treats and supplements, but she will be fed and watered, wormed and vaccinated, and will learn a trade – either as a jumper or as a riding school horse. He’s a realist and he knows the horse industry inside out – if she is talented, he’ll be able to sell her, if not, he’ll keep her and she’ll earn her keep in the school.

He came by to pick her up three days later. She walked up to him in the field and put her head on his shoulder, then she followed him willingly into the trailer – she had never been loaded before! I’m so happy that I haven’t had to face that other awful outcome for her, and so happy that she will have a good home.

Speaking of good homes, another item on my list is “Rehome Dylan.” There is not the same sense of urgency about him, though. I’ve been in touch with the local rescue organisation and I’ve said I’m happy to foster him until the middle of September. Meanwhile, I’ll keep posting his photo on Facebook and keep telling friends about him – we may find a home for him that way. The lady I spoke to also offered to try to rehome the cats for me – they gave them to me about five years ago. I’m not so sure about that – if I rent out the stables, the tenant will surely be happy to have Rodent Control Officers present and I’me sure the cats would prefer not to be moved.

I’m not going to post the list in all its glory here, as I’m quite certain that it will be ever-changing, right up to the last minute, but I’ll share my “achievements” here :