RAF Cranwell
Friday, 11th May 2012
Driving my way over from Keele to Cranwell I realised how very, very flat and very, very straight the roads were. I thought to myself how mind numbing it was, with nothing to draw the eye up or down. I’m so glad I live in the hills, not only is it good training, it makes for a more interesting view!Tissy, Mum, Dad, Will and Fflur met me there and we happened to arrive at exactly the same time, orchestrated of course! It was lovely to see everyone, especially Tissy and Fflur. My little pony was pulling me around the venue as we set up her corral and her eager spirit gave me high hopes for the 101km race ahead. Normally it takes 3 months for Tissy to reach peak fitness, and she’d only had one month of training this year so I wasn’t expecting any PB’s.
Thankfully the weather was kind all day and the conditions were perfect for endurance; good temperature, nice cloud cover and a slight breeze. We set out on our first 40km loop and my gosh, had I been by myself I’d have got lost at least 7 times! The marking was bilateral irrespective of the way you would turn and I’m used to marking on the side of
which you are going to turn. I know I’ve ridden here before but my memory for routes is appalling. I decided to stay behind, only taking a lead when I was confident with the system. Then about 20kms in, we broke into canter and flew away. By vet gate 1 we were 5 minutes in front and Tissy presented beautifully. There were no crew rows, no shouts, and no mistakes. I was pretty impressed seeing as it was the first race of the season! I then chilled in the vet gate while Tissy re-fuelled.We then set out on 40km loop number 2 which was the exact replica of the previous so no getting lost. I was impressed! Tis kept a good in-hand canter along the big grassy verges and was so balanced for the corners. About half way I was getting bored, long, straight flat verges, after loooonger, straighter flatter verges. Then I saw the 80km race riders shoot out from a side route and we had someone to race with. When Tis saw them in front she stepped it up and we cruised past them and into vet gate 2. Our last loop was 20km and felt like forever. Tis didn’t want to do anything but keep a steady trot, I just wanted to fly around and finish. My horse’s heart is definitely in the race and not the
distance. She just shut off and did the job knowing there were no other horses around to challenge.We came over the finish line over and hour and a half in front and Tissy vetted straight away after the long walk from the finish to the vetting. I got a lovely little trophy and some prize money whilst Tissy got some treats and a new headcollar, and the crew got a sponge and some rosettes. We attached the rosette to Fflur who proudly pottered around thinking she was the biggest deal that had ever hit the endurance circuit.
Dear Diary - Easter Part 1
Tuesday, 24th April 2012
Day 1
Attempt exploring a new 20mile loop if navigation skills hold up. Avoid getting lost despite open hill top. Once over the other side of said hill and 16 miles in find that the pony has a mere three shoes. Ring Dad. Find a lovely public paddock with apple trees and picnic tables to let the three shoe-d pony roam around in whilst awaiting trailer rescue. Drive the 4 remaining miles home. Turn out the little rascal. Good job the farrier is booked for tomorrow!
Day 2
Four new shoes have been safely returned to the bottom of Tissy’s hooves, carefully overlooked by Flur, our King Charles spaniel. She then did a 40 minute Passoa session - Tissy that is, not the dog (the best session to date might I add)! That could also be due to the beautiful outline rain seems to produce. After that revision planning was done and I spent a whole hour, yes a whole 60 minutes, sawing a log so I could use a piece for my little craft project I’ve got going. My arms are sore.
Day 3
I enjoyed my first revision session……weird but nice start to my day. Today it snowed as I tacked Tissy up and I almost got blown off galloping around the canter track. Tissy’s sprints were excellent but I wish she had more respect for the inside railing as on two occasions I had to fling my leg up behind me to avoid having my leg whacked by the posts! I also had a trip to Wynnstay for my Baileys and some wormer. The wormer cost me the same as my weekly Uni food budget…….I love ponies!!! So far all 3 components of Tissy’s training have gone pretty well! Here’s a picture of my awesome Free and Easy saddle with its NAVY (colour co-ordination) special airflow numnahs, that look like mesh and are really cool as there is almost no sweat or heat under the saddle after a ride.Day4
Tissy has a lovely day of rest…….I however train for ages in the gym, I do gym other days but I always find it more interesting to talk about ponies! Had a few good revision sessions, followed by a massive spring clean which resulted in 5 bags full of stuff for the charity shop!!
Day 5
Went on a lovely sunny (what’s happening to the weather?) 10mile hack with Caitlin and Amy. Good hills and good terrain and Tissy’s stamina really stands out with other horses around. She can definitely maintain a good pace throughout. So far I’m really pleased with our progress. My girth sleeve kept spinning around so was being useless, I needed to find a solution and low and behold the hair clip, so yep Tissy now has hairclips…for her girth sleeves!
Day 6
Passoa take 2. Excellent 40 minute session. I love watching the muscles work as she trots around and how she moves when she’s in an outline. It’s really rewarding when she just goes and is so willing to train.
Day 7
8 laps of the canter track. She kept a better pace today, less sporadic, crazy pony and more in control and balanced Beth! I also had no immediate concerns for my knees as we kept a wide birth away from the inside rails this time. Result!
Day 8
Today is Tissy’s ‘repair day’ as I now like to call them. Muscle only gets bigger and stronger when you let it rest and repair. I went to see Tissy in the field and she was all shivery. So we put on 3 rugs, with neck covers, and Tissy, Flur, Mike and I took Tissy for a mile walk in the absolutely pouring rain to warm her up and stop the shivering. She stopped and I put her snug as a bug back in the field. Mike and I then took the opportunity to clear all the drains and streams around the yard as we were already dripping. It’s awesome watching water pour down your newly created ditch into the river and not pooling in your field!! Here is a picture of us drowned in rain, there’s my attempt at green fingers on the left.Day 9
WARNING: Temperamental mare alert!!!! So today was hack day…..turned out it was ‘let’s be really awkward day!’ You know, one of those rides where you’re all bounce and no go, like riding with the handbrake on and spooking at ridiculous things, such as sheep. This horse has lived in Wales most her life! We still got a decent 10 miles in but much less enjoyable than when Tissy is cooperating. After I put Little Miss Moody back in the field I decided it was time to scrub the trailer before the season starts. Where does that green grime come from………..and why does it stick so relentlessly to my white and blue trailer? I scrubbed with a ladder, on a step and on my knees and now I have a perfectly presentable mode of transport for my pony to turn up in!
Day 10
My pleasant pony is back, thank the equine gods it didn’t last more than a day. Today we found the flattest, driest part of a field this part of Wales can offer and did some passoa work. She went really well actually and an outline without the rain. I spent the rest of my day trudging around the fields stealing mole hill soil for the new vegetable patch I’m hoping to cultivate!
Home Sweet Home!
Thursday, 22nd March 2012
Well on the past couple of weekends, I’ve been making my way home to see my pony and it’s been BRILLIANT! After the squad weekend I was a little apprehensive about Tissy, however, she was back to her little mischievous self. She was cheeky, naughty, bouncy and willing to go and I had my pocket rocket back!Fuelled with new enthusiasm I decided to go adventuring. Yes, that’s right, 20 years and I still haven’t ridden all the routes around home. To be fair, it has only recently become marked and appropriately gated. So off we went on a lovely sunny morning into the hills to wherever we ended up.
I got a good gallop through some open fields, trundled through a lovely wood, got a little surprised when we sunk in some bog, always a danger around us, ended up on an open hill top and had the most fun I’ve had in ages. Tis was so willing and really enjoyed exploring as much as I did.
We found a new 10 mile and 20 mile route, which had 460m elevation on stony rough paths, perfect for practicing for the Europeans, a tough ride in Belgium later this year. She felt on top form and now I’m super excited to spend all of April training at home.
In the week I’ve been training my butt off at the gym, getting stronger so I can hold a good position for longer and it’s definitely paying off. I’ve dropped my senior weight from last year for my final year as a Junior, and boy do I feel lighter!
At home I spent plenty of time outside doing yard jobs and planting some spring flowers. I really appreciate how beautiful a place home is, and how lucky I’ve been to grow up in the countryside with such a caring community. Anyone I meet always asks how the riding’s going and I can’t wait to start telling them that I’m getting good results again, fingers crossed!
In the week I’ve been training my butt off at the gym, getting stronger so I can hold a good position for longer and it’s definitely paying off. I’ve dropped my senior weight from last year for my final year as a Junior, and boy do I feel lighter!
At home I spent plenty of time outside doing yard jobs and planting some spring flowers. I really appreciate how beautiful a place home is, and how lucky I’ve been to grow up in the countryside with such a caring community. Anyone I meet always asks how the riding’s going and I can’t wait to start telling them that I’m getting good results again, fingers crossed!
Young Rider GB Assessment
Tuesday, 28th February 2012
Last Friday I left the note writing and physio practice to drive down to Bury Farm Equestrian Centre for the Young Riders Team Assessment weekend. Tissy met me there (driven by Mum of course) and I was so pleased to see her and after she had forgiven me and stopped ignoring me she happily whickered away.It was an 8:30am start for a briefing and then vet and farrier assessments. This weekend didn’t go so well for me and I’ve been waiting for our luck to run out. Tis was a teeny tiny bit (so slight most people would never notice) lame, but it was impossible to tell from where. Then on the farrier assessment we found 3 new shoes and one old one. The Physio then took a look and found she had hamstring wasting and lateral pain.
Things looked up when Georgina, the team vet, told me to ride as it was so slight and I felt it might help. She schooled well and all I felt was tightness and an unwillingness to push off from canter. We then had a nutrition talk which was really good and the next day an exceptional team building session. I then got to ride Carri Ann Dark’s second team horse for her so she didn’t have to split up the two and finally said good bye to Tissy and Mum as they drove off back to Wales.
I drove back feeling a bit down and unsure of what to do. But then when I arrived back at Uni an email put everything into perspective. One of my fellow students, an immensely talented athlete, had unexpectedly died. Tissy will get better and I will get time to spend with her once my degree is over, I will get the opportunity to represent my country and achieve a Gold medal. Bumps along the way are minor compared with what happened to such a lovely girl who was too incredible and too young to die.