Well, I am glad that I decided not to start eventing until April this year, as we are just far too busy to fit any eventing in!
It feels like the build of the new yard, plus keeping all the horses here at home working and teaching lots is taking about 25 hours each day. I’m no genius at maths, but I think we need a bit more time in the day.
In the past week, we have managed to finally get out cross-country schooling on grass which makes it feel like spring is actually on it’s way. We had a morning at Aylesford Cross Country Course this weekend, which is only 5min down the road from us. The ground was fantastic and the horses really enjoyed it.
Then early this week we headed to Somerford Park Farm for a spin round their course. Again, the ground was amazing, which meant that we took Louie (Zero Flight), my 4-star event horse who was injured last year at Badminton (pictured top).
We were unsure last year whether he’d be ridden again, let alone jump a cross-country fence, so watching my working student Jess Schiach ride him round was heart-warming (see video below). We will be led by him as to how much he does, but his face clearly showed how excited he was to be out doing his job again!
I also moved my mares to some new spring grazing last week. Delphi (Quixotic) looks fantastic this year — she is due to foal in July and doesn’t look half her 19 years. We have brought Lux (Gentel Lux) back in from the field though, as we’d like to put her in-foal next month and she is looking far too well from a winter on grass. We keep joking that she is an Irish sport horse turned Suffolk punch!
The build here at home of the new yard is going well, but after seeing exciting things pop out of the ground — like a school and concrete for the barn and walker — this week watching loads of drains being dug and electric cable being laid for the new gates seems slightly less exhilarating. It doesn’t mean I am any less giddy whenever I get to show someone around though!
We are planning a new website too, so I will have a great place to exhibit the new yard to the world soon. Watch this space!
Lauren
