Photos courtesy Kellie Troy Photography
Billy Sparkle Pants (BSP) and I had our first full lesson back at our local Adult Riding Club last month. I arrived at the club early and prepared him under a dark, grey sky. Fortunately the rain held off as I tacked up and I mounted and began a nice and relaxed 30 minute warm up. I have to admit I was nervous about him being in a lesson for an hour as he’s lost so much fitness since November and his recent work with me, has only been walk and trot for about 45 minutes each time. I don’t want to rush things and hurt his leg again. He’s too important to me.
Once the lesson started I advised the instructor, who we’ve had a few times before, about his leg and off we went. Gosh it was hard work for BSP and for me; for me because I had to keep pushing him to keep him forward and for BSP because he’s so crooked and tight. Having been riding other horses in the interim, I have really come to notice just how hard all of the work we do is for BSP. Several people have told me I should look for a younger horse, but I just know that there aren’t many people out there like the Burgess Family who have become such an important part of my life and who have supported and encouraged me unconditionally. Who do you know that would let you take their horse, car and float away to the far ends of the State for the weekend? I don’t know anyone else that would give me that opportunity! Plenty of people have offered horses for me to ride, which is great, but I want to compete and get out there and improve. I can’t compete or train at clinics on someone else’s horse because I can’t get the horse to the events. So it’s really a rock and a hard place. You just have to do the best you can with what you have, right?
Towards the end of the lesson the instructor asked us to ride 15m circles so after a few attempts, I called it a day as the others wanted to progress to canter, so we thanked her and moved to our own space where we cooled down.
Last weekend I went to BSP’s house and we cleaned out the feed shed and placed down new pallets for the hay and then we moved out to the paddocks and worked on fencing and some weed removal before we had a huge bonfire.
I’ve also been doing some more diving and completed two 18 metre dives out past Port Phillip Heads with the Academy of Scuba. I can tell you it was very interesting doing a giant stride off the boat into the ocean that day! I almost had a brown wetsuit! Ha-ha!
I’ve been working on a new project that I have had a dream of doing for a long time and I need something new to focus on so I am setting up a foundation.
The Walking Forward Disaster Relief Foundation
Together. WorldWide. We are assisting those in need with psychological first aid, building stronger resilience before, during and after a disaster and helping you and your community with disaster preparedness and recovery.
In the future, we will be asking for spontaneous volunteers to register with us. This is for people who can’t or don’t want to volunteer full time, but want to help when disaster strikes. You may be able to offer one or several hours a day or week or month. Perhaps you can feed and walk pets, mind children, assist with business administration or gardening and so on. Of course, you will need to undergo a full police and working with children check prior to being deployed.
I've been a volunteer firefighter for 10 years and helped during Black Saturday which was Australia’s worst Natural Disaster and other campaigns. I've been studying emergency management on two scholarships (one of which I completed in November 2013 with a High Distinction) and the other, an Advanced Diploma in Public Safety (Emergency Management) of which I have two subjects left to complete.
Please feel free to join us and share your own stories and for tips on what to expect psychologically if you’re caught in a disaster, how to prepare and where to go for help with recovery.
My graduation for the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) Darley Leadership Scholarship is on July 12th at Flemington. I am very happy as there will be horses around as well that day.
I am in the process of setting new equestrian goals for the year as my competition calendar is very light on with the setback and I hope that now I can refocus and continue with my own education with riding as well as really learning more on how to help BSP to keep going as he gets older. I am not sure there will be much eventing this year and I am REALLY missing it and the show jumping as well!
I also have been given the opportunity to go interstate to ride a horse at a mock show in June and I can’t wait. I will report on that in my next blog. J
Until next time,
Dream, Believe, Focus, Achieve – if there’s a set back, refocus and go again!
Love Jenna and BSP xoxo
