Since my last blog, we joined many other riders from NSW (and probably other states) at SIEC. What a fabulous facility it is. Yes it comes with a price tag, but I’m sure like other, we are prepared to just suck it up for the opportunity to ride over a course that is well looked after, and run by another dedicated committee. I just wish I wasn’t getting ready for my dressage while others were enjoying the drinks in the tent while the 2* did their show jumping! Astro did a great test, and scored really well. Especially in the moment that I loathe, the trot circle while lengthening the reins. I got a 7 which was great as it had a coefficient of 2 – since I didn’t actually do it. I forgot, and so it seems did the judge! Yippee! I was in 12th place after dressage – WOW this hardly ever happens, but strange though it may sound ever since I’ve got my new Spooks jacket I’ve been placed! When I realised that I’d left home without it, my wonderful hubby piled all the kids in the car and did a mercy drop off, so that was well worth his while.
However, all the anticipation of going around cross country and potentially getting a ribbon was thwarted by Astro getting colic on Sunday. Poor pony wasn’t a happy man, so once we got the all clear from the vets, we took him back to Canberra. The journey back became somewhat stressful when we stopped in Goulburn to let him stretch his legs and have a pick of grass, when the colic began to flare up again, and we tore down the highway to the vet with him thrashing around with the float rocking with his pawing. Luckily, he was able to be treated with more meds and a stomach tube full of laxatives and he recovered well. Sunday wasn’t a day I’d like to repeat again in a hurry!
The weeks menu was planned so I didn't have to think about what to cook
Since SIEC, it’s been action stations getting ready for the event here in Canberra this weekend. We’ve had some nice rain over the past few weeks and the course looks lovely and green. Entries are down a little, which is a little disappointing, but on the upside at least we don’t have to build so many dressage arenas! I’m riding at our event too, which is probably a little silly, as I’m not quite sure when I’ll fit in plaiting etc, but I usually find someone to at least wash him for me (fingers crossed). Getting the draw out was a little stressful, I worked on it for hours formatting it and posted it without putting arena numbers on it, proving that at 11pm my brain really doesn’t function that well if I’ve been awake since silly o’clock. Hopefully everything runs well and I don’t feel like I’ve been hit by a truck afterwards, but I do need to get organised and do some more washing so that everyone has some clothes by the weekend.
On the home front things are pretty much the same, Laura reminds me frequently how proud I am of her for being able to use a toilet now, and she is in a big bed too. My baby has grown up it seems. So it’s time to get rid of the cot, I sold her highchair the other day, and got enough money to buy a second hand breastplate which is great – as my other one broke at Jindabyne while show jumping – dangerous sport that!
That’s pretty much it from me,
Your slightly over dedicated event secretary from Canberra!
