The Netherlands team lorries arrive at Lavender Hill
Having decided in my last blog to get on with life as an eventer – I failed to mention that I was incapacitated following the arm plate-screw-stitch extravaganza. This has entailed a lot of sitting around with my arm stuck up on a pillow, getting very bored and generally driving everyone completely bonkers by trying to do things I was not supposed to be doing.
Dans new mate - a pheasant
However this month has been an excellent month to be an invalid– just when we thought it had stopped raining it rained, rained and rained a bit more – washing out practically every event in the UK (again). Furthermore, we had the USA event team based at Lavender Hill prior to their final team selection at Barbury and all the way up until the day they left for Greenwich. And just when you thought it couldn’t get better – the Dutch and Spanish dressage team arrived. There is nothing quite like watching Edward Gal train every single day for a week! Let’s just say that my decision to not take up dressage had a wee re-think during that week … before I managed to snap out of it.
The things you do whilst waiting to be able to get back on a horse
Another excellent aspect of my month off has been the plethora of international events that have been taking place and screening on TV. Never before have I watched so much horse sport on a screen – and amazing horse sport it was. We had two Hickstead shows (including the Derby and Eventing Grand Prix) and Aachen CHIO before moving onto the business end of things at Greenwich for the Olympics.
I will make only brief comment about the Olympics as I’m sure there are far more qualified people out there who have had their say. But from a New Zealand aspect I was seriously thrilled for our team who all rode so spectacularly well. Equally I was disappointed for the Australian team who had promised so much but who didn’t quite make the podium. Watching cross country here at Lavender Hill in a living room full of eventers (and three past Olympians!) was an experience in itself, and honestly it was no wonder that Campino was a wee bit tired at the end underneath Mark Todd, because everyone in our living room was riding him as well!
Just before the Olympics began I made my grand return to riding with the help of my ‘younger sister’ Clare Anderson, (pictured above) who came to stay with me on the way home from her OE. She very kindly bought an exceptionally bouncy Dan back into work after a two week holiday and I accompanied her on Gus (Mythical). Gus has been a UK resident for just six weeks and in that time has been clipped, beautified, stuffed with feed and ridden by Blyth up until quite recently. He is a lovely individual, quiet and sweet and did one intermediate in New Zealand before I bought him up here. He has some pretty huge Sugoi-size boots to fill but I am confident that he will turn into a really serious horse for the future.
Gus and Dan heading out for my first ride back
Now that I am back on board I have spent a lot of money doing entries for multiple events on both Dan and Gus who are going to be the most experienced Pre-Novice and One Star horses in the whole world by the end of the year. I am very excited to get back out there! As I write this it has started raining again … oh well never mind, the Olympic Showjumping is on TV!
Gus is ready for some cross country schooling
