RIP Ellesmere Poppy
17/10/1997 - 23/2/2016
Poppy and I at Carrum Horse Beach in 2009. She LOVED the beach!
Sadly this angel is now galloping through greener pastures, but she has left me with so many special memories. She would have turned 19 years old this year, and I like to think that the last 10 years that she's spent with me were pretty special.
At the beginning of January Poppy came down with an infection resulting in severe cellulitis in her left knee; two months of antibiotics and pain medication later and the inflammation was almost under control, but sadly she had secondary laminitis in all four hooves. She had some laminitic signs during her last pregnancy, and the aggression with which it returned now and the fact that it did not respond to treatment told us that we were delaying the inevitable and the hard decision had to be made...
Poppy and I the day before she was laid to rest, enjoying some carrots and reminiscing on the past together
Poppy came into my life in 2006, but before she reached me she had a life as an Interschool show jumping and dressage horse in Tasmania. This included winning the Tasmanian Dressage Horse of the Year as a 4 year old. Poppy was my second horse, and my first 'good' horse. My god she taught me SO much.
In 2007 she had to have colic surgery, which probably still remains two of the most stressful days of my life. She was so stoic though, and battled through and survived, despite the vets saying she had only hours to live had we not opted for surgery. She returned to work and we began working towards our first EFA eventing start.
Poppy and I before the dressage phase of the Mornington Peninsula Pony Club Horse Trials Level 2 in late 2007
Poppy and I in one of our first EA Horse Trials together
We made the transition from Pony Club to Equestrian Australia, and we were also introduced to a fantastic coach by the name of 'Carlos Campon-Allonso' who was the first instructor to give me a taste of jumping some serious fences and what 'real' eventing was all about...Safe to say I got the bug! We quickly progressed to competing at Pre Novice level. My confidence grew and so did my ambition...and in September of 2008, while jumping way too big to have not had a coach with me, Poppy (the honest bloody thing), tried to jump out from underneath a 135cm square oxer for me, resulting in a full rotational fall. Fortunately we were both physically relatively unharmed, but both of us suffered a decent knock to our confidences!
Poppy and I jumping a 130cm oxer in a lesson with Carlos in early 2008, before our accident.
In 2008, while at University I moved out of home for the first time, to a property in Whittlesea where Poppy could live at home with me! In 2009 I was introduced to another extremely influential coach, Megan Jones. Megan and I met through the Melbourne Eventing Team clinics in Victoria, and in late 2009 Poppy and I spent two weeks together at her property in the Adelaide Hills. I loved it there, and was given the opportunity to go back full time, which I jumped at! So in January 2010, Poppy and I packed our bags and made the big trip to South Australia again. Megan and I decided that it was time for Poppy to retire from her eventing career, as she was quite inconsistent in the jumping phases after our accident. So when we arrived in Adelaide, Poppy went in foal to Megan's stallion, Kirby Park Irish Friday.
Poppy, glowing and pregnant with Frida during 2010 (above) and Poppy and Frida on Frida’s Birthday, December 17th, 2010 (below)
11 months later, on December 17th, 2010, Poppy squeezed out Frida, a delightfully cute little black beastie who I am now extremely blessed to have under saddle and about to start her Eventing career. Over my two weeks break that summer, I got a photo of Poppy tattooed on my right calf - forever galloping forwards
A cross country photo from Wandin Horse Trials in 2008, which became my tattoo. Perspective is a bit funny because its wrapped around my calf. This tattoo was meaningful at the time, but now I couldn’t be happier that she’s forever galloping along, locked onto her next fence
I moved back to Melbourne, having finished my riding pupil position, in March 2011. Shortly later Poppy and Frida followed me home on a transport truck. I brought Poppy back into work and she was leased out to a lovely ARC dressage rider to show another rider the ropes.
Frida went out to a friend, Melinda's property in Bunyip to continue her growing, the same place where Poppy finished her journey.
In 2013 Poppy came home to me again and did a short stint as a riding school horse, being a beautiful teacher for my partner, Dave, to have a go on, as well as a number of other students of mine. Sadly Dave didn't catch the bug, so it was decided she would go back in foal and give me another eventer. So at the start of 2014 she went in foal to the lovely Grande Farnese and headed out to grow her baby at the property in Bunyip.
My parter Dave, having his second ever riding lesson on the lunge with Poppy on April 1st, 2013, learning to rise to the trot in balance with no hands. He’s one of those naturally coordinated people who just ‘gets’ physical stuff! Sadly he didn’t LOVE riding, so this adventure was short lived
On January 7th, 2015, Poppy gave birth to another gorgeous, healthy filly, Kiki. She absolutely loved being a mum, and was great at it. But what she loved most was eating! Some of her favourites were MacDonalds chips, the flavouring at the bottom of the shapes packet and carrots! Haha - such a total character.
Poppy and Kiki on Kiki’s Birthday. January 7th, 2015
I feel so incredibly blessed to have shared part of this gorgeous girl's journey, and although it was awful to have to make the decision to say goodbye, I feel fortunate we were able to do it at the right time, and that she spent the last few days buted up to the eyeballs so that she was comfortable and happy. I spent hours brushing her and feeding her carrots and maccas chippies, and telling her how special she was and how grateful I was to have her in my life.
I truly don't have the words to sum up the impact that this horse has had in my life, but I do know that she is now happy, pain free, and eating anything she can get her lips around with some of her special four legged friends over the rainbow bridge.
Poppy, Popswable, Poptart, thank you, from the bottom of my heart thank you for choosing me and for letting me learn so much from you, and for giving me two gorgeous fillies who show me so much of you every day. My heart is so full with all of the memories. I'll see you again some time.
