It's been a slow start to the eventing season
Frustratingly, it has been a slow start to this year’s eventing season. As we all know, with horses there needs to be plans A through to Z when it comes to the events, clinics and outings you plan on attending but the last six weeks has felt like it’s been one thing after another.
I made the choice that Archie wouldn’t go to FOW, because he galloped around the 1* track there at Melbourne 3DE almost foot perfect and as my aim with him is to take him 2** as soon as I can I decided to preserve his legs. So I was looking forward to using the last six weeks as solid show jumping and dressage training - focus on his weaker phases. This would have been all fine and well, except that roughly two weeks after he returned to work, he had a sweat reaction that resulted in him coming up with painful pustules all over his body. They were pretty disgusting! He spent two weeks recovering from that and I couldn’t work him because the pustules were all over his back under the saddle. The upside was that because I couldn’t put any rugs on him, he was forced to stay inside and he learned to relax in the stables, something which is not an overly strong point of his.
Archie learning to relax in the stables in August while he was out with a skin condition.
As I mentioned in my last blog, Muz had his NS fetlock injected as we’d found a big spur in there and disappointingly we didn’t see immediate results. A week after the shot, he was still about a fifth lameness, but my vets reassured me that I needed to give him a few weeks to come good and completely adjust. So I kept lightly working him on the flat, keeping him in right flexion most of the time because it was when flexed to the left that the lameness became most apparent.
Now that he was back in work, he was out in the paddock as well, which was nice for him but .... Unfortunately Muz does not have a huge amount of self preservation when it comes to running around his paddock and he pulled the NS front shoe off,and in the two days it took my farrier to come out to put a shoe back on, he had managed to break a large portion of hoof away.
Fortunately though, we got the shoe back on,and I then had two rides over the following two days, which were brilliant - he felt sound, relaxed and back to normal - Yay! Then he pulled his shoe off again galloping around the paddock one night and he pulled some more hoof off with it. Horses!
So, Muz now lives in the yard! I feel kinda bad about it, but he is much better off where he can’t do anything dumb to himself! He gets worked in the morning, goes out to the paddock for a few hours for a graze and then comes back into the yard in the afternoon when it’s dinner time. He’s getting used to the routine and he hasn’t been able to pull his shoe off again, because he can only manage about three or four canter strides before he gets to the next fence! Then on the days where he doesn’t work, he just gets extra hay and has to stay in the yard.
In the last week or so I’ve had the flu, so haven’t been riding, meaning the ponies have had yet some more time off! Frustrating, but I feel as though once I’m back in action (hopefully soon - I’m much less dizzy and fever-y today!) then we’ll be all systems go!
Both the boys had a treatment from the physio, Katrina Varcoe-Cocks, last week as well, and they’re both feeling super and ready to roll with the season. First comp up will be Avenal HT, where unfortunately Muz missed out on the Preliminary section, because the entries filled so quickly, but Archie is all set for a 1* start there.
Archie looking super spunky in his brand new double - and feeling fantastic too! Bring on a 2** start soon!
The other horses I have in work and for sale are going well, in particular I’ve been impressed by the chestnut horse, LazyBoy’s progress. Six month ago when he arrived he was like a sulky teenage boy - didn’t want to be told what to do in the slightest but he’s become quite a fun horse to ride now. He knows his job and where he stands with life the universe and everything and I’m now getting a sense of his true personality, underneath the original sulk, which has gradually lifted as he realized he was going to have to come to the party. Hopefully he finds himself a super home really soon - he’s going to make a great horse for someone!
In other, non-horsey news, since my last update, I have launched a new webinar and a new product in my business! These are both super exciting, new ways for me to chat to and help more people. I mentioned last time that I was a little bit disenchanted by the fact that there are only so many hours in the week and therefore how many people I can help when I am doing only 1:1 coaching. The webinar is called “The Champion’s Edge: 6 Keys to Unlocking a Champion Rider Mindset” it’s all about helping people get their headspace on their team, rather than working against them, as many people feel that theirs is. It’s also completely free, and I got some awesome feedback from the first time I did the webinar a few weeks ago. I’m going to run it regularly, so that I can continue to grow the reach of Think Forward Coaching (TFC - My business).
The product that I’ve created is called ‘The 6 Week Rider Transformation’, and is an all online course that guides riders through an overhaul on 6 of the key areas that influence our riding results. It’s exciting to have a product available for people who aren’t yet ready to go into 1:1 mentoring, or people who just want to get a taste for coaching and the tools - they can get access from the comfort of their own lounge room, and they tap straight into videos and downloads from me to guide them through that week’s content.
The 6 Week Rider Transformation and what’s covered!
I’ve also FINALLY got my hands on the little 2 bedroom flat on the property here where I live. For those of you who don’t know the story, in January this year I moved onto the property where I live now because my friend, who owns the place, said the guy who was living in the little 2br apartment hadn’t been paying his rent and was going to have to leave soon. So I moved into my friends spare room, with the expectation that I’d be in there for a month or so while the other guy moved out. Roughly two weeks after I arrived, the guy who was living in the 2br apartment came up with a heap of money for all of his missed rent meaning I’ve been living in my mate’s spare bedroom since January.
Now this isn’t too much of a drama, we’ve been friends for years and haven’t had an issue living together, but I am well and truly ready to have my own space!!!
‘Resurrecting’ the flat is going to be an adventure as the person who has been living in there for the last year or more has been … well … a slob … to put it nicely. Here are some photos of how it’s looking now....
The kitchen
The lounge - a bit scary right now!
My 'office'
The bathroom ... complete with bath and sink!
My soon-to-be Bedroom!
It definitely needs some TLC, but I can see the potential and I'm SO excited to have a space to call my own! Hopefully in a month’s time I’ll have the ‘After’ photos to share with you!
Lastly, I am excited to welcome aboard my new groom, Catherine! The girl who was working for me previously wrapped up to start a full time role. Catherine is an aspiring eventing rider, who actually agists her horses at the property where I live, which is thoroughly convenient! She has just purchased the super horse ‘Flying Fish’ from Hamish Cargill in Sydney, and is looking forward to some intro starts with him later in the year. Welcome Aboard Cat!
Catherine with her previous horse, Galahad!
Anyway, I hope that you guys are all having a much smoother start to your eventing season than I am! Looking forward to seeing you all out and about there in the coming weeks and months.
Best Riding,
Nicole
