In the snow
Work life
Well March has raced past and now the competition season is in full swing. Last week saw the first competition for 17 of the 23 horses at the yard. It was a busy three days, I think Franck jumped 36 rounds over the three days, pretty impressive. I work up a ‘glow’ riding one! I don't travel to any of the shows, I'm tasked with running the yard while they are away, which I love, I'm too old for all the stresses of competition now!
Because of the vast number of horses competing last week, many of them stayed at the show, coming back when they had finished. They were all very tired especially the four year olds, as it was their first party. So we had lots of sleepy ponies napping. What is the word when you give animals human characteristics, is it anthropomorphism? Well I’m sure they all looked very proud of themselves and seemed to shine a little bit more.
Sleepy ponies
I was very busy at the yard, but it felt great to be rushing around. The sun was shinning, horses were competing and I even had to plait a few horses! It's been three years since I plaited a horse and having never been a naturally gifted coiffure, to either horses or (as my daughter would no doubt agree) humans. But I was assured, by Ingrid and Franck alike, that it would come flooding back. So it was with sweaty palms and a time dead line (I had to fetch my daughter from school) that I completed my little task. And they didn't look too shabby, thankfully.
All the horses jumped well, some have really improved over the winter, grown up and seem to relish their job. There’s always plenty to work on but all in all it was a great show, lots of happy faces, horses, rider and owners.
Home life
Freddie, my son, has been enrolled in school for September. In France they can start nursery school at three. It has gone so quickly, he still seems such a baby and he will always be my little boy I suppose .. but school already. I didn't take him to meet the principle as is usually the done thing. I wasn’t convinced that there wouldn’t have been things in the office up-ended. I like to call him 'inquisitive' some would call it bad manners, but hopefully they will be able to channel his 'creative urges' at school. But it will mean hopefully, that I will be able to take on a few more hours at work.
Freddie enjoys the snow
It's a funny thing, with my daughter, I went back to work full time when she was 3 months old and that was a full competition groom, leaving very early and coming home very late. But I would not have changed anything, I loved it, but with number two I just couldn't manage it. My partner works away for three weeks of every month so I felt the children needed me at home a little more. Also I find it very hard to leave the yard if everything is not completely finished/perfect. I'm a little OCD, when it comes to the yard (I wish I was at home!) But now I have to leave, to pick children up, cook dinner, battle the whit of two 'lively' children. It’s a hard balance to make, but one that I'm sure all working mums are faced with. The age old question of ‘can women have everything?' As the product of a pro feminism, catholic, all girls school, I was taught to believe the answer is yes.
I'm not sure if the last paragraph is relevant to anything at all, but it's late and I've had a lot of coffee in the hope of completing my blog.
We have certainly had some snow
The weather
The start of March saw me feeling very rejuvenated after a two week holiday, which became three due to a massive amount of snow. It was amazing, we had five foot drifts. I'm sure if I had a yard full of fit horses ready to compete, I'd feel differently, but it was truly fantastic. The first day was howling winds, with snow, and bitterly cold, but just breath taking. It was the first time Normandy has been put on a red alert, for weather. My horses had to have their outdoor rugs over their stable rugs as the wind just pushed the snow through every gap into their stables, even Pongo, the Shetland had to be rugged up.
The next day saw the sun come out for a perfect few snow days which the kids, horses and dogs loved. Though oddly every carrot put on the snowman's nose disappeared, no names, Lennie.
Where did those carrots go?
However, I was grateful that my partner was home, to dig the car out and repair our ailing house, which didn't like the snow so much and responded by letting part of an outside mud wall fall down, scary stuff but luckily I'm 'married' to a builder … find the positives!
Till next time
Sarah-Jane
