So it’s been 3 months and 2 weeks since my riders Birthday when I gave her the best present of watching a vet stitch me up whilst blood spurted everywhere…..she loves anatomy and has always said ‘I wish I could just see inside you to figure out what’s going on’ so who was I to deny her her wishes, especially on her Birthday!
After spending a long time in a big bandage, a longer time in a small bandage, a long time in a stable and a longer time in a tiny paddock I was relieved to hear I was healed and sound enough to go back in the big field. It was quite the self sacrifice letting my rider look at my anatomy and in hindsight she didn’t seem all that pleased so I have learnt that humans don’t always want what they wish for!
Over the months I’ve been trotted up and down and around around again in all directions on soft ground, hard ground, medium soft, moderate hard, wet ground, dry ground, big circles, smaller circles……I tell you they have been OSESSED! But I have been getting lots of hugs afterwards so I’ve upped my circle game and I now go round on the right rein without stopping and twirling around, which has pleased everyone, especially the vet that usually runs beside me while the other vet watches me, I’m not sure why he’s so pleased, I quite liked playing a bit of catch, dodge, chase with him.
Anyway onto the last 6 weeks, it’s happened, the day is finally here, I am the King, the conqueror, the supreme master…I got tacked up again!! Woop woop. I’ve been trying to get my nose in any headcollar when my human comes to the field for quite some time now but she just keeps telling me if I wasn’t such a fool I wouldn’t have to stay behind, quite ungrateful really as I did it all for her.
I have done the dullest 4 weeks of just walking, walking with two really long reins behind me, walking in circles with one long rein beside me, walking with a short rein up and down a big hill, you name it, I’ve walked it! In circles, straight lines, bending poles, over poles….I’m surprised she didn’t make me go under poles! Everytime I’d get tacked up I would hope this is the day she’ll get on and we’ll feel the wind in our manes and go for a gallop but no.
After 4 weeks of the dullest walking around ever I finally got a saddle back on and my human finally jumped on board, it turns out I’ve got a new saddle, actually an old saddle because that upstart Qantas has stolen my brand new lovely blue saddle that was bought especially for me. The saddle is comfy though and although not blue it will do for now, but I will be having words!
I shouldn’t have bothered getting excited, ANOTHER two weeks of the dullest walking but now with a human on board instead of attached by various lengths of rope. At least now I get to go out on adventures, I’ve been out with three different ponies from the yard, through fields and along roads, I remember roads being quite scary because these monsters with lights and wheels and big roars go past so fast but I’m over that now, I’ve been through a lot and I’m mature and sensible and brave and strong……apart from the pheasants, they come out of nowhere right under your nose, screaming and flapping and you just can’t be too sure it’s not something that might eat us, I’m saving us from an unknown harm, I have to rear and strike out to protect my human, she’s pretty ungrateful for my chivalry too….’Azid you dim-witted arab, a pheasant won’t kill you’ is about as much thanks as I get. But I have seen the humans in their tweed outfits with their doggie friends shooting these birds, herding them into the sky to rid the world of them so they must be pretty dangerous for humans to need guns to be around them. I’m going to carry on protecting us.
After an excruciating 6 whole weeks of walking I finally got to trot, wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped it would be….so I got straight to the cantering, tucked my nose into my chest to avoid the bit and had a good hooley around the school. My human told me that if I continued to behave in such an irresponsible manner I’d be back at square one, not sure where that is but by the tone of her voice it didn’t sound great, I haven’t cantered a stride since. Trotting consisted very much of similar drills to walking…….I’ve trotted up hills, around in circles, over poles (again not under but I’m waiting for it), done these things called serpentines, which quite frankly is just a fancy name for squeezing in as many turns as you can before you hit the other end. I’ve trotted fast, slow, with my nose in the air (my favourite) with my nose ‘in a lovely carriage’ according to one of the other humans I see around and with my nose sniffing the floor, my human thinks I’m stretching…..I’m just getting the reins back so I can regain control of the pace, ha!
Anyway I’ve got 4 weeks of trot and then we get to actually canter for real! I can’t wait! Apparently there are no plans after that because and I quote ‘You are a doughnut and there’s no point making plans with you as you’ll throw yourself in a ditch or something equally ridiculous’…….I’ll show her, 2021 is going to be my year to shine, I will be back out competing and everyone will love me again.
Beth Endurance 