Lincoln Cathedral was a welcome sight after a nine hour journey. The two horses had travelled well but we could have done without the detour through Coventry city centre. We’d crossed the UK from one of the furthest points west to one of its most eastern most points and it was a relief to get to Lincoln showground. As soon as we had parked up we unloaded the horses and took them for passport check and stabling. Frank usually travels alone but on this journey he’d had a companion and was much more relaxed as a result – he hadn’t sweated up at all and I was pleased to see he’d eaten all his hay. I was asked if Frank was microchipped. ‘Er no…. I don’t think he is. I’m not sure’, I said, feeling a bit stupid. Well, he doesn’t have anything to identify him. Now Frank is one of the most unusual of colours – I think he may actually be unique … his passport indicates he is a bay roan and I have only ever seen one other horse who is a similar colour so I looked at the steward with some incredulity as it took a few seconds for the query to sink in. I was desperate to get my horse checked in, give him some water and get him settled down for the night as we were showjumping first thing in the morning – now someone is questioning my horses ID. WTF. Frank’s travelling companion was having problems too, not with ID but with vaccinations which were out of date. There was some question too apparently about the horse’s health as he was a bit rake like and had some rain scald. This fleabitten grey with a lovely gentle manner had been discovered as a last minute late replacement for one of our team members who was unable to make the championships due to being away on holiday. The horse had been prepared for the championship with some show jumping training, a rider had been found for him and he’d had some loading practice to ensure all went smoothly on the day of travel. I’d even bought some white plaiting bands for him, so all was good to go. No one thought to check his vaccination record. It certainly didn’t occur to me and I guess no one had checked with his owner – no one was to blame here it was just an oversight but a bummer nonetheless.
By the time horses were bedded down, haynets filled, water buckets carried, course walked it was getting dark and time for bed. Our first team member, Sarah was jumping at 0845 and my time was 09.22 . After mucking out the lorry I set out everything needed for the morning, cleaned my boots and then climbed up the luton into my bed of horse blankets and duvets Putting R4 on timed I fell asleep listening to some discussion about the age of Saturn’s rings…. before I dropped off I heard a horse gallop by the lorry then urgent voices shouting ‘which way did he go?’ I don’t know why, but this made me laugh and then I think I must have fallen asleep.
Its 5am and I’m awake… I reach over and switch the radio on. I slither down from the luton put the kettle on and have a pee in a bucket. The tea tastes wonderful with a dark chocolate ginger. I peep out of the window and see that dawn is breaking and there’s thick fog. It feels quite cold for September 2 – so, Autumn is here already. I pick up Frank’s breakfast bucket, throw a haynet over my shoulder, grab the grooming and stud kit basket and set off for the stables – some distance away. I notice that my left thigh is a quite achy and my knee feels stiff and sore. This would be from the long drive up here, partly due to the exertion of holding a 7.5 ton lorry on the clutch as we crawled across Coventry stopping and lurching from one set of lights to the next.
Oh well, Frank looks like he’s had a good sleep and is covered in horse shit all down one side. I regret not having put his nightie on. While he eats breakfast I put studs in. Every riders least favourite job so it feels good to get it done so early. A quick muck out and it’s a long trek back to the lorry to get tack. It’s 7am now and the rest of the team are stirring. I noticed on returning to the lorry that there were some parking spaces much closer to the stables and I decide to move. This was a good call and it didn’t take long for the rest of my team to follow. With Frank being a bay roan he’s almost completely self-cleaning – in that he’s every single shade of mud from wet to almost completely dry. The dark green horse shit however, took an aeon to sponge off….then there was plaiting. It is 08.30 now and time for me to get ready – my show jumping round is in 45 mins and I have to warm up.
I’ve been up for four hours now. I haven’t really had enough sleep. However, I’m starting to come up on tea and coffee and the adrenaline has perked me up somewhat. OK Frank, here we go, lets kick ass. Finding a warm-up area behind the stables Frank is very oingy boingy – broncing and squealing as we canter round and round trying to take the edge off. I jump off and remove my spurs – clearly won’t be needing those. He’s not listening to me, he’s coming up on his competition mix, feeling strong and wilful. It’s time to go over to the warm-up area and pop a few practice fences …. in fact I’ve left it a bit late, as he doesn’t feel ready yet, I feel we haven’t prepared for this… I look across to the arena – there’s thick fog and not all of the fences are visible. As we move into the warm-up area I can hear my team members… where have you been? we’ve been looking for you… ah and there is my sister and great niece Robyn. Oh I feel a bit anxious now. Our first team member has gone round and incurred 8 faults – oh shit, the course must be really tricky for that to have happened. I know there are some difficult related distances. Strides between fences will depend on how collected we approach them, is it four strides between the first part of the treble and the second or three….? where’s fence 11? I can’t make it out in the fog. Oh, the steward is calling me in … 789, 789 you’re next, you can go in now…come on Frank… I know you can do this…but the question is, can I?
Only Joolz and Horses 