Lately, life seems powered by coffee and filled with horse appointments. This week kicked off with yet another road trip—complete with my usual Starbucks stop and, of course, a puppuccino for Poppy—before heading over to Wales for Riley’s vet check with Claire Phillips from Wright and Morten. Riley still isn’t moving as freely as he should, and since Claire was visiting the Haerr family’s yard, the timing worked out perfectly. For those who don’t know, Morgan and Maddie Haerr are accomplished GB international dressage riders with an impressive list of successes.
A thorough investigation
Boss is a gentle giant
After the usual trot-up, lunging, and a thorough investigation, Claire diagnosed a problem with Riley’s stifle that would need treatment. She talked us through a few options, and we decided on Arthramid, which she was able to administer the same day. It will take around six weeks for the treatment to reach full effect, but I left feeling relieved—we finally had a plan that works for him and keeps our prelim dressage goal in sight.
As a petite rider, I’m often reminded why I stick to ponies—especially when I met Morgan’s gentle giant, Boss, who stands an incredible 18.3hh. To put it in perspective, I think Blackjack looks tall beside me at just 14.2hh, so standing next to Boss felt like being in the land of giants.
My favourite attributes in a cake
Since I knew that the drive to the Haerr yard took us past a charming tearoom in Llanrwst that we have such fond memories of, a stop for tea and cake was a must. Nestled beside the river Conwy in a picture-perfect spot, it was the ideal place to pause before our journey home—and with the sun shining, we were lucky enough to sit outside. The Victoria Sandwich cake was both delicious and huge, my two favourite attributes in a cake!
More Starbucks-fuelled journeys
Two more Starbucks-fuelled journeys were on the cards this week. The first was for an earlier-than-planned farrier visit after Blackjack decided to toss a shoe. I do prefer the appointments to fall on their proper due dates, but it’s always a pleasure catching up with our farriers from Total Equine Care—Sam, Russ, and Michael—who take such great care of my boys.
The second trip was for a day out at the LeMieux National Dressage Championships at Somerford Park in Cheshire. The weather, however, wasn’t on our side. Despite layering up, I was still freezing—and even the comfort of the LeMieux Pavilion couldn’t quite take the chill off. On the bright side, at least we stayed dry, which is more than can be said for the competitors braving the outdoor arenas. I’m already eyeing up a heated gilet for next year!
As Forrest Gump so wisely put it, “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.” And I think that perfectly sums up this eventful week.