Talking Nonsense - Animals Are Hard

Okay, I've been putting off writing this one all the livelong day, but I can't put it off any longer.

Sometimes having animals is hard.

My life revolves around my animals, especially Woody because as you all know, horses can be really quite demanding creatures 110% of the time. Being his sole carer is so rewarding: he's always waiting for me at the gate in the morning, he whinnies when he hears my car coming and we have an amazing bond which allows us to gallop at large, solid fences, trusting each other to get safely from one side to the other. But being completely responsible for him also TERRIFIES me. Please tell me you can relate?

I have sole responsibility for his life and guess what, he can't tell me when something is wrong! I have to guess!! In addition to that, horses, and especially honest horses like Woods, tend to just keep on going if there is something wrong. If they've got a tight back, a saddle that's pinching them, sore teeth or a crappy unbalanced rider, they can often carry and try their best regardless. Horses are so blooming nice that they will allow us to sit in the saddle even if something is wrong, and honestly, that scares the living daylights out of me.

Woods has had a couple of really easy weeks riding because I felt his front left was ever-so-slightly short, and when I say ever-so-slightly, I mean the most minuscule difference. If you had never sat on him before you would never have noticed but I know him so well and I am so sensitive to his movements that I just knew/ am one of those hypochondriac mothers who is always worried. My physio came out, maintaining social distancing of course, and watched him trot up, gave him a feel then watched him on the lunge and agreed that there was a slight tightness in his chest but actually we had another problem. Me!

A visit from Woody's fav physio 

As you all know I've been chipping away at my miles for our Run To Blair charity challenge (full info here), and I've had aches in my body where I've never had them before, but the real problem has been my shins. It's official shin splits are a total b*tch AND because they are so sore, I pulled a muscle in my thigh trying to offload them, thus resulting in an extremely wonky rider! So the conclusion was that yes Woodle-doodle did have a little tight bit in his chest but realistically if I had a more cooperative, balanced body (or was just a better rider in general) it would really help him out a lot. The worst horse-mum of the year award goes to.... ME! Yaaay!

I've taken a week of running to rest and have been stretching, taping and icing my legs in the hope I can live up to the standard of rider Woods expects me to be/deserves. I'll report back whether he can cope with my complete and utter mediocracy - there is the chance he might trade me in for a better model, and who would blame him?

Before I go, I will return to my original point that having animals is hard, but it's harder to be without them (and you are about to learn why I was putting off writing this weeks column). Last weekend we had to make the heartbreaking decision to say our final goodbyes to our wonderful little cat, Heidi. She was 18 years old and since we rescued her five years ago she has been my noisy little shadow; always beside me or better still, wrapped around my shoulders purring away. I knew it was going to be hard when the time came, but I wasn't prepared for just how hard losing her would hit me. I've cried every single day since and honestly, I've just felt really, really sad all of the time. People say "it's just a cat" but she was everything to us and I feel genuinely privileged to have been able to fill her final years with happiness and love.

Me and my girl 

I won't go on any more because I don't want to ruin your Friday so to cheer you up, just think of the weirdest, loudest, more demanding noise you've ever heard a cat make and maybe even try doing out loud a few times to freak your husbands/wives/boyfriends/girlfriends/children out! That's probably pretty close to the noise that constantly filled our house - she was so funny!

Anyway, hope you all have a lovely weekend, those who are lucky enough to be back out eventing GOOD LUCK but most of all, enjoy every minute and stay safe.

That's enough nonsense for now, back to business...

Sarah x