Admittedly I should of probably introduced you to Ruby alot sooner than almost 8 week into our partnership but time has just flew by! I mean how are we nearly in February?!
Ruby arrived on the 23rd of November, after a 4 hour journey North. I don't think I've ever been as nervous waiting for a horse! It was like waiting for my practical assessments at uni. The realisation after loaning for the few years before I took a break from horses and then having a loan afterwards probably made it that bit scarier. She was actually mine, my name will be on the passport, my money bought her and even if she came off that box completely psycho and I'd spend my entirety battling with a demon the bay mare is now mine. The deal is done.
Luckily she arrived in one piece and came off the box like the sweet , slightly sassy mare I'd viewed the week before and instantly her adorable face eased all my anxiety and I just felt at home with her. Just like I had when I saw her for the first time. Theres just something about her that makes me feel good inside.
Having evented and done pony club activities etc in the past Ruby settled in her stable for the night , happy as larry. Obviously not phased by travelling or staying over somewhere new! Seen as though she's used to being out and about we hacked out with two others the next morning. A little jiggy and excited to start with, I think she was ready to be out of an XC box and not for a Sunday morning stroll round the lanes but settled down and took everything in her stride.
Fast forward a few week of exploring alone and in company, lots of pampering and bonding sessions, lunging, stretches, feed changes, 8 saddles tried on, dentists, farrier visits, alot of wind and rain putting any chances of arena work out of the picture and a whole load of photos filling up my phone we are now pretty much 2 month into the Meg and Ruby partnership and I can honestly say she is worth everything. The money, the time, the worrying, the trying to not get muddy before work, the trying to fit running a small business around my full time job to make sure she can have all the luxuries, every last thing she is worth it all and I would give her the world.
Now obviously to many she's just another bay mare, there's nothing too flashy about her she's got no big white socks, no fancy colouring , not even a little star on her face but thats the thing with horses isn't it. They can be the plainest looking horse and yet have oodles of personality , the biggest of hearts (and ears) and just make a human complete.
Our goals
I've been asked recently in a Q and A what our goals are and the good thing with goals are they are flexible and I think the main thing for me is that I just want to enjoy her. I have goals to work towards but I don't want to ever let that get in the way of having fun and enjoying life with her.
My main aim will be to get back into dressage. Admittedly I'd rushed ahead a little and planned on trying to get a few competitions in February but with weather causing an arena to assemble a muddy pond and the realisation that first we need to build her condition I've decided to hold off looking at comps for now and focus on the basics first.
She's lacking in muscle especially over her topline and saddle area, being quite sore along her back so we've changed saddles after trying 8, and are on week 6 of long, low stretchy lunge work. We've been hacking too and if the weather stays ok we will be beginning the ridden schooling this week as lunging has been going well, her toplines building nicely, her feet have been reshod shorter to allow her to stretch more, the dentist came last week and she's transitioned on to Pure feed condition and linseed to help maintain her condition and weight.
As you can imagine being the end of January when it feels like the longest wait till pay day ever, Ruby's dinner definitely looks alot more appealing than what I've been taking to work! Not to mention having to kit her out in a new wardrobe while I'm riding in 6 year old, slippy soled, broken zip, holey cracked leather long boots!
We hope to get back into schooling, get some training fitted in with an instructor and maybe plan for some basic tests come March/April. We've also kindly been gifted a dressage anywhere online dressage test entry to review as part of the NFU countryside magazine tried and tested column thanks to Rhea Freeman's social supercharged riders course so I'm looking forward to be able to compete at home, get some feedback before we venture out to a venue and spend on hiring transport!
As a longer term aim in the next 6 month I'd love to do some ridden showing, possibly working hunter classes and if I'm feeling brave maybe some hunter trials too but ultimately I just want to have a fantastic time, grow our partnership and in the words of Hiho silver 'be all you can be'.
Goals are brilliant motivators but it's so easy to get hung up on set backs or failures, see them as changeable goals, take little steps and eventually you'll meet the end goal even if it's not what you initially set out to achieve.
I hope you enjoyed reading about our journey so far, I guess I didn't share too much about her facts wise (she's 16.2hh, ISH, 14 year old bay may) but you can probably see I'm compeltely in love with her and cannot wait for what the future holds.
I hope to share more soon, Meg x
