Chloe Chubb’s showing blog: Go away, winter!
After my last blog where I mentioned I thought my luck must have run out for the season it seems I was wrong and I still had a little luck up my sleeve!
I am now thrilled to say that my lovely Welsh section C mare Popsters Glamorize (or Bam as she is known at home) will be joining the boys at the Horse of the Year (HOYS) this year!
We had only chosen to do a couple of qualifiers with her this season as it was her first and I wasn’t sure she would be ready, however she has proved to us again and again she is happy and enjoying what she does.
After being placed in the few classes she has done so far we decided to take her down to the New Forest Show to have one last go.
It was certainly a girls day out with myself, mum and Jo heading down with just Bam. I love the New Forest Show but it isn’t the quietest and was probably, aside from Windsor, the busiest Bam had seen. But yet again she proved what a fab temperament she has, standing there quite happily watching the heavy horses and display teams go past.
After being pulled in top of her class she did a lovely mannerly show and after calling us forward in reverse order (always nerve-wracking) I was so chuffed to keep my first place.
What a season she has had! From novice champion at the winter champs to now an open HOYS qualifier. I am so pleased to get to ride her at HOYS. The last section C I rode at HOYS was Jacob so I am pretty excited to be back in this class and it will probably feel a little emotional too.
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Now comes the hard work though; the keeping of summer coats, the fitness regimes and the stressing!
I was also thrilled to hear that my old pony, Sabinas Stormy Fellow (Warwick), took the last HOYS qualifier of the season only six weeks after being gelded. What an achievement — I can’t wait to watch him at HOYS. I always get so much enjoyment from seeing ponies I had as novices go on and do well. Fingers crossed he can beat his fourth place from last year.
In the past week I have managed to sneak away for a short holiday, although it rained and I only got one day of sun!
As most people know with horses, going away can be the most stressful thing — leaving your ponies for someone else to do. My poor mum had lists for each of the three I have at home, especially Jacob whose coat I am trying to keep all the way to Olympia in December. I think she mainly followed the orders although she may have gone a little rogue on the rugging — I went away having a Dartmoor but have come back to find it replaced with a yeti! She did mention he had got to hot with his rugs on…
After a week off from riding it was straight back into it, riding five on my first day back. I can’t say walking into work the next day I felt particularly fit or awake after I got use to getting up around nine and having afternoon naps.
Also, what has happened to Autumn?! I can’t believe how dark it is getting already — it won’t be long until Jacob and I will be dressed up head to toe in fluorescents just to get a ride in before work. Fingers crossed this weather picks up a bit not — I’m not sure I can handle this the whole way through!
Chloe
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Chloe is a successful amateur showing rider and judge, who has been blogging on Horseandhound.co.uk since 2010. She mainly competes in ridden Mountain & Moorland classes with her team of ponies, as well as riding for other people. She lives in Kent and works full-time in London, so has to fit the ponies in around work.