Ah winter. Other people may rave about Christmas and crisp frosty mornings, but the reality for riders tends to be freezing on hacks, struggling to fit in rides with short daylight hours, and battling with mud.
Because non-horsey colleagues need a helping hand, we’ve compiled this handy guide for your muggle co-workers to help them understand your winter lingo…
1. It’s really tricky to fit in a ride once the clocks change (translation: I’ll be leaving early at least three days a week until spring).
2. It’s so cold at the yard in the mornings now (translation: please forgive the fact I’ll be arriving at the office with 14 layers on, I’ll go and remove them as soon as I’ve had a coffee).
3. My indoor showjumping show went on until midnight last night (translation: I am quite tired today, please don’t ask me to do anything difficult).
4. There’s so much mud in the field gateway (translation: I forgot my office shoes, so I’ll either be tramping dirt through the office — jodhpurs boots are chic, right? — or padding around in socks today).
5. I can’t wait for my local show centre’s Christmas show — I’ve been planning my outfit for weeks (translation: please don’t ask me to go away for work that week. I need to finish moulding my tinsel to the shape of my horse’s ears).
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6. I am so excited to go to the London International Horse Show on the Thursday night (translation: I’ll be hungover on that Friday because I will be spending all my money in the champagne bar).
7. The heater doesn’t work in my car, so could we take yours for that long trip? (translation: my car is a mobile wardrobe and tackroom for muddy, hairy clothing, rugs and numnahs — please don’t embarrass me by asking to get in it).
8. I clipped Silver at the weekend (translation: please don’t worry if little white hairs keep flying out of my clothing today).
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
