All Change

Not popped by for a while as it has all changed around here. My last visit was on a Monday, a couple of weeks back I think. I got a call from a job agency during the day for a temp job I had applied for. I had a phone interview that evening, and on the Tuesday I was told I had got the job, and could I start on Wednesday ! So I did and I am there on a 3 month contract. I'm doing project support work in an office about 40 mins drive from here. Not difficult work, but there is loads of it !

So I haven't ridden in a while, but here is a whole other story. My younger son went to do some cross country riding with Bev from the yard and some others. I went along to take photos. He was a bit nervous at the start but soon was having a blast. Then his horse, Shanks, reared and my son fell. But the horse had lost his footing in the mud and fell over backwards onto my son, and he couldn't get his footing to get up quickly, so he ended up rolling on him a couple of times more in the effort to get up. I cannot describe to you what it's like to see your 12 year old son screaming with a panicking horse on top of him. Shanks, bless him, got up and stood still but my son was in agony. He couldn't move his left leg and his ribs and chest hurt. Ambulance was called and the fab paramedic, Mark, was calm and reassuring and the major worry was my son's leg. He gave him gas and air, which my son loved and it helped him so much. Boot off, jodhpurs cut, no visible sign of a break. But into a neck brace and onto a backboard and into the ambulance still sucking on the gas and air. After declaring that he felt "so stoned" he had the mouthpiece taken away from him!! Paramedics, the doctor and nurses were all fantastic, so kind and caring, we really do have the best medical team in the world.

The important thing is that he was xrayed and there were no broken bones. Thank God. He was wearing a body protector which saved his ribs from being broken. There is no doubt about that at all. And a riding hat which prevented any concussion. He is bruised and sore, of course, and he has a hoof print on his ankle. But it could have been so much worse. So much. I thank God that he is ok, that he wasn't out on his own, that Bev was so calm, as was everyone, that the ambulance got there quickly, that the whole medical team was so fantastic, that my son is safe. And that the horse is fine too. It wasn't Shanks' fault. It wasn't my son's fault. It just happened. I am so grateful that the outcome was so good.

It's Easter weekend, so we have a long weekend which is just as well bearing in mind what has happened!

And as for getting the motor glider back from Sweden, that is proving more difficult and complicated due to plenty of circumstances which have cropped up which could not have been factored in at the start.

Kettle's on - coffee I think...

Still no luck

Still haven't got any further with getting a job. Will keep on trying...

Off to get some jodhpurs in a mo - I have only one pair as I was waiting to make sure I got on ok before I bought any more. I'm hoping to go up to the stables this evening when my son gets back from school and we can go in the indoor school together.

I must get going - I'm beginning to slip back into the habit of doing not a lot. Not a good place for me to be...

LATER.....

Ok so it's about 4 hours later and I did go out and buy some jodhpurs :) Nice chocolate brown ones which seem very comfortable.

Son got home from school and said he didn't want to go to the stables, and that I should go on my own, which is probably true. But I haven't tacked up completely on my own and I just wanted him to watch me and make sure I was doing it right. Not got a lot of confidence at the moment, again...... So I have just got on with getting dinner ready for them and I hope that I'm feeling a bit more confident tomorrow.

I'm ready

I'm up and in my jodhpurs, drinking coffee (of course). Just have to wake up my older son who has a driving lesson this morning and then I can go.

I'm quite excited, although I think I shall be making a right t*t of myself!

We'll see......