Sooooo?. Great news! Katie Prudent is in England!!! The Europeans have been going on in Windsor and she had a student competing. She is going to come up to Laura?s barn on Sunday (tomorrow) morning and help me with Laura so that we can have a good game plan for Burghley. YAY!
We headed up to Newmarket at 8:30 am and were on by about 10. Arthur was full of it to say the least!!! He had a hard time settling for his trot in the beginning. There was a golf course in the middle of the grass track we were trying to trot around… he was equally mesmorized and terrified by the people playing golf. Buck & his horse, Regie, helped to settle Arthur somewhat, but we ended up having to go to a seperate area to finish our trot. The gallop was beautiful, and the polytrack surface we galloped on was fantastic. Arthur was good, but he did not like the girls watching from the stand and every time he went past them he spooked off the track… not too fun for me!!! In the end , he had a grand time & he is certainly fit enough for Burghley.
When we got back to Laura’s farm we had our typical routine of post gallop icing his legs and feet. Then Arthur got to go out in the field for a while and later on he had a session with the physio-therapist. He LOVED the physio. He acted like a dog enjoying getting his belly rubbed. He was so clearly enjoying his massage & body work he was cracking us all up. He kept trying to groom anyone he could get his lips on!
Twas a long day at the barn. Karen, Max, Libbi & I went to the cutest pub down the road from the barn for dinner. A really fun traditional pub in the country. Good food and beer, soccer playing on the tv with an enthusiastic crowd watching with all the importance of the world!
I can’t wait for tomorrow! Diane — the fairy godmother — arrives & a lesson with Katie P!
The American riders checking out the gallop from the viewing stand... looking very serious.
Becky & Karen having a Titanic moment!
American grooms: Hilary, Shannon, Max, Libbi & Aubrey... can you believe Arthur would spook & run away from such a fine bunch o' girls?!?!
Regie doing his best to keep Arthur settled... note: legit scary golfer types in the background!
Trotting down to the start of the gallop.
Arthur's runout, definitely not on the poly track at this moment!
Time with the Physio... looks like she's teaching him how to shake!
