The Diary of a Cornish Eventer – My challenging Lola!

So it’s been a mixed couple of months for me and the horses. Sprite had a well-earned rest after Badminton and the Riding Club Championships. I noticed she was feeling a little tight in her back so I had the lovely Marvin the chiropractor out to see her and relieve the tension. We’re now enjoying a few easy weeks of mooching before bringing her back into to full work hopefully in time for a couple of events nearer the end of the season.

This has worked out quite well though as it has allowed me time to focus on Lola. I thought I would use this opportunity to tell you all a bit more about my challenging Lola.

I brought Lola as an unbroken 3 year old, I had never broken a horse before but with the help and support of great friends I can now say I have. The whole experience really opened my eyes especially as Lola wasn’t the most straightforward! She would often throw her toys out the pram and I had to face many battles… just to hack let alone anything else! We’ve come a long way, she’s now 7 and stands around 16.2hh. She’s very clever – too clever for her own good, you conquer one issue and she’d be ready waiting with the next! Admittedly these battles are very far and few between now and we’re all still in one piece so can’t be doing too badly, although I would have hoped we’d be a bit further on by now but then what’s the rush?! So far Lola has had quite a stop start go at eventing due to different reasons – focusing on Sprite or a good one was her attempting (but failing miserably!) to jump a 5-bar gate last year.

Although we have not had many successes I really do believe she’s very talented! We are just ironing out the creases at the moment, we keep having silly mistakes like a green stop XC or sack the jockey for jumping the wrong jump! It’s so difficult going from my amazing Spritey but I must remember Sprite wasn’t always so straightforward – she chucked me off the first day I had her! She would run out last minute and leave me jumping the jump on my own!

I have lots of events planned for the rest of the season and really hope to get Lola more consistent across all 3 phases and build on our partnership. 

Recently we very sadly said goodbye to our much-loved Molly, she’s left a huge hole in my heart and at the farm. It really does suck saying bye to pets doesn’t it? I have sooo many amazing memories with her that I will cherish forever.

We’ve had some very hot spells down here in Cornwall – my equestrian tan is looking better than ever!! All the hay and haylage has been done ready for the cows and horses this (dare I say it) winter. The smell of turned haylage has to be one of my favourites, it also resulted in me having some lovely fields to have a mooch and maybe the odd gallop around!

I hope you are all having a successful season and full-filling your dreams and ambitions for this year 🙂

Love Emily, Sprite and Lola