Blood, sweat and tears

Moving on, moving up

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 17:11:54 -0500

So uni has been finished and done for 7 months now - and somehow I managed to pass with a 2.1 (yay).

After spending a summer indulging myself in all things non-horsey and generally having a relaxing time planning adventures around the world, none of which have come to pass, I managed to get myself a job in Sussex. The job is pretty awesome - it’s a mixture of being a farm-hand, and a groom/rider. The farm side consists of pure bred Texel sheep, some commercial ewes and the new addition of rabbit sheep (can’t remember their proper names but they look like rabbits!). We also have a herd of cows and 4 pigs ( one of which is in pig and we are awaiting the arrival of her babies).

Now on to the yard side of the job. With a total of 25 horses dotted around the place there is always plenty to do, whether it be running around the fields trying to sort their winter rugs out, or having a wrestle with them over who is the one meant to be being hosed! Of the 25 total we have 7 in full work, 6 of which are being prepared for the coming eventing season, the last a very handsome and gentlemanly hunter. Aside from the day to day care of the horses I am lucky enough to be trusted with the schooling and competing of the majority of the horses.

After the joys of the Christmas holidays all the horses have been feeling rather fresh the past few days, however hopefully I have managed to get on top of this as we are taking three of them show jumping tomorrow, 2 of the younger horses and one newly arrived. Fingers crossed they all behave and tomorrow is successful!

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Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:50:18 -0400

textsfromdog:

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:36:00 -0400

textsfromdog:

19 DAYS LEFT OF UNI -still 10000 words left to write of dissertation -2 presentations -5000 words...

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:12:00 -0400

19 DAYS LEFT OF UNI

-still 10000 words left to write of dissertation

-2 presentations

-5000 words in two separate essays to go

THEN I’M FREE

live-loud-smile: all day everyday on We Heart It....

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:49:41 -0400

live-loud-smile:

all day everyday on We Heart It. http://weheartit.com/entry/7991371

baking a cake, fajitas and housework - all terribly important things to distract me from my...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:40:09 -0400

baking a cake, fajitas and housework - all terribly important things to distract me from my dissertation! :D

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Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:47:29 -0400

so much love

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:27:40 -0400

so much love

There is NOTHING more boring or confusing than statistics. Currently have my head stuck in a book...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:24:55 -0400

There is NOTHING more boring or confusing than statistics. Currently have my head stuck in a book trying to understand the theory behind tests for association and how this applies to accepting or rejecting hypothesis.

On a brighter happier note…this week I have bought, 2 dresses, 1 top and 1 pair of shoes <3

Also seen Mearkat and the girls from the yard, lots of gossip about the old yard and the delightful people that are working there…

Feel like sailing away on a boat into the middle of the ocean, 27 days till I’m free (Y)

Nick, stop copying Russell!

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:43:27 -0400

Nick, stop copying Russell!

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Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:37:41 -0400

Mr Scruff at Bestival <3

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:03:00 -0400

Mr Scruff at Bestival <3

Almost a whole year...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:01:16 -0400

Ok, definitely not very good at this sort of thing. Basically a whole year has past since I last posted anything.

In June last year I moved out of the Manor - the student house I was living in in Brighton - and into a flat at Faircote Stud, the farm where the yard I was working at was based. The summer was full of very hard work settling in to the new yard, getting to know the area and getting to know everyone who already lived and worked there. (It was also a lot of fun)

After a few awful grades at the end of the second year I had to do some re-takes, one of which I completely mucked up on and failed for a second time (note to anyone who thinks that Immunology sounds like a good idea - ITS NOT!!) Anyway, once that was all sorted and over with I snuck off for a week of cider, music, sunshine and glorious friends at Bestival, best week of the year by far. The highlight of the festival had to be trying to walk around the site with a sandwich board of one of Mr Scruff’s characters on - I became a walking egg, and it was extremely difficult manoeuvring through people while wearing it - a picture will follow to give you all an idea of the effort involved, not only in making it but also wearing it!

Following this wonderful music extravaganza it was back to the reality of work and uni. Third year was, and still is, a shock to say the least!!

The idea of working alongside uni was a brilliant one, in theory, but unfortunately it all became a bit too much for me to cope with, so I was forced to give up work, and therefore the flat in which I was living. So at the beginning of the second semester I found myself with a mountain of work, homeless in Brighton and skint, HAPPY DAYS!

Since then I haven’t made much progression.. I am still homeless in Brighton, the majority of my studies are now taking place in my bedroom in Somerset, with weekly trips to Plumpton to attend lectures and hand in work. I am slightly more on top of the work, although the realisation that in a months time my dissertation is due in (all 12,000 words of it) is slightly terrifying… I am still fairly broke - the latest edition of the student loan is helping to a certain degree, but my overdraft is still looking all toooo close to the limit!

On a better note, I have been lucky enough to do some work for my old boss, which has included schooling and a small amount of competing, a large number of her horses, including the all important Alfie (or It’s Alf) who is the most gorgeous point to pointer. Other than doing canter work with Alfie, I felt incredibly privileged to be allowed to ride, and jump Coco, a very exciting 5 year old warmblood, who is hopefully going to skip around the show jumps and become a superstar!!

Along with this Steph and I took a brilliant day trip to the Cheltenham Festival (I only missed two lectures for it!) and were treated to an all expense paid three course meal with complimentary champagne and wine - all very luxurious!! Another exciting event that happened this week was the birthday party of the yard matron, Fern, who turned 30 years old. I should probably explain Fern is a retired thoroughbred who has been with Steph for 7 years and truly runs the yard!!

That has pretty much summed up the past year, and this will become a more regular occurrence (I will try my hardest!)

Massively looking forward to attending Badminton Horse Trials, its always a good day out, and is going to be a welcome break coming only a week before the dissertation is due!!

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Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:03:24 -0400

missing the manor!?

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:52:01 -0400