Welcome to Wyvernskies

Welcome to Wyvernskies, the residence of Crazychickmia (also known as Amelia or Mia). This is my blog to detail the current comings, goings and latest events with my far too large a herd of four legged furry friends!

Just click “Wyvernskies” at the top of the page at any time to return to this news posts page.  In the columns on the right you will find profiles on all my pets, and just use the search feature at the top of the page to find their particular blog psts. Most photos will open up larger in a new window if you click on them!

I hope you enjoy meeting all my friends

Lakes & Craters Horse Trials

We arrived at Camperdown on Tuesday 1st December. Scaeffer’s parked the truck a little ways from the yards, planning to lead the horses over and tie them up while getting ready for classes etc. As Spud wanted nothing to do with tying up to the truck (or tying up in general) this meant I’d be saddling up in his yard. Luckily Mum and Dad were arriving Wednesday with our float, which was parked next to his yard and stored all my stuff in there!

Spud loves going on the truck. He was a bit hesitant the first time (first time he’s been on a truck since his trucking accident when we bought him) but after that he was happy to jump on, even at 4am in the morning when we stopped the let the horses off at the Caltex service station! Still not so keen on the float although he goes on, you can see he is unhappy about it.

Thursday was my first ever trot up. Spud is excellent to lead in that regard so I had no worries there. I was also really glad I’d packed plenty of clothes because it was FREEZING cold! I felt sorry (and laughed) at all the girls in summery frocks…

Friday was dressage day and I tried something a bit different with Spud. I worked him in the morning like normal, but when I resaddled to compete I didn’t warm him up at all – just walked and a little trot around, presented to the judge and went straight in (didn’t even do a full circle beforehand!). Spud stayed  alot calmer without the anticipating. So that’s when everything stopped going great lol. I heard a car horn and thought it was for me (so did Mum watching lol), so almost stopped then realised it wasn’t me, so lost my concentration so Spud got the wrong canter lead, so was “argh” over that and then…forgot the next movement! So then the car horn was for me…but Spud didn’t know any better. I also went to the wrong short diagonal marker in my walk, teach me to practice my test without ever running through without markers around the arena. Even with 12 penalty points we were still 23rd out of 26th! Not last! Hooray!

Spud all prettied for the trot up

Saturday was cross country day. Walking the course I didn’t feel terrified by any particular jump so that was a good start! The event is held next to a lake in the base of an old volcanic crater, the course winds around the outskirts of the golf course. It really is the most beautiful cross country course setting I have ever seen!

Spud warmed up his usual self (that is to say, an idiotic ratbag) but was good in the start box. For the first time I rode with my watch counting up rather than counting down. This required me to remember the minimum time (I don’t like numbers and my memory is bad at the best of times, as this weekend proved over and over again). The first two jumps of the course Spud was fighting and reefing as per normal but then he settled down into his rhythm.

Rather large rolltop we jumped!

As I’ve never made time pre novice I decided I was going to ‘go for it’, although I was a little concerned about Spud’s fitness as everyone had warned me how tough the Camperdown course is on any horse that isn’t fit enough with with the large hill. Well Spud cruised around the course and basically just flowed up the hill! Coming through the water (second to last jump) I checked my watch and we were good on time and Spud was still cruising and I was so happy to have made it around as easily as we had and as we were cantering to the finish line…

…i jumped the wrong jump.

Aaaaand anyway Spud vet checked fine so it was great to see our fitness program was on track, and I was allowed to showjump the next day which was fortunate. We had two rails, one was very unlucky he barely touched it and looking at our score we would have ended up 12th if I wasn’t an idiot, a big jump from 23rd.

In fact we were so fast cross country we almost came in under time – minimum was 5.19 and we crossed the line 5.20!

The beautiful cross country course.

Spud floated home well, and I drove through the Adelaide Hills which was pretty exciting. We arrived home Tuesday and Spud pulled up well, raring to go when I rode him Thursday. He’s going out paddock for a well earned spell now!

Visiting Wendy Schaeffer

After spending a great (although very hot) weekend at the Australian International Horse Trials, Mum and I had originally planned to travel back to Adelaide with Spud on the Wednesday. Due to the funeral of a family friend, and the continuing hot weather, we didn’t end up leaving Port Augusta until Friday 20th November.

Spud loaded straight onto the float and travelled easily. Mum drove the float with the Nissan while I drove my car down as well, to have as a run-around vehicle while I was staying with the Schaeffer’s. Axel came for the drive as well! We stopped at the service station in Dublin to get lunch and Axel was quite nervous of the traffic whizzing by on the highway!

Once we got to Wendy’s I had a dressage lesson in the afternoon. Mum was staying at a motel in Hahndorf, meanwhile Wendy’s grooms (Annika from Canada and Krystal from Kiwi) and I drove into Mount Barker to do some grocery shopping. Axel was left tied up in the shed, where he would have shelter from the rain.

Of course Princess Axel didn’t like this, so by the time we got back he had broken his collar and was sitting out in the pouring rain at the stables waiting for us! He was wet and cold and I ended up putting his bed just in the doorway to the unit so that he could dry off and warm up, silly dog. I had a jumping lesson the next morning, then Mum heading back to Port Augusta and Axel went with her.

On Sunday we went to Strathalbyn for showjumping. I had Spud, Annika rode Swish, Amarah took Paris and Wendy had Plugger (Lord of the Sun), Fred (Kirsyl Sun) & Sally (Not sure what her show name is). While walking the 110cm class I was quite nervous as the jumps were BIG! It was a great help walking the course with Wendy though

We didn’t have a fluent round (showjumping Spud never is!) and ended up having one rail. Still came 4th in a class of over 10 horses, and first time I’ve competed 110cm so was really happy with the result. I later competed in the D Grade, where although we had a better round we ended up with two rails. My first official D grade competition!

The next week was spent with a lot of dressage work, as well as some time out on the cross country course.

We were leaving Scaeffer’s on Sunday 30th November, as Wendy as visiting Jaimie Coman’s on the Mornigton Penisula for a few days. Six horses went on the truck – Fox, Dancer, Lia, Swish, Spud & Paris – and five humans – Wendy, Di, Annika, Amarah & myself. Wendy had lessons with Jaimie, and Lia stayed at his property while the rest of us packed back up and headed to Camperdown for the Lakes & Craters Horse Trials!