14/09/2026
We all headed to the EGB SW Camelford Ride yesterday up on Bodmin Moor, although this time we weren't riding together. I have wanted to try an 80km ride with Missy for a while now (one of my goals for this year!), Zara does too but we didn't want to put Mister under too much strain since his little unsoundness, he needed easing back gently. Now I'm not a fan of taking all the horses to the same event but doing different rides, as they're quite attached to eachother - it could be a recipe for disaster but I really wanted to take the opportunity to ride an 80km ๐.
There were 5 of us entered in the 80km, Tanya & Kelly from Tregony Endurance, Lesley from Firebird Endurance, Julian & myself. For three of us, this was our first 80km & only 1 horse had done an 80km before! We decided to all ride together, to get eachother around, which I'll forever be greatful of ๐, this is one of the things I love about Endurance, the team spirit! Zara & Rich were doing the 40km together.
We arrived a little later than planned, I worked a 12 hour shift the day before & we'd had a busy day on Friday with Cerseis grading (another post to follow) but wanted to check everything was packed in the lorry, good job I did as a few items weren't ๐. It's only a 30 minute drive from home but time creeps away with you! Missy pretty much unloaded & went straight into the Vetting but all was well. I tacked up, then Zara & Rich Vetted before I was due out, all ๐.
The weather was miserable, thick fog, Cornish Mizzle and rain ๐ง, I was really questioning my life choices ๐. I hopped aboard then headed to the start, Missy was not happy to be leaving her mates, she was wound up like a spring, I kept her walking just wanting to get going but we were held as the fog had dropped again & you couldn't see from one marking flag to another.. We were then told to dismount & to wait until marshals out on course said it was ok... I won't lie, I was hoping we would be downgraded as time was ticking by & the weather was dire!! Zara & Rich tacked up in the meantime.
We were then given the go ahead to ride, I hoped aboard & we set off, Missy was a bit sticky but not too bad, once we were out of the field she was fine. We all took turns infront, opening & shutting the gates, taking it steady, cantering when the going was good, walking through the sticky or stoney patches, chatting to eachother which made the miles roll by. I had been worried that Missy would be naughty cantering in a group, she did buck once & was a bit strong but manageable, although she was really fussing with her head, leaning at times which made her unbalanced, so tripped as she wasn't paying attention, she wasn't herself ๐, then the rain got heavy & we were all soaked through. I was honestly thinking of stopping & elevating at the vet gate when Lesley gave me a talking too ๐, so I said if Missy passed I'd continue. We'd agreed to all vet & go out together again. The venue arrived & a quick untack, wipe down & Vet. Just as I went into Vet, Zara & Rich came in & Missy saw them, what awful timing - the neighing & barging started ๐ I apologised profusely to the Vet & beckoned Rich over quickly! She settled enough for the Vet, she passed ๐๐๐.
The hold time commenced, I wiped her down a bit more, rugged & fed her, whilst sorting out a dry numnah & I decided to put her bitless bridle on. Then off we went again, a bit sticky on leaving but much more settled in her bitless bridle, I was just hoping I'd have some breaks๐ค. The weather improved, we rolled along nicely, met with crew at crewpoints, Julians' wife Ally kindly crewed me but Missy decided she liked Scouts drink better (as they do, other horses feed is much nicer ๐).
A few times my breaks were sketchy, which worried me slipping on the wet grass but we survived! Moo stopped a few times like she wanted a wee but nothing, which again worried me, I was thinking is she tieing up ๐ซ, she grabbed a bite to eat then caught up with the others! She wasn't too pleased on the final little loop heading away from home again when she could have just gone home, pretended to be afraid of the marshals quad - good try Moo ๐, we had to catch up again! After the Roughtor checkpoint she knew she was heading home - all the ponies did, they all flew back, Missy still pulling! Tanya thought it'd be lovely to trot across the finish line holding hands - very optimistic seeing 3 wouldn't have hold of reins ๐คฃ, so we decided just to go in a line! Back in the field Missy clocked Mister, it was like long lost family, the neighing, trying to drag me over to him, my legs were about dead, as were my hands, so it took considerable effort to stay in line formation but we did it ๐. I lowered myself off, not knowing if my legs would work, they did just about then back to the lorry to get ready for Vetting ๐ค.
Rich & Zara helped me, I needed to eat & drink, I'm a bit of a weirdo in that I can't eat when riding, I just feel sick ๐. They told me that they'd both passed, which was great & how wound up both ponies were to start! I am soo happy Mister was ok, his heart rate was a bit higher than normal but he's not great in the cold, so guessing it was that, or because he'd lost a shoe but made it home (is sound)..
Anyway, back to the Vetting, I decided not to leave it too long as didn't want Missy getting cold, so followed Tanya down to the Vetting after 15 minutes, they both passed, then Missys' turn ๐. I needn't have worried, she was calm & trotted well & passed ๐, with a heart rate of 40 ๐.
We organised the horses, lorry & Zara headed over to collect Missys logbook - it turns out we'd gone around at 11.7 kmph, Missy had achieved a Grade 1, which is fantastic for her first 80km & even more amazing she'd gone & won the class ๐, I of course started crying, I am soo proud of my pony ๐๐๐๐. I shouted thanks to Tanya after I composed myself & went & hugged Lesley. All 5 of us had passed which is bloody amazing, Team Work really does make the Dream Work!!!
Rich also won his class & Zara came 2nd, a fabulous day for us all ๐๐๐๐๐๐ I attach some photos taken by others as it was soo wet my phone didn't want to work!
Thanks as always to everyone involved with the organising and running of yesterday's ride & special thanks to Victoria R Ham for putting on an 80km class for us & making sure we were all safe ๐๐.
We brought the ponies in tonight for a warm wash, ice boot & check over, all good, all trotted up the field sound too, aren't horses amazing โค๏ธ๐โค๏ธ
