Ireland

Just now recovering and getting my life back in order after an unforgettable trip to Ireland!

The day after we landed we woke up and suited up to go hunting with the Limericks! Our agent Aiden O Connell was kind enough to let me ride one of his hunt horses while Holly was able to rent a horse for the hunt.  We showed up at the village where everyone was meeting and it was right out of a book. We met in the center of a village with horses and hounds on the side of the road and all of the hunt riders in the local pub drinking hot whiskey and discussing the weather (snowing at some moments). I couldn’t get over how cool it was just to witness all of this. After the hot whiskey we hopped onto our horses and proceeded to follow the hounds down the concrete road. Everyone trotted with some walking and I did my best to maintain a slow gallop. I am not familiar with the hunt rules except I remember something about not passing the guy in the red coat and keeping my distance from those in the green coats.

Very quickly I realized that was going to be my hardest challenge. Saying my horse was fresh and fit was an understatement, we made it out into the first field and immediately the hounds caught a scent and we were flat out galloping, within seconds I was covered in mud. The footing which we were galloping in at times came up to the horses knees. It was insane. Thank god for that footing though, I cant imagine how fast my horse would have gone in regular footing. We quickly approached our first ditch and bank and well it gives a whole new meaning to ditches and banks. There really was not much time to get scared or maybe stop and ask myself if I had a death wish, we just had to do it. I found the backseat like I have never found before. I was proud of Holly she was white as a sheet (under all the mud) but rode like a champ. We jumped more ditches and banks, galloped more, and got even muddier.  Somewhere along the way my horse slipped and fell and I went with him after getting my foot caught on a branch. Holly and her horse face planted into the mud at one point, right before she took another mud bath when her foot got caught in a gate. It was utter and complete madness. I remember one bank in particular had the ditch on the backside but it was covered in brush. My horse didn’t realize the ditch was there and crashed into it and I just had to sit there while he figured out how to climb out. (Thank god for jump straps!!!)

I remember looking up at the other hunt members expecting them to be mortified but instead they looked completely at ease. I guess this was normal. I have never had so much fun. We trotted back into town (my horse still maintaining a slow gallop) loaded the horses up and at this point I realized I had earned myself my first hot whiskey and definitely not my last. Holly and I shed some of our clothes outside, washed some mud off in the sink of the pub then sat on newspapers with our muddy behinds. It was an experience of a lifetime. The scenery was picture perfect and the people on the hunt were very kind to us Americans. A cross country jump will never again look scary! This was just the start of our trip.

The following day we looked at horses. Peter Leanard was our first stop and he is always one of my favorites. He has the Ringwood horses. He is filled with so much knowledge it is incredible. His horses are always top class and his riding is a wonderful to watch. We sat on probably 7 horses there, one of them being Holly’s new horse LA Lux. I can’t remember the exact order of our stops after that but we also went to Annie O Gradys (where Mr Medicott came from and Ballynoe Castle.) She had some very nice horses, and it is always a treat riding at her place. We also went to Mikey O Rairdons place and as always it is one of the highlights of my trip. Mikey is a legend in Ireland. He is one year shy of seventy and he spends his days breaking babies and starting them over ditches and banks. (Bravest man I know). He put both holly and I up on a young one and took us into his back yard to jump his ditches and banks. Again, thank God for jump straps. He is a true Irishman and a character and very, very good at what he does.

We also went to Paul Donnovans and I always enjoy riding his horses along with his company. He has the Sportsfield horses and that is where we purchased Condi. We sat on some super horses at his place and saw some very promising young horses there. We went to some other barns as well (the names are slipping my memory) and we sat on quality horses wherever we went. It was an unreal trip.

Along with horse shopping we also had the opportunity to get a private tour of Coolmoore Stud. This place does not do private tours but we were lucky Aiden had an in with the Manager. I swear he knows everyone! The facility was right out of a movie. We got to see and pet Galileo and some other top stallions and we got an inside look into their day to day life at Coolmoore. We also got to attend a steeplechase race and in true Irish fashion it was raining, actually pouring. Our car got stuck in the mud…twice. Our umbrellas got blown inside out and we were soaked from head to toe but nonetheless it was fascinating to watch. These jockeys are pretty brave and amazing riders. The footing again was deep and these horses and riders were not fazed. It was a very cool experience.

We decided on LA Lux for Holly and as we were having him vetted, more exciting news came our way. Tom Meagher, head vet at Kedrah Hill has both Lux and Ricardo Z standing on his farm. These are two leading stallions. He breeds and then sells and I am so thrilled to announce my new partnership with him. He is sending on over a cute little black mare by Lux out of a Cavalier mare for me to compete and see what we have. I have a good feeling about this and I’m hoping this is one of many horses being sent this way. It all happened so fast I’m still trying to process it all!

Overall it was a trip of a lifetime. We got to spend time doing a little bit of everything and I cant tell you how fortunate I feel to be able to experience all of that. Holly and I are counting down to when the horses arrive!! In the meantime I am detoxing from all the warm whiskey and delicious food! The day after we returned it was back to reality; teaching and riding. This trip has lit a bit of fire under me and also made me more motivated and excited for the season to start!

Bring on 2014!!