Equitana - translation - Very expensive water!

On the way!

My regular readers (Mum!) will know that I took Georgia to Equitana last week.  It was her birthday present from September so she has given me a countdown every day until we went (and yes, it did drive me absolutely bonkers!).

Anyway, despite being a little tired (see previous post) we drove up to Sydney (and now I remember one of the reasons we left - TRAFFIC) and into Homebush Park. Despite having to drive the WHOLE WAY AROUND the area, when we could have just turned left and got there, we found a park and basically ran to the entrance.

Stop taking photos, Mum, and start running!!!

Now, I won't go through the whole day in words, but in pics!! Suffice to say, we did have a fun day, seeing all the rich horsey people spending lots of $$$$ on saddles, riding 'stuff', horse floats which are larger than our house (I am NOT kidding there), John Deere tractors (even their toy tractors were over $100), food etc

No, we didn't have to climb the fence

Georgia and the world's biggest horse float!!!

Yes, she tried them on! Yes, they fitted! Yes, she wanted them.
No, at $399!!!!!
But very very cute!!!!!

One of the highlights for my horsey girl was seeing Stacey Westfall. Stacey is a bit of a legend in horsey circles around the world - sort of a horse whisperer type. You can watch the you tube clip of her here where she did some amazing work, not long after her father passed away.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-7v8Ck1crg

Georgia and Stacey Westfall (the real one)

The only thing was that I was taking photos of the warm up girl thinking she was in fact Stacey - oops!!!
We watched a number of different horse games as well including polocrosse, horse events (bit like the relay games you did when you were at primary school - tunnel ball on horseback anyone??) and HORSEBALL. Now, HORSEBALL is quite simply - a game for complete nutters. It is is a cross between baskatball and rugby - on horseback. It uses a size 4 soccer ball which has reins wrapped around it with a couple of handles. The aim is to shoot a goal - on horseback - and if you drop the ball you simply hold on to the horse with one hand and bend right down to grab the handle to pick the ball up again. Yep, as simple as that. Just bend down, so your head is almost on the ground and pick up the ball - simple!!!!  So, each time they dropped the ball and bent down to get it, I would gasp. Eventually, I got used to it, and secretly wanted them to keep dropping it so I could see if anyone just feel off!!!!  I know I know - I would fall off simply trying to get on the horse.

Horseball - the game for nutters!!!

But, if you ever get a chance to watch a game of horseball, go for it - Horseball - The Game For Complete And Utter Nutters!!!!


However, one of the highlights for me was the Double Dan show. These guys are simply incredible with what they can do with the horses, and also very very very funny. I tried to take video on my phone, but all you can hear is me laughing hysterically so I will not subject you to that. But just 'google' Double Dan and see what they can do.

Anyway, it was a very very long day, but lots of fun. And lovely to spend the day with my girl!
(But no, Georgia, you still can't have a horse - it is going to take me 6 weeks to get over paying $4.50 for a small bottle of water there!).

I want it in this bottle next time!!!

Do you love horses as much as my girl? Or do you also think that paying $4.50 for a small bottle of water is outrageous?  Would love for you to leave a comment!!!

Lisa xox

Ambulance versus Billycart!!!!

I hope you all had a good weekend.
Mine started a little bit earlier than normal with preparing to take  Georgia to Equitana 2011 In Sydney.

Of course, we thought we would be getting up at about 6.30am on Friday morning to drive up to Sydney however I was woken a little earlier by Mum who, with Dad, had come down for a few days.

After turning over in bed to find Mum peering over me and asking me if I was awake (well, yes, I am now after you have just frightened the bejeezus out of me) and that Dad was unwell. This at 3.30 am - yes, that's right people, 3.30AM!!!!!!!

They had come down the day prior and Dad thought he would help out in the garden!
So after a bit of this

chop chop chop (sound effects please people)

and then a bit more

Skinny little legs!!!!

and then for some reason doing this

This may have been the catalyst for the heart problems!!!

he appeared to overdo it. He wasn't sure if he was having another heart attack so we rang 000 just in case. 



Of course, living three doors away from the hospital, it would have been much faster to pop him in Sam's billycart and push him down there, but the ambulance was pretty quick.

My only concern was that one of the ambo's looked to be around about the same age as Dad! He even had to get out of bed and just stroll on out to the ambulance - personally I think they were a wee bit too lazy to get the stretcher out.

They seriously need to get a new signwriter - this one writes backwards!!!

When they were closing the door, I did offer to give them a race to the hospital (being the mad athlete that I am) but that joke went down about as well as Julia Gilliard's carbon tax.

Maybe this ambulance next time????

So after then going back to bed, and falling asleep at about 6am, I wwas once again woken by Mum peering over me at 6.30am asking "Are you awake?????"

The moral of the story, when your parents come to stay and you sleep somewhere else rather than your own bed - DON'T TELL YOUR MOTHER WHERE YOU ARE!!!!!

P.S. Dad is fine. Doctor couldn't decide whether he was going to have another heart attack or had starined muscles doing the gardening so they took the safest option - they sent him home  (Well, have you stayed in a NSW public hospital lately???!!!)

My Horsey Girl

My gorgeous girl Georgia is horse obsessed!
No, maybe that's not quite right.
She is unbelievably, incredibly, mad for it, horse obsessed.

It started when she was probably about 4 or 5 years old. And it seemed to start slowly.

She did some riding lessons when we were in Sydney at a couple of different places, mostly being dependent on when/where I was working and if I could afford them!

She has done more riding lessons since our move to the country, has worked (for free!) at an equestrian place, she just wants to be with, and around, horses.

Her Santa wish list for years had had horse as the #1 item. Lucky for me, having spoken with Santa at length about this, we decided that it is very unfair on the horse to have to travel in Santa's sleigh (and very unfair on the mother who has to find the $$$$ for the upkeep).

Many people have told me she will grow out of it, and maybe she will...I don't know.

However, at least it is a healthy obsession.

She is saving up for her own horse, although as I have told her with all the horse paraphernalia, she could have probably bought her own horse, stable and jockey by now.
Perhaps something like this..????

But she is very very excited tonight. No, she is not getting a horse tomorrow, we are going to Equitana - a horse expo (or something). She has planned for us to be there from the start to the finish - about 13 hours in total!

So, darling girl, I may not be able to get you this...

But I'm sure we will have lots of fun anyway!

Do you have a horse obsessed person in your life? How do you  handle it???

Enjoy your day

Lisa  xox