My Pony Europeans - Just out of the medals

BGA member and Team GBR stable manager Liz Walsh with her second blog from the FEI Pony European Championships, at Bishop Burton.

“Today is the end of the team competition and Team GBR finished just outside the medals in fourth position, but the girls all did brilliantly and they are all happy with rides, which is the main thing.

Since my previous blog I was really poorly so the following day I was no use to anyone, but there in spirit at least!

My role as Team Stable Manager involves getting up and feeding all horses, making sure that they are all OK first thing in the morning and that they are settled and relaxed and everything is well with them. Three out of the four ponies have grooms travelling with them, so they usually arrive 15 minutes later and we all muck out.

After that we all have a meeting each day to discuss what is happening with each pony and at what time throughout the day. I took on the role of main groom for the pony who didn’t have a groom I groomed him, plaited him, walked him etc, although the riders are all really good and hands on.

In essence my role is to make sure that all ponies, riders, grooms, and of course parents are happy, that everyone knows what is going on and when. With just having four here there really is no stress and its a lovely supportive atmosphere.

I get meal vouchers, but the parents have been amazing at looking after us and bringing us lunch and keeping the fridges stocked with fruit and sweets, and that means so much to us grooms. The grooms can often be overlooked in the stables and sometimes it’s easy to skip a meal, but the parents have been so brilliant in looking after us, and the little things mean so much.

The show has been great, although the only comment I have is that this show hasn’t been set up great for social purposes as there is no key meeting point / big marque, which means that instead of socialising and getting to know riders and grooms from the other national everyone is going back to their hotels or lorries.

People need that social time together to bond, especially for the younger riders. Everything has been really straight forwards as it should be; everyone at the venue is really friendly and accommodating which is always good.

Over the next couple of days we are doing the individual competition and I just hope the girls go out and do their best again. All of them have proven themselves over the past two days and they have done themselves proud.  I’m really looking forward to the next couple of days and will blog again soon.”

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Read Liz's first blog here.