Working Student Diaries — Burghley Bound

Hello Eventing Nation! Just as I was beginning to settle into my new life working for both Megan and Dr. Newton, I left Lexington and I am on a little vacation for two weeks to visit family in Boston and in England. Fortunately Megan and Chris are very understanding and have let me take time off for some family matters, so I will be working my butt off when I get back to thank them!! My new job with Dr. Newton is absolutely amazing. I have never met a person like Chris. Smart just does not describe him–excluding his driving (in)ability–he is a pure genius! I have learned so much in the first three weeks working with him, and it has been great to be able to meet all of his clients and horses. My responsibilities are numerous and multiply everyday, but it’s never overwhelming because I am doing what I love with people who truly love their horses. So far I have jogged about 68942107 horses (my new running sneakers already look years old!), pulled blood on multiple horses that are worth more than most of our houses, taken hundreds of x-rays (Keeneland Yearling Sales are coming up!), helped shockwave a few horses, and the list goes on and on. I have watched Dr. Newton work his magic to fix a horse’s knee that was the size of a melon, sew up a horse’s eye that was completely destroyed by a screw puncture, and so much more. No day is the same, and if you know Chris, it certainly never gets boring around him!

Meanwhile, back at the farm Molson has been recovering well. I began walk hacking him a couple weeks ago, and did some trots this week. He is still extremely weak–something I wasn’t completely prepared for. When I brought him back from his foot injury in the spring, he bounced back pretty quickly. But, since he lost about 20% of his blood when he tore his spleen, his whole body shut down and so he has been rebuilding up his strength ever since. I have to admit my first ride on him was awful because he felt like a thirty year old pony that didn’t want to go forward and was as stiff as an iron rod. However, a couple days later he attempted to buck me off, which made me elated because it meant he was feeling better! This past weekend we held our second MT of the summer at the farm, and it was twice as big as our last! Since Molson isn’t jumping yet, Megan let me ride my personal favorite of all of her horses, Ex, in the training CT. I keep telling her she has to stop letting me ride him or I might steal him one of these days–he is a superstar!

This morning was quite a stressful one, as an hour before I was going to leave for the airport, Molson decided to act a little colicy–what is it with horses and AWFUL timing!? When I took his temp it was 98, and while it wasn’t as low as when he ruptured his spleen, I was still concerned as last night was the first night he spent the whole night outside and I didn’t know what horrible things could have happened. I called Dr. Newton in a panic, disrupting his busy schedule I’m sure to have him rush over and work his magic on Moo in time for me to still make it to the airport. Fortunately his temp was higher when he arrived, and his spleen was fine. After some TLC from Dr Newton, Molson was looking better just 15 minutes later. Normally I wouldn’t bother a vet about a ‘depressed looking’ horse, but with me leaving for two weeks, and his recent spleen rupture, I can’t help but be extremely careful with my baby!

With the craziest streak of luck, it just so happens that I am going to be in London during Burghley, so of course I begged and pleaded my non-horsey family to let us go for xc! I have been to Burghley before but never while the event was happening, so I am beyond excited to be able to be there this weekend! I will check in afterwards with a report of my view of the xc from the sidelines, and the highly anticipated shopping that is going to occur (I made sure to bring an extra carry on just for all of the black and pink things I am going to buy!)

Until Saturday!

xo, Jenny