Selena's Olympic Blog
Groom’s Perspective #5
August 14, 2008No more Carrot and Yam soup, as we leave tomorrow morning to return to Canada. The end of our Olympic adventure. What a blast!! What did I learn from it all? That I can work well under pressure, be organised and turn out my horse well and keep him happy and sound. That Selena and Colombo have the potential to be world beaters Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #10
August 13, 2008This is my last blog and I want you all to know, I can’t tell you how happy I am that I got to represent Canada at the Olympics. I know it wasn’t my best performance cross country, but I still had a blast. I got to hang out and watch all my heros ride. Show jumping was so much fun, it was a real Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #9
August 11, 2008So sorry to keep you all waiting! The jog up was great. We all had our matching outfits on. Red capris with a nice white blouse and a scarf round our necks. The guys were in blue blazers and dress pants with nice red and white ties. Colombo jogged very well, he was looking at the flowers just enough to show off his trot and Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #8
August 11, 2008Day #11 - Aug 6th - Can’t keep track of what the days are now so you will have to be happy with the dates. Today was interesting. I woke up and got dressed. Then my cell told me I had a msg. Level 8 Typhoon no shuttles running, must stay in hotel till further notice. Three grooms in barn with horses. The name Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #7
August 5, 2008Day # 9 - Aug 4th Galloping and jumping, what more could a girl ask for? We were on board by 9am, and headed out to do some trotting and light work before we started jumping. I went out into the large schooling ring and did some long and low in trot, included some shoulder in and half pass. I worked a little Read more »
Groom’s Perspective #4
August 5, 2008Aug. 2nd - No one told me that event grooming involved so much sewing! Which incidentally I failed miserably in high school Home Economics. We sew the competition numbers onto the saddle pad, generally left side but always above Canada flag. Having a horse out of its stall is an offence that would cause elimination so this is a fairly vital skill. Given that Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #6
August 5, 2008Day # 8 - Aug 3rd - Today we jogged the horses at 7:30 am. Colombo was looking good. At 9 am I got on him and rode him over to the in-field for a ride around the trotting track. People don’t seem to understand trotting track… they canter on it, rear on it, spook into you on it. Lead stallions that spook into you Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #5
August 5, 2008Day 7# - Aug 2nd - Breakfast with the gang at 6am. Air-conditioning too cold so I left for the barn before the others. Jog was a bit late today… he seems to be getting later everyday. Even better Colombo has no bumps YAY! Ride on the flat at 9:20am with David. I warmed up in the air-conditioned indoor. Some long and low and a bit Read more »
Groom’s Perspective #3
August 5, 2008Aug. 2nd - Much more relaxed day today. Colombo is settled in the new bedding. The paper is heavy and hard to work with, especially as we only have plastic shavings forks, no doubt I will be breaking them, just like I give everyone grief for at home. Kyle was making fun of Colombo as he found lots of page 3 girls in his bedding. Read more »
Selena’s Olympic Blog Entry #4
August 5, 2008Day # 5 - July 31st Yeah galloping and jumping! We do a 7am team jog pretty much every day. So that’s how we started today. That was a breeze on to the fun stuff. Early in the morning we all rode together in the collecting rings near the main arena. I rode Colombo in his jump tack Read more »
Groom’s Perspective #2
July 31, 2008July 31st - After a busy day. Selena rode once then the second ride as a jump school and mini gallop. They were both really good. The footing in the rings is beautiful, sand with fibres in it, and absolutely meticulously groomed. The gallop was on one of the grass race tracks, again manicured like a lawn. Then we got to practise cooling out in Read more »
The Groom’s Perspective #1
July 31, 2008July 30th - First day of work - as if I haven’t been working so far LMAO! Settling into nice routine now, breakfast 0500 then to barn to muck and feed at 0600 then collect pee and take temp, pulse and resp. Groom, laser etc. Then 0700 riders come for first ride. Then later in morning, (so far) have second ride. Colombo is now Read more »