Black and White. Chalk and Cheese.

There could not be a greater contrast between the way the WOW representative has dealt with my problem than previous saddle issues I've had this year. She rang me back immediately. She listened to what I said. She asked some relevant questions and then immediately she said "I will order new panels for you today with a wider gullet. They should be rushed through production next week and I will come out immediately and fit them". When I had picked myself up off the floor she said "I'm really sorry about this Caroline, thankyou for being so reasonable". And when I thanked her for her superb reaction, she insisted on thanking me again.

What service! She has just ensured that my next one will be bought from her and not off eBay. With service like that, why would I try and skimp on less than £200 on something so crucial as how a saddle fits? I can't help but contrast it with my recent experiences with a company which I was just trying to give product feedback to, and not even asking to do anything for me. If I wasn't sold on the WOW before I certainly am now.

And BOY OH BOY! Or should I say GIRL OH GIRL!
Tia has just been showjumping training at Beaver Hall where Tam keeps Murphy. I have had to recheck my diary to remind myself that she really did know nothing about jumping when she arrived a few weeks ago. And also that this was the first time she has seen a complete course, never mind been asked to jump it. She did one round at 2ft 6 to 2ft 9. She stopped at the first part of the double, the first double she has seen with a spread on it, or anything like that size. She did it with enthusiasm the next time. And one stop at the water trays, always excusable that one, which she did really neatly the second time. After that, she did another round at 2ft 9 - 2ft 11, which was just superb. There didn't seem any point in doing much more and possibly ending on a worse note, so I just did a 3 stride related distance with the first upright put up to 3 ft 1. She knocked it the first time (my fault, I hesitated in case she didn't like the height) and was great the second. So after only 20 minutes including warm-up she went back in the box and we went for a coffee :-)

I have never found it so easy to teach a horse to jump over 3 feet high. Her training over cross country fences had carried through to the showjumping. She didn't rush or panic, she just steadily jumped the blessed lot!!

HUGE thanks are due to Tam for helping Superhubby put the poles down and then up and up. It was great to have it done so quickly so that she could go round again without going off the boil.

Tetley hasn't been ridden today - I went to Tesco's and imagined half passing up the aisle past the Baked Beans instead.

I hope you all had as good a day as me.

C

ps Tetley's lumps are back on his worse leg but they are cooler than they were. Something is going on .......

pps I perhaps should mention that all the time we were jumping there was a digger creating a new access to the arena and she didn't give a hoot about it, or any of the fillers, or anything else for that matter. I DO like this horse!!