Léah Wertheim

19 June 2025

What. A. Month.


Has it really only been one month? It feels like a lifetime since I wrote my last blog.

Things have been absolutely non-stop here in my little corner of the Cotswolds. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I had a full day off. I think it was sometime in April, though I’m slightly afraid to check my calendar. Between working full-time as a teacher and freelancing on weekends, riding and grooming for clients, every day has been flat out.

Most mornings I’m out the door by 5:30 am, and I’m usually not home until after 9 pm. It’s a lot. I won’t pretend otherwise. But this gal has some pretty big dreams, and a somewhat concerning inability to sit still, so it’s hard not to give everything. And then some more.

That being said, one thing I have learned recently? How important rest is. Not just physically, but mentally too. I’m okay, I promise, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t running on fumes. I’m counting down the days until July when I’ll finally get a day off. Of course, I’ll still be busy with the girls, but I am SO ready to have a day where I’m not responsible for anyone or anything else.

Anyway, enough about me! I know it’s the girls you’re really here for…

Starting with some good news: I’m back riding Maple! I’m still not 100%, but I got the go-ahead from my chiro and haven’t looked back since. I’ll be honest, she’s felt a bit off meh. But that’s babies for you. Every day is something new, and it’s a lot for their little brains to handle.

We’ve kept things low pressure. Lots of hacking both at home and away from the yard. She’s building confidence each and every ride, it’s so rewarding to feel her starting to really enjoy her work. Young horses aren’t easy, but my word, are they worth it.

Winnie, on the other hand, gave us a bit of a fright recently. Some discharge and a lack of foal movement had sent me spiralling. Thankfully, we made the decision to scan, and 18 hours later we could see an active, wriggly foal and good placental health. Of course, not until I’d spent the night living out of my car to keep an eye on her! She’s totally back to herself now, mainly trying to mug people for EquiGlo minty treats!

The vet suspects a bit of vaginitis, and maybe some discomfort from all the foal movement (which we’d just started to feel!). We’re keeping a very close eye on her as we head into the final stretch, but for now, they’re both doing well.

I’ll admit, it was a bit of a wake-up call. Not just about how fragile these moments are, but how much I’ve been pushing through on autopilot. It’s so easy to forget we’re not machines, and I think equestrians are especially guilty of that. We just keep going. One job to the next, fuelled by caffeine and sheer grit. (Well, not caffeine in my case. But maybe that is the problem… 😂)

Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Not just for us, but for our horses too. Progress doesn’t always mean doing more or going faster. Sometimes, giving yourself the space to recover so you can come back stronger is what’s most important.

I genuinely believe this will all eventually get me to where I want to be. But, that being said, I’m also learning (slowly and stubbornly) that I need to find some small moments to just ‘be’.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed too, I see you. Keep going. We’ve got this.

See you next month! I’ll probably still be in the same hoodie, but maybe (hopefully) having had slightly more sleep.

Léah x