Eilish Byrne.com

• having dinner with the boys #
• just had a lovely dinner #

Powered by Twitter Tools.

Hello, hope all is well in your world. All is good in mine, have had some interesting and exciting times with Jim and Youri. I went down to Jim on Wednesday and as it was yet again raining we decided to do some body work on Youri in the great indoors. This was in the form of the Linda Tellington-Jones TT touch. Among Jims many other talents (I’ve been paid handsomely to say this!!) Jim is also a practitioner in this method. In Lindas words “the intent of the TT touch is to activate the function of the cells and awaken cellular intelligence and by doing so offers a positive approach to training, improving performance and health of the horse. The TT touch helps to release tension and increase body awareness”. It was great to see the different reactions from Youri, when Jim worked on his head Youri kept trying to bite Jim and then as Jim worked down Youris body, Youri would lower his head and lick and chew and he looked really chilled out. I am looking forward to being able to work on Youri and looking for changes.

I went back to Ballyteague on Saturday and we went for a hack, Jim and the 3 dogs, Max, Sally and Peggy and Youri and I. It was pretty windy and the longer we were out the worse it got, we have this block we can do, it is normally pretty quiet traffic wise and not far from home, we get to a stretch of road where we have ditches on the left and a canal on the right. Youri knew we were on the home stretch and upped his pace a little, I was a little ahead of Jim when we met more traffic and we stopped and Youri started to get a little uptight. We carried on and the next thing Peggy came running out from a farmyard with a duck in her mouth and was making for the canal, Jim let a roar and she dropped the duck and it went into the canal still in one piece. A jeep came up behind us and I turned Youri to face it and get him to the side of the road, he wasn’t impressed and swung round and his hind legs went into the ditch, he slipped a bit but got his balance and we were back on hard ground. We got over that hurdle and the next thing, Sally decided to jump into the canal to chase the swans. I carried on and just as we reached the corner for home, there was a swan waddling away in the middle of the road with a car beeping at its bum, Youri jumped when he saw it but fair play to him he didn’t panic, I got Youri out of the way and Jim caught up with me and got me off and left me holding Youri while he set off to fish Sally out of the canal (Sally is quite old has been fished out on previous occasions as she wasn’t able to make it up the bank). Just as Jim headed back to get her, thankfully there was Sally trotting towards him. Jim gave me a leg up and believe it or not we all made it home alive, very wet but alive. Very well done to Jim for dealing with all of us in a calm and confident way. I was also very impressed with Youri who was a pretty cool dude.

Hello again I hope your all well. I am just writing because I guess I am excited about whats happening with Youri. Yesterday Youri and I went out for a hack with Jim and his three dogs and we had a good day. The wind was howling and believe it or not it was raining and here I was feeling pretty cool about being on my horse. I realised I had worked so hard and pushed Youri to the limits to get to the Paralympics, and while we did everything to ensure Youris physical fitness for the job I never dealt with (or took notice of) what was going on between his ears, if truth be told, I didn’t know how. I used to spend hours sitting in my buggy in a field at Kevins place with Youri without knowing how to interact with him and I got pretty tired of nothing happening and it felt like he didn’t know me at all and so I stopped spending time and just concentrated on working him. After the Paralypmics I wanted to sell him because I just kept getting frustrated and pissed off with him and I hated feeling that way. I don’t believe he’s a bad horse, he has plenty of character and is a cheeky little you know what at the best of times but sometimes, well actually a lot of times, it felt like he was a lost soul and just didn’t know how to be. Youri has been with Jim probably two months now and Jim has opened up a new world (a world I only dreamt of) for us. Jim is teaching me (slowly cause I am a slow learner!!!) and Youri how to communicate, how to manage on the ground, how to know when Youri is happy and relaxed and soft and how take control of his feet rather than the other way round! I think it will take time but I also believe I owe my little man for giving me the best experience of my life in Hong Kong and for teaching me how to ride. The pictures below show Jim working with Youri and getting me involved in the learning process.

Hi Guys, its been a while, well its been that long that I forgot my username and password to get on to my blog!! The week after I got home from Beijing I headed off to the National Championships to do the para class, didn’t do very well. Youri was great in the warm up and not so great when we went into the arena. I had great fun anyway and partied the weekend away. Ruth and Sue took Youri up for me and I towed my brothers caravan to stay in which was grand. On the way home my sat nav brought me through every little back road and I ended up with a puncture in the middle of nowhere, I was going to ring home but I had no idea where I was. There was what looked like a pretty new van in a ditch where I pulled up and a few minutes later a car stopped with 3 men who had come to rescue the van (it had been stolen while they were in the pub!). They very kindly changed my tyre and gave me directions to get off the mountain. They said I was very lucky as the road I was on was rarely used. Thanks boys.

Well I made it in one piece and got back to Arklow and started the big move home. I put Youri out to grass at Helens and moved back to my little pad in Armagh. Youri went out and joined 3 mares and it took him all of 24 hours to turn them into his bitches, he could be seen every day herding them round the field. Youri had about 6 weeks off and then I started to bring him in at night as he had pretty bad mud rash on all four legs. It all turned into a nightmare as Youri reared and bucked when I went to bring him in and in the stable he was climbing the walls and I was afraid to go into him. I did bring in Helens mare Misty to keep him company but that didn’t help.

Finally desperate and not knowing how to manage I rang a gentleman called Jim Fogarty, I met Jim at Nialls and at the Nationals. Jim is a Horsewhisperer/Gentleing specialist who said that I could call him if I needed help. A week after I spoke to Jim, he very kindly called up and took my little man away. Youri is still with Jim and is much happier than I have seen him in a while!! Jim worked with him on the ground and did join up and other exercises including desensitising as Youri can be quite sharp at times. Last weekend we went for our first hack on the road and he was a super boy and it was great to ride and not be under pressure to perform. The plan is to get Youri going willingly forward and in a good way. A huge thanks to Jim and if you ever need help with a horse Jims the man. You can find lots more info at http://www.horsewhisperingireland.com/.

Well its my last day People and we make the long trip home tomorrow. Its Thursday 18th and tomorrow would have been Kieran’s 50th birthday and Happy Birthday Jan from Jumpingaround.com. I have had a grand week, the paralymic village is that big it took me a few days to get my bearings. I made to the food hall, I found the shops (with no trouble whatsoever!!) and I even managed to get to the pub for a night out on Tuesday. I made it home at 6am Wednesday morning with Fintan and Cathal, (the taxi driver took us on a tour of China before getting us back to the village). I didn’t quite make it to bed but had a shower at 9.30 and at 11 I met up with Mic and Brendan and we headed off to the silk market for the day and we had a grate laugh and I spent all my money (once more!). We got back about 4 and got ready for the closing ceremony. Well what an evening I have never experienced anything like it. It was out of this world. We got back about 11. I had dinner and went looking for Singapore to say goodbye which I duly did and finally got to bed about 2am.

Today, I just packed and did some last bits of shopping and became the transport manager (as the village is so big some are struggling to get around in wheelchairs so I am pulling them with my buggy). Thank god for the buggy I would have been very isolated without it as its such a distance to get anywhere.

Well this is the end of my LITTLE adventure, words cannot describe my emotions, the highs and lows, the laughter the tears, its all been class.

Thanks a million to all of you for your messages and phone calls and emails. Your support is what made my dream come true and I will be forever grateful for that. I have had an unforgetable, brilliant, class, superb (had to throw that word in for Paul and Niall), (and any other good word you can think of) time.

Hello Everybody, sorry for the delay in writing, time ran away with me in Hong Kong. I was a bit upset after writing my last blog but I took it easy the day after ie Tuesday the 9th, I rode Youri around 7pm the night before my freestyle and he was pretty tough work and he spooked and bolted on my a few times and started bucking every time I tried to get him up in front of me but he ended up going well. Niall headed back to the hotel and Paul and I stayed at the stables and had a bit of craic with Finland and South Africa and England. Mum and Dad and Kelly and the gang went to Ocean World for the day. We also found out after a meeting that morning that I would be competing at 10am the next day and originally we were supposed to be on at night. I had bought 8 tickets for the night time and so at 9pm Aron rang and we had to run around looking for tickets for the morning competition. Treamy our helper said she would pick up the tickets and get them to Mum and Dad in time. I also bought tickets for them to go into the Federation tent where I could meet up with them and they could get out of the sun.

Wednesday - 10th September - We got to the stables at 8am, Niall warmed him up and I got on at half nine. It was that hot that we decided to warm up in the indoor and spend as little time as possible in the heat. Just before I went into the arena Paul poured a bottle of cold water down my back. Youri started to back off on me and I had to smack him to get him to walk. He was up tight but the music fitted him well and I rode my heart out and he didn’t give me an inch and we ended up with 65% and placed 8th out of a class of 18. So all in all a good day, I met up with Mum and Dad and Shannon and Zoe and Aron and Leon and Grainne and had a cry (I thing it was relief that the pressure was off!). We had a few hours together and they headed off. Paul and I spent the afternoon having a few beers and chatting. Paul fed Youri and we had a water fight and then went to see the grade 4’s competing and the prise giving. A big congrats to Phillipa from South Africa who won gold, you were both amazing. We met up with Nick (the lady who ran the Federation tent) and Grainne Willis(an amazing Irish lady who climbed mount everest and who is currently working for the Hong Kong Jockey Club) we have been having great laughts with them). I finally got back to the hotel about 2.

Thursday - 11th Sept - I went and did a bit of shopping in the morning and at 2 I picked up Paul and Niall and Nick from the stables and we went to Beas River Country Club. The gang from South Africa and Ireland (including my family) were invited and we had a lovely lunch and a grand tour, and saw where the eventers competed at the Olympics. A huge thanks to Nick for being so kind and great company. We got back to the stables and sorted Youri out and Paul had just started packing for the journey home. Treamy rang to say I had to go to the 5th floor and get my prize and I didn’t understand what she meant so I went along and I was presented with a certificate and a rosette and a plack for Youris stable (apparently prizes went to 9th place) so that was a cool surprise. Treamy and I went to Mum and Dads hotel with some of my luggage which they said they would bring home and we brought over my prieses to show off!! It was the last night of competition and so I headed back to the stables and I was just in time to see the medal ceremonies and I couldnt stop crying and every time I looked at Nick she was crying too!! Afterwards we all headed to the media hotel and danced the night away and we had a great time. I lost Paul and Niall somewhere along the way and finally made it back to the hotel around 7am. My lovely pal Orti from Finland and some Chinese friends walked back to the hotel with me and my little scooter and we had some fun.

Friday - 12th Sept - We were supposed to go to a farewell lunch which Niall and Paul and I all missed!! Paul met up with us at the hotel and we went shopping for the afternoon. We went for a pizza and met up with Treamy and headed for the Peak. We had a great evening and the view of Hong Kong from the Peak was out of this world.

Saturday 13th - All Youris luggage was collected at 10.30. Niall and I met up with Treamy and Lewis and went to the stables to collect Paul and Lewis took us off to a little fishing village and we had a walk around and then went for lunch. The chef came out to take pictures when they heard we were here for the Paralypmics!! We got back to the stables around 3.30 and let Youri out for a final run around and at 5.30 the trailers started to arrive to take them to the airport. We all waited to see him off. Once Harvey got on the trailer Youri was mad to get on with him and loaded fine. It was near 7 before Niall and I got back to the hotel and we and for dinner with Lianne from Holland, and Omer and Dror from Isreal. Niall and I got back to the hotel at 8.30 had a quick shower and back out to a party at Grainnes house. We stayed for a few hours chatted to some good people.

Sunday 14th - I was dragged out of bed at 5.30 am to get to the airport to catch a flight to Beijing most of the athletes were heading in the same direction. We flew with Chinese Air and all the athletes got to go first class which was exciting. We got to the village about 3 and I got my room and had a chat with some of the guys and then had a shower and Kathleen and Alan got me and my scooter to the workshop to get fixed again!! We then watched our swimmer Darren from Gorey win a sliver medal at the tender age of 14!! WELL DONE DARREN. I went for some dinner and then met up with my pals from Singapore and spent the evening with them.

The Paralympic village is huge and swarming with bodies from all nations, I am sharing a room with Liz the swimming coach, its just all so different from Hong Kong and I miss home and I am a bit lost now!! Paul went home with Youri, Niall went home to work. Today I had a lie in and made my way to the laundry and got to the post office and went for luch with liz and here I am at the computer finally catching up. We have a night out at the Irish Embassy tonight and tomorrow I hope to get some shopping done and we are all going to the birds next to watch John compete. So thanks again to all for your great messages, cant wait to get home now and see you all. Get Well soon Denise.