Nightmare evening!! Warning about power lines!!!

[SecretSquirrell379]

Crickey what an evening its been. This is going to be a bit of a waffle so apologies now

We were going to a new place tonight to do dressage, its indoor and Cropi has not done that before as far as I know. She was an angel getting her ready, stood as good as gold while I washed and plaited her up. We got to Wix in good time, loads of time and no rushing, so we were both relaxed as we started to warm up. As I went to lock the car the remote would not work so I just used the key to lock it.

She didn't seem phased by the indoor arena and was happy while there were only a couple of us in there, settled, relaxed and rounded. As it got busier she got more unsettled. She didn't want to canter, just rushed and a firmer ask resulted in a little buck

went on the other rein, again she didn't really want to know. Just wanted to pull faces at the other horses

Asking again a little clearer so she threw her toys out of the pram and threw a paddy with a little rear

She just wanted to rush everywhere. Decided that she just needed to calm down a bit (me too!) and tried to relax her which worked. We had to go through a tunnel like thing to get in the main arena, she was quite good but very head high. We lost the canter one rein but managed to keep it in the other but she was quite strong and quick which gave us quite an unbalanced re-entry into trot. All in all it was ok, I was quite pleased with her as it was new and we are still quite new to dressage. I had only entered one class as I was not sure how she was going to be and we have got another show on Sunday.

Went back to the car and trailer and tried to unlock the car. The remote still wouldn't work, so I used the key, as soon as I opened the door the alarm went off......and would not turn off

I didn't think that the alarm would of been on as I'd used the key to lock it, I was wrong. I tried and tried to get the remote to work and it wouldn't. I opened the car door to get my bag out to see if I had at the spare in there as I thought it was the battery....the alarm went off again (amazingly Cropi was not bothered at all by the alarm, nor were any of the other horses around us thank goodness) and it would not turn off. My fantastic Mum drove back to my house in her car and got my spare key, my friend who came with me was not really saying the right things and I bit his head off a few too many times

The alarm then just kept going off on its own, I was so embarrased and one person had a go at me after she's done her test as she said it was really loud in the arena while she was trying to do her test

I apologised of course. Mum came back and the key wouldn't work either

I then rang the AA as I really didn't know what else to do. I also rang my friend to see if she would be willing to come and pick Cropi up for me if I had to leave the car and trailer there overnight (its a 4x4 so can't be towed) The AA said they could be up to 60 minutes but within 10 mins I had a text to say they were on their way and within 20 mins the guy was there

To cut this very long story short the AA man worked out that the overhead power cables that my car was parked underneath had messed up my remote

we unhitched my car, they pushed it 50 feet into the carpark and it started!!!! Never heard anything like it before but apparently his friend had! Finally we could load up and come home. Cropi was an absolute star and was as good as gold, she finally got back in her field at 9pm. I then had to drive home and couldn't reverse the trailer up the side of my house, I must of gone backwards and forwards 20 blinking times before I managed it. Got the hitchlock on I've somehow managed to break one of the keys to the wheel clamp thing so took 15 mins to get that on.

Sorry if I've bored you all with that but what a night!!! Not sure if I have the nerves to do it all again on Sunday!!!!

 

[Racing_Gal]

Just realised we're friends on facebook lol! I've was just reading your status. What a nightmere!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Grrrr cars!! I hate it when they don't work!!

Well done for getting through the stressage though and good luck for your next test!!

Carrots and hugs for your ned and a large wine for you!!

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

LOL didn't realise we were friends either!!!! Yes it was a nightmare night, it was just one thing after another

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

Thank you

forgot to say that I came 9th........out of 9 LOL

still got 56.5% though.

 

[henryhorn]

My Range Rover immobilised itself for two hours right in front of the entrance doors at Exeter Airport, it took the AA to get it going again.
The next time I parked in the car park and walked in, and the damn thing did it once more.
I realised something inside the building was doing it and after that always left the keys in an office building outside the airport,, so it's not just overhead power lines, it can be other causes too.
You sound like you had a dreadful night, but it isn't your fault the alarm spooked anyone else's horse! At the recent BE we attended someone's car alarm was going on and off all day, everyone just got used to it.
I understand the lack of ability to reverse too, it's a combination of stress and exhaustion.. bet you sleep well tonight !

 

[Vizslak]

poor you that sounds like a night from hell! well done on the stressage, i hope our stressage outing on sunday is not as eventful as your evening!

 

[MrsMozart]

Well done for just getting home, never mind parking up etc.

Lots of lessons learn m'thinks - I shall be keeping an eye out for overhead lines

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I hope so I am shatterd but still buzzing if that makes sense

How embarrasing having that happen at the airport, not good.

99.9% of people were really lovely and a couple asked me if I had a friend to ring to take my horse home if needed or they would of come back for me, really lovely when I'd never met any of them before. None of the horses seemed bothered by the alarm, it was more the humans!! Poor Cropi has still got her plaits in, it was too dark by the time we got back to take them out and she was so hungry....hay just didn't cut it she wanted her dinner!!! Oh well, Sunday will be better I'm sure

 

[rara007]

Scarey, especially as Wix is where we go most of the time! The tunnel can prove quite spooky their, as can the lighting so well done on that, I always do rubbish at dressage their, I think the mark quite strictly as well as the atmosphere. What part of the car park were you on- The hard standing near the arenas?

 

[kildalton]

In Sainsbury's car park one afternoon nobodies remotes would work because something interfered with the radio signal .When I told my son in law, he just gave me alook which suggested I was a daft old bat who'd lost the plot !!

 

[kingsley]

I just like being called a fantastic Mum, you handled the situation so well, as for Cropi she was a star !

 

[Ravenwood]

Oh Crikey - what a nightmare and so embarrassing!

Not heardabout power lines affecting a remote before but will keep that in mind!

Thats the beauty of HHO - you learn so much you never thought was possible!

 

[skewbaldpony]

that's interesting - we live near overhead powerlines (yes, I know some people think we'll be struck down, but I can't spend my life risk assessing, I used to live in a cottage where I was thoroughly sprayed every other week, now we're on an organic farm, so less chemicals, more radiation, what can I say?!) and my remote/central locking/alarm went do lally a while ago, we now have to leave the car door slightly open! Security is also not my long suit!

 

[MrsMozart]

[ QUOTE ]
that's interesting - we live near overhead powerlines (yes, I know some people think we'll be struck down, but I can't spend my life risk assessing, I used to live in a cottage where I was thoroughly sprayed every other week, now we're on an organic farm, so less chemicals, more radiation, what can I say?!) and my remote/central locking/alarm went do lally a while ago, we now have to leave the car door slightly open! Security is also not my long suit!

[/ QUOTE ]

So you'll always be easily spotted - no flies on you and you glow in the dark

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

[ QUOTE ]
I just like being called a fantastic Mum, you handled the situation so well, as for Cropi she was a star !

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats because you are a fantastic Mum xxxx


[ QUOTE ]
Scarey, especially as Wix is where we go most of the time! The tunnel can prove quite spooky their, as can the lighting so well done on that, I always do rubbish at dressage their, I think the mark quite strictly as well as the atmosphere. What part of the car park were you on- The hard standing near the arenas?

[/ QUOTE ]

As you come into Wix I was directly in front of you at the end if that makes sense. The plan was when I left I just straight out, literally. I only (sorry, the AA man & my hubby!) had to push to car to outside the office where you get your number from and it worked

I have spoken to Land Rover this morning and apparently its quite a common and they get calls about it on a regular basis

the new Landys and Range Rovers have got a new cloaking thing on them to stop this happening. In future I won't park there, I must of just been in exactly the wrong spot!!

The 'hot spots' in Colchester are apparently Highwood Tesco car park at the back, Colchester Hospital car park and Elstead Market!!!

 

[Cuffey]

How odd
I have had problems unlocking my LR at one of the places I shop at for horse feed etc and I believe I am not the only customer to have the problem
Will look for power lines next time I go and maybe just not lock the car.