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Welcome to my Blog where you can find all my latest news...

Friday 28 January 2011

Top Gun & John Wayne In the Press

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Gun-cruises-victory-dressage-meeting/article-3137284-detail/article.html

Click on this link to see the 5 year olds in the local press.

Icon won more BSJA money this week at Solihull, he was on top form jumping 2 double clears making the lower placings in the 1.05 and the 1.10, our fun in these smaller classes is now over and its time to start jumping 1.20 and above, as the Eventing season is not far away now.
Photos below are for the Bantam lovers among you, Anthonys prize winning boys and girls!He currently has 5 incubators going in our kitchen, we even had chicks hatch on Xmas day.

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Monty Jumping On Video

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Monty (Hartpury Take It 2 The Top) bred by Hartpury College at a clear round jumping show today, we have been jumping from an "iffy" canter at home and as you can see we are getting there but still very green.
He behaved really well and coped with all the wierd and wonderful fillers etc.

Friday 21 January 2011

Monty and Mika


I am hanging on to the neckstrap by my fingernails, really difficult as I bite them so have none, 4 year old Monty is back in work. He has been lovely, amazing as he has had 6 weeks off.
I have not left the security of the school because the ground is frozen solid again. Hope to get him to his first proper competition soon, he has only done tiny clear round so far.

Also Amazing Mika (3 years skewbald 15.2) is in for some lunging and long reining. That took 3 days, he was perfect longreined straight over a water tray, logs, ditches and today I have sat on him. It is such a great feeling sitting on a homebred, he is out of Butterfly by a TB called Slugalug by Rustingo. He is full brother to Mister Bojangles whom I sold in 2009 and was evented by Tanya Kyle last summer.
My pupils (hate that word but just checked dictionary and it gave me disciple or schoolchild as an alternative!) have had a brilliant weekend, Sarah Dixon-Smith on young Frank won combined training at Allens Hill, Louise Calverley and Alloon Ice 4th at Summerhouse Eventer Training beating many top event riders and Louise White swept the board at Allens Hill with a fist full of first rosettes on her ex racehorse Maverick. Well done everyone.

Sunday 16 January 2011

Icon Winnings Reach Over £400

Icon came 4th in a British Show Jumping class at Hartpury, in a class of 50. Taking his winnings to over £400. Not bad for an event horse, he took some really good angles. He was so excited to be out jumping he wasted time by bouncing around.

John Wayne and Top Gun are doing lots of hacking, the common is really wet so we are doing loads of water schooling. Monty is still turned out, I will get him in to ride if some weather man can assure me the snow has gone for good!!!

I am busy teaching pony club and my other regulars. Don and Sue Lupton bring their lovely cobs Bill and Pie every week for flatwork and jumping. Both horses work well on the flat and then really prick their ears when the jumping starts and for their end of lesson polos.

My Eventing pupils are getting ready for the season, Sarah Dixon-Smith on her new 6 year old Frank and Louise Calverley with Mac, both are going well in training, we are all so excited we have our events planned and a training countdown to the first event. Not forgetting Camilla Esling who is off Badminton in April. We can't wait.

Blog stats update. Over 3,000 hits were reached just before Christmas, hello to everyone who reads my Blog hope you enjoy it. Most readers are in the UK and USA but also Russia and most of Europe and this week someone has logged in from Brazil. The most popular post is "Moreton Morrell and a visit to Hospital" (you mean lot!) closely followed by "We did the British Championships".

Thursday 13 January 2011

Cat Trials and Troubles!


I gathered up loads of rubbish this week to take to the tip, my car and boot were piled high as Sweep and I set off to Malvern. Half way there the boot began making a meowing sound!!

I decided to carry on and not investigate while on the busy road. As I drove the meowing got louder and more pitiful. On arrival at the tip I slowly opened my car boot and spied Felix surrounded by rubbish! I grabbed him quick, much to the amusement of the men working there. They said as there was no suitable category skip for him I better take him home. I put him on the passenger seat next to Sweep and they curled up asleep together, while I went to the Supermarket. Had a few issues with Felix and the windscreen wipers on the way home when it started raining.

Then today Felix managed to flip a bucket on top of him, I caught it on video and will send it to You've Been Framed, as its very funny.

Sunday 9 January 2011

Top Gun Wins And John Wayne 2nd

Dressage at Hartpury College today. Top Gun won the prelim, 65% he did an accurate test and ponced about as if to say "Hey judge look at me, now give me an 8".
Milo, hes so sweet, did his first ever prelim test to pick up a 4th.
John Wayne came 2nd in the novice, also 65%, his first attempt at a higher level test. John Wayne has lovely paces but is too polite, he feels like he says "Excuse me judge, is this ok? Please may I have a 6, if at all possible?" We went home thinking he was 5th but then noticed his sheet said 2nd....too many horses!!!
Yesterday all three were again at Hartpury College to do one showjumping class each. They all went double clear, although I entered lower heights than they are capable of (had to get home early to teach). I was extremely pleased with how they coped with the busy warm up area and the spooky arena etc.

It was exciting to be out competing again, everyone was in a high spirits and the lovely sunshine shone all weekend.

Hartpurys shows are fabulous for educating the horses, competing in their superb main arena is a real treat, hopefully preparing my boys for their top class future career!
Below is Milo (Man Friday) 5 years old 16.2 by Glassards Jasper, grandsire Miley.
Jumping the 2'3" at Hartpury he came 4th.

Saturday 8 January 2011

Icon Slides at Gatcombe



Icon at Gatcombe, I have been experimenting with windows live movie maker and have made this slide show using the photos which my friend William Fox took. I included all the photos even where I have made mistakes!

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Snow Jumping

Here is my friend Sarah practising her XC jumping with her lovely Great Danes - Wizard and Merlin and also black lab Bear. Sarah is a keen BSJA competitor and wins a fair amount with Bluey who is her best horse. Bluey is a grade B show jumper and has her own unique and successful way of going. When I teach her, I help Sarah to improve the canter quality rather than drastically alter her jumping technique.

The snow has gone. I have been doing lots of riding on the common. Jumping gorse bushes and streams using the natural ups and downs and lumpy terrain to educate the young horses, helping them find their balance for XC jumping. Its really good fun and they love it, I found a good course that included a stream splash, a grass mound, a huge bush, then a sharp turn to a skinny bush.

Happy New Year.