Worcester Pony Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnPhKOlj9OQ What a lovely fun day organised at their branch field near Droitwich. I took sensible young Milo round the tiny xc jumps his first ever time round a full course, he went clear and felt lovely. Even younger Monty after a short spin on the lunge behaved really well, it was a busy grass show ( the sort we are now so short of to educate these young event horses) Monty jumped erratically round a X pole clear round. He is confident over 2'9" on a surface yet on grass it was like he hadn't ever seen a show jump! Then I nipped easily over the bigger XC jumps on Top Gun, hes really grown up over the last few weeks and feels ready for his first BE100 next week. Every one was really friendly and helpful and the courses were really educational. Just heard Spring Along died from a heart attack on the xc at Gatcombe today, news like this makes me treasure every moment that these lovely horses are with us. In our lesson with Pammy Hutton last week she said she felt this was the year he had a real chance to win Badminton.

Lincoln

Fabulous photo by kind permission of Graham Bannister.

Icon had a lovely outing at his first Intermediate run of the year. Lincoln is regarded as one of the largest Intermediates in the country and it certainly did look imposing as I walked the course.
I found a bit of spare time to watch the show jumping. It was a treat to be able to watch Lenamore (won Burghley last year Caroline Powell) Billy Landretti (Pippa Funnell) and Cool Mountain (William Fox-Pitt). Three of this countrys top horses and are potential 2012 Olympians. I felt in awe of competing along side them. Lenamore was my favourite, he has springs!!
Icon did his best ever dressage test to score 35 and just had 2 poles in the SJ and a fast clear XC. So long as he is sound in the morning we will be sending off our entry for our first cic***. A good run at a cic*** would qualify us for Blenheim, that would be a dream come true. Its my dream, Icons dream would be just XC then polos, he has developed a polo shuffle in the direction of any spectators! Monday update -

Icon very fresh and well, chiropractor Johnathon Gibbons has checked him and all ok, I am delighted......FEI flu jab tomorrow and we are on the road to entering our first cic***.

Top Gun at Swalcliffe

At Swalcliffe Top Gun was waitlisted for the BE90 and I only heard we were in late yesterday evening. I had to cancel all my lessons and clean tack quickly!
Top Gun was relaxed in his trot work, but was a teeny bit buzzy in the walk and canter, I was pleased with his mark of 38, especially as he is not 5 until June. He show jumped lovely just tipping 2 poles when he became a little unbalanced, this is only the 3rd time he has competed on grass. As least we have some good excuses at the moment!
XC he was very bold but green at times, nothing jumpable bothers him but he did get a 20 at fence 2 when he whipped sideways from a very dangerous looking fence judge......she had a clipboard!!!
I took him slowly xc, letting him learn and trying not to get him tierd as it was very hilly. Its been a glorious sunny day and just lovely to be out eventing. Next stop Icon does an Intermediate.

Talland and Pammy Hutton

Icon was fab today in a lesson with Pammy Hutton. She was really pleased with him and how he has improved. I have been working really hard with all the bendy flexi exercises she gave me to do. Icon was so good she spent most of the lesson working with me. I need to let go of my right rein more in the right half pass, work on transitions within half pass and shoulder in. AND work on my lower back position in canter. Phew!

Then I had a lesson with Gerry Sinnot on Top Gun. I have had a problem keeping his head from rocking in canter, Gerry said this is going to take time to sort maybe 12 months as he is still young and weak. He gave me a good exercise to help get him more balanced. We also worked on half halts to improve the trot, it took me time to get the hang of a tiny mini half halt, he is so sensitive compared to Icon. Then wow what a lovely swingy trot all the tension had gone. Gerry also noticed I am blocking the left canter by not allowing him to come through, I need to push my left hip forward but still bring my shoulder back.
When I got home poor John Wayne had to work through all the stuff I needed to practice, he was very tolerant!

Oasby and Gracelands

Icon was let down by an over confident rider in the dressage. We were awarded a 39, but that was much better than I deserved. I didn't have enough leg on in the first counter canter and let him break into a hollow horrid unbalanced trot. Then I over rode the next counter canter and he put in a lovely (not required) flying change! I made other minor mistakes and was annoyed with myself. I am blaming the snow that stopped us doing more dressage shows!
Then in the show jumping I over rode that too and got him a bit quick, having 3 down, it was only 1.10m, tiny compared to his recent BSJA classes.
Icon flew XC with a fast clear, and jumped the quick way at a corner that almost everyone else had gone the long way at. He was way down in the results but arrived home very pleased with his day telling the other horses he had won. I don't think so Icon, but who cares he was a star XC and he knows it!

Sunday I took the Broomstick Brothers (rising 4 yrs Monty and 1 year older Top Gun) to Gracelands show jumping. It was a busy unaffiliated show with a fab filler filled course. Monty buzzed then settled in nicely and jumped smoothly round the 80 cm. He had an Oooooo from the crowd as he lifted his feet up near his ears as he floated over fence one....awesome.

Top Gun jumped clear in the 90 cm, he was easy to ride and makes the height feel easy...he will be ready for a BE100 very soon.

We Go Eventing 2011 Yippee!!!

Well done to Louise Calverley (pictured) who won today at Aston Le Walls. I teach Louise on her horse Alloon Ice, her 27 dressage led all the way, brilliant.

I rode my Advanced horse Icon (due to wet weather he has not been XC schooling this year so a Novice run was appropriate) He was very explosive warming up for dressage but scored a good 33 and then an easy double clear to finish 6th.
5 Year old Top Gun (by Olympic Pathway stallion Take It 2 The Limit) also went double clear after a tense dressage test 34, a few xc time faults put him out of the placings, this is the first time he has been XC against the clock.
Monty (Top Guns baby brother) could not cope with the atmosphere and bashed his head in the lorry and had to be withdrawn. I rode him round the lorry park for a while but planet Monty was not to be contacted! The dressage was a ten minute exciting hack past the XC and I decided, he was best saved for a quieter first outing on grass!!
Fabulous to be out Eventing the courses were lovely, an easy fun run, I have been buzzing all weekend and now need to sleep.......zzzzzzzzz.

Winners

Wow, a fab weekend for people and horses I train.
Alfie (pictured) ridden by Rory won at Pauntley XC. This is Alfie's first ever place so its very exciting. I have only just recently started training this combination so I am delighted.
Alfie is also ridden by Rory's partner Emma. She aims to start eventing soon and from what I have seen so far they are a talented and keen combination. The Badminton grassroots final is a very realistic goal for them.
Freddie a 23 year old race horse ridden by Bernice White came 2nd in a combined training class and the class was won by her daughter Louise White riding Mav.
Barney ridden by Kate Greenwood has won both dressage and combined training in the last fortnight. I spied Kate practising the exercises I had given her on a dry patch of common the day before her show. Its very rewarding to teach such successful partnerships but much of the credit goes to the hardwork these riders are putting in between lessons.