XC Schooling At Somerford

After the very frozen ground at Swalcliffe which resulted in so many withdrawals at the weekend I rang the secretary at Somerford to check the conditions before we left.

It very busy, it was like arriving at opening meet just after they had moved off. Over 70 horses were booked to school at Somerford yesterday, good job they have masses of room.
Mark and Tania Kyle, Oliver Townend and I think also Ruth Edge were some of the riders there schooling.
Icon loved it and bounced round excitedly, there is every kind of XC jump imaginable at Somerford, it's an amazing place. Take It 2 The Top agreed with me, he too thought he had arrived at opening meet, except unlike Icon he has not hunted.
He hacked the half mile to the course very chilled, however when his feet hit grass and he spotted the 20 or more other horses flying about XC he lost it..........completely!

He began by throwing some of his larger bucks and they were pretty unseating so I kept him moving forward, by this time Ant had arrived and I shouted "what shall I do?" He replied "keep going, he will be ok in a bit"

It was then he took off out of control, I shouted out to the people riding near by to walk, I kept him in some sort of control by staying on a circle of about 50 metres. Round and round he went, a guy on a grey horse came over to help by standing on my circle, every time I whizzed by I tried to use him as a friend  to stop by, after about 5 or 10 minutes (Ant said it seemed like forever)  I managed to pull up, I leapt off quick, as he was still very lit up.  My arms and legs were like jelly from trying to control him. I then lunged him for a good 20 minutes before getting back on, this time with a stronger bit, he was settled and off we went XC, he was amazing and jumped very boldly over some decent fences.
I was thrilled to bits with his attitude, he jumped his first owl holes and we got very brave jumping doubles and drops into the water.
Next time I lunge him first!

Disaster at Swalcliffe

Am not happy, we drove all the way to Swalcliffe today for a XC event.  As we got close to the event we looked at each in other in horror, the roads were getting icy and the grass verges were frozen solid, surely they wouldn't try and run on frozen ground, would they?
Oh yes they would.
The water jump was omitted from the course due to the inch thick ice on it and the ground was frozen as hard as concrete, I was gob smacked!
We withdrew and drove the 2 hours home feeling very annoyed with the organisers for not noting twitter, Facebook or the website that there was such a serious problem with the course.
I Spoke to one of the organisers before I left and he said "we ran a mini ode here yesterday and all those horses were ok."
I wonder how he knew that? Had he been and checked this morning to see how many trotted up sound and if they did how much hidden long term damage could be done jumping XC fences on rough frozen ground. How many horses would have lost confidence galloping across frozen ground that offers no security under foot?

Count Down to Eventing Starting in a Week

I am counting down day by day to the first event. The lorry is all ready it has been washed and passed its MOT on Monday, I always take it to Hereford test centre and try to drive it over and not into the test viewing pit, always scares me.
Hartpury Take It 2 The Top competed in his first Newcomers on Tuesday. He jumped a double clear to finish 3rd, I was as you can imagine thrilled to bits. Icon came 5th in the 1.15, I only jumped one class on each horse so we came home in profit, that never happens.
We are taking William and Mika to a hunter trial as part of their Eventing preparation, the event have given me 19 minutes between my two horses, William goes 1st and is so green it may take me more than 19 minutes to get him round!

We Go XC Schooling

Almost nowhere is open, so we took the 3 babies Mika, William and Twilight to Bissell Wood XC near Kidderminster. It was a very sunny day and we had a fab time, Ant cooked us bacon sandwiches when we finished, I took along some of the riders I coach who also had lots of fun and came home feeling more confident and very pleased with their day.
Bissell Wood is on sandy soil and there is no mud at all. The XC is suitable for babies or horses just needing a fun run. There are lots of logs and tyres, a bank, some steps, a small coffin and some nice gallopy bits in the woods. The water here is a bit daunting for babies and if you go with a nervous water horse take a lead horse.
All 3 of mine went in without a lead although I had one ready, Mika charged in, William had to be asked nicely and Twilight needed a bit more persuasion but then he is the youngest and not yet seen a XC jump ever!
Twilight gave me the best feel cantering over the XC fences like we were floating, Mika was lots of fun and loves it, William was very green then got brave and finished with some larger logs with his classic knees right up under his chin jump.
www.bissellwood-equestrian.co.uk

The Rain

I took 3 horses to Allens Hill Eventer Training on Sunday. Crikey it rained all day, it just never, ever stopped. I was soaked, in the end I rode the last dressage test in a rain coat and just thought eliminate me if you like I was beyond caring. She didn't, nice judge! I had 3 pairs of wet gloves, 2 pairs wet breeches, 2 wet jackets, 2 wet under jumpers, everything I was wearing was soaked, and as I had 2 hours between each dressage to jump etc, I was freezing cold too. Ant came with me to help, he hid in the lorry with the TV and heating on, emerging to help me swap horses and to watch me jump.
William jumped his first 80 and was fab and 5th (he loved it) , Mika 2nd in the 90 and Take It 2 The Top 2nd in the 100.

Then today I took Icon and Take It 2 The Top to BS at Summerhouse, they both jumped really well and will move up a class next time out. I was on my own and had a minor panic when I realised all my riding kit was still drying on the radiator at home and I had forgotten to put it all back in the lorry. Luckily I found some spares to put on, but while I frantically searched the lorry, for a bit I thought I was going to have to jump in jeans and pink gloves!

Got 8 horses in this week and it seems 8 is the number when I become less organised.
6 am - Mucked out and fed 8. (I work super fast)
7 am - Rode 2.
9 am - breakfast.
9.30 am - loaded 2 unbrushed horses and left for Summerhouse.
3 pm - home and rode 2 more.
5 pm - mucked out and fed 8.
6pm - repaired light on barn.
7 pm - cooked tea and pancakes!
8 pm - rang and texted clients to organise next weeks lessons, updated BLOG.
and then Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

The next few days are fully booked with lessons, luckily I have someone coming in the next few mornings to help me muck out and tack mine up etc so I can  teach all afternoon.

foot note Ant has asked me to add on that he actually cooked his own tea and I did the pancakes! Thats my superwoman image blown right out of the water!!!

BE UKCC Training

Arrived home after 2 days intensive training at the superb equestrian facilities at Keyso in Bedfordshire, absolutely shattered. I stayed in a super bed and breakfast the Old School House near to Keyso, with really friendly hosts.
The course itself involved 12 trainee coaches spending 2 mornings in a classroom working through our portfolios and indoor exercises using team work. This was all really fun, all the people on the course were really nice. The trainers Lizzel Winter and Sue Ringrose were amazing, really constructive with their comments and observations and interesting to listen to.
Both afternoons we were required to coach, my first rider was an advanced medium dressage rider and my next a pony club superstar. I was so nervous I couldn't stop shaking, felt sick and couldn't speak. How ridiculous when its what I do all the time, it didn't help that we were outside with an icy cold wind blowing! Once I began teaching my nerves disappeared and I really enjoyed it, best of all I had lots of positive feedback from the trainers and the riders.
I went off to my bed and breakfast feeling pleased and a little more confident.
Next day was more classroom based work and then teaching 1* and 2* riders in the afternoon, this again went well with positive feedback both from the trainers and the riders.
Now I am home I need to sleep. More training and then an assessment day to complete the qualification is to follow later in the year.

Hartpury British Showjumping

Took the big boys to this, Hartpuy Take It 2 The Top and Icon. Had a brilliant and happy day the sun shone again and we came home with £30 prize money. Icon 7th in the 1.05 and Take It 2 The Top 5th in the Discovery. 
There were lots of event riders out competing and it was great to catch up, see who has new horses and how last years horses had improved. We were all chatting about what events we are going to enter and making jokes about single phase SJ having enough jumps to count as XC and that we eventers needed sat nav to find them all! Its less than a month to the new BE season. Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!

UKCC British Eventing - BE Fit!

I now have all the information needed to start reading up on the work required to pass the British Eventing UKCC. A huge folder has arrived with lots of useful information in it, all of which I must read and learn.

One interesting thing on rider fitness I have already tried out.

Take your pulse rate at rest, mine was 60 beats per min. Then step up and down off a 20 cm step for 3 mins, I did this very very fast until after 2 mins I had jelly legs, what a relief when the 3 mins finally arrived, the last 30 secs seemed for ever!  Then rest for 1 min and then take your pulse again. Mine had increased by 29 beats per min to 89 beats per min. On the chart this said my heart fitness is excellent. That can't be right surely? I am no where near fit enough to event yet, I haven't been cycling or running yet and although I am riding 5 a day, that doesn't get you cardio vascularly fit to ride XC.

Will have to test it again tomorrow in case I counted wrong. At this rate the stair carpet on step one is going to be worn bare!