Popart Starts his training

3 year old Pop Art started his training on Xmas day, he had a bridle and saddle on and learnt to be tied up and to trot up in hand. He also passed the plastic bag test see above, which helps them get used to the sound of waterproof riders coats etc.

Today he was ready to start longreining, just in the arena to begin with, he should be long reining out on the grass in 2 or 3 days time. Once he has been broken he will be taken to a few shows and then will be for sale as have decided to cut back on our horses in order to pay for the work on the 400 year old farm house we are having renovated. We also have some nice 2 year olds for sale.

Arena Eventing Lincombe on Rif Raf plus horse Shopping

I took Rif Raf Arena eventing last weekend, she absolutely loved it, when she saw we had to ride over grass to get to the arena she got a bit jolly as she thought it was the real thing! She loves her jumping.

She was a tad disappointed when she saw the sand arena but she still bounced round to go double clear to be 4th in both her classes, the 80 and 90. 

See a video of her 90 round here http://youtu.be/3yJek9sPEZs

Next blog post will be a run through of the horses that I intend to event next year, with several sold in 2014 its going to be a year of mainly bringing on youngsters for young horse classes, so 2015 is looking like a fun year of competing very wobbly horses round 80s and 90s!

Which is just as well as we have a house move on the horizon, only a mile down the road but a slightly bigger set up with more space for Ants cattle, chickens and of course a few horses.

I have been shopping for unbroken youngsters more news and pictures on my new purchases in next few weeks.

Also we have a new puppy a border collie called Hugo, he's fab very intelligent and has already been to his first show at Hartpury. He has also managed an emergency visit to the vet when he crept up on to a chair and ate 6 of Ants painkilling tablets, but no harm done as luckily I realised and was able to act quickly!

Hartpury Show Jumping

Phew what a busy day.

6 am - muck out 5 boxes +feed horses.

7.30 - load Massimo drive to Hartpury.

8 am - jumped superstar 3 yr old Massimo clear round 2x 70 cm SJ - I love him he is so bold and he was also extremely well behaved. 

9.30 - drove home to teach at 10.

11.30- load 3 horses drive to Hartpury

12.15 - jump 3 horses in 80 cm class. 

1 pm - jump 3 horses in 90 cm class

1.45 - loaded, untacked and on way home exhausted!! 

With help from Ant and Nikki Cox tacking up I jumped 3 horses in 6 rounds in 1 hr and 15 mins!!! 

My horses must work well under pressure as they didn't have a pole down all day, and with Massimos rounds early it was a total of 8 rounds jumped!

I ache now though!!!  

Below Rupert 5th in the 80 cm

Middleton jumping one of his his double clears. 

Massimo is home

I was so very excited this week to collect 3 year old Alvescote Massimo from James Grassick who has been breaking him in for me. 

I picked him up on Monday and have been hacking every day with one ten minute jump in the school over baby show jumps. He's so lovely, very brave, sensible and a really nice person. 

Today I took him to take in the sights at a local show that was running at Hill View Arena. Picture above is Massimo watching Claire and Teagan warming up they were also at their first show. The show was such good experience for young horses. Massimo was exceptionally well behaved and so I took him in the mini clear round jumping. He went straight round clear didn't look at a single filler or any of the advertising banners on the rails.

I couldn't have been more pleased with him. Perfect boy. 

A Winning Streak

Ok I realise it's November and all the best horses are probably on holiday but it still feels good to be on a winning streak, even if it is on baby horses in baby classes!!!

The weekend started with Show Jumping at Hartpury, I was pretty excited as it was Rif Rafs first winter outing. She whizzed round to finish 2nd with Middleton close on her heels in 3rd, Rosanna who I coach finished in 6th, a fab result as it was a large class.

Next it was of to Hillview arena today for dressage, they had a very full day with over 60 entries. Rif Raf just did one prelim test to be 2nd with 67%, bless her, it felt a good test and that was confirmed before I even knew my mark when the judge asked if she was for sale. Rif Raf was beaten by a  rider I coach Camilla Esling on her lovely youngster Roland, great to see this super partnership winning. I was also really pleased for Louise on Bernie in 6th on 66%, 6 months ago she bought him unbroken from an Irish Sports horse importer, amazing how fast he is progressing. 

Next up was Middleton who won prelim 14 on 69% and then also won the Novice on 72% he's an amazing 4 year old.  Then Rupert, owned by Vet Graham Potts, finished 3rd in the Novice, he put his best foot forward through the test had some lovely comments. Good job he went so well as his owner and friends were watching. Pic of Rupert doing his test by floodlights.

Then to finish off a fab weekend I recieve an email from a rider I coach to say she has finished the year in 4th place in the ROR UK endurance rankings. Tracy is Head Vet Nurse from Three Counties Equine Hospital and competes her ex racehorse in endurance, dressage and show jumping, next year she hopes to take her Eventing too.

Huge well done to everyone and to my lovely horses, that's cheered up a grey November and I have a pretty exciting week to follow, so watch this space!

Middleton is Outstanding in his first Novice Dressage

I am still slightly stunned that my lovely 4 year old Middleton came 2nd last Friday in his first ever Novice dressage test, scoring over 70%. So pleased with him.

Not any old Novice test either, it was in the very atmospheric Hartpury Arena where they hold the cic3* tests at the FEI event in the summer. He didn't hardly bat an eyelid at the judges red table cloth or the banners surrounding the arena.

The judge loved him, his test can be watched https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152439404940382

BE Coaching Course

This was a brilliant course ran by BE to help us improve our coaching skills, ideas etc

It was a pretty challenging course, continually questioning our thought process and the skills required to coach well. 

We were not allowed to stay in one group during the classroom based morning session. For every new challenge we had to move to a new group of people and then work on tasks with that group. The other coaches were all levels including newly qualified coaches and several BHS fellows, UKCC3, 4* Event riders etc.

The morning classroom session finished with watching videos, where we had to assess riders in order to make an observation of their riding skills, I found this particularly useful, especially as in my final group I had a FBHS who gave us some good guidance on what to look for.

In the afternoon we were split into new groups and were asked to coach several riders on the flat and later jumping. We were supposed to use the skills which we had gathered during the classroom session. It was hard to stay focused on this and not to revert to how we coach at home.

It was fascinating watching the other coaches coach and then discussing with each other how we would progress the session based on what we had seen and heard so far.

I started my jumping session nervously and then went blank, luckily we were mixed with all the different levels of coaches, I had lots of encouragement from my group and the trainer so I soon got going.

I didn't think I had done that well but I had some fantastic feed back from the trainer at the end, so I returned home feeling confident and keen to go on more courses like this.

News on Young Horses

Rif Raf my lovely 4 year old skewbald has been back in work for a month after her summer holiday. She is full of fun and is enjoying lots of hacking.

Middleton, also 4 years old, is going beautifully both on the flat and jumping, he is also having fun hacking round the common jumping gorse bushes and playing in all the water that is everywhere after the weekends rain.

Middleton jumped amazingly well at Allens hill last week, he's an exciting horse for next year although sadly he will probably have to be sold in the spring to help pay for our new arena at our new house. Very exciting and nail biting as the arena is just going through the planning stages now.

Graham Potts horse Rupert is still progressing well, he went to Allens Hill last week and jumped easily round the 90 cm, he try's very hard and improves every outing which makes him a very enjoyable horse to ride.

Huge news is that Graham has jumped his first cross pole on him and we are planning on a low key dressage outing for him soon.

My 3 yr old Massimo is being broken in by James Grassick who has broken in 8 of my past horses and has not yet sent one back that I can't ride, he does an amazing job with them. 

Hartpury Top Gear has been out to a few shows jumping easily round 90 cm courses, he's still green as he is also only 3, he is now due for a winter holiday turned out with my other youngsters.

My two first timers have a go at Solihull Autumn ODE

Had a fab end of season event at Solihull. Here they run really good unaffiliated ODEs for baby horses with all the atmosphere of a BE event.

Rupert began our good day with a lovely dressage test to score 32 followed by Middleton who won a rosette for the best dressage with a amazing 29. Both horses tried really hard and I couldn't have asked better of them for where they are at in their training.

Rupert jumped a nice clear SJ and Middleton rolled a pole when he became too bold and then a little flat in his canter.

The XC was superb, there was a good variety of obstacles, some fences were dressed with a few flowers and were all up to height. The course included a step up to a log, some woodland, logs, brush fences and of course Solihull's lovely water complex.

Both boys flew round clear, Rupert had a 6 time faults for too slow (he went first) and then Middleton went next and had time for going too fast which cost him the win.

Rupert finished in 6th and Middleton in 2nd, I was thrilled to bits, it's not often 2 horses get everything right eventing on the same day, especially when it's their first ever one day event.

Utube clip of Rupert below

 

 

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Ledbury Hunt XC Competition

I took Graham Potts horse Rupert and my 4 year old Middleton along to jump the 70 cm XC at Gadbury today.

Rupert has grown up an awful lot in one week and jumped round really confidently, he still spooked at a very small ditch but flew the next couple of ditches which were much bigger, he also splashed bravely straight into the water jump, I am really pleased with how he is progressing. Middleton went clear I was amazed how bold he was, especially as when we set out it was thick fog and he wasn't at all spooked by things appearing out of the mist!
There were lots of entries and being a local event it was great to see so many people I know. Everyone seemed really impressed with the course and how it was riding.

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Hartpury Top Gear goes to his first show.

He was fab, such a good boy and very brave. This was Moores Farm clear round day, which is really good value at £10 a horse, for using the facilities and as many clear rounds as you need. I went along and paid my £10 and thought it would be good experience for him to just use the indoor warm up and the practice fences.

Then as he was so good I thought I would just show him the main arena and jump one or two fences....

 

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Salters Hill - Ross Harriers XC

This was a perfect low key event for our 2 first timers. Rupert and Middleton coped beautifully with the atmosphere and with all the tiny ponies flying about the field.
This was Middletons first XC event and Ruperts first show on grass as well as his first XC event.
The ground was good with plenty of grass cover. Middleton looked cautiously at the straw bales under fence one and popped over it and then grew in confidence and cleared the rest of the 23 fences really well!!!! Rupert set off with much more gusto and confidence until he got to fence 19 the ditch in the coffin, he intelligently found an alternative serpentine route from a) to b) which I quickly corrected so we were still pointing at the ditch! Rupert ground to a halt and then over he lept from a stand still.
Ruperts owner Graham Potts came along to watch, Ant cooked us all bacon sandwiches in the lorry and then we sent Graham off happily home with a bright pink 5th Rosette!!!!!

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Rupert XC Schooling

Had a fab outing to Bissell Wood XC schooling. Whole course on soft sand and really inviting fences. Rupert started out with logs on the floor and finished jumping the 2'9" fences. He felt so bold and he loved it, I was really impressed with him. My friends Tracey on Fine Girl and Louise on 4 yr old Bernie came along and their horses went brilliant too.

 

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Rupert and Top Gear go SJ Schooling

Rupert and Jeremy (Hartpury Top Gear) at the lovely Hill View Arena. Their first outing show jump schooling. Both horses were fab, they both jumped everything first time and both horses learnt a valuable lesson in standing on the lorry while the other horse left them to go jumping. Although Rupert did have a slight tantrum about it, once Ant had a quiet word him he stood as quiet as a mouse.
Really pleased with them both. 

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Massimo makes Fab Progress

I think I have found a lovely horse in Massimo he has been the most lovely horse to train. He is now eating hard food which I don't think he has had before. I am guessing Alvescot Stud are like us and don't give young stock hard food until they begin ridden work. It usually means their bones etc grow more naturally and also they make much nicer more polite horses as they haven't learnt to fight for food. He is so sweet it has taken a week to persuade him to eat food out of my hand.
He has accepted the saddle really well and I am leaning over him, he has been long reining everywhere round Castlemorton Common and has been so good. He is not spooky and is brave.

 It is so nice to have been sold a horse that is exactly as described.

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Massimo arrives

16.3 unbroken 3 year old Massimo arrived yesterday. We collected him from Alvescot Stud near Burford. He loaded beautifully and travelled as quiet as a mouse and then unloaded sensibly too. It's not until you get them home that you begin to discover their real temperament and he is a good one I think. He hasn't been handled a great deal as he is one of the horses Alvescot haven't yet had time to produce for sale.
But thankfully so far he is well mannered, sensible, incredibly laid back and seems a brave sort too.
He has had his first bath and been wormed and had a saddle on, which is all scary stuff but after his first reaction of "woah what are u doing with that" he accepts all these new experiences really quickly. After his bath I led him round the school to dry him off and he walked straight over all my brightly coloured poles and planks and between all the very spooky fillers.

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Alvescot Massimo & Hartpury Top Gear

 

Jeremy (Top Gear) is home from a week with Sean Gooney. Sean says he is such a lovely horse and has been very pleased with him, Sean broke him in the spring and then we turned him away and now he back in work ready to start his competition training. I collected him from Sean's this morning & rode him this afternoon, he is a lovely ride, very well balanced and light in the hand. My plan is to work towards young horse classes next year.

I have also bought Alvescot Massimo an unbroken 3 year old by the lovely stallion Miley. We picked him out of a field of youngsters at Alvescot Stud near Burford. So hopefully these two horses will be able to progress along side each other. Mo arrives later this week, here is a pic of him as a foal along with his breeding info.

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Video of Sprout my 2 Year Old

Here is a video of Sprout starting his education.

He is just over 2 years old and is very well bred as his Dam is 3/4 sister to Carling King who was 4th at the Athens Olympics. A very special boy.

Always seek professional advice before long reining and once you have mastered the skill do plenty of it.

Long reining is really good for young horses, both mentally and physically as it's a relaxing way to learn much of the skills they will require to make really good ridden horses, without the extra strain of a rider on board.

I learnt to long rein from watching a Robert Oliver demontstarion many years ago and also on a local stud open day where I was taught to long rein using their already trained horses.

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Groom at Burghley for Louise (Wiggy) Harwood

Once again I had the most fantastic time as assistant groom for Louise Harwood and her mum Jackie Skelton at Burghley this weekend.

Louise had 2 horses there Jenga who is doing Blenheim next week and Mr Potts who was doing his 4th 4*. I had a wrist band that gave me access to the stables and the riders TV tent and of course the collecting rings and start boxes. Potts did a better dressage test than last year but slightly disappointingly received a similar mark.

 

Early on Saturday Jackie and I grazed the 2 horses while Louise had a final course walk. We had ages until Potts went XC at 12.45 but it flew by. By the time we had tacked Jenga up for Louise to take him for a gallop, had some breakfast, skipped out the stables and looked after Jenga when he returned it was time to start getting XC tack together.

We studded Potts up and went to watch the first few on the tv screens. The first horse was sticky and backing off so not the best one to watch. However a few good rounds eventually followed and then it was 11.50 and time to go tack up Potts. Once tacked up I walked him round to begin his warm up, Louise was on board by 12.10 and took him for a short hack before returning to jump a few show jumps before moving onto the XC practise fences. Potts was fresh he was jumping fab but huge. Then there was a hold on course which delayed their start time by 30 minutes, by the time they were called over to the start Potts had time to chill and was jumping more economically he looked much more like he did last year. Phew!

Waiting to start.

Over by the start box Jackie made us all laugh as I put on his XC grease, I put lots on the same as we do for our horses " careful with that Stella, not too much, it's £17 a pot" she shouted!!!!

Once Potts was safely started Jackie and I went into the riders TV tent to watch nervously. They made it look easy and jumped a super clear, and at the half way point into 4th place, how many riders come back from jumping round Burghley and say the Cottessmore leap felt small! Clever Mr Potts. Wiggy was disappointed with her time faults at first, but as the day progressed the time remained tight, her score was looking very good and she went into 15th overnight.

Finishing.

Just 1 rail the next day and they finished in an amazing 12th place. Wiggys best result to date, it was amazing.

 

Jackie, Wiggy and Graham Potts the vet who Mr Potts is named after washing off a warm Mr Potts.

 

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Sold - Hartpury Take It 2 The Top

Here are some photos of Monty's new owner schooling at Somerford last week. They are thrilled to bits with him and have already won a 1.05 show jumping class. He was sold through Tom Searle and Andrea Verdina. Tom did a fabulous job of preparing him for the sale, presenting him beautifully at Boomerang Cross Country Centre to Andreas clients and then also for the vetting.

I can't thank Tom enough for all his hard work and enthusiasm riding him for me, I am just sorry that he couldn't keep Monty to event for himself.

His new rider is aiming for some 100 events to begin with and then moving on up to Novice, hopefully by the end of the season.

 

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Seconds for Rupert, Vet and Horse Falls on top of me!!!!!

Rupert went off to his 2nd show today at Allen's Hill. He once again behaved really well scoring 65% prelim18 and 69% in prelim12. He came 2nd in both tests, only missing out on 1st place by less than a mark. He is saving 1st place for when his owner competes him.

Yesterday I had Becks the vet here doing lots of routine tasks on my young horses. Yearling colts Beetle and Dippy were both castrated and also had their wolf teeth removed. 2 year old Wizard also had his wolf teeth out.
I asked Becks to look at a strange mobile, 10p size, swelling, on the back of Wizards lower hock, Becks was as mystified as I was, it was such an odd lump with lots of fluid surrounding it, yet he was very sound on it. A few X Rays and scans later and we had the mystery solved, it was a soft tissue swelling similar to a Ganglion found on humans. Very unusual and probably caused by some sort of trauma to the area. Despite it looking rather unsightly she has advised me to leave well alone and continue as normal with him. Means he can be an event horse but not a show horse. Phew that's a relief!!!!
When we castrated Dippy I was stood in front of him holding him while the sedation took hold. Suddenly he tumbled forward right on top of me. I went down backwards onto the concrete like a skittle, luckily the stable door was open and I got thrown clear out into the yard. I was a bit shaken but not a bruise to be seen.
Dippy helping to bring Beetle in for Castration!

 

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Rupert goes to his first show

Ruperts owner Graham Potts is away at the World Equestriam Games in France this week so sadly Graham missed Rupert competing at his first ever show.

Rupert behaved beautifully, I am so pleased with him. We were competing in a walk and trot test, he neighed the entire way through but did a super although green test to come 2nd.

Then in Prelim 7 he gave up the neighing and was much less green. He scored 67% to finish 5th. The dressage classes at Hillview are open to all, so the standard can be quite good, this meant a horse was in our class that did the Badminton Grassroots Champs this year, Rupert was only 4 marks away from it too.

 

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