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.