4 Year Old Mika Goes XC Schooling

Amazing Mika was amazing XC schooling, it was a lovely sunny day, perfect ground and we had a fab time. Mika was really bold and loved it, a perfect XC horse in the making. A group of us met at Lincombe, our horses went so well we were all buzzing when we finished.

We drove home eating chocolate picnic bars, dreaming of going eventing!

pics courtesy of web design company www.fromthesticks.co.uk

A Day of Doing Dressage

Forced myself to go and do a complete day of dressage, rode 5 tests of which 4 were different. Rode them all from memory and actually remembered them all.
Take It 2 The Top had a 1st and a 2nd scoring 74%, Top Gun had a 6th, little devil just won't engage behind when I ride him with a longer softer outline, so its back to a smarter shorter outline for him. Stiff creaky Icon behaved (at last!) but came almost last in both his classes, good job he can jump!
Next day Top Gun jumped at Summerhouse, 2 fab double clears left me wanting the new event season to be here already. Then Take It 2 The Top and Top Gun went to Lincomb XC schooling. Top Gun was brave neat and brilliant, this is what he is best at and I had forgotten how good he is. Take It 2 the Top was also brave just not yet as balanced, which made me think he better do a few BE90s, prior to a BE100. He is such a lovely horse I would not want to upgrade him before he is physically and mentally ready.

Allens Hill Arena Eventing

Not a jumping fault all day!

Take It 2 The Top won the 95 cm, Man Friday won the 1.05 and Top Gun came 3rd in the 1.05. It was a fab event with dressage SJ and arena XC fences. Pic taken by Maxine is of Take It 2 The Top jumping a corner.

We even had a start box that Maxine counted us down in. Horses loved it and all the polos I gave them after for being very good boys.

Training Continues and Pooh Sticks Reinvented

Icon brushing up on his skinny jumping! For the full sequence see below. Top Gun and Take It 2 The Top have both been out SJ training. Top Gun had a lesson with accredited BS trainer David Austin who was very helpful. Man Friday is also working well all these star horses means I am extra excited about the forthcoming season.
Yippee my lorry passed its MOT, thanks to my amazing mechanic Emlyn. I have given my lorry a spring clean ready for the new season. And cleaned out the loo. Only I found trouble when I came to empty the stinky loo bit. I discovered our drains in the garden were blocked. That's the drain of the worst kind if you get my drift. YUK! There was a horrible mass of frozen gunk in the drain, the sides of the drain had caved in stopping it flowing away. Ant helped and got the broken bricks out and then I took buckets of water to the other drain cover further up the garden and tipped the water in. Then I ran down the garden to see if the water was flowing. Eventually it did, washing the horrible gunk heap away, as I ran up and down with the the water I got the giggles as I suddenly wondered if this was how the game pooh sticks was invented!

My Manege Does Not Freeze!

Its freezing and snowing. Luckily selling John Wayne last year for really good money has meant I have been able to splash out on a few things. One is a top up for my well worn arena. I chose Spring Ride Shred. http://www.springride.com/?gclid=CMi0gfbphK4CFSgntAoda2dE5Q It does not freeze not even last night when temperatures dropped to below -10. I was out jumping a 1.10m course at 8 am this morning. It must be the only outdoor school for miles that is not frozen. All my friends have been using it this week. Its a super surface to jump on too and does not need leveling ever. Also we now have a new bathroom, its so luxurious with a heater and everything, its like being in a Hotel, rest of the house is still very rural! The old bathroom had been in place since 1930 and was awful it had a broken toilet, a tiny bath, missing tiles and was freezing. The broken toilet meant we had to flush it with a bucket of water!!! John Wayne's money has also paid for central heating, its bliss to have a warm house and clothes that are not damp. The ice now stays outside the windows and we are all warm and cosy. Its so nice to come inside to a warm house and not have to immediately light the fire.

3rd Time Lucky for Mikas Wolf Tooth

Its gone completely this time. John from 3 Counties Equine Clinic called this morning and took out a piece of what he described as sharp bone! It was like a tiny razor. I am so relieved as I was convinced by how he was going that there was still a problem. He would go beautifully for a while then suddenly violently argue throwing his head about and then go on sweetly again. No wonder he shot sideways in some of his dressage movements on Sunday!

Sad news this week from breeder Joy Lewis. Last year she had Token of Honour, Token Bow Nink and White Water Mountain Music put down. They were all old and deteriorating in their ability to get about. These horses are Mikas Uncle, Grandma and Grandad. Also related in a similar way to Butterfly, Josie Jump, Duvet Day, Mister Bojangles, Toby Two Tone and the advanced eventer Token Gesture. All but the latter were my horses and all jump brilliantly. Token Of Honour (below) was a huge giant and gentleman of a horse, he would take an hour to woo his mares and never sired anything but coloured foals, lets hope his niece Rif Raf can produce a TB clone of him next year.

Facebook Panic

I have been persuaded to do facebook. I really don't get it so huge apologies if you are messaging and befriending and posting wall things. A wall is something my horse jumps or that holds up the roof on my house. Facebook is like being in a busy pub, and I want to go home! Or if that's not possible can someone please find me a dark corner to sit in so I am not noticed. Milo and Mika went to Allens Hill today to compete in combined training. 4 year old Mika came 6th in the 75cm and Milo won the 85cm. Riders I coach also went really well with Louise clear SJ, Emma 2nd and Dan 4th. Very proud of them all. Photos kindly by Maxine - Hartpury Take It 2 The Top and Amazing Mika.