Sapey unaffiliated

Friday I was feeling very excited to be preparing my two coloured horses ready for our local u affiliated event round the BE track at Sapey the next day.

Then an hour later after I had cleaned them I decided I need to sell one of them, cleaning two coloured horses is very time consuming!!! 

At the event itself however they both had lots of admirers, they do both look stunning with their white bits all poshed up! 

It was a shame the ground wasn't great, they had done lots to improve it, however the sand on landings and take offs that we had appreciated so much at West Wilts 10 days ago was absent, so I ran Rif Raf slowly XC but I decided to withdraw Massimo. He is still so young and not yet at all used to summer ground. They both did a good dressage and both clear SJ. Rif Raf finished in 10th, she was so much fun to ride and brilliant XC, she just jumps anything and try's so hard. Bless her.

Below 2 pics of Massimo and one of Rif Raf SJ.

Getting Married

Really sorry if you follow this blog for Eventing and horse news, so far this year has been a totally different year for me.

I have now sold most of my older horses to help pay for the renovations on our new house and our other huge news is that after 24 years of being together, Ant and I are getting married in 4 weeks time!

We decided in February, only we were both far too shy to announce it. So I made a plan, we were going out for a rare family meal which celebrated my niece Maise's 11th Birthday. 

At the very end of the evening I asked Maisie to stand at the head of the table and open an envelope I had given her and read out the below card!!!!   Maisie had no idea she was about to announce something so important, she did a fabulous job even tapping a wine glass to get everyone's attention. Maisie started to smile broadly as she read through the words, not quite believing what was written on the card.

There was a stunned silence for a few seconds as it sunk in, then everyone was crying and clapping and congratulating us. 

It was such a lovely happy and perfect way to announce our news. Slightly nerve wracking waiting for the right moment though!!!! 

Maisie blowing out her candles.

Massimo Dressage Allens Hill

I decided to go to Allens Hill to do dressage on Massimo today (Friday) so I can keep the weekend free for teaching and earning some money!

It was a brave choice as it was affiliated day at Allens Hill with all tests being judged by qualified judges and held in long arenas with all the posh equipment out, quite a big ask of a green 4 year old to cope with. Affiliated day is quite intimidating, as I warmed up large horse boxes were rolling in with DRESSAGE HORSES written imposingly on the front! Gleaming warmblood horses were unloaded with petite immaculate plaits. I looked down at Massimo's neatly pulled mane and felt rather underdressed.

However Massimo did a nice first test, he lacked suppleness and needed to be more forward but went great for such a green horse. We were doing prelim 15 and then prelim 17 and the two tests are very similar. I got the two tests muddled up at one point although I think I masked my late transition well!!!

Then he went better in P17 and was much more supple and more forward, with his ears pricked it was like he had enjoyed the first test so much he was pleased to be doing another one! Best of all he was totally non spooky and put his best foot forward throughout, I finished the tests feeling so lucky to have such a lovely young horse.

Massimo had a huge fistful of carrots as his reward (he doesn't like polos or sugar lumps) 

Then I was so surprised when I went to check the scores...... he had only gone and scored 68% and 72% winning both classes! 

West Wilts Schooling

This was a fair way to go just for schooling,as one of my friends pointed out. It was a 2 hour drive. But it was well worth it to jump round the BE track all flagged, dressed and the landings and take offs all sanded and beautifully prepared from the event that was held over the weekend.

I took Rif Raf just for a run run and 4 year old Massimo to do his first 90 cm track.

Both were just lovely, I went round as if it were a proper competition. Rif Raf was bold and confident and really easy to a fence. Massimo was green but bold, I came back thrilled to bits with them both and very excited about Massimo as he feels a future star in the making. 

Ant came with me and on the way home we stopped off at Beswick Stone to chose tiles for our new house. So I guess that's killing 2 birds with one Beswick Stone!!!!! 

Our new house is looking fab and our old one is on the market now and is causing quite a stir on the sales market with loads of viewings so far and several people say they are very interested. 

Below our new house before and after!!! 

Coaching News

Firstly Saffron Cresswell rider who I have coached since she was on the lead rein has been long listed for The Pony European Champs in Sweden this summer. Only ten riders in the whole of GB have been selected for the long list so it's a huge and very exciting achievement. She now has a long wait to see if she will be representing her country when the final team is announced later this summer.

Also I have had a fab few weeks training other Eventers.

The Ledbury Pony Club Event Team have began their campaign for the area team events, I had to do a short talk on team competitions last night at a Team Meeting in a local pub, that was pretty nerve wracking but I think I muddled through with out rambling on too much!  I can talk perfectly well about horses and competitions all day in the middle of a field or an indoor school but stick me in a pub and I am a fish out of water!

Also this week I have been coaching local riding clubs and have seen some fabulous horses and riders who all progressed really well. No fallers and all horses and riders were looking more confident and at the end of each session. 

Equestrian property with 3 bed House For Sale 8 Acres, 9 stables, 44x27m Manege.

On sale with Grant and Co of Ledbury, due to go live on their site in next few days.

http://www.grantco.co/ 

Courtyard/hardstanding at rear of house, with an original well still with water 30 foot down, carport and also 2 stables plus another carport which are out of shot on the right.

Patio is made from ancient flagstones rescued from a derelict barn from a nearby farm.

View from house to stables, Manege and top paddocks.

Lounge with views to both the stables, Manege and paddock and front view is to the Hills and Commonland. 

Main bedroom, two windows one overlooks the stables, paddocks and Manege and the other has stunning views over Castlemorton Common and of The Malvern Hills.

Kitchen - again with views to the stables, Manege and paddocks.

View of common and hills from our gate and front windows, you can ride over 2000 acres of common land and Hills direct from our front gate. You can walk or ride to the top of the Hills shown with only crossing over one main B road, it's stunning riding. 

Solihull unaffiliated & Our House for Sale stables & 10 Acres approx

Massimo was a good boy at his first 80 ode at Sollihull, a 32 dressage, 1 pole SJ and clear XC with a few time. Really pleased as he is progressing so well. Ant stayed at home today as we are busy getting our house ready for selling. (See info at bottom of this post) 

I took Ants niece Lizzy (see pic) who rode her Mums horse Duvet Day, I bred him and then produced him to BE100 level. Lizzy's mum bought him off me as a hunter for herself, but Lizzy has decided he can have a go at some Eventing again. Duvet Day is the most lovely kind and gentle horse, he was named Duvet Day as when he was born he wouldn't get up!!!! They did a super double clear. It was a bit lonely Eventing without Ant and his fab sense of humour, although 13 year old Lizzy made me laugh  she put make up on for dressage declaring there maybe a photo opportunity and then later she complained that the cross country had made her sweat!!!! 

Our house is due on the market soon with Grant and Co of Ledbury. It's 10 (mostly flat) acres, spilt into 6 well fenced paddocks, 44 x 27m manège with spring ride rubber/sand surface, 9 stables (4 of them are huge, 15 foot x 20 foot) There's a large barn used as a lorry/hay store, a large concrete yard and a large walled muck heap storage area. there are also a few XC jumps including 2 ditches and a bank. I love that the stables and manege and XC field can all be seen from the kitchen and bedroom windows. Right outside the property's main gate there is 2000 acres of stunningly beautiful road free riding over the Malvern Hills and Castlemorton Common. Paddocks are either post and rails or horse small wire mesh fencing, designed specially so horses are less likely to get hooves caught in the fence, its more expensive (around 5k to do all the paddocks)  but worth it as we have had some really expensive event horses turned out here.

The house is 3 bedroom with views of the common and hills, the common is right outside the front gate and the property is situated down a no through, quiet country lane which provides easy access to the main road for The Lorry (no tight bends or low trees etc), we are about 700 yards from the main road the B4208. There's a local shop 10 mins walk and M5/M50 are 10 mins drive. 

Price guide is offers over £575,000. Photos due on Grant and Co website later this week and I will put some on here and facebook too.

We have lived here 18 years, the house for some people may need upgrading slightly but we would happily live here as it is for another 18 years. We had it rewired when we moved in and it had new windows fitted only a few years ago and a complete new worcester boiler oil fired heating system installed 3 years ago, all completely brand new pipes and radiators etc. We are only moving as Ant has inherited a similar size farmhouse just a mile down the road which has more land.