What a week......

Thanks to Richard Wright who has been busy resurfacing and redraining the yard, we now have a very smart level area in front of the stables and around the side of the shed.

It was an interesting week to say the least! We ended up starting very early every morning and working the horses in the school, with a bit of lighting from the yard lights and a garden light Heather set up for me. To my surprise all the horses were well behaved, and I decided they were not quite so brave in the dark, and didn't dare to be cheeky and naughty! The horses were then kept in whilst the digger was working and the radio was turned up very loud to drown out the noise. Fitz gets the most upset about machinery noise but he coped well.

On Friday Dean took Flint and Nenagh Hunting. His girth snapped when he was tightening it up on the lorry, so I had to take him a new one quickly! Thank goodness it didn't happen over a fence. Once they got going, they enjoyed a busy morning. I took Nenagh out for second horses and they were late to change, so again I picked Dean up in the dark. He was surprised how well Neneagh had jumped a set of rails in the dusk, but she had been ridden in the dark all week so she was used to it!!

I'm all set to go to Ireland tomorrow to see some young horses. Who knows what we'll find.......

New Arrival...

I'm very pleased to say we have a new horse on the yard. Gilly and Charles Kinlochs new mare "Bee" who arrived on Wednesday mid morning in an enormous horsebox. She was safe and well after her journey, and has settled in well. Gilly and Charles came to see her yesterday, and look round all the other horses. Due to the cold I decided they might freeze watching me trot round in the school so we went for a nice lunch at the Red Lion in Stathern instead!
I'm busy planning 2008, and deciding who will go where, it takes alot of organisation! With so many events, it is easy to over run them, so I make a plan that I can stick to.
This week we have a workforce in to level and re hardcore the yard, so im preparing myself for a pretty chaotic week.....and the fact I MUST go christmas shopping!!!

Busy times....

All of a sudden it's the second week in December, and I've not even started my christmas shopping... (nothing like shopping under pressure!) The weekend went well as it was the Quorn Hunt Ball held at Andy and Marcia Hawleys. Dean and I had a good night, I enjoyed being a girl and wearing a long dress and high heels! I think I just had one glass of wine too many, as I felt a little unsteady on Sunday! No hunting for us this week, the horses are having a quieter 10 days or so as they had done quite a lot in a short space of time. I decided to give Flint and Desi a jump in the school today, and both felt fantastic, really pinging and keen. The hunting is working its magic with their confidence.
I'm now awaiting the arrival of Gilly Kinlochs new horse, a 4 yr old, bay, mare called 'Bee' I'm very excited and so is Gilly!

Hunting Tuesday, Dressage Wednesday...

Tuesday afternoon i spent hunting on Desi. The change was late, around 2.30pm, so it meant we were hacking home through Hickling in the dark. It was a fun afternoon, Desi jumped his first couple of hedges, and felt like he'd jumped them all his life!
Wednesday morning it rained and blew a gale here, i began to think dresssage lessons weren't such a good idea, but as i set off for Hannah's, the sun came out. I had two good lessons on Nenagh and Fitz. I was really pleased with Fitz, ive worked really hard with him in the last few weeks, and its the first time Hannah has seen him since September. He didn't let me down, and there was a huge improvement.....although there is still a long way to go! Hannah sat on Nenagh as she hadn't sat on her for quite a while. Hannah was pleased with her but felt she was wanting to block on her right side, so worked on getting her more even down both reins. When i got on she felt better. Having ridden alot of young horses all my life, your aids are pretty black and white and at times quite obvious! Hannah is a very good technician, and im learning to refine my aids, so each correction is almost invisible, and feels so minimal. When my horses are listenung to me it's amazing how sensitive they become. Its a great feeling.

Dressage, Dressage, Dressage...

Just had 3 lessons with Hannah Esberger-Shepherd on Desi, Flint, and Nenagh. In between my lessons Hannah taught Marcia on Jack, and Liz with her 2 horses Mask and Suzy. Hannah rode Desi for half the lesson as she has only seen him on one previous occasion. I love Hannah to sit on them, it helps me so much to see them go with her riding them, and it helps Hannah teach me on them, as sometimes horses can look different to how they feel. I feel all the horses are improving and im gradually getting better in my techniques, when I get it right the feel is so good I'm inspired for the next week to get that feel again! I'm learning to refine my aids and be quicker to react to rebalance the horses. I certainly get brain ache!
Desi looked great with Hannah, and we worked on getting him much softer through his whole body. Nenagh feels so classy when we get it right, but she still finds it difficult to stay in balance. Flint felt good at the end, he was soft and swinging. He like Desi must relax through his whole body and take the contact more forwards and down. Considering they all went hunting on Monday, they all showed improvement from last time, so I feel pleased. I'm going to Hannah's place next week with 2 horses. I like riding in her school as she has mirrors, which are really useful when training.

An afternoon jumping...

I spent yesterday afternoon out hunting with the Quorn on Desi. It was his first time out and i was very impressed with how he behaved. He gave me a great ride, jumping everything really well. Im very excited about his future! Dean was also riding, he took Flint in the morning and Nenagh in the afternoon, having a good time on both. Whilst the ground is not too wet it is great education for the horses and it gives them a real purpose in life this time of year. All my horses were looking for the hounds still this morning!

My first blog

This is from my mission statement. I like it

To leave a horse a better horse after I have ridden it