Winters are always tough for equestrians with the weather, thick winter coats or high management clips and rugs, relentless mud making everything that bit harder….. Then this year, we need to add a basically non-existent summer season gone, lockdown restrictions with no end date, related personal stress and a questionable future season ahead. Why are […]
From Now On
What a memorable (for all the wrong reasons) year it has been. I am a big fan of a new year; it feel like such a definitive clean slate, fresh page, new beginning…. And despite the world putting a damper on things, I refuse to not feel my new year buzz! And thankfully it arrived […]
Lessons from a viral social media post – Road Visibility
A few weeks ago, I did a personality quiz and the result was ‘Advocate’: unsurprisingly. I am not afraid to speak up and speak out when needed. Sometimes to my own detriment, perhaps it is something I will grow out of, although I doubt it. However, when I shared a picture on social media recently, […]
Compete, don’t compare – post lockdown, shows restarting
Sat in my bed, where I seem to spend a scary amount of time at the moment, I realise how much lockdown has effected me. Less motivation, no plans, fewer goals, barely any reasons to get out of my pjs…. Then the posts start of people back out competing. How? How are they doing that? […]
Blog writing – a new chapter for this writer
I haven’t written a blog for nearly half a year simply because I lost my voice. Blogging is a means of expression; sharing a story, voicing an opinion and detailing a journey. And recently, my story got confusing, my voice lost and my journey too dark to share. However, life is full of chapters and […]
Robert Oliver – showman, huntsman, gentleman
As a member of the Horse of the Year Show Hall of Fame and winner of The Equestrian of the Year, Robert Oliver is someone who has a beautiful style of riding and has had a huge amount of success in the show ring. In 1977, he broke all records when he won the Cobs, […]
Kerry Wainwright: breeding more than pretty
While researching for top names in the Mountain and Moorland world, one name repeatedly came up, that of Kerry Wainwright. She has a superb reputation for not only breeding top quality ponies but also ponies with amazing temperaments. The Skellorn stud was founded in the 50s by her grandfather, Les Wainwright, who bred Welsh Mountain […]
Cindy Sims – the dynasty judge
Another great from a showing dynasty, Granddaughter of the amazing Betty Skelton who championed side saddle for so many years, Cindy is a well respected showing judge, having served on multiple panels as well as grading youngstock, teaching, producing and breeding some lovely ponies and horses. Cindy had an eye for judging from an early […]
Jayne Ross: perfection in the saddle
The second of my Showing Mentor Interviews: if you enjoy what you read, please do comment and make sure you follow @HowVeryHorsey so you don’t miss out on the rest of the series…. When I was younger, Jayne rode at the Ramsay’s yard and I used to hide in a stable, peaking over the door […]
David Tatlow: the diamond finder
The king of the show ring: no set of interview about showing mentors would be complete without this legend. Son of Harry, therefore a descendant of showing royalty, he is a five times British champion point to point rider as well as top show rider, producer and all-round horseman. He has been President of the […]