With the new year in full swing and a new season approaching, I am excited to be starting the year in such a better frame of mind to last year. I feel stronger and ready to take on whatever challenges 2020 will bring. That moment before the clock strikes midnight is always so significant to me; feeling like it sets up what is going to lie ahead, and it reminded me of that moment before […]
Firstly, Jack is perfect. I will not allow anyone to say anything to the contrary. Secondly, we have a lot of work to do! I love this time of year. The busy summer season is over and it is time to step back and address some, shall we call them ‘areas of perfection improvement’? This year, we have actually achieved a lot of progress towards a ‘better perfection’: loading – tick, travelling – tick, putting […]
Yesterday, I had a bit of meltdown. I’ll admit, there were tears. Once I had calmed, had some chocolate (fixes all things!) and regrouped, I had to say to myself – you are doing the best you can. Anyone else have to give themselves little pep talks? A week ago, we moved Jack to a new yard which was closer to home so Mum and I could spend some more quality time with him. Southerley […]
Some days you ride and finish physically exhausted, on this training day, I finished mentally exhausted. British Dressage Central Region organised a training day at Croft Equestrian Center, near Reading with The Balanced Rider and Centaur Biomechanics and I was delighted to take Jack along. My aunt had attended a Centaur Biomechanics lesson previously so I had an idea of what it was about but I underestimated what kind of impact it would have on […]
We have the vet, physiotherapist, dentist, farrier, feed supplier, saddle fitter, rug company, additive provider, psychic….. well, maybe that’s a step too far but where is the line between caring and spoiling? I have always tried to give my horses the best possible lives and will always do that. However, None of us have an unlimited budget and so compromises have to be made sometimes. Care is not something to compromise on though. My question […]
I love a new year. Everything is fresh and new and I find a new determination that I lack at the end of a year. For me, the new year is all about moving forward and although I love to write a philosophical, motivational blog, this is not that. I actually want to write about literally moving forward. Perhaps because I am not the owner of particularly long legs or perhaps because I am very […]
At every show, as the class draws near, we get the call: “Competitors can now walk the course.” For some this is like turning a computer on, making a morning brew, tidying a desk – just a task to do before the work commences but for others it is a gut wrenching call that symbolises the competition drawing nearer and is the opportunity to see what you are going to have to face and the […]