Have you ever asked a question whilst also not wanting to know the answer? Well, I did last week when I said to the vet “Are we talking season ending or career ending?” Every part of me wanted her to say “Oh no, a few weeks rest and he will be fine.” but I knew […]
The language around use of the whip
I received a message last week from someone saying “Have you seen that a jockey has received a ban for not hitting his horse. That’s right – for NOT hitting his horse! 🤯” Jockey Robert Havlin banned for 21 days for tender hands riding Quickgallop.com I was all ready to get on my soap box […]
Post competition disappointed
There is the preparation, the build up, the actual test/round/class, the wait for results and the aftermath – competing is physically demanding but also mentally and emotionally quite a workout too. After competing on Sunday, I found the aftermath a very intriguing place but also the mental noise needed some unpacking and I wanted to […]
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 […]
What I will be saying as I go in to the ring this year: mindset change
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 […]
Horse Ownership: Love isn’t a choice but marriage is.
Jack has recently had a few weeks holiday. Since the disappointment of HOYS, we all needed a bit of time to regroup and recover. Last week he came back into work but apparently had forgotten what a saddle was and thought he was 3 again. The mother wisely said “It was never going to be […]
The effect of fear in horses: brave or blind obedience
As it’s Halloween, it felt somewhat poetic to talk about something scary… Have you see the video from the French CCI5*, Les Etoiles de Pau, of the horse jumping into the wall? If you haven’t seen it, yes, it’s as scary as it sounds. British Rider, Jack Pinkney, ended up veering through a gap in […]