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 […]
I was sat in an interview once and the interviewer asked “How do you perform under pressure?”. Every part of me wanted to say “Like this!” and burst into a full vocal and dancing performance. I thankfully exercised some self control and didn’t. However, to this day, whenever I hear the Queen classic it makes me smile. Well, the song has very much been in my mind over the last few days. One week to […]
The last few weeks have been quite intense; highs (Jack and I qualified for HOYS), lows (34 degree heat stopping play) and some middly stuff too (nearly falling off at a cross pole.) It’s been quite a lot for my brain to process to be honest. I found myself drifting back into my low place and wondering why. As someone commented on my Facebook “You’ve just qualified for HOYS, that would put me in a […]
A few years ago, I was sat in the stands at Hickstead watching the Nursery Stakes class. I am always amazed how plucky these young children are to attack the tough course in the big grass ring at Hickstead. A young boy came in on a stunning bay pony who I knew had been very successful over the years, the pressure was on. He was jumping a brilliant round but came to a spread on […]
“It’s got a voice today”, “Get it ready and I’ll get on it in a minute”, “It just isn’t playing ball today” These are just three examples of things I have heard being said at shows over the last few weeks and I have a question for these people. How do you expect to have a valuable partnership if you don’t even respect your horse enough to use he or she? Two little letters, I […]
The Mothership messaged me the other day saying “We haven’t done a lot of winning recently but we are certainly learning a lot.” We have been putting some serious work in; both on and off the horse. I think that the time off the horse can be underestimated sometimes; the time to think, discuss ideas, talk about different tactics and thoughts of how to make things better. As Poirot would say time for the “little […]
Seeing life through Joey’s eyes is quite special. Into the lorry he jumps, with his map in hand saying “Are we going on an adventure?” No worries at all. I wish I could be a bit more like Joey! I think I have underestimated the effect that nerves have on me! Just putting it out there. I know when I am having a proper wobble and the brain goes seriously to the dark side, I […]
In the horse world of late, I have noticed this word brandished about a lot: Brave. “Be brave” “Feeling brave” “Finding my brave”. And, ever one to rock the boat when I see it necessary, I am going to have to object. I don’t want to be brave! And this is why… When I think “brave”, I think of soldiers, lions, fighter pilots going into battle. When I watch Carl Hester, or John Whittaker, or […]
Put your hand up if you are prone to overthinking. Which hand though? How high should I place my hand? What does prone mean? Remember that time I put my hand up and bashed the ceiling? Although that other time I put my hand up and …. Do I actually overthink or do I think just enough? No, I definitely overthink. Sorry, was I meant to put my hand somewhere. Welcome to overthink land. I […]
Jack has come in after a few weeks ‘holiday’ in the field. He has got a bit woolly, a little chubby and hopefully it has done him good. However, it is time to get back to work, and we have a lot of work to do. I was prepared for him to be a little bit bright the first time I rode after his holiday but he surprised me by being fairly chilled about it […]