A few years ago, I had someone call about a pony I had for sale. We chatted for a while and then she said “He sounds amazing but he is too good for me.” I was confused by this. Was he too much money? Was he unsafe? No, she just didn’t think she could do him justice. At the time, I was confused and just didn’t get it. So if you can afford an Aston […]
It’s Horse of the Year Show week! So many people fight for their place to be there and so many fail to make it. But for the lucky few, the opportunity to see their name in lights is here. It is an achievement to be there and everyone should be proud. So why the nastiness? Little backstabbing remarks, nasty glares, strategic tactics to upset other horses and with forums allowing anonymous comments people are free […]
What an incredible few days of sport with the World Athletics Championships, the FEI European Championships, the Belgium Grand Prix… I have been glued to the TV. It has been inspiring, humbling and at times weirdly stressful! But what I have been most intrigued by is the different characters in the sports – successful sports people come in all shapes and sizes but also with all kinds of personalities, how does that work? Let’s take […]
I grew up with stories about Hickstead – my Mum and Aunt recounted endless tales about sinking in the mud and being stuck there for days, about seeing legends being made when they tackled the Derby bank, about trudging from the stable field down to ring 5 with a pony in each hand – even the tales of getting there before the M4 existed. It is a place of dreams and somewhere that has always […]
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 […]