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 […]
Badminton – Pol, pickles, pants and just a few ponies.
I will admit I am not normally a fan of eventing – I like my fences to fall down, when I make a mistake I like to hear faults being called out rather than my airbag back protector going off and an ambulance siren and when I canter through some beautiful woodland I just don’t need it to be preceded by whistles blowing! I would happily take part in a BE 90 (and have, thoroughly […]
The plight of the Amateur show rider
Squeezing in a quick schooling session before a 9am meeting, trudging into a field wearing a suit with wellies, discussing financial profitability on the phone while applying a poultice – can an amateur ever truly compete against a professional? An amateur, by its dictionary definition, is someone who competes for the love of something rather than for an income – not necessarily an inferior. They may even be at an advantage over a professional in […]
Why did I start a blog?
4 years ago I went for a ride around the block on a 6 year old Irish hunter. There was nothing special about the ride at all except it changed everything. One minute I was walking down a track, chatting to a friend about her new event horse and then next minute I was on the ground. Whether a bird jumped out or a car skidded I am not sure but something caused the horse […]