What's New? 

Saturday 4th Feb

Hi everyone......more work has been done on the website and, as promised, I've strengthened the coaching support info :-) .  It's been a bit of a suprise for us to be completely under snow at the moment!   A rather unscheduled holiday for the boys (and a lot more work carrying water to the horses, sheep and chickens!) but Stan seems quite happy, thank you very much, lazing in his stable.... I've just been out to do lunchtime stables and he's lying down sound asleep!  Middle of the day - what a lazy chap! 

Thursday 2nd Feb

Hi folks.............thank you for the fantastic support for the Kickstart 2012 workshops at Elms Farm EC..........January's was a brilliant day and the February course is full too. Only 2 spaces left on the March course.................plus keep an eye out for our Rider Focus day coming up soon too - encompassing all the 'stuff'' you wanted to know (from the feedback from the Jan workshop) plus a fair few extras (including core stability exercises and posture development).............just waiting to sort a date :-)

Sad to see snow here today!  But as I bet everyone has said - surely it will never be as bad as we had it the last couple of years!   Stan's tucked up in bed, with best pal Monty chatting to him through the stable grills, but bet they are both jealous of the old boys Joe and Morgan..........who are out in the little field, and from the amount of playing they are doing, seems the snow has gone to their elderly brains lol!

Monday 9th January 2012

Great news and thank you for the support!  The 2012 Kickstart workshop on Fri 27 Jan is full already :-) - if you'd like to go on a reserve list for that course then please do let me know and you'll have first refusal should anyone not be able to make it.  For those on the course, I'll email you soon.   Still places on the 13 Feb and 5th March workshops though.........

Sunday 8th January 2012

Hi folks.  Finally I have sat and finalised the 2012 Kickstart workshop programme - with thanks to Trudy at Elms too.   All the details are on the sub-page which you'll find on the left hand side, in the drop down menu on this page....

Training is going well, although my hack today where I 'dared' to take Stan a different route was a bit interesting....bless him, guess when he is stood, physically shaking, it may well mean that he's really, honestly mum, a bit scared of going a different way lol! (wuss!)

Monday 2 January 2012

Happy New Year !   And what a lovely change to have such mild weather - especially when we think how things were this time last year..... we've had a lovely Christmas and New Year, with the house heaving with family and friends - I can't think of a better way to spend this time of year!  The neds have stayed happily in work, even old-boy Joe has ventured out on a couple of hacks with me & Stan with both a great friend and also with daughter-in-law too.  We've schooled once, bit hairy really, first one for a while and Stan had enthusiasm to do EVERYTHING at double time lol! And there was me thinking he'd be happy to pootle around in a snaffle.  Wrong.  Very wrong.  He was comical.  Squeals, half spooks, and dont dare ask for a change...............whey hey, that'll be us airborne.  I think secretly he's trying out for Spanish Riding School X Factor!

So, its a bank holiday but after having longer away from my diary than I probably ever have, I'm now back into it and can't wait to confirm dates for our 2012 Kickstart series..... and from the feedback so far, it looks like we'll be doing at least 2 :-)  the first is probably going to be Friday 20th Jan.......but I have to confirm that but will publicise the dates as soon as they're sorted. 

Here's to a wonderful 2012, and I wish you all that you wish for yourself.....................me, well, I'm wishing I'm going to get a clear round at Hartpury (for those who know Stan, that will make perfect sense lol! - get round the championship arena together......scores will be a luxury!)

Thurs 15 December

Wow.   We braved the wind and went to Arena UK yesterday - a new venue for us and, as its got such an impressive indoor, I thought it would help with Stan's Hartpury prep (in other words, find a similar venue that I can make a fool of myself at before the big day lol!).  How wrong I was (about Stan that is not the venue!).  For those who know him, you can imagine my face when I arrived and saw tinsel at every letter, 2 lifesize nativity scenes in the H/C and A/K corners, Christmas decorations and banners, and people able to walk in and out of the gallery (thru a very windy door!).  Great.  Oh well, I've fallen off before, so no loss pride there then!  I thought we'd just play and do our best...............wow.  He was blooming brilliant.  I only lost 2 movements to the tinsel, one was a travers and he had to look right at the sparkly stuff and it was just TOO much (bless him), but the rest, well, was lovely.  Mind you, he was decidedly suspicious of a stable, a donkey and a doll with 2 scarecrows (well, guess that's what he thought he was looking at!) in the H C corner but to be honest, it probably helped with the collection after an overly enthusiastic medium canter haha!  So, first test over and a quick 10 minutes and back in............even better, Mary and Joseph were even ignored this time!   So - to the scoreboard..... and a speechless Julie. (rare yes I know!) He won both Restricted sections and the overall class too - beating a couple of very well known local professionals.  Even better was that of the 10 points we need for BD Winter Regional Championship qualification, he picked up 6 yesterday!  So, 2 wins, two  65.2%s and a very fussed Stan.  I have to give credit though to Vikki Hayton and Rachel Hodson, Stan's McTimmoney therapist, for their significant contribution to his success.  Wow....what a day! 

Tuesday 13 December

Hi folks. Just had some great news about plans for 2012 and the '2012 Kickstart' workshops! We are thrilled to once again be partnering with Elms Farm EC; Trudy from Elms has just come back giving their backing once again - great news! So - we're negotiating dates and I'm finalising the content...........Times will be 10am to 230pm and we'll include an overview of unaffil and affiliated dressage and a brief look at how, including at walk/trot level, you can dodressage to music! The day will very much be aimed at true grass roots riders.........those who either 'want to have a go' (but maybe havent competed yet), have done a bit (maybe walk/trot tests) or fancy a crack at prelim or novice (and dont worry if you read this and think, yes Julie, in another lifetime lol!!!). Because numbers will be limited to a maximum of 6 riders per workshop, I can guarantee high quality support throughout. We'll create a training/competition/coaching plan for 2012 and I'll be able to give you a bagful of dates of competitions that are comining up too for you to pick from. (Also being realistic about finances, knowing when things are happening ahead of schedule really helps sort out when to book training or make sure you include something thats important to you). On the ridden side of the workshop, its likely that you can choose 2 tests, that you can ride twice each, first time without me interupting(!) and then the second time I'll help and coach all the way through the test, giving pointers on making sure you nail those 6s, 7s and hopefully 8s! Is there anything else you'd like to see included? Please do bear in mind though that the workshops are most likely to be on a weekday as Elms is so busy with competitions on a weekend.

On a final note for today - Stan and I actually managed to get to Vikki's this morning for our training session...........he was simply blooming fantastic and never batted an eye at the effect the gales were having .....although a plantpot with the letter K on did seem a bit of a challenge (monkey!).  Huge thanks to Vikki for her work with us today - lets hope the storms stay away for our outing to Arena UK tomorrow...........

Sunday 11 December

Wow.............time flew!   We've had a great couple of months doing a little bit of competing but predominantly training.  Stan's had a holiday too - all of November!  Due mainly to George and I heading off to Jamaica for a couple of weeks, family stuff and a few trips up to the North East...but he's back in full work now and we've had 2 schooling sessions to prepare us for training with Vikki on Tuesday and then hopefully Arena UK on Wednesday if things go to plan.  I've also been running more leadership and management workshops - which has been brilliant fun and a welcome relief from being outside at this time of year :-).

Plans are also in hand for the 2012 diary - and I'm very flexible about what we can provide - got an idea?  Drop me an email or a message on facebook and I'll do what I can to help.  One suggestion is for a days workshop for around 5 - 8 people, with test riding, theory, coaching session etc all included....bit of a "2012 Kickstart" (wow, guess we may have a clinic title there!) - would you be interested?  Timings likely to be 10 - 2pm ish and cost would be no more than £30............................let me know what you think x

Well, will fly for now and head out into the darkness to feed and put everyone to bed.  Pray for no snow!

Wednesday 19 October

Hi all - photo of Sue added to the Para section. Also - perfect timing!  As I've just heard from our little Cambridgeshire clan that they have wowed at dressage today at Forest Edge!  Well done ladies.... and to Sue for a 5th in the prelim - well done (see, you CAN do good canters lol!).  Well done to Jo too.......

Tuesday 18 October

Another update!!!!! Have a quick look at the new sub page under Para Equestrian..............if you are ever feeling a little down about your riding, this story will raise your spirits!   The joy I have from working with riders such as Sue Thompson (and of course Bryan Swain) cannot be written down - its immeasurable and certainly something that keeps your feet well and truly on the ground........

Tuesday 18 October

Hi folks.  What a change in weather since we did the Area Festival at Sheepgate on the 1st and 2nd of October!   I am often laughed at for feeling the cold, but boy am I feeling the cold at the moment!  On the horses front, they are all becoming a tad woolly but Stan seems to have only a little bit of coat so he'll be a few weeks away from a full scalp! 

Good news though..... we're off to Hartpury in April 2012!  Stan was a little star at the Sheepgate Area Festival (news below) but then on the Sunday, excelled himself with a corking medium test to put us in the top 5 (we were 5th lol!, but in a fair size class) and then we did the elementary qualifier..... I thought he was strong throughout and he did squeal in excitement a couple of times but the test felt lovely and I was amazed/thrilled that he led the class almost til the end....when 2 stunning horses knocked us down into 3rd, but as the top 4 go through to the national Pet Plan Festival Finals, our place was confirmed!  So now the hard 'hard' work begins, and having had training with Vikki (Hayton) already, our eye is on the higher level advanced work (with Stan finding the baby canter pirouette prep work very easy... he blooming should do given how quick he can spin when he wants to! lol).  Hopefully we'll be able to get to Hartpury early in the schedule to give Stan a chance to experience what I'm told is an incredibly electric atmosphere (great.... AND I bet there's bloody flower pots everywhere too!!!).

For our clients, its been an brilliant couple of weeks, with everyone's performance having significantly improved.....to name just a few who have performed so well....

Anita Q, Sarah H, Bryan S, Trish BW, Bev H, Sarah B, Jeanette B, Pat C, Julie C, Di G, Liv and Alice G (Finalists at the National Schools championships!), Tara H, Sam K, Jo N, Charolotte O, Laura S, Mia S, Sue T, Becky T, and Caroline V.

Our focus for the next couple of weeks is training, and whilst it would be nice to get out and see if Stan could pick up 5 points at medium (which is all he needs to gain his full Winter Regional Champs tick), would be nice but I'm not desperate .... after all, given that he's going so gorgeously at home at the moment, it makes sense to try and get our changes solid (without snorts of excitment - oh and not late behind too!) and keep our eye on me staying on board at Hartpury!

Monty is going great at the moment too... with, bless, our goddaughter having endured "the first fall".... she's absolutely fine, just now realises, bless her, that squealing with excitment AND dropping your reins when in trot, means that schoolmaster 11h pony stops to make sure you're ok.... ah, well, thanks Monty, cos Lauren kept going.......Mind you, seems to have fixed the 'hold onto your reins' issue :-)))))

Saturday 1 October

What simply brilliant weather.  A first for me..... clipping in 29 degrees, although it was our little pony Monty and given he looked more like a teddy bear than a teddy bear lol, he needed a bit of a de-fluffing!  Hope our goddaughter still recognises him!   On the family front, Monty is also now officially a grandparent-pony, our beautiful granddaughter, Poppy, was born on 20 Sept - I can't wait for the first time she sits on him (maybe there is the slightest chance though that at less than a month old, she may just not remember lol!) .

Today was also a special day - the Area Festival at Sheepgate, a BD championship and an exceptionally busy show - well done to Sarah Payne for such a blooming good show - superbly organised and incredible prizes to every competitor!   We're there again tomorrow for the the medium and elementary PetPlan tests, but today was the advanced medium - we've only done 4 tests at this level ever so I was even more chuffed that we got a 6th (and yes, lol, there were more than 6 in the class ha ha!) - with some lovely prizes, fab rosettes and a stable door plaque.... Stan even seemed grown up in the mounted prize giving.... although I did joke with friend Alison Woulds (who was also placed in the Adv Med!) that we had a lovely chance to practice piaffe steps!  A much deserved and huge thank you also went to my coach Vikki  Hayton - thank you xx

So to tomorrow....... I'll be back as they say...... fingers crossed we behave and enjoy it!

Wednesday 14th September

We're making good headway with refining bits and pieces on the website - thank you so much for all the positive comments - and constructive feedback too, very much appreciated.   We've got a couple of weeks now to concentrate on upping our game in training ready for some Area Festival outings for both me and Stan and more than a dozen clients and neds too.  Stan's having a bit of a hoolie at the moment..........I'm sure just feeling extremely well and enjoying (too much!) the fact he gets to play with changes nearly every day lol!  We're off out to a Hickstead Para Qualifier too with Bryan soon and also need to congratulate our friend and client Ann, who recently was selected to ride for GB in the Icelandic Horse World Champs in Austria - so proud of what they've achieved.

Monday 12th September.

Finally - the work is done and the new website is taking shape!  Thanks to everyone for the patience over the last couple of months.....things have been a tad manic - but its been a fabulous couple of months though. We've had numerous client/friend successes, and the list is in draft so we can put everyone's name in lights :-).   Stan (Crazy Diamond) is coming on in leaps and bounds (literally that is, for those who know him!lol) and has now clocked up 3 successes at advanced medium - points that is, and a couple of placings, but I'm more thrilled that we've actually got there.  Much is down to the patience (of a saint!) and a lot of laughter in my own training sessions with Vikki Hayton up at Markham Moor - I remain incredibly grateful for the bursary College Farm EC awarded us.

Yesterday was a bit of a one!   Wind, wind and wind.  I even did the wimp-out call to Trudy at Elms Farm wondering if it really was too windy to drive the equitrek there but, no, got the upbeat, get your bottom over here, reply lol!   So pleased we did, as Stan won the medium and we got a personal best in the advanced medium 98 - a 61.6% - modest, but the best we have ever done :-) - on the lighter side, we even managed to get one of the flying changes (out of 6 lol) right!  We had little 'sashays' at the blowing flowers (Stans clearly got his eye on a part in Strictly!) which blew (no pun intended!) a fair few marks but overall I was thrilled with the little man.  I also donned the new hat, complete with chinstrap, ahead of the BD rule change (effective 1 Dec) - it will soon be so normal and I've always worn a crash hat schooling at home so theres no difference to a competition.  Safety cant be compromised and I certainly wouldnt let my goddaughter even on the yard without hers.......

Congratulations must go to everyone who did so well at the Sheepgate Indoor Championships on Saturday - especially Julie Cooper and Soubirou, who won the Elementary champs and were placed highly in the Novice - super job - so so pleased for them. That said, a very sad day for Sheepgate - a serious burglary overnight 10 Sep - please check their website www.sheepgate.co.ukfor the details in case you're offered anything that appears far too cheap!

Better fly.  Will update soon - providing we survive schooling in these rotten gales.  xx