Posts Written On November 2009

In a bid to ride in the daylight and not get drenched, frozen or blown clean out of the saddle by gale force winds my friend and I decided it was time to hire a local indoor arena for an hour of uninterrupted schooling. We both felt very smug as we entered the indoor and the heavens opened, and 1 hour later still dry and having had a productive session we agreed it was an ingenious plan of ours, so we booked in for another session! Soap did some lovely flatwork he’s really got the hang of working more over…

Over the winter I try to do as much dressage as possible in preparation for next seasons BE tests, and Sparsholt Agricultural College is one of my favourite venues. The arenas are fab, and even though it has a relaxed atmosphere the organisation is always very slick. I entered Soap for 2 long arena tests Prelim 15, and Novice 38 and today was his first attempt at a Novice test in competition. Unfortunately due to crazy 40+mph winds and rain all week I didn’t manage to get much practise in before the day (nothing like being well prepared!) so was…

Christmas has come early in the GHE household because I have just received a parcel from my sponsor Mountain Horse full of fantastic winter clothes to keep me warm and dry in the coming months. I am testing out the goodies one by one starting with a base layer set – thermal long johns cut to be worn under full seat breeches, and a thermal top. I wear these under tracky bums and a hoody in the mornings when I get up early to muck out before work, and they keep me toasty warm. Yesterday I put on the Arctica…

Soap has come back in after his end of season 3 week holiday with Jack soon to follow suit, and Dustry is now turned out 24/7. Both seem to have adjusted to the change in regime well, but Soap had to have a serious buzz cut before I could begin any proper work with him as he had turned into some sort of furry yeti! This is him at ‘maximum fluff’ and then‘après clip’ which he has accesorised with lots of mud! After his clip I had a lesson with my dressage instructor Elizabeth Peerless and we worked on getting…