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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…

Well for the past few weeks I have been getting to know Dustry and teaching him the basic ‘stop’ and ‘go’ voice commands on the lunge and today I had a little sit on board! He behaved very well despite the high winds and the sound of guns at the adjacent shoot. He felt surprisingly big, and strong for a 3 1/2 yr old. I will ride him briefly again tomorrow then that will be him finished for the winter as he will be turned out 24/7 whilst Soap comes back in from his holiday for a full clip, and…

It seems like a very long time ago now that I entered a BE CDT day in March to kick off our season, after that day inspired and eager to have a productive year I wrote down my aims for 2009, you can see the original post here, and to recap my aims were… MY AIMS FOR 2009 Dressage – to gain a score(s) in the low 30’s SJ – to get a clear(s) round (with or without time faults) XC – to get a clear(s) round inside the time Overall – to be placed at Intro and move up…

*drum roll*…..say hello to ‘Dustry’ my latest ‘project pony’. As well as producing and competing my own event horses I also bring on the odd ‘project’ from time to time. I look out for horses with a nice nature, good conformation and the potential to go far. In the past I have re-schooled ex-racers into sensible sane riding club horses, rehabilitated, and re-schooled a neglected Irish sports horse, and most recently a few years ago broke in and brought on a new forest pony broodmare. I really enjoy producing these ‘project horses’ and get a huge kick out of bringing…

…just snooping about online and I found my testimonial with these pics I took of Jack after I received my SoloGroom kit and gave him a makeover. What a scruffy little urchin he was after his box rest!

After a great clear round last weekend at Larkhill I entered Soap for another hunter trial at West Wilts. He loves his XC and I thought the 1m class there would be good prep for our last event of the season BE100 at Moreton. He warmed up well, and got very excited squeaking and leaping into canter in the start box! He started ok but a little inconsistent rushing and then backing up which felt odd, then he stopped at fences 4 and 5. These fences were on the edge of a little copse, and I wrongly put the stops…

A rather exciting DVD shaped jiffy bag arrived in the post the other day, and in it was my Total Recall video from MK3DE! On the DVD is our steeplechase where I give Karen Donkers a run for her money in the ‘vocal encouragement’ stakes. Listen out for my embarrasing outbursts! The XC which after the steeplechase looks positively sedate, and our almost clear SJing round complete with massive rider gaff at the last double! Steeplechase – 2 laps, 6 fences in 1 min 58 secs – Optimum Time 2mins XC – 27 jumping efforts @ a speed of 450mpm…

A biting wind, driving rain, hail, waterproofs, and ‘the big studs’ says hunter trial season to me so it felt very odd yesterday to be setting off XC in the blazing September sun! Knowing how the organisers usually build I was expecting the 3ft to be big with a few Pre Novice/BE100 fences thrown in but sadly they broke with form, and it was pretty much the Intro/BE90 course, it looked like they saved all the big fences for the Open later in the day which was primarily BE Novice height. Soap shot out the start box, and stormed round…