Sehr gut!
So I updated you on Lily’s diagnosis. Poor little girl. She has had steroid injections and the first two of three shockwave treatments and is working in the pessoa. She will be reassessed after 7 weeks to discuss whether we can up her workload or whether surgery is the better option. While I was there we did discuss the merits of me taking up a different hobby…
I have been doing lots of jumping clinics at various yards which really seems to be working. Everyone is having fun and I can see far more people at one time. This seems to be the way forward on the jumping side as I am so busy from April through to November. I am really pleased to be hearing good reports from those going out to their first competitions after working on things through the winter. This is great and what it’s all about for me. We are very lucky to have the use of the facilities at Bedgebury.
Talking of rewarding parts of the job; Jasmine and Reggie have qualified for the Novice Summer Regionals with 69% at Oldencraig BD, then while on a roll she won the Elementary overall with 67% which was 4% ahead of anyone else! We have been working so hard on improving their scores, I am absolutely thrilled for her.
Both Ivy and Tiny have been out and about with their loanees. Ivy was placed 3rd in her novice dressage test at Speedgate despite throwing in a buck in the medium canter. You would think at 21 years old she would know better! Tiny has also been in the ribbons winning her novice test at Warrigal Farm just recently. It is lovely for us to know that they are so well looked after, and still out there having fun. Rosie looks absolutely enormous and must be about to produce a foal any minute, I will keep you posted.
Ehren has also been to the vets, twice! She had xrays and was blasted with antibiotics for two weeks and then returned (with my frequent visitor pass!) for more xrays in the hope that it remedies the abscess and we don’t need to extract a front tooth. Anyway the gum got nasty but by the time we went back to the vets it had vanished again! We are hoping (could you all join in please!) that she has something in her gum, and that there is no reason to whip her tooth out.
She doesn’t like you touching it when it is sore (fair enough!) but is otherwise utterly unconcerned so I took her to Bedgebury to school in the arena again as we had a debut planned! It was rather windy and she was a little bit of a handful spooking and leaping at things. I know that I’m a weirdo but I rather like that she has something about her. I wasn’t sure about her goody-two-shoes impression.
Unfortunately Nurstead BE was cancelled with all the rain so we have had no party for Tinka. We are hoping that Borde Hill will run at the end of the month but at the moment it looks unlikely.
And then it arrived! Ehren’s big day out! I have to admit to questioning my sanity as the alarm went off at ten minutes past four, however I shouldn’t have worried as the girl was a total star. We headed off to Bedgebury BD for two Prelims. She astounded me with how she coped with everything winning her first test with 72%, and although rather tired she still got 67% in the next test and came second. Wooooooo!
Oil or velcro?
Well firstly the boil thing on Ehren’s gum disappeared so I cancelled the trip to the vets thinking I was saving myself some money. You know what comes next….it came back. So we have an x-ray booked for Monday.
I can report that since I have been wearing the Bioflow wristband I can now stand up straight away when I get out of bed in the morning. Wonders will never cease! And since starting my two exercises there have been several days when I have been able to touch my toes – good grief, you have no idea what an achievement this is!
We had a very busy day with 17 people XC schooling at Bonfleur. I was dragged around the course by a rather excited Jazz in the morning with the first group, then two more groups with me on foot through the day. The weather was amazing and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Bonfleur is a great place to school mixed groups.
Ehren doesn’t seem bothered by her gum so I have carried on riding her and I had another lesson with Char on Good Friday. I am happy to report that although there is obviously plenty to work on I did get moaned at slightly less than the previous lesson. However, I can see very clearly from Louisa’s photos that try as I might I am still not sitting on my bum in the canter. I either need to oil my hips or resort to Velcro!
On Saturday last week we had the first Carmen Court jumping clinic of the year, a pretty quiet affair with it being Easter weekend. Several of the horses in the first group were new to me and generally the group was really spooky. This was a perfect opportunity to get them out seeing new fillers and practising our line and rhythm. The second group was full of regulars, always nice to catch up and see how combinations are progressing.
That night we popped up to Groomsbridge Stud near Newmarket to see our friends Sally and Tom Forster, and of course Lexie. Groomsbridge moved to a new base in February and very smart it is too. We met the lovely stallion Sambertino who I have been following and very much like the look of. I have been really impressed with his super smart but trainable offspring. He is such a happy friendly boy in person too. The girls had better not stand still for too long! We also saw two lovely smart three year olds and Sally’s stunning young stallion-to-be Morris but catch of the day was Lily’s little black baby brother. He came to tell me how despicable they have been to him and how he would love to come home with me. All whispered in my ear whilst resting his chin on my shoulder….cute!
I think my mum would say my Groomsbridge friends are a bad influence….uh-oh, Lamy getting in with the wrong crowd again! Martin has set the car engine to cut out within a 15 mile radius of Newmarket and has hidden the lorry keys. Seems a little harsh. I wonder if they do mail order?!
Yesterday we were at South of England with Tinka for the BE100. She was beside herself with excitement from the moment we arrived at the yard in the morning but did us proud to record her third double clear of the year and finished up 9th. It is a real credit to her that with very limited preparation she goes out there and does the job so well. She knows she’s good!
This week Ehren has the trip to the vets, but the following week it is Lily’s turn. Everything crossed for some answers….
26 years old
How changeable is the weather? One minute I am dressed for summer and the next I am sitting in the little Picanto in just my jumper and socks having got soaked….
Tinka and Martin had a great start to the season at Tweseldown BE100 last weekend. She was much more relaxed in the dressage for a really pleasing score of 34, was never going to touch a showjump and jumped a super clear cross-country. Martin was thrilled to finish on a double clear. She looked so much more established, and was really easy to have out. Next stop is Munstead…..
Well you knew it was coming, on Thursday I had my first flatwork lesson in a year with Char. Many of you expressed delight at the thought of someone giving me hell and you would not have been disappointed – “Give your hands to the horse, ride the horse to your hands”….”Shorten your reins!”……” Sit on your bum!”…..” Soften your wrists!”…..and on it went. When I rode Ehren the following day she was like a different horse, as if I had managed to explain things properly the day before. Must get April’s lesson booked! On the plus side I have much needed homework and Ehren got the thumbs up.
Like all my horses she is living in hand-me-downs. Harry’s turnout rug is at least 6 inches too big, and her outer night rug is at least three inches too short. Poor little girl looks like orphan Annie and I should think she wonders where she has ended up. Daddy Warbucks we are not! I was pondering this when I realised the dandy brush in my hand was over 26 years old. It came with my second pony ‘Cheetah’. It hasn’t seen a lot of use recently, for reasons of personal safety you would not approach either Lily or Harry with a dandy brush. So I started thinking….I had already owned this brush for ten years when the current gang of North West Kent pony clubbers training for their B test were born. Oh dear, Lamy you saddo!
I haven’t really said much about Lily recently. She continues to see the osteo every month. The vet agrees that she is obviously in pain, and we will be continuing investigations to find out what is wrong. It is horrid to see her look so poor and unhappy. Fingers crossed we can make her better soon….
This week both Ehren and Tinka are due to see the chiropractor for a routine check-up, Nick Coles is coming to do Ehren’s teeth, Ehren then has a little outing to Bedgebury to hire the arena (yikes!), and Martin and Tinka are off to Munstead. Horror upon horrors I am off to see a biomechanics/pilates expert, and we have 18 for xc schooling at Bonfleur!
Terrifying but brilliant!
We had a fantastic morning at Littleton Manor XC schooling last weekend. Lovely and warm, bright blue skies and the going was absolutely fantastic. It was great to be out again, although I have to admit to walking the course wishing Harry and I were having a play. First XC school of the year on a horse you trust is a great feeling. Everyone jumped really well and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Smiles all round!
Martin and Tinka then went to Lucy’s for a jumping lesson. The words ‘arrogant’ and ‘madam’ were heard a fair bit but some great exercises that really got her thinking and staying straight. She is such a cocky whatsit!
On Saturday we had our last Bedgebury jumping clinic of the winter. It’s such a shame that I won’t be there much through the Summer but we have clinics starting at Carmen Court in April, a few at a new venue Adds Farm, and I am doing more ‘private groups’ on livery yards too…My favourite quote of the day; “that was absolutely terrifying but brilliant!” Maybe that’s my new advertising slogan?! Janine Lamy, terrifying but brilliant!!
Yesterday Tinka and Martin headed off to the pre-season combined training at Munstead. Oh crikey, what unbelievably hideous weather. It was freezing cold, alternating between icy rain and snow, blowing a bitter wind and seriously wet underfoot. On the left the picture shows the carpark when we arrived, never a good start! On the right, as we were towed out. Yuk yuk yuk. Tinka was very well behaved considering the conditions. An improved dressage test with a couple of mistakes, and a little away with the fairies in the showjumping having two poles, but that improved on second attempt. The first round of the year on grass can be a bit like that and the going was awful! Superstar of the day was Julia Izzard on her lovely young coloured mare Libby who won her 80cm class. Anyone who has seen this mare jump will know she is a really smart horse and definitely one for the future.
Ehren hasn’t slipped her halo yet. So far so good….she has continued to be very sweet and relaxed about life. I have my first lesson booked for a few weeks time, I dread to think what Char will make of my riding after nearly a year without a lesson. It’s going to be ugly!
I mentioned Adds Farm earlier as a new venue for clinics. They have a temporary webpage up on www.holidayswithyourhorse.co.uk to advertise their new horse-friendly bed and breakfast at their lovely home near Crowborough. I have agreed to teach at a camp there that will run from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th June, described on their webpage as a ‘TLC Break’. Anyone interested in this camp can contact me or Sue. There will be a flatwork session, a jumping session and lots of hacking in the Ashdown Forest…
Next weekend Martin and Tinka head to Tweseldown for the BE100, let’s hope for more friendly weather!
Coming out….
So last time I wrote I was about to step away from the computer for fear of buying either a pony or a puppy. Oh dear…. I had better waste no time in introducing Ehren, the new addition! I have gone over to the dark side, stepped out of the closet, announced myself as ‘bi’ and we say hello to the first Warmblood in the family. Shock horror, she has been bought solely for circle trotting. I shall demand private use of the school in the afternoons and anyone wishing to share will have to polish my Konigs first! Martin is disgusted and the dogs have threatened to leave home….
Talking of dressage divas, Morgan got a short write up in Horse and Hound for her success at Bedgebury. My turn too…in an article about people that left careers to work with horses in Horse magazine I seem to have declared that I now don’t go to the pub so often, uhum. It’s been a while since Debbie has had a mention but fingers crossed she is now back in the saddle and started her 2012 season with a cracking win overall at Eaglesfield BD with 73.21% in the Elementary. Oh yeh baby!
What with the dreaded white stuff arriving we had to cancel our XC schooling at Munstead but we did get to run the February Bedgebury jumping clinic. It was rather surreal schooling with snow in the background but the staff at Bedgebury had done an amazing job at making a safe route from the carpark to the arenas. We also took Tinka, and she jumped like a star which was really pleasing as she has barely been out since September.
Lily is still off sick. There have been some subtle changes to her way of going but she is still is not right. A few other checks have been ticked off as we work down the list. She sees the osteo again in a week or so…
Coming up we are XC schooling at LMEQ, Martin and Tinka have a lesson with Kenneth Clawson, we have the March Bedgebury jumping clinic, Tinka is off to the pre-season combined training at Munstead, then her first proper outing of the year at Tweseldown. In between all this I have a new pony and I need to work out where the controls are! Right, I’m off to the pub….
Smartie Pants
Crikey, it’s been a while.
Where to start? Well Lily is off work. She’s not a happy soldier. I have dragged her to the vets twice, and much to her shock she’s had an arm up her backside and a tube up her nose. No problem with either her stomach or her ovaries….shame she can’t talk, she could have saved me the vet bills! I am determined to solve the jigsaw puzzle that is Lily.
The osteopath felt that her pelvis was out and probably had been since we had her. We wait to see if he can work some magic or if we need to investigate things further. I may need to get bar work!
In the meantime I am really really bored. The weather isn’t helping but with no pony to ride I found myself looking at Irish geldings for sale on the internet….then decided to be sensible, I can’t afford all the costs. A few days later I am googling ‘Dressage horses for sale’, they must be cheaper to run right? Crikey they are expensive to buy though! Another couple of days pass and I find myself trawling the pages for ‘Lurcher puppies for sale’. Step away from the computer Janine!
We had a brilliant full clinic day at Bedgebury back in January. These clinics are going really well and I love doing them. We are hoping to be back there on Saturday, weather permitting. I have 14 riders with their names down but many won’t get out of their yards with all this ice. How disappointing.
Bonnie was delighted to get a mention in Horse and Hound for her 74% score and win at Bedgebury BD. Smartie Pants got four nines, including one for her riding. Just when she was in my good books she gives me my Christmas present….uhum? Who do we know that wears a red baseball cap?
We are supposed to be XC schooling at Munstead on Sunday, but with everything frozen and snow still sitting on the floor I can’t see it happening. Fingers crossed for our second date at LMEQ on the 25th Feb, or worst case scenario Bonfleur on 1st April. I have 21 names on the list for Bonfleur. Do you think everyone is having a laugh and I will be the April Fool sat there on my own?!
I have some new clinic dates at a venue nr Crowborough, Adds Farm. We will work through different exercises here and see how they take off. See clinic page for dates.
Morgan is now registered with BD and has the bit between her teeth. They headed back to Bedgebury BD in January, won the Prelim with Smurf 70.45% and came second on the little guy, 12.2 Henry, with 66.82%. She then went on to win the Novice on Smurf with 67.41% Even more pleasing, the judge stopped in the car park on her way out to tell Morgan how nicely she rides. They will now be trying for Regional qualification before their busy side-saddle season starts…how exciting!
Someone needs to do a sun dance, and soon!
Hold in the fart!
Well Happy New Year to everyone, I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas, it seems like ages ago now.
Going back to before Christmas Lily went to Bedgebury to school around the SJ course. She was starting to get a little keen but jumped very well and has certainly gained in confidence, which is really pleasing. On Christmas Day we had a lovely pub lunch in the George and Dragon in Ightham with Martin’s father. We probably didn’t need to eat again for a few days but on Boxing Day we saw the Old Surrey and West Kent Hunt off from Chiddingstone Castle, and it seemed only fair to follow it up with a few beers and another pub lunch with friends….
Bright and early on the Tuesday morning Lily went to Duckhurst to jump around the Clear Round. I am making an effort to keep getting her out and about. She is so quick and clever, just a little on the opinionated side sometimes! The more I can get her out the better I think, it’s just fitting it all in. Since then she has also been on a Regumate trial to see if we can tame the hormones, but so far not a huge success so we are wondering if there is also an underlying soreness somewhere given our year of one step forwards and one back in 2011…
The dressage divas were out in force at Bedgebury BD on the Wednesday between Christmas and New Year, and what a fab job they all did! Martin and Tinka made their debut in the two Prelims with a win and a second in their sections. Morgan and Smurf were also making their debut, winning their Prelim overall and being placed in their Novice with just under 70% in both tests. Then not to be outdone Bonnie came over from Essex and trashed everyone with 74% winning the first Novice overall and then got over 70% for a third in the second Novice. Wowee, 74% – you don’t see amateurs getting scores like that very often. With that Oliver is now out of Novice points so it’s Elementaries from now on. I am hoping they will be ready to contest a Medium later this year. What a fantastic day for me, three winners in the first three classes! Hoo-hah!! Not a bad way to end the year. We rushed home for Christmas dinner with those who must be obeyed (aka the biddies) and my brother and his family. I can’t tell you how many times my young nephews joked about the bowler’s Holding, the batsman’s Willey. Seemed to be the cause of much hilarity!
By the Friday before New Year’s Eve I had a charming cold but found the energy to catch up with our friends Gail and Reg for more beer and food. I was starting to grow a squidgy lump over the waistband, not a good look….by New Year’s Eve I felt all partied out but lasted in the pub until about 12.30am when I almost ran the five yards home and crashed into bed! I must be getting old….
On New Year’s day we had (another) lunch with Tina and Laura Reeves, and popped in to see the wonderful Ivy. She looks amazing, you wouldn’t believe she is 21 this year. Still just as humorous as ever!
Then eventually Tuesday 3rd January arrived and the eating out and drinking stopped! Apart from anything Martin was moaning about the huge dent in his bank balance. Grumpy old man.
So starting the new year as we mean to go on we took Lily to the vets for a quick palpation and scan of the ovaries to make sure everything is normal, and it is. We decided to take her off the Regumate until she has seen an osteopath in the hope that he will see the full picture. However this meant that she was on a Regumate ‘come-down’ at Martin’s Coakham meet at Nurstead. Possibly not the best idea! She was fairly feisty at the meet, having not been out for two months, but jumped well on the first hunt. Then before the second hunt started Martin took her up a footpath to wait with one of the whips, and she must have thought that she was missing out because Little Miss Hothead lost the plot and when they did move off she dragged him round Camer Park with her head up his nose and had an epic tantrum in front of everyone after they stopped. Pigtails was well and truly in the house, and embarrassingly had flipped her lid in front of everyone. I then spent the whole of the third hunt worrying. As it turned out she hunted up the front and although strong, was much better behaved and jumped really well. Phew. Martin ended up with a grazed face, his chin is black and blue, and I have to admit he wasn’t very impressed! I too did not escape unscathed despite only being a spectator. Whilst washing her off she spooked at something, went several feet up and came down on my toes. Yeouch! The following day it became obvious that she had a very sore mouth, I know that plastic bits can cause friction but I have never seen anything like it. It looks quite nasty. So that explains the tantrum at least, out of proportion as usual but justified. Now about my foot….
Now I’ve been wondering what you think……During a recent flatwork lesson and after some discussion with the client, I heard myself say ‘sit up, brace your groin and hold in that fart’. I wonder if anyone reading has the faintest idea of what we were doing?! It worked a treat. Maybe I should copyright the fart technique…I could write an article and sell it to the BHS!
Coming up Lily sees the osteopath so I expect a quiet few weeks for her, and we have the next Bedgebury jumping clinic which is full again. The 2012 Carmen Court and Bedgebury clinic dates are all updated on this website, and I shall be organising February pre-season XC schooling soon….
Happy New Year!
Well I cannot tell a lie, I will be jolly pleased to see the back of 2011. We lost mum’s pony Truffles, our foal Lucy and my boy Harry. It is just as well everyone else has done so well!
On the dressage front we have seen some fantastic results – winners at every level from Prelim to Medium, Regional qualifications, several new entries to the 70% club and some great improvements in scores. Debbie has barely competed Jazz but qualified for the Regionals, won at Novice and Elementary and also won his unaffiliated debut at Medium. There is always something special about seeing a horse you have trained from scratch going so well. Janet won and qualified for the Regionals in the Novice Freestyle to Music in their first year at Novice. Jasmine made big improvements to Kevin’s scores, won at Novice and was placed at Elementary. With Reggie she was placed at the Area Festival, had several wins at Novice, joined the 70% club and made their debut with a third at Elementary. Oh yes! Louisa and Strider did their first BD Novices gaining 67% and winning last time out, hopefully we will try for Regional qualification next year. Bonnie too had a light year with Oliver but won at Elementary and got a magic 74% and win at Novice after his injury forced a break. You don’t see scores like that every day! Morgan made her BD debut with scores of just under 70% and a win at Prelim. Gail too won at Elementary, the first since 2007 (now I am in trouble!) However ‘Improver of the Year’ goes to an unaffiliated rider Sue Wheble. She improved her dressage scores by almost 9%. Wouldn’t we all like to do that?! What an amazing achievement!
From the Pony Clubbers there were C+ test passes from Ellie, Morgan, Sally and Elize, a B care pass for Lilly and a B riding pass for Sophie. Sophie qualified for the Novice SJ champs, Ruby qualified for the Open SJ champs, Sophie was placed in the Novice Horse Trial qualifier, and Sally was placed in the Intermediate Horse Trial qualifier. Wow! 2011 also saw Hannah start her first BE100s including some placings at Nurstead and Keysoe. Morgan bettered last year’s achievements by winning Junior Rider of the Year at the National Side Saddle Championships. I remember them on their little ponies!
Martin no longer has time to help with Otto but his efforts were rewarded with Best Dressage and a 4th place in Otto’s first ODE, and Donna went on to achieve 5th in the Open Novice section at the BD Summer Regionals. This horse has truly been transformed and should give those struggling real hope.
Tinka joined us in January barely able to canter and was 2nd in her first ODE in April! She did a few BE90s, and was 8th at Brightling Park in appalling wet conditions when only a third jumped clear. She then finished the season with her first BE100 at South of England where she ended up 14th. This winter she made her BD debut at Prelim with a win and a second. A good year for Tinka!
With very few outings Harry qualified for the Hickstead Masters SemiFinal and was starting to see 70% scores more consistently in his novice dressage. His SJ technique had improved beyond all belief and he had a great winter as Martin’s hunt horse. It is always horrible to say goodbye to such a capable young horse but it is good to remember what we achieved. My prized possession is a sheet with three nines on it, unheard of!
Lily has started her XC schooling and has had a few days out hunting. She is now schooling round SJ courses indoors and won and was placed in her dressage outings. She has been a little uncomfortable and tetchy as some five year olds can be, but hopefully we are coming out the other side of that now…she is proving herself more than capable and is hopefully one for the future.
Ivy is still with the Reeves happily in semi-retirement. Rosie and her first colt Luke have moved to a private home down the road. Tiny is still doing a bit of everything with great success for Clare and her sharers. Lexie is happy at stud where we hope she will have a foal next year by Groomsbridge May I, father of Tinka and Lily.
The jumping clinics continue to be very popular. Seeing the change in some of the regulars is brilliant and makes it all very rewarding. We held our first adult camp at Bedgebury this Summer – what a ball! Not only did we all thoroughly enjoy ourselves but people went away saying ‘I can’t believe what I’ve achieved this weekend’. It really was great, although big thanks must go to Martin and Louisa. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Well done to everybody. I hope that 2012 can be every bit as successful!
Happy New Year!
Mr Twinkle Toes
The dressage divas have been at it again. Morgan Schive held the flag up for Team Lamy at Eaglesfield winning both her novice dressage classes with 72.5% and 72.15%. You can rest assured I have continued to nag this combination to affiliate and I do believe a debut is on the cards soon….watch this space!
I hear from Janet Crumbie that Drummer has qualified for the BD Novice Music Regionals, not bad for a coloured Irish lad in his first year at Novice! He has had a cracking year and made so much progress. Elementary next year….who’d have thought it, Mr Twinkle Toes!
Then it was Lily’s turn to be a diva, just not the way I wanted. I was supposed to be going to Eaglesfield BD but hadn’t taken her hormones into account. Foolishly I had hoped she wouldn’t still be cycling in the frosts of December, silly mummy! She felt a little odd on the Sunday during a hack (‘Mummy I don’t feel well, please be gentle with me, swish, swish’), but on the Monday Pigtails was in the house (‘I TOLD YOU YESTERDAY, WHY DON’T YOU EVER LISTEN TO ME, I HATE YOU!’) So we withdrew…
However, Jasmine and Reggie were there and….roll on the drums…..they won their novice and joined the 70% club too!! Top banana and very well deserved. She has the Konigs, Reggie has the bling…now they are getting the results, I must be in for one hell of a Christmas bonus!!
On the Friday we went to pay Rosie a visit at her new home. Son of Rosie (Liberator UK aka Luke) looks like he is going to be a right cheeky monkey and Rosie is as fat as a house looking very content in her new role. I watch her family grow with interest!
This week we took Lily to Duckhurst to school around the course. It is only fair that I say Lily jumped like a star, her mother on the other hand needs to practise what she preaches. After our initial warm-up I cantered to my first fence. Lily was in a bit of a dolly-day-dream and the fence rather took her by surprise. I was caught in front of the movement and it can certainly be said that I jumped first (uhum) so found myself hanging round her neck while there was a momentary pause before Lily said ‘oh, well if you’re gonna jump I had better jump’. So she popped the fence, pushing me further up her neck and by the time she landed I was on her ears. She flicked her head up, I somehow avoided eating sand (and let’s be fair the surface at Duckhurst doesn’t look like it tastes nice) and clung on for dear life as she cantered off around the arena. I managed to wriggle back down her neck, get hold of the reins and eventually get myself back in the saddle with Lily saying ‘which fence next mummy?!’ Two laps of Duckhurst later I pulled her up. It was quite a while later before my heart beat returned to normal.
On Friday Martin took Tinka to Lucy’s for a jumping lesson. It must be about eight months since Lucy has seen her and she thought she looked like a different horse, was really impressed with how she jumped and loved her attitude. Top marks for Tinka!
With ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ the moral of the day we headed off to Bedgebury today for another busy clinic day…it was FREEZING and three people didn’t make it because they couldn’t get their lorries to start. The joy of lorries in the cold! I don’t think Louisa will thaw for a while…brrr…
Coming up Lily has the saddler and possibly some more SJ practise. We have a pub lunch organised for Xmas day, and shall see the hunt off and more pub lunch on Boxing day. Then Tinka has her BD debut (is capriole necessary at prelim?)…
So the only thing left to do is wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
The dog’s doodahs
Saying goodbye to Harry was horrible as you would expect. He was quite the character and rather a large presence on our part of the yard. He is somewhat noticeable in his absence! Fortunately I can rely on my clients to keep my chin up….
After a fairly long break (Oliver had trashed his fetlock by getting stuck in the field gate), Bonnie went to Essendon & Epping Forest BD to do a Novice test and see if they were back to form. Oh yes, finally made it into the 70% club and won the Open section! Top effort. It is always rewarding to see the underdog do well; you do not need a warmblood to succeed!
Lily has been trying out a different bit, the Sprenger Duo. Harry loved the Nathe as a five year old but Lily just chewed through it like a crocodile with a baby buffalo. However…the Sprenger is three weeks old and is still intact! She feels much less fragile in it, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. We headed off to Bedgebury last Friday to school around the SJ course, the first time out show-jumping in seven months. When we arrived she was convinced we were hunting and was shaking so much her legs were wobbling! I did wonder how she would be after all her recent ‘Daddy Days’ (time with Martin sends us all a bit crazy…) but once we started in the arena and she realised it was a boring ‘Mummy Day’ she relaxed and jumped really well.
Tinka schooled at Bedgebury too, but on the Saturday. She was absolutely beside herself with excitement; grunting like a piglet, and snorting and bucking! She is hilarious. Eventually she calmed down and ended up popping round a course set at 1.10m as if she did it every day of the week. She looks really promising for next year. At 5 years old she is such a cocky whatsit, I swear you could put something quite ridiculous up and she would give it a go. She thinks she’s the dog’s doodahs.
The rest of Saturday was a busy Bedgebury clinic day – we were full to the brim with loads of spectators too. As it gets colder the free tea and coffee that Bedgebury provide is very much appreciated! There were some noticeable highlights – Jules and her young mare Libby came to their first Carmen Court clinic in September and were really green. At Bedgebury two months later Libby jumped like a star. Jules has made a huge improvement to the canter which meant Libby was far more rideable between fences, and wow did she get up in the air! The other one to catch my eye was Lara’s Finley. He first came to Carmen Court last year as a young horse and although very genuine he was a little lacking in power and strength. He looked amazing on Saturday. He has found his springs!
On Sunday Louisa and I headed off to Hartpury for the BD National Convention with the Bartels family. This is always an interesting weekend and this year very much reminded me of fellow Dutch team rider Anky van Grunsven’s convention. For slow down, pull. For go faster, kick. Never give two aids at the same time. Get the horse relaxed. Is it straight? Is it off your leg? Seems like a simple approach but I can assure you it wasn’t easy for the guinea pig riders. Tineke (Mummy Bartels) was seriously disciplined – ‘Do it again’ and even ‘I am the bitch’!! A circle needed precision riding and she did not settle for almost round ‘I want a circle not an eclipse’ and heaven forbid if you lost the shoulder! I wonder what my clients would make of this approach……?!
Monday this week we headed off to Duckhurst, somewhere Lily has never been before. She was more relaxed than at Bedgebury and I was surprised that she wasn’t even vaguely spooky in the arena. We finished up jumping around a course of little fences on a lovely light contact with a super rideable canter. I became aware that I was smiling. Unheard of!
Coming up we have some dressage practise for Lily, a trip out to visit Rosie and her son in their new home, another schooling session over the coloured sticks at Duckhurst, and the next Bedgebury clinic. Pleeease, no snow….
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