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!
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….
Hunting or dressage?
It was great to be back at Bedgebury for our first winter jumping clinic of the year. They continue to make huge improvements there and the new surface rode really well. You should see the new horsewalker – wowee! We had quite a few new faces which is always great, as usual the small ponies and children showing us adults how it should be done! It was a lovely afternoon, everyone seeming to enjoy it and take away their homework. The November date is full already – fingers crossed no nasty white stuff stops play this year!
Lily was given the choice; she could go hunting with daddy or do some dressage with mummy…..so off they headed to Montague for the St Hubert’s day meet with the Coakham Bloodhounds! I had been worrying. On St. Hubert’s day a local priest always comes to bless this year’s hounds. I had this vision; mid-prayer, heads bowed, hats off, Pigtails does ‘Crazy Frog’. Thankfully she was very quiet, well until the hounds moved off that is. As is usually the case on the third or fourth day out, Lily was pretty full on, quite the feisty ginger pony having a total ball. How could mummy have even suggested dressage as an alternative?! I have no need to worry what this wild partying in the mud will be doing for Lily’s dressage prospects as Martin tells me that she has a spanking medium trot. This was after he told me about the race that his point to point friend Paul was trying to get him to sign up to. Uhum. I can see that I am going to have to split those two lads up!
I did go to Stilebridge BD the following day, but on foot to support Louisa and Strider. Only their second or third affiliated novice outing and he scored a very respectable 67% and a 2nd place – what a good boy!
On Tuesday Harry went back to the vets to be assessed after eight weeks of walking, lungeing, trotting poles and regular dates with the chiropractor. He now looks like an old man. He is very stiff and sore, still unrideable, and looks very uncomfortable. The vet and I made the decision that we have done all we can. We brought him home but at some point in the near future he will be put to sleep. Poor Harry, he is only seven, we had made such progress and had so much more fun to have.
On a lighter note Lily had a lovely day out with Martin hunting at Attwood Farm with Coakham again yesterday. A really busy day with 55 out, I thought she might be really feisty again. She looked a bit like a greyhound when she got off the lorry but was as quiet as a lamb at the meet standing watching everything go on around her. Martin said she was much better behaved, and much more rideable. In her keeness I think she was a little disrespectful of some of the timber fences (well OK, he said she hurdled a couple!) but generally jumped really well, especially the hedges, including a rather large drop hedge. I hunted Harry a few times at the same age and he was pretty scary. A big uneducated young horse dragging his small jockey around the countryside like a rag doll seemingly totally unaware of where his legs were. At least Lily is quick and clever. I’d want danger money to do that again! We firmly believe in hunting them though, they learn so much.
Daddy’s little racehorse
I know it’s starting to get colder but we had the most amazing bright sunshine at the last Carmen Court jumping clinic. Lily and Jazz did some gridwork with me in the morning, both jumping really well. Jazz hasn’t been jumped since February and was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. Then a few groups in the afternoon. As usual it was a very relaxed day, everyone really seeming to benefit from coming out and schooling round a course or doing some exercises away from home. I can’t believe that’s another year over.
Martin took Lily to the Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds opening meet. There were nearly 50 out and she was a total star again. She took everything in her stride; jumping ditches, timber, water, and what Martin described as a ‘Junior Hedge’. Doesn’t look that ‘junior’ to me….very proud of my little girl! In our house she is now referred to as “Daddy’s little racehorse”.
While Lily was galloping around the countryside Morgan and Smurf swapped their jumping tack for dressage tack and went to Eaglesfield unaffiliated. Having seen their flatwork in the week I had suggested that maybe they were ready to take the plunge and affiliate him. To prove a point Smurf won the Prelim with 74% and the Novice with 71%…..ooh we do love a winner!
Winter must be approaching as the Eaglesfield BD series has also started. In the first one on Tuesday Debbie and Jasmine were both in the Elementary. Despite having barely ridden in two months due to a bad back Debbie posted a win, only narrowly pipping Jasmine who has only had two rides on Reggie at this level. So a first and a second for Team Lamy – Hoo-Hah! Maybe it was the threat of thumb screws….
Then on Thursday I went to Mount Mascal for a BHS course on how rider position and anatomy affects the horse’s way of going. These courses are always very interesting but I think the biggest thing I took away was probably about my own wonky body and how it affects my horses rather than anything to do with my clients!
Coming up we have a busy half term, the first Bedgebury winter jumping clinic, Harry’s third chiro session, and a possibility of a day out with Coakham for Lily and Martin. Fingers crossed I can actually go and watch this time!!
Only five more minutes
Harry has been to the the vets for his nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan). It confirmed the diagnosis of sacroiliac pain as well as hindleg proximal suspensory desmitis. As it is the sacroiliac pain causing the majority of his issues we are trying to treat that first. We are to return to the vets for another assessment after six weeks of lungeing and physio. It all looks rather bleak but we are going to do our best to see if we can get him back into work. I hope the Irish boy has a lucky clover hidden away somewhere.
On a more positive note Janet Crumbie and Drummer won their debut BD Restricted Novice Freestyle to Music class at Oldencraig – top banana! Not to be outdone Jasmine was out last Tuesday at South of England BD and got the top spot with Reggie in her Novice class. Frankly I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had lifted her Timbertops hoody over her head and run through the car park whooping and waving her red rosette. Imagine her disappointment when it turned out to be dark blue!
At the recent Carmen Court jumping clinic I took the opportunity to pop Lily around the course, something I haven’t done for ages while her mouth has been so sensitive. Oh boy wasn’t it obvious – I think it’s time to get some lessons organised again. Not enough canter Janine (as if I don’t spend my life saying that, you’d think I would know better!) She was a little green having not done much all summer but jumped well despite her mother…
Talking of lessons Martin was balloted from Munstead and a last minute lesson with NZ Olympian Joe Meyer became available just down the road so we rerouted to that. He is a lovely guy and it was really interesting to watch. So often lessons concentrate on how the horse is going but this lesson was definitely about how Martin was riding. Joe has a lot of empathy with the horses and this session was all about keeping Tinka relaxed, riding her with less contact and keeping the canter energised (noticing the theme?!).
Then on the Sunday Martin took Otto and Tinka up to Bedgebury where Emma Whittington was attempting to set a World Record by riding continuously for 28 hours in aid of Cancer Research and Hospice in the Weald. Martin had decided to lend her Tinka and ride Otto alongside to keep her awake. He had the 9am shift and by then she had been in the saddle for 24 hours. The thought of riding in Martin’s saddle after 24 hours is quite hideous, it takes the skin off my backside after 5 minutes! Apparently she was rather tearful when he arrived (perhaps she had heard the rumours about his saddle) and when the Stinka and Ottoman flew off the lorry ramp snorting and boinging her mother nearly had a heart attack. However, ten minutes later Emma was hacking through the Bedgebury Forest with her feet out of the stirrups and the reins on the buckle (phew!). She did it, and raised a lot of money, but I think she must be bonkers!
On Tuesday last week the wonderful Nick Coles came to do the horses’ six monthly teeth check. Lily spent longer in the dentist’s chair than the others but she was a very good girl and we rewarded her with a sugar-free lolly pop and a smiley sticker….
Then on Saturday Tinka contested her first BE100 at South of England. It was a 4am alarm and the first time we have ever arrived at a horse trial in the dark. As I was reminded at regular intervals throughout the day, it was all my fault, I had asked for early times. I didn’t mean that early! She did her best dressage test so far for 36.5, had one rail down in the SJ and stormed the XC like an old campaigner to finish up 14th. We are absolutely delighted. To achieve this in nine months is really something. What a good girl!
Then on Sunday Lily went to Stilebridge for her first competition since the Spring. She was on her best behaviour and finished up 2nd in the prelim qualifying for their Championships. Unfortunately she got cast earlier in the week and has obviously tweaked something as she was skipping a bit in the canter. I hadn’t really picked it up before the warm-up and knowing how sensitive she is, the slightest discomfort can cause a meltdown so as I trotted down the centre line I was singing in my best judge can’t hear voice ‘there’s a good Lily, only five more minutes…’
So we have the chiropractor for Lily this week, and the chiropractor for Harry next week. Just myself to organise then!
Harry Rasta
It is ages since I updated you. My apologies, after the chaos of summer we escaped to Portugal for a lovely relaxing holiday in the sun. I’m not sure what happened to the weather while we were away but we seem to have come back to winter.
The August Carmen Court jumping clinic started with a group of three very nervous jockeys who between them hadn’t left the floor in years. They were all somewhere between grey and green to look at, but they jumped around a small course of fences in fine style. And no Donna, Janine Lamy branded sick bags is not what I call good marketing!
We had two groups XC schooling at Bonfleur, including some four year olds having their introduction to XC jumps. They were all really good and took it in their stride, going away full of confidence for next time. Bonfleur is ideal for mixed groups as there is something for everyone and means I can have lead horses for the younger ones without interrupting the flow of the day.
Great news from the North West Kent pony clubbers, Lily Ward passed her B test care and Sophie Etheridge her B test riding. Well done girls!
I have been helping Mark Powell and his huge dude of a horse Harvey. We are starting to see where Laura gets her competitive streak and recently they were 2nd after the dressage and posted a double clear in the Sevenoaks RC ODE. All we need to do now is get the big boy (Harvey, not Mark) cutting some tighter lines to get home inside the time. Watch out Laura, your father is nipping at your heels!
Jasmine was delighted to be placed at the BD Area Festival at Pachesham on Reggie. I think the photo says it all! They have Regional qualification in their sights, fingers crossed.
Tomorrow I drop Harry to the vets for a bone scan. I am not expecting good news but after all this time a diagnosis would be good. He now has a rather long mane and is starting to look more Bob Marley than Michael Flatley.
Otto does good
Well a busy few weeks. There’s been lots of Pony Club rallies and Area Competitions, most recently the Horse Trials which was held at Coombelands, Pulborough. NWK pony clubber Sophie Etheridge was delighted to finish 7th in the Novice with the young Murray but the highlight of my day was Sally Stoddart finishing 7th in the Intermediate. Poor Sally was grey before she started, and utterly convinced she was going to die! With very limited mileage cross country it was a big ask to jump around the BE100 course. Top effort with gutsy riding rewarded!
Meanwhile the dressage divas have been to the BD Regionals. Donna and Otto did Carmen Court proud and came 5th in the Open Novice. This is a truly amazing transformation and all credit to Donna for sticking with it. Round of applause to Team Otto – it can be done!
I mentioned in my last update that I didn’t feel Harry was quite right behind. Two trips to the vets later we still don’t have a diagnosis. Initial investigations suggested kissing spines, but that was later ruled out and we are now thinking possible sacroiliac pain but need more tests to confirm it. Although most of the time I wouldn’t want Harry to talk, it would be easier and cheaper if he could explain what the problem was….“Feckin’ back ache! Arse!”.
We have had a couple of trips out XC schooling at Lodge Farm and Bull Farm. Given the opportunity to show off in front of many (including her breeder, u-hum) Pigtails made an appearance at Lodge Farm. A fair amount of Lily hysteria was on show for all, yet at Bull Farm with no-one about, Lily left Pigtails at home and came as herself. The perfect pony, even leading the other horse over the ditch and into the water…. Those who were at Lodge Farm will understand that I would have found it hard to concentrate on the Ginger Ninga and teaching the group at the same time. So it was Martin who did the deed. We have struggled with Lily’s ultra sensitive mouth this summer and have been having a play with bits. At home we are making progress again but at Lodge Farm we decided to give up and attached the reins to the noseband. Worked absolute wonders and she finished on a much more positive note!
Good news from Groomsbridge, Lexie has been scanned in foal. Obviously we wouldn’t expect it to be entirely straight forward and it started out as twins…but now has been narrowed down to one pregnancy. I hope they chose the right one!
Fantastic news from the National SideSaddle Championships – Morgan Schive won Junior Rider of the Year, and got a write-up and picture in Horse and Hound. Morgan works really hard with Smurf and thoroughly deserves her success. What a way to leave your Junior years. WINNER!
We have a Carmen Court jumping clinic today, XC schooling at Bonfleur next weekend, and I start life as a probationary B test examiner…must get a clip board!
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