As the season is fast upon us and the weather was kind last week it was time to get the horses out XC schooling. I say the same every year but it is a lovely feeling to get them out onto grass and have a good canter around – they certainly all enjoyed it! We took Brooke (Take Your Pick) who felt on fantastic form, Lily (Bits N Pieces) who hasn’t been for a long time and Newby for Chrissy to have a go on before she embarks on Aston le Walls Unaffiliated competition.
We go up to Swalcliffe for our XC as the ground up there is great and Richard (Taylor) provides a lot of fences for us to get our teeth into. He is always improving the venue and it is under an hours travel – which we like!
Off to Allenshill we plodded on Tuesday for some Show Jump practice. I took Wendy for Mel as she is away and Tommy who is a lovely working hunter livery that we have got in for schooling. I sent his mummy a text at the end of the day enquiring to see if he would like a career change as he was sooooo much fun and has a great pop in him. Sadly I was not successful so we waved good bye to him on Sunday morning as he has gone back home to do some competing, but you never know – I can keep dreaming!!
We took Comet (Shannondale Comet) and Ernie (Olympic Tracer) for a spot of British Dressage on Thursday and again both of them came home in the money. Ernie won his first Novice test with 69% and finished third in his second one with 67%. He was a little tense in the second test and I had experimented by taking his flash strap off as sometimes he can use it as a bit of a lever against me. I have decided that he is definitely better with it on but sometimes you have to try these things to see what works best!
The horses have all had their routine physio checks and are having their teeth done next week before we kick off.
Half Term was very busy with the old teaching and although the weather was pretty good we did have one bad day last Saturday where I was out in the ménage for a good 7 hours solid and it was very cold and very wet. I can’t say I was sad to wave good bye to the last lesson that day and get inside into the warm. Saying that, all my lessons went really well and it is so nice to see my pupils really improving. Having been with me for a few years I can now really start to see the progress and wish them all a really good season this year.
We are extremely busy with the yard at the moment but the team are really pulling together. Chrissy has settled in fantastically well and despite either killing her car or her phone she is well and truly a member of the team.
Comet has been having a slight problem this year with his aversion to other horses in the collecting ring and at 17hh when he takes flight there is not a great deal I can do about it! It has steadily been getting worse and worse to the point where I am seriously worried about the warm up at BE competitions. A horse only has to come within 15metres of us and we are off in any direction and usually at speed!
I had a brain wave the other day and have sought the advice of a Horse Whisperer for want of a better name and he is coming over on Sunday to see if he can sort dear Comet out! If he can I will be amazed but will be intrigued to see how he goes about it.
I will let you know how it goes, I might be waving goodbye to my Sunday afternoon though as I don’t think he will be a quick worker by the sounds of things. However, if he helps solve the problem I am certainly not complaining!
So this week we are out XC schooling again and then the girls are doing Dressage at Solihull on Thursday, both are doing Medium tests so lets hope that Pia wants to concentrate this time and not think about jumping!
Until next week where I will give you the thrills and spills of our week and yes for those of you who were wondering I have managed to finish the wall papering and no I am NEVER doing it again!
Until then,
Colina
