The summer is finally here, we’ve survived all the rain and now we’re all roasting. It’s been a busy few weeks since my last blog and everything is about to get even busier with Pony Club camp season just around the corner.
First thing to talk about is competing, or lack of it. We decided to go to Nunney for a run round the Open Novice, it was so nice to be out again. Maria was a bit tense in the dressage to score 36.5, she was so excited on the way over there, I was amazed we got through the test. Onto the show jumping and she warmed up beautifully, but then sack the jockey, I went in and I made some terrible decisions to the first three fences leading to 2 poles and a stop, but then got my act together and jumped the rest clear.
Onto the cross country and she was amazing, she was confident and adjustable and such a pro, I always forget how experienced she is as I’ve had her so long. After that things haven’t quite gone to plan, before Keysoe she was slightly lame and although she came sound, I thought it best to withdraw. We rerouted to Dauntsey, but then the week before she tied up slightly after a dressage lesson. It seems like we just worked a bit too hard, but again thought it best to give her some more time and we’re now planning something for mid August.
Teaching has been busy, I’ve taken on some new clients and had some great Pony Club sessions. Wokingham Pony Club had a fun session for minis where we played around with a musical ride, there was a lot of singing and we had a great time practising spacing and awareness of other riders. With Garth Hunt we went to try out the new cross country course at Chiltern. It’s a great site with such a wide range of jumps for everyone from 60cm through to BE100 and a course, which is so hard to find to practise. It was a great session, working on straightness, different canters and how to introduce horses to different obstacles. Lots learnt and lots of smiles.
Another exciting development is the launch of my online membership. This gives you more support outside of lessons and gives you access to information that we might not have time to go over in lesson time. It includes monthly blogs on a horse care topic, weekly exercises, a monthly talk and question and answer session. Last month the blog was on studs and the talk was on the hoof, the reception has been great so far and numbers are unlimited so there’s still space if you want to be part of it. I’m always looking for ways to improve it so if there’s anything you want more support with or would like included, please let me know and I’ll add it to the growing list.
We’re now coming into my busiest month of the year, I’m teaching at four Pony Club Camps as well as fitting in riding, private clients and rallies. There are lots of exciting things coming, but you’ll have to wait for the next one to find out what they are.