Tuesday 22 May 2012

May / June 2012

Tracey Lawson riding 'A New Day' (Delboy!)
I took Delboy to his first competition at East Soley and Team Catherston were also competing there. What a lovely huge union jack all over the lorry! I watched one of their beautifully suspended elastic horses float round its mistake free test.......The wonderful Jennie Lorriston Clarke helping them warm up and read for them. And then somehow Mr Del wins both classes and beats them?! What?! How the bloody hell did we do that? I am in shock! But very very grateful to Mr Del for being so amazing today. Love you Big Boy! Bless his little/huge cotton clod hoppers. What a clever boy winning another two tests outright with 69.62% and 70%. He has earnt his keep this week!

Happy Happy! Alf  went to Fairoak Grange and got his first affiliated 9! I have always thought his free walk should get a 9. Thank you Judge Angela Cardiff. Alf then went on to win Novice 27 with 73.21%...... Yes! James has brought home Cava!

Two ladies who have really impressed me with their dressage improvements are Jenny Richards and Teri Gray (also know as Team Awesome!) Always an absolute pleasure to teach, they work their butts off doing their homework, and they love their horses to bits. What more could a trainer ask for?
Sandra Clark Bernstein has also really upped her game! Now getting 8's for her centre lines and 7's for the free walks! I would say that means Seamus was straight between both legs and 'through'! Sorry Seamus, your not retiring yet, we've only just started!!!

Anni Denton and Mercury floated around the arena to win N24 with 70% and E43 with 68% at Elstead Riding Club! Cathy Howard showed her versatility as a rider by taking Helen Scourfields Dusty to their first competition at Rycroft Dressage and came 2nd in the Prelim. Samantha Amor and Archie also attended Rycroft and won the Novice 22 with over 68%!

I had the most super ride on Delboy at the Stephen Clarke clinic at the TTT today. This amazing horse seems to know when its an important day for me, and he pulls out all the stops to be the best he can. Full of power, energy and enthusiasm as always, but a new softness, swing and elasticity is now coming through into his movement. Alf went on the second day and had his first outing in a double bridle. He goes beautifully in a snaffle but he offers just a little more lift in the shoulder in the double and i would like to establish this feeling for both of us in the double, then check we can copy it in the snaffle. He behaved and danced just beautifully and gave me everything i could ask for. What a star.

Gillian Hammond has made a major breakthrough in her dressage riding and can now connect Cuddles hind legs from behind through the back to the bit! Without having to put her hands down! Because she is riding from back to front! Yippee! This is not easy on Cuddles as he has a very high head carriage so its very tempting to want to just put his head down, instead of getting his hind legs under and his back up. Beverly Wright has gone through this exact same journey with her horse Felix. Once Bev and Gill have found the hind legs and the back, the neck becomes their present and they can have it up with poll as the highest point, or stretch it down easily (because the horse is no longer needing to use the neck to balance itself having found its hind legs to balance on and back to carry the rider) Easy!



Clever Delboy did his first two affiliated elementary classes at East Soley and won them both with 71.79% and 75%! 9's for his medium canter, canter 3 loop serpentine, canter down centre line into medium trot, and medium trot to halt immobility salute! LOVE HIM!
He also went to Fairoak and won Novice 38 with 71.94% and second in Novice 28 with 70%!




Mr Alf went for his first outing to Hunters Equestrian in Gloucester and won affiliated Novice 22 outright with 71.72% and was second in the Novice 38 Open with 71.93%. Behaved like a pro. Ah, my liitle boy is growing up. Both have now qualified for the BD Summer Novice Open Regionals.