A brilliant time was had by all at the National Riding Club Championships. Becky Friend came third individually in the Riding Test (with a whopping 84%!). Anni Denton and Mallingold Mercury were in the winning Rural Riders Team for Elstead RC and 8th in the Open Dressage!
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| Eilean and Shikira enjoying their winter sport! |
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| Eilean and Shakira enjoying their summer hobby! |
Another acquisition is a lovely four year old bought by Emily Farrar who originally started training with me to help her with her flat work so as to improve her show jumper Louis. Emily tells me any problems she had in her last show jumping round and together we solve them. Louis is now looking like he could do a PSG after all our patterns to supple and engage him, putting him more into his hind legs so he can now lengthen and shorten easily. I am embarrassed to say I couldn't stop giggling when I first asked Emily to show me her sitting trot. (oh the memory of it has me chuckling away in my chair as I type). So I'm INCREDIBLY proud to have seen Emily today floating around the arena in a beautiful sitting trot, new long legs back and underneath her, Inka working so beautifully under the saddle with Emily saying 'Oh my god I didn't realise how much my position could influence my horse!'
Grace Lloyd Jones and Classic have had a fantastic couple of months competing at BE100 Open. Winning at Munstead on her dressage score of 29, second at Pulborough with dressage of 28.5 and after all her hard work, a 9 for her free walk! Too many other good dressage score and placings at BE100 to mention, but the last four events had double clears inside the time. Wow. I think this proves that good flatwork improves the jumping! No wonder she passed her Pony Club B Test!
Ella Lloyd Jones and Kilcarroll Lad won the BE100 at Pulborough finishing on their dressage score of 27.5. Just as importantly, they can now do a row of tempi flying changes! Yay!
Eilean Appleton and Shakiras dressage score of 25 at BE100 is her best to date! With a 9 for her halts (we've been working on those) and an 8 for her riding (have you seen how good her position has got recently!)
Katie Patrick and her mare Sue have really picked up their game recently and came third in the London and South East Championships both individually and as part of her team. Sue has recently grown a lot and Katie was in need of learning how to start channelling this new found power of Sues in the right direction! We have done some more intensive regular training and loved watching Katie grinning as she rode through some lovely simple changes which helped her to find her super new canter for her dressage and to jump with more control and balance.
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| Sheryl and the one and only Blixen |
Sheryl Holland and the breathtaking black Friesian Blixen have really made some progress recently in their half pass. This has really helped Blix find both his hind legs and both sides of his body, allowing the most beautiful mediums to now power through.
