Well the New Year started with a bang when poor Delboy went into 'orsepital with a tooth root infection. I think he may have hoofed himself in his bottom jaw with all that front leg action. The infection is now gone and we are hoping it does not come back, because if it does, big tooth removal
operation. Fingers crossed that is not needed.
On a brighter note, Alf went to his first affiliated Novices winning them both with 74.23% and 73.75%!
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| Tracey Lawson riding Alfero |
Happy happy! He felt and behaved AMAZINGLY and since then we have really seen our confidence in each other go up a notch and we are really starting to engage and believe in each other. It has been such a long haul waiting for his splints to settle down. He is only 6 years old and immature mentally and physically, but oh boy is this horse about to start catching up. No rush, Still lots of hacking for his brain and body, walking up hills for his bum, only schooling 3 times a week......but I'm starting to believe that PSG is not a dream for him, but a definite destination. We are now both really really enjoying the journey.
Sara Malpass is about to start her climb up the BD ladder with some exciting new projects. In the meantime I was very happy for her when Quaker won his unaffiliated prelim class by over 3% with 74.5%, and Basil getting 68%. Super achievement for a lass who was hopping about on a set of crutches last month! Now that's dedication. Basil then went on to win his first affiliated prelim!
Denise Holland and Strider have really improved these last couple of months. Strider is a very tall horse, there's a lot to put together and Denise was struggling to find self carriage in the canter. So we decided to sophisticate the trot work and get that more truly engaged with Strider doing more and Denise doing less. That has now helped with the canter and the self carriage is well on its way. Strider needs to sink down into more articulated hind legs, so that he can push himself more into the air. He needs first to find the suppleness to do this and then to slowly build the strength to maintain it. The 'by product' is that a new medium trot has appeared. Can't complain at that! Now I need to get them to believe they are ready to go show this to a dressage judge. Although to be honest as long as they are both enjoying their time together then i'm happy! That's the most important thing in this art we call classical dressage - Loving the art because its just amazing, not just because we win competitions........
..........However.......Sue Jones and George did their first BD Elementary and came home with a big fat red rosette! Just what she needed to keep her confidence up for the Open Novice Petplan Finals at the BD Winter Championships at Hartbury in April. It may seem like I have just completely contradicted myself but I love both sides of my job. Teaching people how to love riding their horse more and if its what they want, teaching them how this can also lead to higher percentages and better competition results. Just never at the horses expense.
"To be an equestrian in the classical sense is
not just to be a rider. It is a position in life"
Charles de Kunffy
I could not agree with this more.
