Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Jack

October to December Update

The last two months have certainly quietened down. We've had chance to catch breath before 2017 plans begin.

Rocco didn’t have the best final run of the season at Dauntsey Park. I walked the course the day before; it was a lovely warm autumn day and good ground. By the time I arrived on the Saturday morning it had poured with rain all night meaning the ground was super slippy on top and firm underneath. Rocco enjoyed the ground in the dressage and gained a 28. But he really didn't like it in the show jumping. It was still pouring with rain making conditions worse. So for the first time ever I retired in the show jump arena. He has been on top form all season so it really wasn't worth pushing him when he wasn't happy. He then came home and started his short holiday. A disappointing last event, but I made the right decision to retire.

On the subject of holidays, Scooby and Jerry have been thoroughly enjoying theirs. It's been really nice to have their shoes off, grow a coat and have fun living in a huge field. They will be coming in from their holiday just before Christmas and spend a month hacking to build fitness back up.

Since the end of the season, competitions have been very quiet. I did have one very busy day at combined training with Jackson, Dingo and Bella. They all did dressage and show jump rounds in less than two hours. All three did lovely dressage tests and super jumping rounds. Bella came second, Dingo 6th and Jackson just missed out with a green moment at fence one. He was thrown in at the deep end having never jumped anywhere but home, but finished jumping a super round.

I now have a few new faces that have joined my team. My super star dun, Jackson, has been going very well at combined trainings, really showing his class and scope. However he has now very sadly been sold, luckily very locally so he still comes once a week for me to jump. Filling his stable is the very beautiful Lance, who has only ever done dressage with his owner so he'll be introduced to jumping once he's going well and settled in. I've also taken on Michelle Cooper's lovely new horse, Jupi, who we hope to get out competing in the New Year, we're really starting to gel now and he's enjoying a new challenge.

We are now into December and definitely things are starting to speed up. I'm been busy filling any spare time up with riding and teaching outside of my own horses. Rocco has already completed his month of hacking and is now starting school work. He has the next few months mapped out with a training and fitness plan all aiming for the Mitsubishi Cup in May.

I want to say a huge thank you to Petplan Equine for its support over the last two years. The company has made so much possible and I've been proud to be supported by it. I've had the most amazing time being sponsored by them, with a lesson from eventing legend Lucinda Green being one of the huge highlights.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Festive tip

Winter can often be a great time to let your horses have some down time. Giving a shod horse time without shoes, allowing them to get hairy and just enjoy being a horse. When you decide to bring them back into work, take things slowly. I will do hacking/road work for a month before starting to school. This will help strengthen everything back up and a great chance to work them long and low and start rebuilding any lost muscle or reshape current muscle.