Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Lili

May and June Update

Three months into my sponsorship and I couldn’t tell you where time has gone. I also couldn’t be happier with the horses.

Paddy- remains sound and happy. He was part of the Macmillan sponsored ride at Belvoir castle, where we raised over £1,000 with my dad on his horse Zu. In the same week, we were involved in some educational filming with Petplan Equine and Charlie Hutton. I can’t wait to see the results, it was very exciting to be part of something like that. I didn’t think that the sponsorship would open doors like this and it has been incredible! Paddy is schooling a little more regularly and seems to cope with it very well, we have also been to the beach with the sausage dog and my fiancé and we all had such a nice time, he’s had a good varied routine that is for sure.

Fons- Fons was going great guns. Almost “too good” so I gave him a fortnight off and literally just checked him, fed him and brought him in when the weather was grim. He thrived from it! Just before his break he gained some good BD scores, 70% at prelim and 66% in the novice. After his break, I took him for some training with Jennie Loristan Clarke who was very positive about him and where he is at for a five year old which is great to know. We then set sail to Sheepgate, to do the five year old Potential International. Talk about in at the deep end! I was thrilled with a score of 69.4% at a new venue, surrounded by professionals and big names. He did me proud. He then was a guinea pig for a judging day and was a complete toad – you win some you lose some!

Zu- my dad’s irish draught, built like the proverbial outhouse, I have taken over more of the reins now as my dad is busy. I have had a great time schooling him and tuning him up! Never overlook the different breeds. Zu is a lazy so and so but can really move (on his own terms of course) but I have loved it! He has been getting a lot of Facebook and Instagram love. As a result I was bullied (bullied I tell you!) into competing him. Baptism of fire, into the deep end, out at BD novice, he was a brilliant boy. Broke in the canter once, spooked, wobbled and did his best ‘knee hock knee hock’ action and gained 62.2% third open, third overall. Oh this means I am going to have to go and do it again doesn’t it!

The retired duo look amazing- thriving on summer 24/7 turnout and Dougal, my Shetland, looks great too, no laminitis and I have been religiously picking these blooming Sycamore saplings (the one thing I will preach on- the saplings are deadly). So all I can summarise with, is I hope you have been enjoying your horses as much as I have, they have been a delight.

Lili’s top tip

I like my horses to have a nice varied routine, so lots of hacking in the summer. Also on their days off, let them be a horse, leave them to roll, get dirty and have some peace and quiet – they find it very refreshing!