Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Lorna

March and April Update

I am 36 years old and live in Kintore in Aberdeenshire with my super companion Monty dog, a Border Terrier cross. I started riding when I was eight years old after much badgering of my parents – they would say that the worst (or best) thing they ever did was buy me a rocking horse as a toddler! I think they never heard the end of horses after that. That’s still the case more than 30 years later.

My first horse was called Anoushka, a 14.3hh part bred Arab chestnut mare, with who I began competing in endurance with, competing up to the 50km level. In 2000, I bought Marco. He seems to enjoy endurance and has just got better and better over the years. He has now competed in endurance for 14 years (2001-2015), over 100 rides and almost 5000km.

In 2007, Anoushka was struggling with an old fracture in her hock and arthritis and I made the hard decision to put her to sleep and purchase another horse to keep Marco company. I came across an advertisement on the Highland Pony Society website for Spangle; no picture, just text, but sounded ideal. I read on to learn she was a part-Arab, chestnut filly…and the rest is history. She is a strong willed, opinionated mare but is a whole lot of fun and amazing to ride when she is working with me.

Over the years, I have competed successfully for the Scottish Team in many rides across the country as well as other rides including the Red Dragon. One of my greatest achievements was the two day 160 km Golden Horseshoe ride in 2009 which I completed with Marco. We gained a Gold Award, Top Lady Award, Handling and Presentation Award, Wayward Lad Trophy (awarded to the non Arab or non Part Arab horse competing for the first time in either the Golden Horseshoe or Exmoor Stag class which, in the opinion of the veterinary panel, is in best condition at the end of the ride), and the Ferhanoush Shield (for horse and rider's first attempt at Horseshoe). I couldn’t have asked for more!

I cannot stress enough how much the team aspect helped me throughout my endurance career. The support we have had has been second to none and the friendships made have been amazing and long term.

Since gaining sponsorship at the beginning of March, we have been very busy. Spangle has been to Riding Club flatwork lessons and private lessons with Erik MacKechnie BHSI, organised through BHS Grampian. Erik has been coaching me for a number of years and has been a tremendous help with both Spangle and Marco. He has been instrumental in developing Spangle throughout all of her education to date. Spangle has changed her attitude to schooling this year and is now much more amenable and much easier to work her.

Marco competed in the Findon Riding Club Dressage League March competition. We did Elementary 57 and were first in the class and third in the league but more importantly we both had fun; I enjoyed the challenge of the test, even if it could have been executed a lot better! In May, Marco and I will do a 30km competitive ride at Clashindarroch and a shorter ride at Clatt escorting Homer, my fellow livery friend’s horse on his first taste of endurance. If successful these two events will mean Marco will hit the 5000km milestone of endurance events, an amazing achievement.

Spangle is now aimed at the Golden Horseshoe ride doing the two day 160km class on 18/19th May. The event is held on Exmoor, the opposite end of the UK from Aberdeenshire. As the ride is challenging, I have focussed more on our own training rather than competing her as preparation. This allows me to control the distance and hill work to a greater extent. It also gives a truer reflection of fitness as the adrenalin buzz of the competition is not there to take over. We did however attend the SERC Grampian Spyhill ride and had a great time. It was lovely to see everyone out and the weather was kind in the forest but bitterly cold at the venue, particularly at the start.

We have just returned from a weekend away at Endurance GB Squad training in Dumfries (26th April) This included a vet check, farrier check, workout on the gallops and an individual discussion about goals setting and learning experiences on where you feel you can improve. On the down side, I fell off but fingers crossed, I think we got off lightly – time will tell. All in all, a reasonably positive day and certainly gave me a lot to think about to help us continually improve our performance.