Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Lili

November and December Update

November was filled with teaching and preparation for the Fur Feather Meds (www.furfeathermeds.com) Christmas rush. I absolutely adore teaching; riders who come to these clinics, they always seem to want to better themselves and their horses so really want to be there, it is such a positive experience. I also remember getting rained on a lot!

Mid November, I took my lovely little Paddy to his first show since he was respectfully diagnosed with old age at NEH. Due to the care that we could give him with the help from Petplan Equine, he was able to have an MRI scan to confirm that there was no operation etc that we could give him. I cannot thank Petplan Equine enough, as they made this worrying time so much easier for us. Anyway, back to the present date - I warmed up, worried, whittled and blobbed my way through the trot work, giving us 5.5 and 5s which we deserved. Luckily the second half of the test was all canter so I gave myself a "just go and enjoy it" and was thrilled with just over 60%, less than 1% behind a very nice pro rider. What a lovely day we both had!

After even more teaching, I hosted a clinic with Charlie Hutton, who I met through filming with Petplan Equine. Fons was a live wire and I asked Charlie to ride him and he gave him a run for his money! I managed to find a spare moment to go to the BD Convention, which was really inspiring and I picked up some really useful tips. One of which was very applicable to Paddy, to pop him into canter after the first walk, it really helps with his suppleness.

At the end of November, I had two days training with Charlotte Dujardin. Wow. It was brilliant, this was one of those “life changing” moments, where both Fons and I were stuck in a rut, both scaring each other and I spent all the time worried and he was beside himself. Charlotte pointed out that I wasn’t obliged to compete and it massively removed the pressure that I had not realised until then that I had put myself under. She also said that when Fons was spooking, he was so sensitive, that I had to just ignore him and praise the good bits. This has been the best piece of advice I could have ever have wished for and has quite literally changed the horse. He is 100% happier.

In December I was then in work chaos with Fur Feather Meds getting geared up for Christmas! More teaching, more farrier visits, and a day trip to pick up my latest addition “Keyland Magnifique” – Fifi. A stunning black filly who looks more than a bit like Fons, she is my 30th Birthday present from my husband. I am a very spoilt lady. She is super, she loaded and travelled three hours home and will be under the watchful eye of my friend Lucy, who is amazing with all horses, but has done a wonderful job with the young horses she has backed. Fifi is Metall x don Ricoss x De Niro. I can’t wait to watch her grow up.

The day after this, I had a day trip to a different venue for a lesson with Charlotte. Fons was a little jolly, but lots better. I was very proud to show Charlotte what we had achieved in the few weeks since seeing her last lesson and cannot wait to show her what we have achieved since then, she really makes me want to be a better rider for the horse and I always feel like a kid, wanting to show her what I have done.

We enjoyed one more session with Charlie before the end of the year. Fons was a lot better this time but still a touch spooky. And then we had another lesson with Jane Peberdy, the first in about a year! I find her sessions very helpful and was pleased with Fons, who she helped make so much more reactive and supple. I also had a little session on Paddy and again we worked on making him more supple and through.

I managed to have a day off work for Christmas day, my husband and I had a really lovely morning getting up early to do the horses and then we went to see Fifi. We opened pressies at home, and then scuttled off to our respective parents! I never ride on Christmas day so the horses had a nice time off.

For 2016, I want happiness, health and soundness for my horses. I made a decision a few years ago, that you never know how long or how lucky enough you are to have these horses, so in many ways, I try not to make plans and just enjoy the ride, so to speak. I want them to feel no pressure and to enjoy working. Also whenever I make plans, it feels like a horse gets sick, and if I tell anyone I am going to a show, then the wheels fall off. I am getting superstitious in my old age.