Firstly I want to apologise for the lack of pictures this week. Everyone seems to have lost patience with the digital camera. It's great for still shots when you have plenty of time but not so great for action shots!
The good news is we've decided to get a digital video camera, - which we can also take stills off - but it also means we should be able to start to put video clips on the website.
Latest picture:
Carl At Witton Castle
Anyway back to the nags!
This week was fairly routine, until the weekend, apart from the weather on Monday and Tuesday. It really was horrendous.
Wednesday we were due to compete at Burnham Beeches Horse Trials with the youngsters but decided against it. With the ground conditions far from great, we didn't want the novices to lose confidence.
What we want to know is why the organisers make one feel so bad for withdrawing - at the end of the day it's owners and riders who lose out with the entry fees!
So to the weekend..
We obviously think that our lives are just too simple so we thought we would complicate them!
Arena UK held a 3-day jumping show, which happened to be only 10 miles from Belton Horse Trials where we were competing. So we decided to do both!
On Friday we jumped all the eventers and jumpers at Arena UK.
Saturday, Mark stayed at Arena UK jumping while Tanya jumped in one class then took Star and Carl to Belton to do their dressage and show jumping.
Sunday, Tanya took the eventers to Belton while Mark did a couple of classes then joined her at the horse trials. The horses all went very well (see results) with all the eventers jumping double clear and getting placed.
The mares jumped very well at their first outdoor show. A little frustratingly for Mark, Dawn doesn't want to win any more prize money until she has qualified foxhunters. So lots of slow clears! She now has only one more to go.
All in all a very successful weekend!!
Latest Picture:
Star At Witton Castle
After last weeks-busy schedule Monday we were shattered.
So we had a well-deserved (in our opinion) rest.
We dropped Marks mum at the airport, Had a lovely pub lunch on the way home,
then spent the afternoon on the sofa!!
The horses taking time out.
We decided that the horses had gone so well at Witton
& Belton that they would not need the run at Weston Park Horse Trials and
withdrew.
This turned out to be a good decision as the weather turned foul this week with
many H.T. cancelled.
So this week we had the chance to catch up on some jobs, and spend some time on the novices.
Time to catch up on some fence repair.
Bridget a pupil of Tanya’s was here for a few days with
her horse Trig. For some intense training.
They left after four days quite shattered. Trig was on a strict diet so he
thought he had been at a health farm.
We took a lorry full with novices, to Forest Edge Equestrian Centre to give them some Showjumping training.
Among them Muffin, a new horse in the yard belonging to
Sarah Jewson. (see our horses)
Muffin is a five year.old He is here to do some PRE. NOVICE events.
They all went very well. It was a good opportunity to get Ghillie, Chad & Muffin out before Burnham Market H.T. next week.
This week we had a meeting with our web designers, who
have instructed us on how to make changes and upload our site, ourselves. (Quite
scary!)
So when Diddles (Marks brother) was here for the night we all sat around the
computer making changes. (Very nerdy!)
We hope you like the changes.
We are know the proud owners of a digital video camera so stay tuned for future developments into video clips.
This week was set to be a very busy one.
On Tuesday we took 8 horses up to Wittering Grange, Robin and Di Dunlop's equestrian centre. There were five novices to school round the show jumping and cross-country and Carl and Star to compete in the Pre-Badminton combined training on Wednesday.
Trying out the celebrity lifestyle at Wittering Grange!
Jester was with us as Dot Rownan, who is giving him a wonderful retirement home
hunting in Leicestershire, was collecting him. It was sad to see him go but
lovely that he has gone to such a good home.
The heavens opened on Tuesday so we got soaked. Not the best weather to school in - it didn't look good for the competition on Wednesday. The novices went well. Some stayed over for Wednesday when Mark schooled them again on the cross-country whilst Tanya was competing.
Wednesday was a super day with bright sunshine! Robin must have a direct
line. This is the third year Wittering Grange has held the Pre-Badminton
competition. It has got better every year with all the top riders attending and
a super atmosphere. There were lots of spectators and a wonderful lunch laid-on.
Unfortunately Tanya didn't eat too much after feeling a little delicate due to
Robin and Di's hospitality the previous night.
Star and Carl went very well in tough competition. Star getting placed (see results) and Carl doing a good test but unfortunately having a pole down.
Saturday we took some the novices to Burnham Market Horse Trials. Home of event riders Emily Thompson and Alec Lochore This is the first time we've been to Burnham Market it was a lovely event and very competitor friendly. With a super x-country designed by Hugh Lochore of Burgie fame.
Phoebe did the Junior Section doing super dressage and clear showjumping and would have finished in second place, except she managed to jump the wrong part of fence four on the x-country. So was eliminated. Not very clever!!
Emily and Tricka did a good dressage, (without forgetting the test) then
jumped well but got a little stuck in the mud and had 3 down. Leaving her very
disappointed.
Emily and Tricka enjoying the X-Country at Burnham
Our day was a lot less eventful, (although we did have 4 faultitus!) but very
rewarding with the novices all improving.
Chad and Mark at Burnham Market
Mark also rode Marvel, a new ride. (see
Our Horses)
Marvel Showjumping at Burnham Market
Tanya had Ghillie and Muffin who both did good tests, Ghillie is getting much
better at cantering a circle! Both had one down showjumping but jumped well.
Ghillie did a super x-country but had a little communication problem. Coming
into a very simple palisade, which we had to turn right after, we turned right
before! A typical baby mistake. Sack the jockey!
Muffin did a lovely clear x-country very impressive for his first party.
Sunday we were due to go to Rollaston Horse Trials, but it was cancelled due to the consistent rain we have had lately. We're so glad we were lucky and got the advanced runs in early. Burnham Market was the only horse trial to run this weekend!
So instead we went to Towerlands Showjumping with Carl, Star & Mark took the two mares.
All jumped well.
Dawn is being very unlucky trying to get her last double clear Foxhunter. Having a fence down in the first round despite jumping well. Very frustrating!
Abalone and Mark pipped at the post!
Abalone jumped well. But Mark isn't going to live it down Star beat her in the A,B,C, handicap! (See results) (fancy being beaten by an eventer!!)
Home via Macdonalds, in time to watch The Showjumping World Cup. What more could you want for an Easter Sunday!
This week ends on a very sad note with the death of Jemima Johnson at
Wilmslow Horse Trials.
Jemima was a friend of ours and a very liked and respected eventer by all that
knew her.
Our deepest sympathy goes to her family. May they take comfort in knowing she
died doing what she enjoyed.
Her death reminds us that eventing or any participation in equestrianism carries
with it a high risk.
Our horses all went very well at Wilmslow.(See
results)
Murphy notching up another Intermediate win for Mark.
Smudge ran slowly round the young horse class. He does't need to practise speed!
Marvel did a super double clear in the Pre Novice
With a good dressage score.
Whilst
Star coming second in the Anderson Consulting Young Horse Class.
This is the second year Chris Armour has been able to run this competition, and
the second year it has been won by Leslie Law on Shear L'Eau. A real
achievement.
The class proved to be a huge success attracting many top horses.
Wilmslow provides excellent facilities for the event, which did an super job
running with terrible weather we have had.
Boasting two all weather arenas, which hold the dressage for the Young Horse
Class, and the showjumping for all the classes.
X-Country has separate tracks for all classes, and is very spectator friendly.
This week we have been cantering the horses at Newmarket in preparation for
their 3 day events.
Toni, (Tanya's sister ) has joined us taking on Roffey Spinney. A horse which we
bought at the sales with a prospect of eventing.
having found that he would not suit. He is now being trained on to race again.
Although Toni & her partner, Rob run the overflow part of our yard for Henry
Cecil. This is their first time at training a horse right up to racing.
Very Exciting.!
Roofey Spinney on The Gallops
Tuesday we had to go to Birmingham. Being one of the British longlisted
riders, Tanya had to go for a Sydney uniform fttting.
There we bumped into Ian Stark and Nick Skelton, also there for a fitting.
We were not given any uniform, but came away with an Olympic T-Shirt. So we can
know say "Been there got the T-Shirt!"
Although it's a long shot we will be on the team its still very exciting!!