A couple of super lessons with Caroline Moore this week even if I am now totally knackered. We went to the BRC Area 12 training at Millfield for a session with each girl.

Fliss was up first and was on a testing session, they grouped by jumping height and Fliss is jumping good size courses but was probably a fair way behind on the technical side of the jumping. We started off with basic flatwork and progressed through to some quite technical exercises. I will let the video take you through our progression. Really pleased Caroline could see a big improvement in Fliss. Areas to focus on was for me to keep eyes up particularly on landing, to ride with a softer knee and to work on Fliss going with her head more out so she can see the fence earlier. Maybe use a click or similar noise to get her attention to a fence.

Certainly the technical elements of what we did were hard and testing for Fliss but she worked it out and tried hard so was mega pleased.

Ellie meanwhile was more in her comfort zone and loves these lessons. She also remembered that Caroline was a big fan! Still plenty to work on we sometimes put stride ahead of straightness and accuracy and I needed to ride forward in a more even stride. However she ate up the questions. So well worth the 7 hours travelling and a good boost to take us into the nasty part of winter!

Having reviewed the last post and the work the horses have done they are having a low key month with virtually no competitions and just quietly ticking over. We are however looking forward to a lesson with Caroline Moore on Wednesday this week at Millfield. Report to come later in the week.

Time to mention the other important equines in my world. Sarnie is looking great and enjoying retirement helping nanny another friends foal. Meanwhile Kensa her 2 year old daughter is growing up fast, about 15hh in height and should make a nice size for me. Took this lovely pic of her and best friend Tommy this weekend.

They are being very much allowed to mature naturally, very little handling other than worming and farrier with room to play and a shed to miss the worst of the weather. They will be spoilt soon and allowed some rugs once the weather turns a little colder. 18 months and we will start to see a bit more what we have!

I have been reviewing the horses stats for the year. While the year is not quite over they are having a fairly quiet month competition wise and it was a good chance to reflect on our year. Considering this time last year I wasn't even wanting to ride Fliss and was totally lacking confidence we have come a huge way and had a fabulous season with both girls.

Ellie

My project pony (that I planned to sell this year) has been a revelation, huge fun and as a result came off the market! She has competed in all affiliated disciplines

Dressage

11 classes at British dressage

58 points (all at Novice)

Average score: 69.5%

4 wins and 10 top 3 finishes

Show Jumping

38 classes at BS (British Novice to 1.05)

17 Double Clears

7 wins and 23 places

174 points

£310 prize money

British Eventing

6 runs this year at BE90 and BE100

2 wins and 5th at 100 2nd and 6th at 90

5 Double clears - only 11.6 penalties total added after dressage all season

Average finish score 30.95

Miscellaneous

Reserve Champion Working Hunter Pony Stithians Agricultural Show

5th Riding Club Area Dressage

Winner Riding Club Area Arena Eventing Qualifier at 100 level

I think it is safe to say Ellie has been simply awesome a dream to have and produce as well as fun and competitive to take out.

Fliss

Fliss has been with me just over a year and has competed less focusing on strengthening up and establishing her way of going yet she too has been very successful and great fun to produce.

Dressage

2 affiliated classes

A 3rd place

Average score 65%

Show Jumping

38 BS jumping classes British Novice to Newcomers

19 Double Clears

3 wins and 14 placings

180 points

£252 winnings

British Eventing

2 runs BE

Double clear 80 and 90

3rd BE80 Bicton

Miscellaneous

Winner Riding Club Area Arena Eventing Qualifier at 90 level

Thought I would share this picture taken when schooling Fliss at home yesterday. Luckily the fields are well draining as the school I have been using is now unavailable meaning I need to take whatever opportunities I can at home. The horses are quite used to Smartie wandering out watching and giving advice, the quality of the advice can be questionable!

Smartie has been in the family for 6 years now, a rescue dog originally bought as a puppy by a single parent with 3 children under 5, he was in foster care by 5 months. As many rescues he has never been easy but over the years he has improved. This year though he has had the doggy version of a mental breakdown. It started when we lost Daisy on New Years Eve last year, Daisy at 15 was the alpha female leaving Smartie and Rebel behind. Whilst Rebel (greyhound) has had a new lease of life since Daisy has gone Smartie has become more anxious and distressed. He has been used to us working but now if there are outside triggers such as wind and he is left there can be severe destruction and distress. We have a camera in the house which catches hours of him crying and being unhappy. He has ripped the stair carpet up, nearly gone through a wooden door and it is just sad to see such unhappiness. Rebel is at home with him, but this seems no help and Rebel just ignores him.

We are working with a dog behaviourist from the charity we adopted him from but to date there is limited success. I am trying whenever possible to take him to work with me particularly when windy or stormy. However at the moment trying to accommodate his needs is not proving easy and hoping we can find the key to his happiness soon.

What a week for weather! This morning was horrendous for wind, Ellie was rescued (she is out by night) and Fliss was allowed a morning in. I managed to get over at lunchtime to chuck her out when the wind dropped only to find a full sized trampoline in her field! This caused much snorting and upset!

Fliss is looking super smart with a fresh clip, sadly she is still missing a shoe and I have given up with the prospect of paying £25 to have back on when she is being shod on Monday now. Luckily she has good feet and I have been able to do a little riding in the field, it certainly isn't hard! In fact really pleased how well behaved she was yesterday having been fully clipped the day before she behaved beautifully in the wind.

Ellie was shocked on Monday which should have been a day of rest to see me arrive with tack. Having reviewed the weather forecast the planned beach ride had to be brought forward and I must admit Ellie perked up considerably when she arrived at the beach to meet up with friends, Great for them mentally to have variety and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon and a nice canter. The sand can be a bit inconsistent so we always walk down and never do too much coming back, it is all about fun not fitness.

On Sunday we went to Bicton Arena as part of the Threewaters Riding Club team to contest the Arena Eventing qualifier which was sponsored by Horsequest. It was a packed weekend of competition with 2 arenas running and competitors from two neighbouring areas competing. The courses proved the right balance of challenge and generally those with no penalties were placed.

Fliss was up first and I was a little nervous how she would cope as she is still a bit green with fixed fences particularly in an arena, but equally 90 should be well within her capability. We were last to go in our team which meant I was focusing on warming up rather than able to support the rest of our riders. All I can say was Fliss was awesome, she gave me a super confident forward yet careful clear round fast enough to be inside the time and clearing the influential joker fence at the end.

Final placings were decided on closest to the optimum time not the fastest so to be honest it was luck on the final placings. Well luck was on my side as there were only 4 clear rounds and we were closest to the optimum winning the class. Ellie by this time had been on the lorry a couple of hours and felt she was missing out. By the time we were ready to get her out and tacked up she had morphed into a very hyped up supercharged pony. I sometimes think I should feed her less and then remember she only gets a little Alpha A anyway! She was anchored enough for me to get on and I even had some excited bucks in the warm up. The warm up fences were treated with distain and I could only hope that once in the ring she focused on her job. Luckily I needn't of worried and she was super, popping round the show jumping and then having a blast over the cross country fences. The joker I was a little worried about but she picked her toes up and popped it for a clear inside the time. Amazingly there were only 6 clear inside the time and yet again we were closest to the optimum to complete a double win! The teams were 4th in the 90 and 3rd in the 100, I qualified both individually for the championships at Aston Le Walls in March which is very exciting.