Hello 2018!!

Winter is supposed to be nearly over but with more snow forecast and the arctic like conditions outside we’re not sure where we are with the weather and seasons these days! Is this all down to Global Warming?  Because it certainly doesn't feel very warm to us!  I’m not sure as I write this if it is anything other than absolutely freezing. But we’re trying to crack on with the eventing season preparations and fingers crossed we’ll be ready and raring to go come that first event....in the Cambridgeshire Fens with no land above sea level between them and Siberia!

After an initial holiday period for me and a the horses (mine was somewhat warmer and sunnier than their's though), we’ve been working hard with the flat work – aka stressage, and so far it seems to getting there.  Princess Sky (SJL Convince Me) has flicked her toes to some Elementary wins with huge 70%+ scores, Nigel (Heavy Metall R) has been a formidable force at Novice with a sizeable rosette haul, and new boy Email is yet to finish outside of the top 2 at Medium!  Even Sir Charles has been out stressaging.

To make the Winter a little more exciting we’ve also had a few new arrivals.  A 4yr old - who’s away being broken in at the moment, a couple of horses already competing at 1* looking to step up a level this season, and Email, the rather beautiful pure dressage horse – who we’re having lots of fun with, he’s really helping to up my game in this area!

The other horses all are well into their winter training programmes and are starting to go out to a few pony parties now. Sir Charles, has heard he could be going to Badminton and, as usual with his sense of humour, has started his own gallop work.  This does however usually  result him heading in directions other than where he is meant to be or in circles around me. He definitely doesn’t think he’s doing enough! It would be fair to say – he’s ready to party – we’re just not convinced we’re quite ready for whatever antics he may have up his sleeve.

The other horses are all well on the road with their fitness and training programmes too. We just don’t travel anywhere without a neck strap – just in case!

The first events are entered and the spring plan for each horse has gone out to owners.  All we need now is a bit of sunshine, a few longer daylight hours and, an awful lot of luck.

We'll be getting the 2018 season underway at the end of the month with the unaffiliated one-day event on the Osberton estate.  The season proper gets underway with 4 of the 'big boys' heading to Isleham for the Intermediate and Novice, and a further 4 heading to Oasby the week after.