How can so much happen in 3 weeks?

I have completed my PGCE - where has the year gone? I completed with every Qualified Teacher Status standard being graded as a '1 : Outstanding'! My hard work certainly has paid off! This was them topped by my final placement school offering me a part time contract to keep me there! This was the perfect ending as I had loved every minute of my placement there. On my last day my class sung and performed Taylor Swifts Love Song and it made me cry! It was beautiful. So I can't wait to meet my two classes for next year: a year 2 and a year 6 class. Being part time means I still have plenty of time to continue with my art commissions and equine coaching!

Finally after weeks of being patient with the BHS I have received my BHSAI certificate - I have finally upgraded from my PTT - Not bad achieving my two teaching goals within such a short time space.

I am currently finishing off two very large pieces of art that I am submitting to an exhibition - fingers crossed I get them finished in time!

The Arena: Nearly finished! The sand is in and it looks great. The fibre is stood waiting to get put in - hopefully within the week!

For now though I think I may go and have a vaulting practice on Roscoe!

Roscoe will go to the show!

Due to Buzz managing to remove both front shoes in the field we withdrew him from Skelton show - it would have been his first working hunter!

Luckily our pony club was running a charity show down in Cockermouth. We boxed Roscoe up, he was very excited, and trundled down to Cockermouth. As we came off the dual carriagway at the top of Bassenthwaite Lake we heard a hiss and pop - a tyre had blown on the wagon!

Roscoe stood like a rock waiting for recovery and we both imagined that he was stood there crossing his hooves and praying that he would make it in time. After an hour had passed a recovery van arrived and he trundled us down to their base at Mitchell's Auction Mart. This brought us closer to the show ground!

We unloaded Rosc and tacked him up and I hacked him through Cockermouth down the the show field! It took us about 30 minutes, so he was suitably warmed up! It was our first games competition together for approximately 2 years! He won 3 out of the 4 races, being 2nd in the old sock due to being very sharp for me and my vaults! THe stepping stones was amazing though - I certainly have my old Roscoe back! This resulted in him winning the trophy for our age section and then as we were cooling him off and preparing him for home, it was announced we were the overall games champions on points so won the David Elliot shield! This was a lovely surprise, and very special, as David is Roscoe's number one fan, always there to cheer him on and make him go faster!

We go and join the big boys of games!

Buster's First Ridden Party!

We took Buzz and Fizz off to Newton Rigg for their monthly dressage competition. Buzz behaved himself in the warm up arena even with the other big dressage horse whizzing around him at all angles. It was his first time in an indoor arena and after a little moment to check the area was safe we bounded in and begun our test! He was slightly confused about the judge sat at C, he was very curious about what she must be doing! He made it through the dressage test, striking off on the correct lead for his canter transitions, and never spooked at the dressage boards. He finished on a score of 50%, whilst mum piloted Fizz into 4th with 58.8%.

Whilst me and Buzz looked on, mum went on to do her next test on Fizz, scoring an amazing 69.58% to take 2nd place out of 30 starters!

This was a very encouraging day for us both. Fizz is starting to become so much more supple with the exercises mum has been doing with him. This was evident in the 8 he scored for his paces! Buster's test sheet showed some very promising comments about his paces and way of going, with him scoring a number of 6's. He just needs miles on the clock now so he begins to understand the goings on at competitions. I was just pleased that he worked independently of Fizz and showed no sign of napping!

Qualification for Trailblazers Showing Second Rounds!

I had the pleasure of having the ride on Stourton Jethro today at Inglewood. He came out of hibernation to take 1st place in both the style and performance, and then the mountain and moorland large breed class.

Mum had the pleasure of piloting Fizz in his two classes. He was very excitable but pulled himself together to take 1st place in the part bred arab, and 2nd in the ridden show horse. 

The ridden championship was full of a fantastic selection of ridden animals and Fizz really raised the bar with a wonderful gallop to take reserve champion behind the lovely coloured winner. Jethro also did a fantastic gallop on his little legs but it wasn't a 'hairy' day in the championship! We had a brilliant day - although we did lose the feeling in our fingers and toes for most of the day!

My ride on Buzz stolen?

As I am back to Uni today to finish 3 weeks of placement mum hacked Buzz out, while I was on Fizz. We had only both had a little canter on him in the arena at the yard he was on, and to canter him in the fields on his hacks over the last two days just proved how lovely his canter really was. So I encouraged Mum to have a canter up the side of the field, and off she went. Me and Fizz followed behind and when we got to the end Mum turned round and said 'consider him stolen'!! We have a deal in place, I have given the main ride on Fizz over to her, and I have Buzz... but I can see that there is going to be a bit more swapping about as we get competing next year!! We really are excited about him! (and not forgetting the wonderful Fizz too!)

Massage Time!

Later that morning the boys were visited by our Mctimoney practitioner Jo to have any misalignments straightened out. Fizz has struggled with weakness over his lumbers, just behind the saddle,over the last few years and Jo was amazed at how strong they looked today. This is down to the work my Mum (and I when i'm not at Uni!) have been putting in to him. Through my analysis of the feedback off the dressage sheets and my training knowledge I have created targeted exercises for him. It gives us both real pleasure to see our efforts paying off.

Buzz Returns!

The day finally arrived when we were able to go and collect Buzz and bring him home! He was incredibly excited to see us when we arrived with our wagon! Fizz had come along for the journey to keep Buzz company on the way home. He travelled like a star though, only interested in his hay net as we spied on him with the CCTV that is in our new wagon. 

When I got him home, it was a quick lunch then time to take him out for a hack. He was a dream to ride, (still very novicey), but the potential is there. You could feel he was happy to be home, and happy to be being ridden. He has always been like that. He always looks slightly sad when you turn for home on a hack, I think he would go forever!

CFHS Working Hunter Day

I have been really busy with my University commitments (doing a one year post graduate certificate in education in order to become a qualified primary school teacher!) so my mum has been doing a wonderful job of keeping Fizz ticking over. All her hard work paid off when we took him to do the 15hh class and open horse worker. He won the 15hh class with a fabulous (and most enthusiastic round) and managed to contain him self in his show. On to the championship and he was chomping at the bit but managed to not let his excitement get to him and did a wonderful gallop to take the pony championship. On to the horse classes and Fizz posted an easy clear round with another mannerly show to take 2nd, but then he went in to the championship where he really pulled out all the stops to take reserve champion behind the gorgeous novice horse winner. Not bad for a very small horse!

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves today and it is great to have Fizz jumping again after battling with injuries through the summer.

British Dressage - Blackdyke: Fizz gets his first British Dressage point!!

Another cold day! Fizz was more settled today than his previous visit to Blackdyke, so that was a major improvement! Mum had drawn the short straw and so it was her turn to ride him first. She rode him really well to fall just short of 60% and to claim a 6th rosette. We got her test sheet and studied it carefully. Fizz struggles to maintain a contact, always wanting to sneak it out your hand to do things his way. So I went off to warm up by really getting him to stretch long and low and become more elastic in his way of going. It worked and he improved on his first score to gain just over the 60% score and gain his first dressage point! We are so glad we decided to start doing these competitions as the advice on the tests sheets are incredibly valuable and we are really seeing a change in Fizz.

BHS PTT Exam Results Arrive!

And I passed with flying colours!! Just need to sort out getting my Portfolio signed off (I had already been organised and completed it before exam!) Then I will be awarded my BHSAI and UKCC Level 2 Certificates!

Myerscough British Dressage!

Our second affiliated dressage competition and we thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting this venue, it was always one of our favourites for showing. Fizz improved his performance and his percentages by 2%, we are getting nearer that 60% score! After my Novice test, which was outside, the judge got out her car and suggested that we try Fizz with the Ear covering fly fringe for his tests as his irritation at the flys spoils the picture and he is a lovely little horse with lost of potential! So guess what Fizz is getting...!

Buster is off on Holiday!

We took Buster to Denise Richardson today. He will be spending 3 months there being schooled on while I get settled in at Uni. He is certainly a lot different to other horses she has in for riding at the moment. We received a text later in the day to say he had settled in well. I will keep this updated with the updates we receive on him from Denise- I can't wait for the Christmas holidays when I return from Uni and Buster returns too!

BHS PTT Exam at Blackdyke E.C

This was another incredibly early start- I was the first candidate there again. It was good to see familiar faces from the BHS Safeguarding & Protecting Children Workshop, we all got on really well and helped calm each others nerves. I taught a flat session in the morning with 3 riders. I was nervous to begin with but soon relaxed and had a great time getting my riders to interact, and all 3 showed improvement and were wearing smiles by the time the lesson was complete. The examiner asks the riders for their feedback on me in front of me, which was fantastic as they had lots of positive thing to say about my lesson being 'well planned', 'logical', it 'flowed', 'everything made sense', and most importantly of all they 'enjoyed' it! So that was a good start!

We then had to do our theory presentations. Mine was on 'Learning Styles', the group responded well to my lecture, particularly enjoying my quiz to identify their learning styles. My feedback again said that my presentation was 'well planned', 'fun', 'informative, 'useful' and 'confidently presented'.

We then had a theory session involving testing of our business knowledge with regard to running/instructing at a riding school, we also covered issues regarding safeguarding children and duty of care.

After Lunch I had drawn the Lunge Lesson (instead of the Lead Rein Lesson). I was nervous about this as it involved lunging an unknown horse with equipment I am not used to and then teaching! I forced myself to relax and get a hold of their extra thick lunge line and I had one of my riders from my flatwork session! Bonus!! After quick assessment, we were quick to work, focusing on opening the riders hips to help the leg lengthen. I kept the lesson active, changing the rein, keeping horse and rider moving whilst explaining theory and asking questions. We worked initially without stirrups then finished with stirrups and that was were progress was confirmed as Lucy said her stirrups now felt too short! In the feedback to the examiner she again raved about the lesson saying nobody had ever worked on her hips before whilst asking her to deepen her seat and lengthen her legs, and was thrilled that I had identified this and made a drastic improvement! She said she was going to take this exercise away and use it herself to develop her seat!

To the end the day we had our last theory session covering first aid procedure and teaching theory. This was followed with individual debriefs with our examiners. The feedback from mine was very positive with her saying that I was a 'Cheerful, enthusiastic and positive coach, with great observational skills and knowledge to make the corrections. Clear explanations and instructions given..."

So whatever the outcome of the exam, it was a very positive day, that was invaluable for my personal development! Fingers crossed for a 'PASS'!!!!

CFPC Waverton Show- Working Hunter

We decided to take Fizz along for his first outing over fences with me since September 2009! He was a little green in the warm up ring. He went in the ring though and unfortunately tipped the gate at fence 2, but jumped confidently like a stag over the fillers in a controlled and mannerly fashion! He went back in to do his show and even managed to do a great gallop without throwing in a buck to spoil it. He finished 2nd to fellow Pony Club Member Alex and her coloured pony Murphy. We stayed for the championship as me and mum were the official First Aiders for the working hunter ring and it also meant Fizz got more miles on the clock. He behaved beautifully around the jumps. So the aim of the day was achieved, he really impressed us with his behaviour. Fingers crossed his legs so no reaction to being jumped!

Hannah Esberger-Shepherd dressage lesson at Little Tree Stud (Emma William's Yard).

We met Emma at our first BD competition and she suggested Hannah could help us ease Fizz's tension! When we finally made it to the stud we had an intense lesson that left both me and Fizz gasping for air. Hannah identified Fizz's weaknesses immediately and that we had been allowing him to sneakily get away with it! She gave us some fantastic things to aim for at home with him before his next session.

I was away at Myerscough at a BHS organised Safeguarding & Protecting Children Workshop today and found it incredibly informative and interesting. Would certainly recommend it to anybody interested in working in the equine industry.

This was our debut at a British Dressage competition as fully paid up members, having previously only competed in the unafiliated sections. This was at Blackdyke (fizz's least favourite venue!). He went into the indoor arena and was incredibly tense but I managed to work through the test and score 56% with some very encouraging comments, we just need to conquer his tenseness and encourage him to relax. He also scored the same with Mum in her test although he showed slightly more signs of relaxation. The only way to encourage Fizz to relax is by putting miles on the clock. So we are going to play away at Novice level.

Area dressage! Due to the change in the weather the ground softened up slightly so we decided to take Fizz to ride in the open test. Having perfomred these test movements for the last few years we felt he would be more capable than Avough Boy (Joey) and this also allowed Emilia to compete him in the Novice competition.

He performed a foot perfect test, it's a long time since i really enjoyed riding a dressage test, but today he was an absolute pleasure! I think he enjoyed it too (although he was looking for the show jumping and cross country course afterwards!) Unfortunately the judge favoured the warm blood types so Fizz just missed out on getting placed. We have his test on video and it was lovely being able to watch it at home at pick areas to improve on for next time.

We had an enjoyable day out to Cockermouth show, taking Roscoe and Fizz for the in-hand classes that they were eligible for. Fizz was particularly fresh with this being his first outing since he started his period of rest due to the hardness of ground. Although he looked tiny against the heavy weight hunters he pulled out all the stops (and more) to be placed 2nd. (although he thinks he should have been first!)

Roscoe was in his coloured class next. He behaved impeccably and was unfortunately unplaced, with the judge not even acknowledging the hairy coloureds, going straight for the finer plaiteds (however naughty they were!). We were however very pleased with Roscoes improved behaviour.

Today we went to Cumberland Show at its new venue Carlisle Race Course. Unfortunately it was not as successful as the layout at the previous venue. With the horse rings situated miles away from the rest of the show. Some of the roping of walk ways and rings was a health and safety nightmare... then through in a lot of mud! We had to be towed on & off by incredibly rude tractor drivers. Still we persevered and managed to get Roscoe's 4 white stockings to the ring. The class was fabulously supported with nearly 30 entered and most turning up! Roscoe was under the impression he was racing me round the ring was he was quite a handful to contain, he wasn't the only one! It looked like a youngstock class rather than veteran! Fabulous to see so many healthy old ponies!

Roscoe's behaviour continued in his individual show, although the judge had a probationary judge with her so it was nice to hear her tell her that Roscoe was a good stamp of a native pony, powerful, work-man-like and correct! And powerful he certainly was- I'm half considering showing him in Roller skates then at least I may be able to keep up!

I thought he had totally blown being placed with his manners and with such a strong class every mark counted but he was still pulled out in 6th place- imagine if he had behaved?!

Buzz ( A.K.A Pentyparc Gronholm) went to his first ever show! He was an absolute angel in the first class ( Welsh Section C or D in-hand) and won and the Judge absolutely adored him and even commented how well behaved he was for his first show... then we went up the road for another class and let's just say his attention span over ran and he behaved rather 'exuberantly' so we brought him out and decided he had learnt a lot today so took him home. He travelled impecabbly, loading and unloading like a pro. lots to like and lot's to work on!

Dressage Lesson with Ian Stark. We are currently resting Fizz as he does not like this hard ground, (he likes it boggy!) so we are currently saving him for later events. I took Mrs C Hasting's Connie Avough Boy for this lesson and it was fab! Ian really worked on opening Joey up on his stiffer right rein to get him as balanced as he is on his left rein. Lots of handy hints and tips were picked up! As Sonny has now been sold mum is currently riding Mrs J Jacksons Pebbly Pal Mal (A.K.A River), River has a few schooling issues, so Ian got on to see what mum had to contend with. He loved Rivers paces and worked mum really hard to iron out Rivers creases so to speak. They showed lots of progress which was great to see!!

Sonny has been officially sold and today we delivered him to his new home and it is perfect! We wish you all the best of luck with him and we couldn't have wished for him to go to a better place! Mum will certainly be visting him! Any excuse for a mini holiday!!

Booked in to take my BHS PTT Exam at the end of August 2010. I start my PTT course on 5th July- so excited!

I am away to Download Festival on my Holidays with my boyfriend, brother and friends!!

BHS Equine Specific First Aid Course- Penrith

This was an intensive two full days of learning- with some very toe curling moments! We had the added pressure of having an exam paper to pass to earn our certificate and I was over the moon to score 67/70 and receive my certificate.

This was incredible important to me as it is a component for my application for becoming a BHSAI- only PPT exam and Safeguarding Children workshop to go!!

Cumbria Riding Club Dressage Day- My first competition since last year!! Fizz was a little star, winning the dressage to music, his pairs with Sonny and his Novice test, scoring above 70% in them all. He also scored the highest percentage of the day winning a special trophy for this achievement for this.

Sonny also had a wonderful day picking up 2nd in dressage to music, 1st in pairs dressage with Fizz, 1st in Senior Riding Test, and 4th and 5th in his Novice tests.

Me and mum were joint winners of the turnout!

Early May I was still suffering with my appendicitis so with my looming BHS Stage III exam we decided to be careful and I persuaded mum to compete Fizz for me in two local one day events.

She had a fantastic day on Sonny at Cumbria Riding Club with Sonny, leading after dressage and then jumping double clear in the Open Class. He led all the way and only dropped to 2nd due to mum taking it easy on him around cross country as it was his first of the season. Fizz also mirrored this leading the dressage with 78%!!! Then jumping double clear, with a steady XC round picking up a handful of time penalties to drop to 2nd. We were over the moon with their first run of the season!

It was then onto West Cumberlands One Day Event. Mum again rode both Sonny and Fizz, this time against eachother in the same section. Fizz walked away with the dressage, scoring 76% and Sonny close behind. Both posted beautiful clear round show jumping. The cross country was a different matter, they allowed the intermediates to choose to jump open fences if they liked so I asked mum to treat it as a training round and pop Fizz over the corner at fence 3... Fizz has always jumped the double at fence 3 and so they had a little disagreement over which fence they were jumping so he blemished his score with a refusal of sorts! Sonny of course flew round, (over the corner) finishing clear with no time penalities! Not even Fizz had time penalties but his lead was spoilt so he dropped 1 mark below Sonny to finish 2nd, allowing Sonny to take the trophy and red rosette!

Unfortunately I have just come out of hospital after falling ill with appendicitis and having to be operated on. I am under doctors orders not to ride for 4 weeks, so mum has taken over the role of keeping the boys ticking over until I am fit and ready to go again. Buzz is just going to have his holiday extended till May, much to his disappointment!!

 I am taking full advantage of this sofa time to type out and make lots more work sheets and teaching aids for my horse and pony care lessons for the summer (so that means I won't have to do them at a later date!), and revising for my stage III which *fingers crossed* I will be fit to take at the end of May!

Hopefully in next week or two I will be able to start teaching again :)

April got off to a good start, I started jumping Fizz and he felt amazing. I just worked him once or twice over a single fence to see how his legs held up to it, and fingers crossed all my hard work getting him thoroughly fit and sound have paid off.

Lambing has started on the farm so the boys have just been continuing their fitness works, gradually increasing the work load so that as soon as me and mum can stop being midwives to the sheep we can get out and about again.

Fizz has really relished the long holiday he had, and has come back straighter in his way of going- maybe he has finally decided that he is too old for the show pony nose twitch he used to enjoy throwing into his dressage tests!

Buzz has had his wolf teeth removed finally. They were pushed right up next to his premolars, and James our horse dentist had hoped when Buzz lost his baby teeth that they would push the wolf teeth out with them. This sadly was not case, so we had a morning with the vet and the dentist, and Buzz was an absolute star throughout the whole procedure. Unfortunately for Buzz this means no work for a few weeks till his mouth has healed up!

Fizz has been to his first Pony Club rally, and was quite the naughty little devil, spooking at nothing and sending a fellow riders horse oingy boingying up the arena and causing them to part company! He looks fantastic, especially considering he turns 14 this year. We received some sad news at the beginning of the month regarding Fizz's dad, Strinesdale Matador, he had sadly passed away. He was a living legend and his legacy will be continued through his sons and daughters for many years to come.

The boys have all been clipped and are raring to get going! Fizz is sporting a beautiful set of dapples:

It is time to brush the dust away and start getting the boys fit again! Our fitness plans were constantly hampered by the icy weather. We always believe in lots of walk work out hacking and on the roads to build up strength in the tendons before progressing through a fitness regime. Every day I thought I would never feel my toes again! We all managed to survive though. I have got Fizz and Roscoe fit, and Mum has got Sonny fit. I have now started handling Buzz again and starting to work on braking him in! Great Fun!