Thursday Training - What a difference a week makes!

Jack taste tests for Yeo Valley!

Jack has been feeling very poorly this weekend and has needed to eat a vast quantity of natural live yogurt to help soothe the inflammation in his gut... Last night I managed to persuade him to accept 5 pints though as I had a 20ml syringe this took some time and I was soon wearing some too. Hmmm as an aside it is an excellent moisturiser though not one I would choose!

This morning he is much brighter and after one syringe decided he would eat it straight from the pot. Happy days. My local shop must be wondering where all their yogurt is going!

Tuesday Training

Birthday Girl

McGinty's Dream is 21 today and we are celebrating with a birthday party for her this afternoon. Ginty was bred in New Zealand where TB's take their official date of birth as August 1st. Ginty's dam Dream Bird was imported to NZ from England and bred 21 foals...

EA Roughway Jack- Current Affairs Horse

Jack has modelled for Gill Stuart and appears in the latest CTR alongside Gill's article on the credit crunch.

From ABC to G (GOAL SETTING)

The Serious Fun has started! Anjuli settled in quickly and with the help of Sabrina we have worked on the building blocks of communication. First an excellent exercise described in Kyra's book the ABC aiding system. Transitions in corners before moving off. Anjuli learnt that whoa was not negotiable and this has proved very useful!

Since this early breakthrough we haved moved on to accepting the leg (aids) and working up to the bridle. In other words we can now work on almost straight lines, negotiate corners and leg yield. Happy Days! Homework from Sabrina has been goal setting and my next one is for Anjuli and I to be relaxed with each other in walk, trot and canter.

More pictures coming soon.

Anjuli is Home!

Sunbathing :)

Anjuli's Autumn Hacking Adventure!

My first proper ride and we had fun in the sunshine making the most of the stubble fields. Anjuli was really good and I couldn't stop smiling!
I was feeling confident today after a good regional training session with Jennie Lorriston Clark yesterday on Grace and then I worked with Sabrina today building on the work so that by the time I got on Anjuli I was able to relax and enjoy every stride. Jack was enjoying the sunshine today too and we also made the most of a hack through the fields.

Well worth the wait!

I have owned Anjuli since she was six months old and I met her the day she was born. Today I sat on her for the first time. I was very nervous as the last time I got on such a baby I had a nasty accident but no need- Mark and Ben have done such a fantastic job that Anjuli stood still and stayed calm.

I got on and off a couple of times and she was rather surprised that I was so very pleased with her! I was relaxed enough to notice that she has a wonderfully comfortable saddle- Thank you Ted at RB.

I haven't felt such a connection to a horse since I rode Ginty she feels very similar and next time we are going for a walk. I am taking baby steps because she is a very sharp mare - well possibly we'll manage more than walk Ben is a great one for motivating riders out of their perceived comfort zone and I am more than happy to have my arm twisted.

I am thrilled because in my head I thought I would get on when she was really tired after a serious schooling session when she wouldn't move a muscle instead I got on after she had been for a hack . Anjuli was relaxed and happy and totally unfazed. Its the first step and I am looking forward to the rest of the challenge.

X Factor Dreams and looking ahead to Summer Season Challenges

The past month has been a bit of a blur! We did the double again at Moulton though did not achieve the crucial qualifying percentages which meant though we went forward to the viewing day we were not strong contenders. I did enjoy the experience though and quickly refocused on the Regionals. Jack and I had a misunderstanding in the canter tour! I over corrected in the medium canter and Jack produced a lovely though quite undesired flying change and though he obligingly changed back for me I had lost my cool so that when I asked for more engagement in the counter canter I wasn't quiet enough with my aids and we ended up with some lovely but again not wanted tempi changes. Hmmm so no Nationals this year for me!

Anjuli meanwhile was going very well and we decided to let her have a half term holiday before bringing her back into work at the all new MB Equestrian.

This report is late because I have moved house and had to wait to be reconnected...

So now to the future. My next big outing is the X Factor Charity Dressage to Music Gala at The Hand for Children in Need. We were selected last year but Jack caught a virus and had the winter off. Fingers crossed we are chosen again. Other goals are to qualify for Winter and Summer Regionals. Watch this space!! Alison

Anjuli's photo diary

Jack does the double at Moulton

Jack won both medium classes at Moulton yesterday and gave me a great ride in spite of having to hide in the hedge during a heavy rain shower whilst I was trying to work in. Jack does not do rain and even wearing a quarter sheet to keep him warm and a little protected from the ( in his view ) evil rain drops he gave me two choices- running backwards to the lorry park or hiding under the hedge! Rain stopped long enough for me to check we could still half pass and keep our balance in counter canter and then it was test time. Very pleased with the way he went once indoors and pleased to report we now have our Pet Plan qualification complete.

We now need to achieve two 63% scores at Medium before the 1st September, perform to the best of our ability at the Viewing Day for the Home International and to demonstrate our progress at the Regional Championships so that we can qualify for the Nationals. Hmm no pressure then.

Anjuli meanwhile is doing very well and I hope to be able to post a picture diary asap!

Winter Season

The British Dressage winter season began on July 1st and I have turned my thoughts to the winter qualifiers. Jack is working well and we have made the step up to contesting the medium qualifiers. We have part qualified for the medium area festivals and I am now working to improve my test riding at this level in preparation for the Home International viewing day. I have ridden three tests at this level now and yesterday at Moulton I felt as though it would be possible. I made a silly mistake yesterday as Jack spooked and I missed my turn onto the centre line. Of course I should have ridden deeper into the corner and he wouldn't have had the chance... However it was a wake up call when the bell was rung and I rode him more forward up to the bridle. The resulting canter half pass was the best I have ridden and I was rewarded with a different feel and a 7. Reflecting on yesterday I realise that this is how Jack should feel in a medium test. There is hope and I have some homework before our next outing in two weeks time.

Anjuli update.

Anjuli has settled very well with Ben and Mark and I am thrilled with her progress. I will post some pictures of her asap. She has a new saddle and is maturing into a rather exciting prospect. I can't wait to ride her.!

Solitaire Dressage goes from strength to strength!

The excitement is building this week!

Jack recruited some more members for his fan club at regional training.

The Freestyle Dressage Productions team has been put under the spotlight in a tried and tested review for Equine Affairs members.

RB Equestrian have pledged further support for Solitaire dressage with a new sponsorship deal and as part of an exciting partnership between Freestyle Dressage and Equine Affairs, Roughway Jack will have a new competition name: Equine Affairs Roughway Jack.

Regional Training : A lesson with Jennie Lorriston-Clark

I enjoyed a very positive training session with Jennie. Jennie put me at my ease and then gradually asked more from me so that I had the confidence to work with her and to learn. Jennie is a first rate coach and I trusted her. Her system was familiar to me and thanks to the wonderful job Sabrina has done I was able to cope with the exercises we worked through and to make the most of the session. I felt privileged to work with Jennie whose love of horses and experience gave me the confidence to ask questions. I was very proud of Jack for looking after me and giving me the chance to play as Jennie put it. Jennie improved my feel and my confidence so I really enjoyed myself!
I owe the fun I had to Sabrina (and Jack!) as without her guidance and training I would not have been able to present myself so happily or to ride the exercises. I am grateful too that Jennie recognised early on that I can get lost in the arena when riding a new exercise and was quick to point to the marker she wanted me to ride to!! I did wonder if she had some inside info from Sabrina who has had to put up with my unique sense of space for some time now! I came away very happy that I had ridden advanced medium movements in front of a lady I admire greatly and not disgraced myself with any exam condition nerves.

I am looking forward to training with Sabrina on Wednesday with my last session before the Hickstead Semi finals on Thursday.

Winning Medium Freestyle at Manor Farm.

I made my medium level debut with Jack at Manor Farm. I warmed in the training section of M73 and was generally pleased- Jack was helpful and gave me some good medium trot across the diagonals in fact most of the trot tour was OK! Then the moment all dressage riders dread my mind went blank and I couldn't remember the walk pattern! I think my head was stuck in elementary mode as I could remember where the canter started but not how I got there... Oh dear. Two course errors later I picked myself up and enjoyed the rest of the test. Jack was a little tense though as I ended up doing about four walk pirouettes before I got the pattern correct.

So I was detemined to perform better for the freestyle! Jack warmed up well in fairly spooky circumstances with a new arena being put down next to the work in there was quite a lot of scary flapping plastic and heavy plant machinery limbering up alongside. Jack was not convinced it was a safe place to be whilst they moved large quantities of stone. However it did give more lift to his paces!

I let him have some quite time by the arena entrance and he relaxed until the sound check and the opening bars of The Entertainer when his pulse surged and his head came up and he looked over to the arena. From then on he knew it was show time. I rode a few more transitions and in we went.

I was nervous as though I had ridden the floorplan I hadn't ridden the floorplan to the updated music edit and I wasn't sure how Jack would react to the change. He reacted very well and the test flowed well. Jack was confident. I remembered the test. My favourite bit was the last canter circle- I was worried I would run out of music to show my medium canter and I was not at my mark. I gave Jack a lets go message and we went up several gears in one leap to get some impressive ground cover. My lack of subtlety and the panic lead to a little hollowness in the transition that I instantly regretted however Jack was not upset and allowed me to ride him forwards and accepted the rein again. The music helped as Jack recognised the phrase and we had caught up to hit the mark for the trot transition on cue. Clever Jack!

By now it was late in the day and John and Joanna really needed to be back to collect Hannah so we collected my music cds and my score . I was delighted to collect 67.8%.

When we got back to the yard curiosity overwhelmed me and I phoned Eddie to ask if I had placed- Great News- we had won the class. I hugged Jack who was busy investigating the food supply in his stable and told him he had won again. Jack was quite indulgent of my good mood. I put his equissage on and he settled for a snooze with one ear flicked in the direction of the lorry as we unpacked. By the time his equissage had finished we had the yard back to normal and I was ready to feed. An excellent day with qualification for the medium freestyle 2009 regionals secured at our first attempt. John posted great results with Rio too- 2nd in the novice qualifier and a convincing win in the Novice Freestyle. Thank you to John and Joanna for taking the whole day so we could compete. We started with John's test at 10.36 and my last one was at 17.25. Jack and Rio made the lorry their home and munched their way through each others haynets. A happy day!

In Hand Riding Horse at Caddington

Anjuli was a superstar today! It was her first public outing and she coped exceptionally well. I was very proud of her for behaving so well. It was a pleasure to take her to a competition. She was placed third in the In Hand Riding Horse and I am a very proud Mummy!

Summer Qualification Completed

Jack arrived at Addington looking like he owned the place and attracted some admiring glances because he looked stunning. He worked well too. We have been working on improving my ability to sustain Jack's suppleness and engagement throughout the test. I find that E58 is a tough pattern to ride and maintain the quality when a little out of practice. This outing was Jack's 5th since he came back into work and I haven't ridden E58 since the Hickstead semis last year.

Jack is now an established elementary horse and the challenge I face is making sure I present the test to gain the maximum marks. Yesterday I got a 7 for walk pirouette right which has been a weakness. I also presented the simple change right to left well to score an 8. Best of all though I was awarded good marks for the transitions within the paces which was a target.

So we have our ticket to Addington Hickstead Masters Semis. I have set a goal to qualify for the Masters Finals this year.

We also have our ticket for the Summer Regionals. I have this as an important target too as I really want to compete at Nationals.

My focus for the next few weeks is to prepare a freestyle test for Medium level and to ride Jack to his potential. I need to ride with the mindset that he is a PSG horse and that I can produce him as such.

Jack meanwhile is planning on sunbathing and exploring the tasty hedgerows.

Moulton Magic!

Jack and I did the double on Sunday and won the Elementary Qualifier with 70 % and the Elementary Freestyle Qualifier with 73.57%. Jack gave me a lovely ride - he seems to get better every time out and yesterday he had his dancing shoes on. Both Judges thought he was a lovely horse and marked us well all round.

Jack spent today in the field eating and snoozing- we didn't get home until 8.30 last night and I think we were all rather tired...

Next planned outing is our home ground at Addington where I will be trying to match my PB in Elementary 58.

Winter National Championships

I love my horse! He is such a good competitor, always ready to go to work. We woke him up at 3.45am and loaded him for the journey to Hartpury. We arrived at 6.30am, tacked him up and made our way to the arena walk where he behaved well and had a good look around. I was pleased we had made the effort to get up early and make use of the arena walk because it was quite spooky.

Jack was last at Hartpury in 2001 for a 3DE and he sensed this was a big occasion too. The lorry park overlooked the Pet Plan arena and he was kept entertained all day by the Festival Finals. That and hob nob biscuits which he quickly acquired a taste for.

Alex spent the morning making Jack look gorgeous and her attention to detail is exceptional. Jack looked a superstar and behaved like one too. In honour of the occasion Alex made quarter marks in the shape of musical notes. I was very proud to ride such a well turned out horse. Jack lived up to his looks in the test and gave me a great ride- I was happy to be judged by Jennie Lorriston- Clarke and thrilled to have the chance to compete in the class.

We made it to Nationals! I had a great ride and we placed 6th. My overall score was 67.8% but what really made my day was that Jennie gave me over 70% a score which in her mind made me third.

Central Horse News Report

Central Horse News Magazine feature my Regionals report this issue and next issue cover a training session with Sabrina.

Anjuli is Number One!

I am very proud of Anjuli for being chosen as the first Chiltern and Thames Rider Magazine New Prospect. Anjuli has been featured in issue 189 to introduce the new scheme. CTR reported on Anjuli's lifestyle and training programme and included some good photos of her working.

The shortlisted horses were described and CTR is asking its readers to vote for the horses they would like to be featured in 2008. Anjuli is exempt from the voting and I am looking forward to working with the CTR team.

Finding Harmony

I have been enjoying my training with Jack lately and have been concentrating on the quality of work for every stride and transition. Its tough! Jack is being helpful and working hard to produce the extra cadence in his paces which will earn the top marks. I am learning to trust him and to not be phased by all the extra power he turns on when ridden forwards into a supple contact. We have come along way in the last few weeks and are now able to work together to link exercises such as canter half pass, counter canter, flying change on my aids rather than when Jack thinks its appropriate. I was very pleased that it my last lesson I was able to ride a three loop serpentine with changes and to hear the magic words " That time you looked like you knew what you were doing!" Jack gave me a great feel of suppleness and lightness and because I was able to concentrate on riding the shape correctly the changes were true and effortless- now I need to perfect them on straight lines!

I felt we needed some down time so I took Jack hacking to Aspley Heath. Jack is fun to hack but he hadn't been out since last Summer and found a lot of monsters. These days though spooks become piaffe but at least he doesn't spin now.

Hacking an ex eventer is always a challenge but he is a dream to ride on varrying terrain and his good education shines through. It is a pleasure to ride him through the woods and to feel his stride lengthen and see his ears on full alert as he looks for things to jump. Jack believes he is invincible too and will often lock on to things that make me feel faint. There is one down hill track that has a five bar gate at the bottom which he is desperate to pop over- it was a near miss for me yesterday when he used some noisy chickens as an excuse to bunch into a ball.

We had a fantastic canter along the sandy gallops- I gave a slight aid and took a light seat and he floated into a gentle hand canter which was to die for and as I softened my contact on the reins and allowed him forward he just opened his stride- I let him have a few metres of half pace and then wary of the going and his new found fitness I asked him to come back to me by sitting up a bit and wow what a horse straigt back to hand canter!

I am under no illusions with Jack though- one adrenalin surge and we would have been away. However with the sun shining and no pressure we returned to our gentle walk and headed home. I am looking forward to more hacking in the coming weeks and will build up to more canter work to improve our partnership- its very useful to canter out of the arena on good going where I can allow him to eat up the ground- this is my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I wish I'd been able to ride Jack in his younger days and take him hunting- What a horse!!

We've got a Winter Championship Wild card

Just heard tonight that we have a Wild Card for the Winter Championships at Hartpury. This is a perfect end to today and I am really looking forward to competing! Jack went so well in our training session with Sabrina today that this is the icing on the cake!

Jack performs for the Judges!

I was honoured to be asked to ride at the Judges Seminar at The College, Keysoe yesterday. I rode Elementary 48 for David Trott's judge Training day.

I was a little nervous but all the judges were friendly and I would recommend people ride at these events as it was fascinating to hear the feedback and comments.

It was a good opportunity for me to ride Jack in his first public pure test since September. He felt fitter than at the Regionals and whilst there is more work to be done on his conditioning and fitness he was obediant and happy if cheeky in his work.

I was especially pleased to get an 8 for our rein back to medium walk- Jack has fond memories of his FEI test rein back to canter and he has to be really on the aids to wait and walk. Yesterday he listened! A pleased and proud owner as always!

Fun at Midlands Freestyle Regionals

Roughway Jack and I returned to competition today! We scored 66.8% and placed 4th just outside the qualification zone. Fingers crossed for a wildcard allocation.

Jack was very well behaved and calm. We wouldn't have been competing today without the support from Equissage and Jane Nixon- Jack's vet.

I had a wonderful support team too, My Mum, John, Hannah, Alex and Sabrina all helped me to focus on riding the test. Thank you all. Alison.

Chiltern And Thames Rider New Prospect 2008

Anjuli has been chosen to feature in CTR Magazine's New Prospects 2008 programme which was launched this year to replace their Sponsored Rider scheme.

Jack's Journey to Regionals supported by Equissage

18 January 2008

Press Release

Equissage Supports Dressage Hopeful Alison Kenward

Equissage is supporting British Dressage Accredited Trainer and rider
Alison Kenward and her horse Roughway Jack in the run up to the 2008 Freestyle Regionals.

Roughway Jack (16) is an ex advanced event horse by Jumbo and has over 150 British Dressage Points.

Jack’s journey to the regionals began last June when Alison debuted a new music routine at Moulton College. The routine with the working title ‘The Entertainers’ was produced by Dr Roy Tipping of aRT Music Productions and choreographed by Alison’s coach Sabrina Jones FBHS.

Alison hopes that Jack will continue his winning freestyle form and give them a chance to contest the Equissage Elementary Freestyle at the British Dressage Winter Championships in April.

Said Alison: “Last year Jack picked up a virus which he struggled to shake off. As a veteran competitor he doesn’t enjoy the winter months and we felt a daily massage would cheer him up.

“I use the Equissage pad every morning for 20 minutes to help Jack relax. After the first session I noticed the fluid on Jack’s legs had disappeared which means I can now leave his stable bandages off at night. After ten days of use Jack seems a lot brighter with improved muscle tone and an improved blood profile so I feel we are one step closer to competing at Addington.

“I am very happy that Equissage are supporting us and delighted Jack will be modelling the limited edition Equissage Pink pad which has been created to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research.”

Kim Smith-Bingham from Equissage said: “We are pleased to support Alison and Roughway Jack and wish them luck at the Championships.”

The Equissage physiotherapy system from Niagara Healthcare is extremely beneficial to dressage horses and can help pre-competition suppleness, relaxation and arthritic conditions.

The Equissage pad provides a deep circulatory massage to the whole horse whilst the hand unit can be used to treat specific areas such as tendon and ligament strains, bruises and swellings.

Equissage has launched a new limited edition pink pad to help raise funds for Cancer Research UK.

For more information contact Equissage on 0800 072 1180 or visit www.equissage.co.uk

ENDS

For further information contact Sophie Connor at TSM on 01724 784600.

On My Yard

I feed Dengie Fibre Feeds and am a member of the Dengie Club.

http://www.dengie.com/pages//dengie-club.php

I have been treated to tickets for Your Horse Live which included front row seats at the evening performance with Geoff Billington. You can read about my evening on my first blog:

http://www.solitaire-dressage.co.uk/blog/

I was also featured in the Dengie Quarterly update. My Submission "On my yard" was published and I was given £250 worth of feed vouchers as well as a visit from Dengie.

Jack loves Alfa Senior! He is also eating Alfa A - a favourite of mine for the last 12 years!
I have made the switch to Alfa Beet and alll the horses are eating up well.
Anjuli has been put onto HiFi lite as she needs to trim down a little!

More about Jack

Jack has been enjoying TRM products he won as his prize from BD Magazine.

I particularly like the GNF supplement.

Meet the Solitaire Horses!

Roughway Jack 16year old by Jumbo.

Over 150 BD points. Retired from eventing post Blenheim completion with 109 BE points. Also has BSJA Foxhunter wins to his name.

Jack loves sunshine, Equissage, Eygyptian Reggae- his canter music and mints .

Anjuli 16.1 grey Irish Sports Horse by The Crofter ex Meg's Pearl.

Anjuli has just been backed and is my new prospect for 2008.

Anjuli loves attention especially cuddles, rolling in new shavings beds and mud!

New photos coming soon!

McGinty's Dream by McGinty ex DreamBird

Ginty is 20 and now retired. She and I played polocrosse together.

Ginty was born in NZ and loves sunshine still wears lots of layers most of the year!

Ginty loves chocolate and in particular Fry's Chocolate cream and Galaxy bars.

Welcome to my Blog

Hello, I will be sharing my news about my horses and my life as a rider and coach.

I hold the BHS Intermediate Instructor's certificate and the BHS Stable Manager's certificate. I am also on the BHS Register of Instructors so I have first aid and child protection training and I regularly update my skills through CPD. I am also a British Dressage Accredited trainer which means I have trained and prepared riders for affiliated dressage competitions.

I work with John MearsBHS II to deliver freestyle dressage to music training, design and production. Do visit our website http://www.freestyledressage.co.uk
John and I will be launching a freestyle dressage to music clinic roadshow in March. Do check back for more details!

John and I also deliver a First Steps Dressage Programme. This clinic aims to break down barriers and make flatwork fun for everyone! We work with riders with just backed horses and help them introduce their horse to training as well as riders who may never have done dressage before. We also help riders who would like to improve their dressage score.