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.