News & Guides

18th February 2016 by Rowen Barbary

BACK on the ROAD - Sarah Tomkins

BACK on the ROAD - Sarah Tomkins
I  am so happy to be writing a blog with show news included, it seems to have been a busy yet boring few months to talk about. We have clipped the majority of the horses and Neo's coat has grown back after a covering of mud fever all over his back, do not ask 'HOW' as our minds boggle and the vet is as confused as me but it's now all cleared and the fitness work begins for him. All the horses are being fairly sensible given that they have been stabled for a month now due to saturated ground, I have managed to get out to a couple of flatwork training lessons to oil out the rusty winter riding and had a much-deserved visit from my sports physio for a back massage to iron out the muscle knots which were right between my shoulder blades this time. From my riding lessons it appears I am obsessed with having my horses straight (can't cope with crocked) but I have been failing to ask for enough bend, I have also been encouraged to gain more swing by riding with the reins in my inside hand, it feels terrible at first but when you regain both reins 9 times out of 10 the transformation is impressive. Our first show for 2016 was a dressage competition at Radfords Equestrian Centre where Holly and Lulu both won their classes with sub 70% scores. The same week we also had a second dressage competition at Prescott Equestrian Centre with the two 4-year-olds, it was Lordy's first-ever trip in my lorry, his first show, first time in an indoor and first acquaintance with the whiteboards, I went thinking I was going to school around sweetly and he only went and scored a 68.65% for a fantastic 2nd place in the prelim 17 in a 20 x 60 arena! Joey went lovely but unfortunately, tension showed losing him vital marks for a top placing, Lordy impressed everyone and has his own fan club building up so he now has a couple of viewings booked in, all I need is the wind to die down a little bit. We have also attended two jumping shows, Holly and Joey went to Netley Hall cash jumping which I thought would be a simple quite show for Joey to jump his first course, instead, it was all set up with big spooky fillers under ever fence and lots of tight twisty turns, he had a couple down when we lost balance but all in all he showed masses of talent and such a brave attitude, so brave once he had jumped he got very very happy with himself and wanted to go again so I decided to get off and put him away before the lid burst off the bottle of pop! Holly had her first jump around the 1m since Kelsall BE last year and was also a little to keen! To finish January on a high we went to Radfords Equestrian Centre Arena Eventing with 5 horses, two of which I have not jumped in a couple of years. Joey did the 80cm class which stupidly looked big for him especially as he hasn't seen a cross country fence but he breezed around for a double clear, I was so amazed and excited with him I completely forgot the last fence... a real Rodney moment... In the 90cm I had Cloony and Doc, I have produced Cloony as a young horse for his owner and he is now ridden by Emily on pony club teams and BE, Doc is also Emily's and is with me on full livery so I do school him regularly but Emily jumps him.  They were good boys and both jumped clear for 3rd and 4th. To finish it was the girls turn in the 1m, Holly jumped a very rideable round for 3rd and Lulu was the last to run that day taking the top spot for a WIN!!!!! I WISH IT WAS ALWAYS THAT EASY, HAPPY DAYS!!!!