In the first weeks of getting Danny I found it hard to ride him, unbelievably it was his flat work that I found difficult, he didn't really listen to me, so automatically I thought I couldn't ride, and I didn't feel worthy of a horse like Danny.
So when I had my next Fit to Ride session at Littleton Manor Equestrian Centre (LMEQ) I decided to take Danny along, there was only one person to snap me out of my current mindset.......
JON PITTS!
Well Jon knows me so well and there is a particular way that I respond to and if you have read my blogs you will know it is a general backside kicking! (Tina also does this well)!
'Stop playing and show me how you can ride him'
' You've been given a great opportunity this is the time to fly or fall'
' You need to get your arse in gear'
These are some of the phrases that Jon said in our training, (quick note to all those thinking of training with Jon, this is my own personal technique and not something he uses generally with other people). Mainly I am so self critical that sometimes that holds me back. I realised that I needed to crack on and take full advantage of this wonderful horse....I need to become more authoritative for a start before I could do anything!
Jon had me thinking and (attempting) to ride like Tina. It worked and Danny responded brilliantly, although when asked to mark our movements, I still marked one of my changes as a 5 and Jon, Mum and Lisa gave it a minimum of an 8 and I needed to the see the video evidence to believe it. (I think they were all a little frustrated at this point).
So it turns out that's all I needed to do was become more authoritative and I am with the other horses so there is no reason why I shouldn't be with Danny.
In addition we worked a lot on sharpening my aids so I was being specific when asking for something and he listens to me straight away and not two strides afterwards.
After this session that was it we had clicked and something clicked in my brain and he is going like a dream!
After the session we went and warmed ourselves up in Matt and Kate's kitchen, they are always such amazing hosts and have offered their support again for 2013 which means so much, actually we completely took over their kitchen, whilst guests were arriving for their engagement party! We got all the plans that Lisa had helped me work on and showed Jon, he gave me a few more pointers and we adjusted a few things and we looked at some realistic goals for Danny. We talked about process goals and I just feel I have such a focus now.
Message to Jon, I know he will read this "The teeth are flossed"!!
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
How Carraig Dubh came to Team Upton
My dream since last summer was to get a string of quality horses at different levels. Gradually over the last 6 months I have been lucky enough to have amassed some incredible horse power, all youngsters but really talented. My last dream was to get a horse at a more advanced level to give me experience, but I never actually thought it would happen.
Eventually when they were both free and I was not around, Tina was able to discuss her little idea! She told Mum about a 12 year old horse Carraig Dubh (Danny) owned by The Lawsons that she had produced and really put her heart and soul into. This special horse had made Sam Albert's Olympic dream come true after her horse had sadly gone lame. After competing and completing at the Olympics for Jamaica, Sam had then taken the very big decision to retire and they were looking for a new home /rider for Danny. BUT Tina stressed that Danny was a quirky ride and not for everyone. What did Mum think?
Mum was rightfully cautious 'quirky' rang alarm bells, as well as 6 horses and only 5 stables! Anyway they talked it through and Mum said she would talk it through with me. Obviously my response was never in doubt and the following day Tina arranged for Sam Albert to speak to Mum.
'Quirky' was mentioned again in the phone call between Sam and Mum, but they arranged a day for us to go to meet Sam and Danny in Newbury the following week at Sam's yard. Mum spent the whole time pointing out the downsides to me so that I did not get my hopes up.
When we arrived at the yard, Sam took us to Danny's stable and we could not believe that this docile, cuddly pony was an Olympic Eventing horse. He is just incredibly affectionate and so quiet. Sam rode him first but it was definitely me on trial and not Danny on trial. So I had everything to prove. I wasn't nervous and as soon as I got on him I felt I had ridden him all my life. We did a bit on the flat and then some show jumping, within 10 mins Sam had put the jumps up to 1m 20. Considering I am only riding youngsters at the moment this felt enormous. Then she made me open him up to see if I could control him when he got a bit unruly. Did he get unruly? well no, he was an angel. So then she suggested we went on her xc course, he just popped round in a perfect rhythm.1st trial passed. Phew!
Sam fed back to Tina and The Lawsons and then for one reason or another it was not possible to ride Danny for a couple more weeks. We were supposed to be going to Mark Todds new place to test Danny round his XC course but the weather let us down. Then Sam phoned and suggested instead of us keep going to Newbury why didn't we take him on a trial and then Tina would be able to assess us together.
The day we picked him up was heart wrenching for Sam, he is the kind of horse that makes you very emotional. (What am I talking about, we are like that about all our horses)! Anyway Sam bid him a tearful farewell and we brought Danny back home. On our way back we stopped off at Tweseldown to test him round the XC course. He was perfect. When we got home he just fitted into the yard like he had always been there, no fuss whatsoever.
That week we went to Royal Leisure, where I found out how big his jump was and how he can twist! I was jumped out the saddle a bit but nothing that made me think I would fall off him. Then we went to Tina, she did test us and she couldn't wait to sit on him, but we passed the 2nd test, Tina was really happy!
So Tina and Sam talked to the Lawsons, Mum then had a long conversation with Shaun Lawson and the decision was made. I have a lot to learn on him. He can be very strong and I am quite small! I am building up my muscles. We are really not going to truly know until the competition season as he is a different horse when his blood is up. But I have the winter to train on him and Tina to train and advise me. The temptation with a horse like Danny is to be very competitive, this is not the point of Danny. Danny is here to give me experience and for me to be able to pass that experience on to my very talented youngsters. If we make teams then we make them, but we are not trying for them and no one is putting any pressure on me or Danny to do so.
EEK! I HAVE AN OLYMPIC HORSE, I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT!
Photo above by MDR Photo: http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk
Below Danny at the Olympics with Samantha Albert
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Monday, 3 December 2012
Jon Pitt's= The best!!!
I had another absolutely cracking session with Jon Pitt on Hector boy.
We went right back to basics on flatwork which was exactly what I needed, riding different horses, my riding has to change and adapt to each horse. Jon helped me to sit and really feel what was happening underneath me. This has helped me recently when riding new horses, I start by riding them in a good walk rhythm and just feeling how they move underneath me.
I have always gone by natural feel but now Jon has explained it to me as a pattern, you have to think about the pattern your pelvis goes through when riding a horse and the shape it makes or a letter in this is case and if you think about it, your pelvis rocks and goes forward and backward making a V shape.
In this session we also did some jumping, we talked about when my position was at its strongest point, the position of my shoulders the way I can get maximum leverage on my elbows to be able to control the horse and controlling with my seat.
This session with Jon, has given me a lot to think about when riding my other ponies at home!!
The following week I was lucky enough to see Jon again (not being sarcastic, honest!) but this time it was filming for Jon's brand spanking new website. We were doing bite sized segments trying to show how not to do something and then how to ride it perfectly. I was able to demonstrate how not to do something perfectly! It was one cold cold cold day but it a very funny one at that, after having to do lots of retakes because we were laughing soo much , I honestly think it was because we were so cold we were going a little insane.
Anyway it was great fun and Hector was an awesome natural born filmstar!!!!
We went right back to basics on flatwork which was exactly what I needed, riding different horses, my riding has to change and adapt to each horse. Jon helped me to sit and really feel what was happening underneath me. This has helped me recently when riding new horses, I start by riding them in a good walk rhythm and just feeling how they move underneath me.
I have always gone by natural feel but now Jon has explained it to me as a pattern, you have to think about the pattern your pelvis goes through when riding a horse and the shape it makes or a letter in this is case and if you think about it, your pelvis rocks and goes forward and backward making a V shape.
In this session we also did some jumping, we talked about when my position was at its strongest point, the position of my shoulders the way I can get maximum leverage on my elbows to be able to control the horse and controlling with my seat.
This session with Jon, has given me a lot to think about when riding my other ponies at home!!
The following week I was lucky enough to see Jon again (not being sarcastic, honest!) but this time it was filming for Jon's brand spanking new website. We were doing bite sized segments trying to show how not to do something and then how to ride it perfectly. I was able to demonstrate how not to do something perfectly! It was one cold cold cold day but it a very funny one at that, after having to do lots of retakes because we were laughing soo much , I honestly think it was because we were so cold we were going a little insane.
Anyway it was great fun and Hector was an awesome natural born filmstar!!!!
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Boo!!!
Boo was born in 2008, at Bourne Hill, her daddy is Dramatic who was the 2008 world dressage champion and her mummy Toscana, a mare with jumping lines.
Last week Fiona Bigwwod and Anders Dahl very generously offered Boo to me. So Lisa and I went to pick her up from Cass' at Hickstead where she had been educated for a month. She stayed a week at Fiona and Ander's so that I could ride her a little and get the feel of her. I had a sit on her and WOW well she can move. She is so genuine and lovely and just needs some one on one with someone! So I agreed to take the challenge.
She came to us on Saturday and she has proven no challenge as of yet. She is so quiet, loves a cuddle, only likes her field for a couple of hours and after that she just stands there waiting to come in. She adores her stable and has made friends very quickly with the other horses.
Sunday mum gave her a light lunge and she was a superstar, mum even got her to walk and trot over a single pole. This is something that had been tried previously but she gave it 5ft of air but she seemed so relaxed. Mum knew she would be ok.
On Monday and Tuesday I lunged her and I got my Monty Roberts on, I did some join up, I had her following me around the lunge pen without anything attached to her and she followed me over a few poles and through some barrels, we even reversed through the barrels she was such a good girl.
Just waiting for the wind to die down before I get on her, but the ground work is doing her good, I feel that I am really gaining her trust.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Motivational backside kicking from Jon Pitt!
Last week I had a one-to-one with Jon Pitt or as I like to call it a motivational backside kicking! Jon as most of you will know by now is a Performance Coach. He has worked with some of the world top athletes equestrian and non-equestrian..... Ah well when he works with me I bring him back down to earth with a bump! http://www.fittoride.org
I try to see him on a once a month basis and mainly I am on a horse. We have done many different things in our session depending on my need at the time it has varied from video analysis on the flat, technique in the the different disciplines to a confidence giving session. This week (thank goodness because it was raining hard and very cold) we sat in Matt and Kate's cosy kitchen at LMEQ, with hot mugs of tea, we analysed the season just gone, put in place plans for next season, discussed winter training and also management of my back issues.
This was just what I needed. The season had ended and although it wasn't obvious I realised afterwards I had been on the edge of a dip. This session made me look at the achievements of the previous season, the reasons why it had not gone to plan at times and areas that I can improve on my riding. Its made me excited for next season and I can see the benefits of having multiple horses at the same level. They will all roughly be at 100 and aiming for Novice next season. I would still love an advanced horse to help teach me the ropes at that level so that I can pass that experience on to my youngsters when they move up but oh well, who knows what is round the corner. Each horse will have its own individual development plan and so will I. Jon and Sue Chinn my Osteopath are working together to help me sort out my back properly and we also looked at the business side of what I am doing and Jon gave Mum and I some ideas for that too.
All the horses are going to continue to train through the winter, only Yara is resting as she is recovering from a strike injury to her tendon. (Thankfully through a boot so not as bad as it could have been). We believe in keeping a certain level of fitness in the horses rather than turning away completely. Scientific studies have shown that the horses are better mentally and physically if they are kept in low level work throughout the winter.
My motivation is high, I am busy doing my homework that Jon set me.
I do love a plan and now I have plan A, B, C, D, E, F, G.............
Watch this space. Next session in November will be on showjumping, we will be doing some video analysis so that should be exciting.
In the mean time here are a few pictures taken by MDR Photo http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk/ on one of my previous sessions with Jon
I try to see him on a once a month basis and mainly I am on a horse. We have done many different things in our session depending on my need at the time it has varied from video analysis on the flat, technique in the the different disciplines to a confidence giving session. This week (thank goodness because it was raining hard and very cold) we sat in Matt and Kate's cosy kitchen at LMEQ, with hot mugs of tea, we analysed the season just gone, put in place plans for next season, discussed winter training and also management of my back issues.
This was just what I needed. The season had ended and although it wasn't obvious I realised afterwards I had been on the edge of a dip. This session made me look at the achievements of the previous season, the reasons why it had not gone to plan at times and areas that I can improve on my riding. Its made me excited for next season and I can see the benefits of having multiple horses at the same level. They will all roughly be at 100 and aiming for Novice next season. I would still love an advanced horse to help teach me the ropes at that level so that I can pass that experience on to my youngsters when they move up but oh well, who knows what is round the corner. Each horse will have its own individual development plan and so will I. Jon and Sue Chinn my Osteopath are working together to help me sort out my back properly and we also looked at the business side of what I am doing and Jon gave Mum and I some ideas for that too.
All the horses are going to continue to train through the winter, only Yara is resting as she is recovering from a strike injury to her tendon. (Thankfully through a boot so not as bad as it could have been). We believe in keeping a certain level of fitness in the horses rather than turning away completely. Scientific studies have shown that the horses are better mentally and physically if they are kept in low level work throughout the winter.
My motivation is high, I am busy doing my homework that Jon set me.
I do love a plan and now I have plan A, B, C, D, E, F, G.............
Watch this space. Next session in November will be on showjumping, we will be doing some video analysis so that should be exciting.
In the mean time here are a few pictures taken by MDR Photo http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk/ on one of my previous sessions with Jon
Monday, 22 October 2012
National Schools Championships 2012 - The End
Mum "We are NEVER doing this again"
Me " I have left school so no need to worry we won't anyway, but I swear you say that every year Mum"!
NSEA championships is the only competition that I have known Mum make wine the priority when packing!
The lead up to these championships had not gone well. I qualified Mulligan who ended up going back to the Dunsdons, Yara then took his place and then she got a strike injury to her tendon. So Hector had to step up to the plate having never done a novice test until the week before and Gail Stephens kindly lent me Beanie to do the jumping. Thankfully I hadn't had time to qualify for the JWS too!
Saturday morning dawned and our early start was delayed by a few hours because I was ill and Mum wanted me to rest. We decided to withdraw from the individual dressage warm up at lunchtime to give us more time to get there and me some rest time. Not sure I have ever withdrawn from a comp due to illness. It was obviously "Man Flu".
We arrived at Addington at 2pm. Although we had hook up we were parked roughly 50 feet away from it and told we had brought a really short lead. We hadn't and we have never had an issue before. It took them 6 hours to put us in a parking spot with hook up! Mum kept smiling at security in the vain hope it would make a difference and they would get us a spot sooner. Really on reflection if she had lost her temper and been generally irritating like some of the Mums there I think it would have had better effect. However in the process of building good relationships and trying to get them on side she learnt how to make toffee vodka and they all decided that we should have a party in the lorry. Mum had to back track very fast!
In the meantime we were told our stable numbers, only to find that there were already horses in them. Back we went to the stable manager who assured us they were our stables and there shouldn't be horses in them. We tracked down the owners of the horses who then moved them. Took our horses off the lorry, went to our stables and someone else I put their horse in there. There were 2 empty next to them so we put ours in there only to be told we were not allowed to do that! Anyway Hector took a huge dislike to the temporary stables, no way a horse of his class should be made to go in one of those! He reared up constantly and tried to get over the door, so out he came. Hector was totally wired, he has never been to a competition this big with so many people and I am sure the busy environment probably reminded him of when he was put in the sales in Ireland or something. The only way to calm him down was to get on him, which I did and he behaved perfectly. I think it just gave him some reassurance. Luckily Sarah Millard (Hector's owner) had her daughter Lila's pony in the main stable area so we did a swap. This was much more to his lordships liking and he decided he would calm down and stay put in that stable!
Meanwhile I was feeling worse by the minute and Mum pulled me out of the jumping that afternoon too! I rode Beanie quietly round instead and just had a little jump.
After putting the horses to bed Mum cooked us Salmon in Watercress Sauce, new potatoes and veg in the lorry and then we consumed a bar of Cadburys Oreo Dairy Milk between us and watched a DVD, (we know how to live) then Rupert Batting popped over for a gossip and we finally went to bed about midnight.
On Sunday dosed up with Day Nurse Mum and I got up at 6am to feed and muck out the horses by 7.30am I was on Hector warming up his muscles for the day ahead. We had a strict schedule of grooming, plaiting and tacking up. Eating went out the window for the day but we made up for it at the end of the day! Michael Rogers from http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk/ turned up to take photos even though he only just got back from New York. We were so glad to see him too, he really helped Mum out as she was literally on her knees by lunchtime and had hurt her back. There was so much to carry to and fro. Michael became photographer/pack horse!
It was not Farlington's day with the teams. In the Intermediate and Open SJ we finished as a team on 12 penalty points which was not enough to take us though. Everybody rode really well it was just bad luck. Then came the dressage - Hector rose to the occasion. This horse has only done 7 dressage tests in his life, he has only just developed his core strength and this was his 2nd ever Novice test. he was up against some of the top junior dressage horses in the country and he ended up coming 2nd in his section missing 1st by less than 1%/ Awesome, awesome horse. Everyone fell in love with him and I just felt so honoured to be riding him. I have Fiona Bigwood to thank for helping me over the last couple of weeks, I could not have done it without her awesome training.
How we packed up and got ready to go home I don't know it passed in a blur, I tried to stay awake on the journey home to help Mum, well that lasted about an hour, then I crashed. Finally after dropping Beanie off and sorting horses we stepped into the house at 11pm. Thank goodness we didn't make it through to the sj finals I think it would have been about 2am in the morning if we had.
And that is the end of the NSEA champs for me! Farlington has some fantastic riders, we have won and been placed in nearly every championships as a team. The highlight of all the years I have been doing them was when Sunny and I were Jumping with Style Champions at the age of 11 and Hectors 2nd place in his section this weekend has to be one of those moments I will also never forget, just because of his back story and the run up to the championships. Overall we have had fun, they usually provide Mum, Dad and I with lots of laughs particularly the pushy, stressy Mums, we usually end up feeling very sorry for the children..... until we see them having tantrums!
I have now lost my voice completely, I made it into work this morning but spent the afternoon in bed. That might be where I stay for the next couple of days.
I'll let you know how the toffee vodka turns out!!!
Me " I have left school so no need to worry we won't anyway, but I swear you say that every year Mum"!
NSEA championships is the only competition that I have known Mum make wine the priority when packing!
The lead up to these championships had not gone well. I qualified Mulligan who ended up going back to the Dunsdons, Yara then took his place and then she got a strike injury to her tendon. So Hector had to step up to the plate having never done a novice test until the week before and Gail Stephens kindly lent me Beanie to do the jumping. Thankfully I hadn't had time to qualify for the JWS too!
Saturday morning dawned and our early start was delayed by a few hours because I was ill and Mum wanted me to rest. We decided to withdraw from the individual dressage warm up at lunchtime to give us more time to get there and me some rest time. Not sure I have ever withdrawn from a comp due to illness. It was obviously "Man Flu".
We arrived at Addington at 2pm. Although we had hook up we were parked roughly 50 feet away from it and told we had brought a really short lead. We hadn't and we have never had an issue before. It took them 6 hours to put us in a parking spot with hook up! Mum kept smiling at security in the vain hope it would make a difference and they would get us a spot sooner. Really on reflection if she had lost her temper and been generally irritating like some of the Mums there I think it would have had better effect. However in the process of building good relationships and trying to get them on side she learnt how to make toffee vodka and they all decided that we should have a party in the lorry. Mum had to back track very fast!
In the meantime we were told our stable numbers, only to find that there were already horses in them. Back we went to the stable manager who assured us they were our stables and there shouldn't be horses in them. We tracked down the owners of the horses who then moved them. Took our horses off the lorry, went to our stables and someone else I put their horse in there. There were 2 empty next to them so we put ours in there only to be told we were not allowed to do that! Anyway Hector took a huge dislike to the temporary stables, no way a horse of his class should be made to go in one of those! He reared up constantly and tried to get over the door, so out he came. Hector was totally wired, he has never been to a competition this big with so many people and I am sure the busy environment probably reminded him of when he was put in the sales in Ireland or something. The only way to calm him down was to get on him, which I did and he behaved perfectly. I think it just gave him some reassurance. Luckily Sarah Millard (Hector's owner) had her daughter Lila's pony in the main stable area so we did a swap. This was much more to his lordships liking and he decided he would calm down and stay put in that stable!
Meanwhile I was feeling worse by the minute and Mum pulled me out of the jumping that afternoon too! I rode Beanie quietly round instead and just had a little jump.
After putting the horses to bed Mum cooked us Salmon in Watercress Sauce, new potatoes and veg in the lorry and then we consumed a bar of Cadburys Oreo Dairy Milk between us and watched a DVD, (we know how to live) then Rupert Batting popped over for a gossip and we finally went to bed about midnight.
On Sunday dosed up with Day Nurse Mum and I got up at 6am to feed and muck out the horses by 7.30am I was on Hector warming up his muscles for the day ahead. We had a strict schedule of grooming, plaiting and tacking up. Eating went out the window for the day but we made up for it at the end of the day! Michael Rogers from http://www.mdr-photo.co.uk/ turned up to take photos even though he only just got back from New York. We were so glad to see him too, he really helped Mum out as she was literally on her knees by lunchtime and had hurt her back. There was so much to carry to and fro. Michael became photographer/pack horse!
It was not Farlington's day with the teams. In the Intermediate and Open SJ we finished as a team on 12 penalty points which was not enough to take us though. Everybody rode really well it was just bad luck. Then came the dressage - Hector rose to the occasion. This horse has only done 7 dressage tests in his life, he has only just developed his core strength and this was his 2nd ever Novice test. he was up against some of the top junior dressage horses in the country and he ended up coming 2nd in his section missing 1st by less than 1%/ Awesome, awesome horse. Everyone fell in love with him and I just felt so honoured to be riding him. I have Fiona Bigwood to thank for helping me over the last couple of weeks, I could not have done it without her awesome training.
How we packed up and got ready to go home I don't know it passed in a blur, I tried to stay awake on the journey home to help Mum, well that lasted about an hour, then I crashed. Finally after dropping Beanie off and sorting horses we stepped into the house at 11pm. Thank goodness we didn't make it through to the sj finals I think it would have been about 2am in the morning if we had.
And that is the end of the NSEA champs for me! Farlington has some fantastic riders, we have won and been placed in nearly every championships as a team. The highlight of all the years I have been doing them was when Sunny and I were Jumping with Style Champions at the age of 11 and Hectors 2nd place in his section this weekend has to be one of those moments I will also never forget, just because of his back story and the run up to the championships. Overall we have had fun, they usually provide Mum, Dad and I with lots of laughs particularly the pushy, stressy Mums, we usually end up feeling very sorry for the children..... until we see them having tantrums!
I have now lost my voice completely, I made it into work this morning but spent the afternoon in bed. That might be where I stay for the next couple of days.
I'll let you know how the toffee vodka turns out!!!
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