I will give updates to this regularly. If you have anything you want to tell me then email me from the CONTACTS page.
August 2010
Summer holiday over and it was back to training, I have to really thank a friend of mine in the Isle of Man for letting me ride her pony “Bob” during my holiday, it was great fun and Bob was so lovely. The first week back, I was training in the school with Rocky, Tigger and Mistique and Rocky and Tigger went to a few local shows, just to get back into the routine after their little holiday.
August 9th was Pony Club camp for the week and so Rocky came to camp with me we had great fun with cross country, flat work and show jumping, we were all in teams and we collected points for different things, at the end of the camp the points were all added up and my team came 2nd which was brilliant, it was great fun and I am really looking forward to next year.
Saturday August 14th we were back at Kings with Tigger and Rocky, Tigger went in the clear rounds just for a warm and Rocky went into the main classes, Rocky was brilliant winning the 2’6” and a third in the 2’9” which was really cool.
Sunday 15th and Rocky was back at Allens Hill for affiliated jumping, he did really well in first class with a double clear and a 3rd, he was a little forward in the next two classes and I picked up a few faults in the Discovery and Novice, but he went really well and I was very pleased with him. We called into the Ludlow Hunt Show on our way back and they were still classes running, so I entered Rocky into the 70cm open and he came third, I just clipped the last pole in the jump off, but Rocky was brilliant.
August 18th, Mistique was loaded on the trailer and we went to Kings Equestrian Centre and she did very well, with a couple of double clears. On August 22nd Rocky was back at Kings and he did very well and just missed out on winning the accumulator on the last joker fence, but it was great fun and Rocky really enjoyed himself. Rocky was back at Kings on the 25th and Saturday 28th, he did really well and the results are always posted on the Kings Equestrian Centre web site.
Sunday 29th Rocky was at his second show for the holiday weekend at Tack Farm, it was very busy and Rocky started really well with a clear round in the 70cm, but I clipped a pole in the jump off, Rocky did really well, but he was tired from the busy week before and on Monday 30th he started his rest period and Mistique went to the Leominster Show. This was here first show after her little summer holiday and she did really well with two seconds and a third, so we were both really happy.
July 2010
I have been working Rocky through June because we needed to be together for the Inter Schools Team event at Kings on July 3rd I ride for my school and I was selected for the 2’3” - 2’6” class, Rocky did really well in the first event with a clear round and then he clipped a pole in the team class, so picked up 4 faults.
The team for the 3’ – 3’3” class only had three members so I joined them as the 4th member, the jumps were very large and there were 14 jumps to get over, Rocky looked so small against the jumps, but he did so well, with a clear round and just 8 faults in the jump off, I was so pleased and happy with him and the best bit my team won the Inter Schools Trophy, so we were all very happy.
On Sunday 4th Rocky had a day off and Tigger and Mistique finished their little holiday and I started working both of them back in with some hacking, flat work and jumping in the school. On Tuesday 6th Rocky was back in the school for more training and on Wednesday 7th he was back at Kings with a double clear and win in the 2’6’ and a 2nd place in the 2’9” with a clear and just the 4 faults in the jump off. Thursday and Friday Rocky had some rest time and Tigger and Mistique were in the training school.
On Saturday 10th, Rocky made his first affiliated appearance at Kings, winning the 70cm Open and a third in the 138cm stepping stones and a double clear and win in the British Pony Novice first round, which was great and I was really pleased with him, on Sunday we were at the Ludlow Pony Club open show, where he came 2nd in the 80cm and 2nd in the 85cm, so Rocky had a great weekend.
I trained with all my ponies, throughout the week in the school and on Thursday 15th took Rocky to Gracelands to practice in the arena as he had not been there before and on Saturday 17th we went back to Gracelands for an affiliated event and Rocky came first again in the British Pony Novice first round, he is doing so well.
I had trained with Rocky and Tigger in the week and On Sunday 25th we all went to a local show with the SVRC, Rocky was in the 2’6”, 2 9”, 3’ and 3’3” and was placed first in every class which was brilliant and Tigger was in the 2’6”, 2’9” and 3’ and was second to Rocky in the 2’9” and 3’ which was fantastic. The next day I went on my Summer holiday so Rocky, Tigger and Mistique were turned away for a few weeks.
June 2010
June 1st started with flat work and show jumping training for Tigger Blue and Mistique in the school, which was great fun with Mistique really having a great time. June 3rd Tigger Blue II was at a show jumping assessment and training session with the Pony Club which was really good fun and he did really well.
I have been working a bit more with Rocky and on June 6th I took Rocky to Tack Farm, starting with the small show jumping classes, he did really well and managed a 1st, 2nd and 3rd he was a really good boy, Tuesday 8th Rocky had a pony club dressage session and on Wednesday 9th I took him show jumping to Kings Equestrian Centre and entered rocky into the small classes again and he managed another 1st, 1st and 2nd so I was really, really pleased with him
Friday 12th I took Rocky to the Hillocks for some cross country training and after a session at some bigger jumps in the school, I took Rocky to Tack Farm again on Sunday 13th and entered some bigger classes, he did really well with a 3rd, 4th and 5th, we also spent some time schooling on the cross country course which was really great fun.
June 15th, I took Rocky back into the school with the trainer to practice at the higher jumping heights and on Wednesday, I went back to Kings for the mid week show jumping and he did really well, coming 6th in the 2’3” and 2nd in the 2’. 6” we also tried the 2’9” and did really well with just 8 faults and he was also getting faster. Over the weekend I was back in the school with Rocky, Mistique and Tigger Blue II and it was going really well.
Sunday June 20th, we went with some friends to Stanley Park and the Midland Championship qualifiers and I took Rocky as he had been improving his jumping and he did really well, with a clear round and 2 double clears, 2nd in the 2’ and winning the 2’3” and 2’6” and qualifying for the championships in all three classes so I was really pleased with him as he was such a good boy.
Rocky had a day off on Monday and through the week he had training in dressage, show jumping with Pony Club and cross country at Lincomb and he was brilliant and so on Friday 25th, I took Rocky to Valley Vale evening show jumping and he was fantastic, with a clear round and two double clears and he was placed 2nd in the 2’3” and first in the 2’6” and 2’9” and I was so pleased with him.
Saturday Rocky had a day off and on Sunday, he was back out for another jumping competition this time with the SVRC at Pound Green, it was a very hot day and we went early to watch a friend ride in the earlier classes, I pushed rocky up the heights again and he did really well, although he may have been tiring as he clipped a pole in the 2’6 and 2’9, but I was really pleased as he made the jump off in the 3’ and just 4 faults in the jump off and came 5th, so I was very happy with him, he is such a good boy.
Rocky had a couple of days rest, just relaxing in the field and on Wednesday 30th June, I took him to Kings as a warm up session before the inter schools on July 3rd my dad forgot his bridle!! So we borrowed a bridle, bit and martingale from my friend who had just finished her class on her first ride. Rocky was brilliant with two double clears winning both classes that I entered the 2’3” and the 2’6” which qualified him for Cricklands Championships so we were both very happy.
May 2010
Sunday 2nd May, Polocrosse training with Mistique and the pony club, which was really cool, the new reins really helped and on Monday I was at the Hillocks for the cross-country course, ahead of the Pony Club ODE and practicing the dressage test in the school, as well as a show jumping session at Allens Hill all with Tigger Blue II.
On the Saturday 9th, it was the first half of the Inter schools show jumping competition at Bow House, Tigger and I did ok in the clear round, although we knocked a few down, but he just didn’t want to know in the team event and we were out, but my school team in class one did really well as they won.
Sunday 10th May, was the Pony Club, One Day Event at Kyre which was good fun, Tigger did his first dressage test really well, we didn’t get placed but he did a good job for the first try our Show Jumping was better that the Inter schools competition and we got round the course, but with a few faults and the cross country was ok for our first attempt, although we didn’t jump all the jumps, more training needed at cross country for both of us, it was a very long day and very different from just show jumping, not used to changing outfits, but I think we will have another go, one day.
Thursday 13th, Tigger and I were at Allens Hill for a show jumping training session and Tigger went really well and so at the weekend we went to Tack Farm for the Show Jumping and Tigger was really good and he had picked up his speed a little.
Monday 17th, I did more training in the school with the trainer and on Wednesday 19th went mid week show jumping at Kings, Tigger did really well, wining the 70cm class with the only clear and putting in a third in the 80cm, so we were both really pleased, Thursday was a rest day and we were back in the school on Friday.
Saturday 22nd I took Tigger back to Tack Farm and he came first in the 70cm and a 2nd in the 80cm so I was really pleased. Sunday 23rd was the combined cross country and show jumping at Pound Green and although I have had extra training in show jumping, this was only my second attempt at a cross country course and I was really nervous. It was a really hot day and the show jumping was ok with just a six second penalty, but the cross country was a little more difficult, I finished the course but didn’t manage to go clear, so still more training needed for Tigger and I. So on Tuesday 25th, I took Tigger back to Pound Green with my trainer and a friend of mine on another pony to help as a lead if needed and we schooled Tigger over the course, it was good fun and he was a really good boy.
Wednesday 26th I took Tigger back to Kings equestrian, for another go at mid week Show Jumping, he was a really good boy, but we clipped a pole in our first class so only managed a third and I lost my stirrups in our second class so it was only a 4th, but we had a really great time and I was so pleased with him.
Bank Holiday weekend I had to leave my ponies and go to a wedding in Cornwall, but June looks to be a great month, with more show jumping for Tigger and Polocrosse for Mistique as well as a local show for Rocky.
April 2010
April has been great fun and the weather has been brilliant and it started with a great Polocrosse lesson and a friendly match with Mistique and the United Pack, which was really great fun. Polocrosse is such good fun and really fast, I am still practicing, picking up the ball, passing it and holding on to Mistique with one hand, I have know got some Polocrosse reins, so hopefully that will make it a little easier. The next day, I swapped ponies and Tigger was down at Tack Farm for some more Show Jumping training with the Pony Club.
I let my friend have a go with Mistique and after some training at home and at Tack Farm, we took Tigger and Mistique to a competition at Tack Farm, it was great fun and my friend did really well on Mistique getting a clear round and into the jump off. Tigger was also great but it was a long day and the course was quite tough, so we only managed a couple of third places and two fourths, but it was still great fun and my friend and I had a really good time.
Then it was back into the training school for Tigger, over the show jumps and the cross-country course at Tack Farm, Tigger loves the water and I got soaking wet as he cantered through the water jump, we had a few more lessons and hacking out before the first grass show of the season at Pound Green, which was great fun, although a very long day. Rocky has not been forgotten and was back out at Pony Club dressage and did really well, he is a great pony but sometimes cheeky.
I have had great fun with my ponies in April and Tigger has been jumping at 1.25m in the school, I have also had a go on my friends pony Stoffie and he is a really great jumper, I was also awarded the BSJA Area 33 most improved junior in training and I received my prize from David Broome, which was really cool.
May looks like its going to be lots of fun, with more Polocrosse for Mistique, Pony Club ODE, Show Jumping, more training and back to BSJA for Tigger and dressage with Rocky.
March 2010
March started with more training and also more show jumping at Tack Farm with Mistique and she was great, coming first and second and Tigger Blue had a go as well, Tigger is still learning but still managed a second in the 2” 9”. Mistique went back to Tack Farm for the Winter Championships, which was great fun although I didn’t have the best day and I only managed a fourth as my best placing but it was still a great day. I have also been riding Mistique in Polocrosee that we both love, as it is such good fun. Tigger has been happy hacking out and training in the school and is jumping really well at the moment and is getting ready for the Summer season, Rocky has also been out at Tack Farm and Kings where he has been doing really well, getting a first at Tack Farm and placed at Kings.
February 2010
The snow took ages to melt, but we soon got back into it, although the lack of exercise meant that my ponies were not that fit, so Tigger went for schooling with Rosie Thomas for a few weeks and Rocky and Mistique trained in our school.
Rocky has been a really good boy and he has been doing really well in his training and he has been back to Pony Club show jumping training and I took him to a competition at Tack Farm and he came first in all three classes!!
I also had lessons with Tigger during his schooling and when I collected him we went straight to a half-day session at Tack Farm, which was good fun, we then had a few more training sessions including area training at Bow House which was really cool with show jumps and cross country style jumps. We got caught in the snow on the way back and had to ask a friend if we could stable Tigger with them for a night, so Tigger went for a sleep over with a pony called Star and a few doves in the stable!! My Dad picked him back up the next day, when the snow had melted.
Tigger was on team duty with the Ludlow Hunt Pony Club at Kings Equestrian on the 21st February, where he did brilliant coming 4th with the team and Tigger and I managed 4th as an individual, which was really great, in the next class, I made a mistake and clipped a pole which took us out of the placing, not Tigger’s fault though, he was really good. Tigger is back to training this weekend and I am working him up to full fitness for the new season.
Mistique has been great fun, as I have found out that she really loves Polocrosse, so we have been very busy practicing with the racquet and lines outs and trying to hold on to the very fast and quick turning Missy with one hand on the reins and holding the racquet, (not easy) but I have managed it. We went to a two hours session at Bow House which was really great fun and Missy, really loved it, I thought she might be a little scared or frightened, but Missy was not scared or frightened at all and she loved the excitement and speed of the game, Polocrosse is definitely her new thing and we are really looking forward to doing some more Polocrosse in March and hopefully play a match.
January 2010
The snow was great fun to go sledging in, but not much good for riding, we have only done a few training sessions with Rocky, Mistique and Tigger. Mistique is back training over the jumps and she was very very excited about being out again, Tigger was just the same really happy to be back out and Rocky had a go at Polocrosse and had great fun, the riding school is no longer frozen and so now we can plan and train for the new season.
December 2009
In December Mistique and I were back at (Bromyard) now Kings, for the Malvern PC show, Mistique did really well coming second in our class, the class was very busy over 30 entries and Mistique was just outside first by point 4 of a second, but it was a great fun day for me and the Ludlow Team.
Rocky also went to Kings on a Wednesday evening, for show jumping and came first in class 1 and 2. Everything was looking really good for all the Christmas Shows and I was looking forward to the busy Christmas Holiday, Mistique was fit and feeling very well, Rocky was doing great and Tigger was all well and back to full fitness and then the weather turned cold and everything that we entered was cancelled, it was so disappointing, Tigger, Rocky and Mistique were very bored, my dad took us to a few indoor training sessions, but that stopped when the roads iced over.
November 2009
Well we didn’t sell Rocky or Mistique and have decided to keep them both for now, November was a very busy month and frustrating as well, Tigger Blue II pulled a muscle in his back, so for all of November he was pretty much out of action and not available for competition, so Mistique was back on the team and I spent most of November with Mistique working her back into full fitness with training and light work for Tigger Blue, I also kept Rocky going as well.
October 2009
I have had a great time during October, as you know I have been trying a new pony called Tigger Blue, we have had some great fun with Show Jumping, but my dad said we have to give him a good trial, so Tigger and I have been to a lot of private lessons and have trained in flat work, cross country and of course show jumping. At the end of October we went to a pony club competition and Tigger and I were in the team and we had a double clear which was brilliant and then, Tigger and I entered the Dengie Championship round one and we nearly did it, just clipping the last fence in the jump off, so we will have to try to qualify at another event. Tigger and I have become such a good team in just a few weeks and so I have decided to keep him, but this means I have to say goodbye to Mistique and Rocky, which is really sad, and they are now both for sale.
September 2009
I have had a great start for September; I took Mistique to a show at Rock and came first and second, then the next day went to Puddleston show with Mistique and came first again, putting Mistique’s name on the Mill Hill cup for the third time, I made a mistake in the class 2 jump off and picked up 4 faults, but I was thrilled with the first place.
I have also been training a lot with Mistique and she has been doing very well, at the end of September I also went to the Pound Green trophy show and came first again winning the Ashley’s Bakery Trophy, which was great. Rocky has also been working well in the training school and as I have been trying out a new 148cm pony called Tigger Blue, I have decided sadly to sell Rocky.
Tigger Blue is a great pony, he jumps really well and I took him down to Tack Farm for a day out show jumping, he was great fun and even came first in one class, which was brilliant. I am training with him during October to see if he fits with me, hope he does, will let you know next time!
August 2009
August has been a great month; Rocky won a first and a second at a Pony Club Show Jumping competition, Mistique won a double first at Bromyard Equestrian Centre in the outdoor arena and a double first at The Leominster Show, as well as a second place and I passed my Pony Club C Test! Which I was very pleased about, as it’s a long test, but I can’t have my felt until I pass my Rider Road Safety which I can do next year when I am 12.
I had a ride on a great pony called Bolton’s Blue he is a 14.1 and was a lot of fun, my friends and I set up a small competition with our ponies and he was very quick and jumped really well, I really wanted to take him to Bromyard because I thought he would easily get placed and he’s for sale.
I have increased my Show Jumping training with Mistique, practicing fillers, spreads, hands and seat and after all the summer fun, I hope to start back with BSJA Juniors in September, but before that I will be going to a couple of fun local shows and Rocky is going back to dressage training.
July 2009
Mistique, Rocky and I have had great fun in July, we haven’t done so much BSJA but have had lots of fun at local shows and Pony Club and I have been trying different things with Mistique and Rocky.
I have been doing more flatwork with Mistique and entered Mistique into a dressage competition at my local Pony Club and we came third, which was great for our first dressage test together. I took Mistique to Pony Club camp this year, (Rocky went last year) and we had a great time with all the fun activities and the weather was ok, but it did rain a bit and of course we have been show jumping as well, coming second in a Pony Club competition and a double first at Bromyard Equestrian Centre.
Rocky has also been having fun and I have taken him to a few shows, without Mistique, as they can be very naughty when they are together. Rocky has been in the Family Pony, Best Pony Club Pony and Handy Pony classes and he came third in the Handy Pony, which was great for him. Rocky has also been show jumping, but not as high as Mistique and has been having a great time, he is very fast and gets a little excited when jumping, but he’s great fun.
August will be more training, riding and stable management as I have my Pony Club C-Test to take, I will tell you all about it next month.