Saturday 28 March 2015

Introducing Cal Rei - Impressive Equestrian Equipment

B looking handsome in his new Cal Rei Numnah Pad


Georgie and I are extremely lucky to have been sent these lovely pads by Louise at Cal Rei UK to try out. Thank you so much!

I first saw Cal Rei on High Fashion Equine and was extremely intrigued in this new and exciting brand.
I work for a Breakthrough Innovation company in Cambridge, so when we first saw Cal Rei we instantly wanted to see what it was all about! 
Working in Innovation it's about finding the next big breakthrough technology, and I believe Cal Rei is just that in equestrian products and one that will benefit the health and performance of horses.

What makes Cal Rei different from other saddle clothes and boots companies is that the fabric is super breathable and is made so that air can flow and circulate between the skin of the horse and the saddle. Due to this the skin can breath, and the fabric allows sweat to be drawn away from the skin, keeping the skin dry and none sweaty. 
Athletes use breathable fabrics for when they train and compete, and this is just what Cal Rei does for horses!



 We tried out the saddle cloth yesterday when taking Beanie out for a schooling session. He'd done a intense session for about 45 minutes or so and with his usual cotton saddle cloth he would have needed to be hosed and washed off. But just look at how dry his back is. The results really do speak for themselves 


This is taken just moments after taking the saddle off. Its in the bottom left of the photo



His back is completely dry. You can see a little lower down where his girth was is sweaty, but his back and withers. Dry!

This is a really big deal! We were absolutely blown away. Horses muscles, just like our muscles, can get sore and damaged when they get too hot when being ridden so by allowing those important back muscles to remain cool and supported makes a really big difference.



As well as being breathable the pad is also really cushioned and squidgy, meaning you don't have to put sheepskin saddle pads underneath which defeats the object of the breathable Cal Rei pad.


You can see from this photo the honeycomb 3D fabric and how it allows air to flow freely

Check out this video from Cal Rei demonstrating just how much breathable these pads are:




As well as being breathable and cushioning they're also extremely easy to clean as the fabric, unlike cotton and sheep skin numnahs don't cling onto the dirty which becomes embedded in pad and can allow bacteria to grow. You wouldn't want to put a dirty pad on your horses back and end up with a skin infection right?!




We washed the pad off yesterday with a hose and it's is easy, really quick (as the dirt slides out of the 3D fabric) and dries super quick as the pad allows airflow through out, thus drying it off in minutes.

Imagine how good that is when you have a whole string of horses to exercise e.g. racehorses or event horses at a yard, and you can wash the pads off and leave them drying while you groom another horse and they're dry and ready to use when you have to tack up after brushing your horse!

This is a racing pad, super light but still breathable! 



I'd seriously recommend Cal Rei! They have numnah pads for a variety of equine disciplines such as dressage, jumping, eventing, endurance as well as one you can use for everyday hacking, and they even have pony size pads.
They also make bandages, exercise boots, travelling boots, tail guards and even dog beds! 




You can buy Cal Rei from the list of distributors below and I suggest you buy one ASAP as this brand is hot!


Thursday 26 March 2015

Life Outside The Show Ring - Reasons To Vary Your Show Horses Work and Exercise

Saturday last week I was preparing to babysit Francesca and I thought, while I was stocking up on supplies for the night, that i'd purchase the showing special of Horse & Hound  to read up on judges opinions and guest editors notes and to learn things that I didn't already know; and I'm glad i did!
There was something that got me thinking that I wanted to write a post about so here it is -

Jenny Banks who is a Sports Horse Breeding (GB) ridden hunter panel judge mentioned the importance of a show horse also having experiences outside the show ring and that so many horses when showing demonstrate clear signs of only ever being ridden in a school and that they haven't got a lot of experience outside of that setting. She goes on to say how important learning new experiences are for horses -





B flying over a fence at Burghley Park CUDH Meet. Photo by Sam Pawley Photography 

We often get surprised remarks from people who we're meeting for the first time, that we're "taking a show horse hunting?! Aren't you worried about injury?!" and such like. Well the honest answer to that is yes, we do worry about injury, but we also make every possible precaution to protect Beanie against an injury he could do to himself or that could happen by others, even things outside of our control like a rock or stone etc. As you can see he is booted with brushing boots and over reach boots.

We drag hunt, as those who have read this blog before will know. We do so to help Beanie gain confidence in his jumping ability and teach him that jumping isn't just cross country or show jumping in a school. 
It's helped him gain confidence over ditches, which after a really bad training experience which I won't go into, really shook his confidence. And that jumping cross country fences and hedges aren't just at speed but need to be done so in control and that it's not just 'do a course of fences, finish and go home for the day'. He now understands that he can go more slowly into a fence and not get so excited that he bucks afterwards. Hunting involves stopping for a breather and to let the hounds find the scent and that he has to wait while they do that. He is now much more chilled out at events which is a real plus (especially for me who has to handle him, as well as tack up, groom etc)
It's also taught him to relax and not get overly excited by loud noises and things that could make him jump. Not to mention hounds around his legs.




 

Saying that, all to Beanie's credit he is actually a pretty laid back chap. We happen to live right near Duxford Air Museum which regularly see's airplanes flying over our house, quite a lot lower than we'd like, but due to this Beanie has really coped with learning that planes might be loud and scary, but they're not going to hurt him, so he doesn't gallop around when they do fly over and ends up hurting himself.
This really helped when the TARRA classes over ran at Great Gransden Show in 2013 and a kamikaze plane display happened directly over the car park and ring while judging was occurring.  See photo for evidence 



Photo by Frances Kay Photography

As you can see His Gingerness couldn't give two hoots. We went on to win that class, then the Championship to be Great Gransden TARRA Champion 2013. Beanie had only been showing a few months at this point and it just confirmed for us what a good lad he really is.



Something else mentioned in the article was hacking - Unfortunately at home we don't have our own school. Rather than keeping B at a livery yard, he's kept at my parents home which has 2 stables and a couple of grazing fields. The nearest mènege is at a riding school the other end of the village, that Georgie hacks to. This means that he hasn't gotten used to just going round and round an arena. He's flexible and supple in both reins due to this, which is another plus.
Talking of hacking, we do a lot of it! To get to the off the road riding we have to hack through a busy large village high street where we regularly encounter buses, vans, lorries and cars. Some better at passing than others! (But we've all experienced this i'm sure!) Due to these circumstances he is a very unspooky horse who isn't phased by air brakes, scary road works or a rattly trailer or car coming past.
Another benefit with the road work, Beanie has nice strong legs and tendons which really helps too (but not so much he's gotten splints mind you!)

But with all this exposure to lots of new loud and scary sounds and sights he's become desensitised to them. Which really helps when you're in a large county show ring and there's banners, flapping flags, loads hustle and bustle of spectators etc.




Luckily we did a lot of showing in your childhood so we're very aware of what you should and shouldn't do, so we haven't had to learn all that many new things. 
Last season when we went to Burghley. It was a situation Beanie had never been in, as there were over the tannoy commentary the whole time, people ushering competitors to different parts of the park to get to the ring, and obviously a lot of spectators. He didn't mind one bit and for all that Beanie has learnt in his short time I am incredibly proud of him, and of Georgie for all that she has taught him!



So with all of that said i'd really encourage others who want to show to a high level to take their horses out to experience different surroundings and sights. It helps adjust them to a life after racing (in the case of retraining racehorses) or just get a horse more safe by exposure to different and sometimes frightening situations. Plus it's a better quality of life for your horse to do varied activities. It keeps their mind fresh and active and helps to avoid monotony which can lead to naughty behaviour from boredom.

If we reach our goal of competing at Horse of The Year Show we're going to have to get Beanie used to lot's of clapping and an electric atmosphere of indoor arena. Not if, not when that occurs, we'll be ready to face it!

I am really looking forward to this season and going to events we've not competed at before, namely Hickstead! Very exciting, but also to help Georgie continue with B's education and seeing where all the hard work we do will take us.
They both work extremely hard and for that they deserve it!

Good luck everyone with the year and season ahead!

Sophie x

Tuesday 10 March 2015

ROR - Historical Giant at Burghley for CUDH meet

All these amazing photos are taken by Sam Pawley Photography 























Monday 9 March 2015

Cambridge University Drag Hounds - Burghley Meet, March 8th 2015

After a busy weekend of leading Francesca out on a ride Saturday morning, then going out with Jo on the Polo ponies in the afternoon, and then a wedding in the evening I was pretty blurry eyed yesterday morning getting ready for Burghley.

I tried tirelessly for over a month to get a hireling for this meet but sadly everyone had booked them out for the Saturday and completely understandable that they couldn't do two days on the trot (pun sort of intended). So alas I didn't ride, but the upside to this is I got loads of photos and footage!

Here is the video edit I made of the footage I made on the ground, and here are the photos, hope you like them!!

Plus coming soon - Headcam footage from Georgie
















Sunday 1 March 2015

Huntingdon Races - Great days National Hunt and Hurdles Racing!

Just got in from a great day at Huntingdon Racecourse thanks to Racing UK!
Myself and my lovely friend Hannah donned our chicest warmest outfits and off we went. Well despite it being sunny it was also super windy which made it chilly

Me and Hannah!

So after watching quite a lot of jump racing this season I've learnt a thing or two about good trainers, horse and jockeys. 

Much to my annoyance all the horses I favored but didn't back only went and bloody win.
Here is a little slow mo video demonstrating just that of AP McCoy storming on Fredo to later go on and win! Who I didn't back! Kicking myself!



And the time I did back AP McCoy got beaten by a massive outsider by Sam Twiston Davis! Dammit!
Never mind I bet my money back on BallyHenry in the last race! 
But just before the horses were due on the course it rained. And when I said it rained I mean sideways Noah's ark type rain. You looked out onto the course only to literally see sheets of rain! 

But as the horses galloped round the rain eased up, Ballyhenry won so I quickly collected my winnings and swiftly got back to the car!

I've had an absolutely lovely day with Hannah, I've got her completely hooked and we are already planning our next outting.

Thank you so much to Colleen Salmon and Retraining of Racehorses for organizing tickets for me and great thanks to Huntingdon Racecourse for supplying them! 

Pictures below 


Accessories. Keeping it chic

Best snuggly scalf, and thanks to Georgie for lending me her hat! I needed that so much it was cold!

Daryl Jacob after his win came back to sign an autograph and have a photo with a young fan! So kind

AP McCoy getting mobbed by fans wanting an autograph before he retires

Riff Fredo into the winners circle after storming home 

Talking with owners and trainers after his win in Fredo