Final Shows of the Season

With Autumn very much upon us it signals the end of the showing season and time for winter! it won't be long until the clippers are out and we're all moaning about having horse hair on every thing so with that in mind Georgie and I had our last shows this weekend.

On Saturday we went to one of our favourite shows;Gransden and District Agricultural Show. It's help in this small village outside of Cambridge and is a lovely well established show for all varieties of Livestock, I even think they show chickens there! We have been going every year for the last few years and always really enjoy it. It's well organised, has fair judging and a nice atmosphere. Unlike last year  we were not up and plaiting in the dark as we decided that the riding horse class and the Retraining of Racehorses classes are just too far apart with one being early in the morning and the RoR classes being one of the final classes you can spend hours there waiting. Despite leaving later this year and only doing the RoR classes we still waited hours! They never released a rough time table so it's pot luck whether you arrive super early, late and miss your class or arrive when you think it might be and still wait 2 hours. The latter was us, we arrived around 1pm hoping that by 2/2.30pm the classes would start and we'd have plenty of time to work in. 
We got stuck in large amounts of traffic in Gransden village and once we arrived everyone's blood pressure was up and B was a sweat box!

We got him uploaded and cooled off while he relaxed and ate grass and we soon realised that fellow competitors were getting dressed and making their way to the ring, so I got dressed for the In Hand class while Georgie schooled B and got him warmed up and soon made our way down to the ring. We needn't have rushed as it turns out there was so many in the driving classes, followed by a Western Display that we ended up waiting well over an hour! B, bless him, behaved so well and waited patiently and had a sleep but it would seem that long wait was costly. In the warmth of the autumn sun B had got a bit too relaxed so when we did get in the ring he was half asleep. No amount of clicking, clucking or squeaking could wake him up and he didn't have his usual sparkle. I was however pleased to still get a third place and a little bit of prize money! It was cool to do an In Hand, B and I hadn't done one together in years!!

After leaving the ring it was like a formula one pit stop to get B's saddle on and Georgie on board but in no time G was back in the ring for the RoR Amateur Ridden Show Series class and now with a rider on his back was a lot more perky and he had his usual 'sparkle' back! 

Georgie rode him absolutely impeccably and he didn't put a foot wrong in the go round so I was really pleased this had been noticed with him being pulled in the first place spot for preliminary judging. Georgie came out and did a lovely show but annoyingly in his extension B just lost his footing slightly and his back came up. Luckily it didn't interrupt his flow and they finished their show nicely. 
I was so pleased for Georgie to keep her placing and win her class! We've had a hard summer with it being so hot and the extremely high pollen and fly levels really upsetting B (he is a chestnut and from what I understand have much more sensitive skin that other colour horses) and Georgie has had a disappointing showing season so with this final win in the bag she really deserves it.

Sunday morning while mucking out I decided to take Erik to a final show for him after our disappointing Ashwell Show a few weeks ago. We plaited up in near record time and made it to the show in a bit of a rush! 
Frustratingly there wasn't any where for show horses to warm up (the collecting ring was jam packed with ponies cantering around for the show jumping) so with only a small space behind some horse boxes and the call for my first class we made our way in. 
I was astonished to see the ring absolutely rammed with ponies and a few horses; a total of 18 in total! This proved to be a bit of a disaster..

With nowhere near enough room for a trot and only one lap of the ring in walk each competitor had to line up along one side and trot down the long side... which happened to be next to a house building site! As you can imagine Erik had no time to get accustomed to anything and his trot was not on the bridle and very much in front of the vertical! I was therefore not surprised at all to be pulled in right down the bottom. After waiting about 15 minutes we were able to do our show but by this time Erik had got pissed off and didn't go well at all. Unsurprisingly we didn't come anywhere.
Upon leaving the ring it was quite clear Erik was going to be silly and the lack of warm up showed! We went back in to my second and final class without a hope really as he was tense and frustrated and we were pulled in in last place.. no surprise there and I was already regretting my decision to come to the show all together.
He did however do a less rushed show and generally behaved himself and I was relieved to get a kind third place!

I had a lot to work on over the summer with Erik as he gets very anxious and tense when other horses leave or go in another direction without him and he thinks he is being left behind or starts napping! Very odd as it's something he doesn't do at home so we'll see how winter goes.

Shame he gets so upset cause he looks gorgeous! 

Thank you to Chantal for the photos! 

Francesca and Georgie's Little Kingdom - A day of firsts and seconds

Phew, just got in from a super busy day out in Long Melford for the Lavenham and District Riding Club show at the gorgeous Melford Hall.
What a magnificent setting! 

B was having a weekend off from showing so Georgie and I had a swap of roles with me riding him and Georgie with the lead rein. I must say he tested me a couple of times with a few excited bucks but I sat them rather well and we didn't part company. I'll probably have sore legs in the morning though!

Any way, while we waited outside the ring Georgie and Francesca got ready for their first class which was the lead rein riders who are under 10 years of age and it seemed this was going to be a rather competitive class, as when the announcement was made to enter the ring 5 sets of riders made their way in, Francesca and Millie included.
This is Francesca second show so we're making it all fun and enjoyable and if you win then that's an added bonus! It's the taking part that counts right? 

With lot's of sprucing Millie looked super, if we do say so ourselves! Good old Smart Grooming products making her sparkle and gleam!

After a couple of minutes watching the horses make their way around the ring Georgie, Francesca and Millie were pulled into second place! There was some stiff competition so how nice to be pulled in high up!
Francesca rode Millie beautifully and without putting a foot wrong, did their presentation in front of the judge and went and did their little show.
After all 5 riders had completed their show for the judges we all watched on anxiously to see where they'd be placed and were so pleased to see they'd held onto their second spot!
The judge had commented on how well behaved Millie was and what a good lead rein pony we had! She's not always like that, honest. They don't call them Shitlands for nothing ha!

Georgie and Francesca had a brief break and a bite to eat before the small Mountain and Moreland class was called in to the ring and with this being an even bigger class, we wondered how they'd both fare.
Again after a beautiful presentation and show for the judge we watched each persons show individually and waited to see how we'd do again!
Francesca, Millie and Georgie has been pulled in to second place once again and was the highest placed lead rein rider, having been beaten to the top spot only by a teenage rider on her lovely Welsh Section C.

Now the 'serious' showing was out of the way we could have a giggle getting Millie dressed up for the fancy dress class.
Not going to lie, we were pretty darn good at fancy dress back when Georgie and I were children so we had big shoes to fill with coming up with ideas for Francesca.

Anyone remember Bill & Ben the Flowerpot Men? Well I frickin' do! Those pots were seriously uncomfortable but we were a winning machine!

So if you're 'down with the little kids' you'll know of a TV programme called Ben and Hollie's Little Kingdom and it happens to be one of Francescas favourite shows,so with a few ideas flouting around we spent Friday night making an outfit for Millie as she was going to be Gaston the Lady Bird, Georgie was to be Ben the Elf and Francesca was of course the fairy Princess Hollie!
I think it's rather good, don't you?

The judges must have also liked it as they won the fancy dress class. Still got it!

With it now really quite late and everyone absolutely shattered, horses included, we had one more fun class to finish off the day, which was 'best decorated mane' so with a surprise find of some LED lights in one of Georgie's 'junk' draws,flowers from the garden and some ribbon I plaited Millie's mane and attached everything in. 
Looked rather cute, right?

With a really nice end to the day Francesca and Georgie won that too! So our final total was 2 firsts and 2 seconds. Not bad for a mid week decision to go and everything hand made!

It was lovely to have a day of fun showing and watching the children and amateurs have a nice day out. 
Now, just to have a think of what other fancy dress outfits we can make for next time. Anyone got any suggestions?

Wayland Show - A Case of The 2nds

After not showing for weeks Georgie and I spending Saturday afternoon bathing, trimming and overall making Beanie look like a shiny fluff-ball.

Legs being whitened with Smart Grooming Leg and Body Whitener

We hadn't been showing since Hickstead and that weekend of Hickstead was so disastrous it didn't even warrant a blog post. First Beanie banged his hip mysteriously in the field and took a lump of hair off, then got there to find our ring was has hard as concrete and rutty as a field that it was thoroughly under whelming (well it was to be anyway, not sure how Georgie felt).

So 7 am came, and after plaiting up and packing the car, we headed off to Wayland Show in Norfolk. We'd been last year and really enjoyed it and found it to be a nice atmosphered country show.
We arrived to Beanie being very on his toes, perhaps he thought he'd become a happy hacker after doing not very much for the last 3 weeks but he was full of energy!
Lisa and I went off to the show secretary to get Georgie's number and find out an estimated start time for the ROR Challenge class. Well thinking it would start about 10 am couldn't have been more wrong as there was only 1 entry in the working hunter pony so all hands on deck to get B and Georgie ready in time.

He must have picked up on the rushed vibes because even after Georgie had got on he was very spritely! 
Now, when Beanie get excited from jumping he bucks on landing, and after a couple of jumps did an almighty buck and unseated Georgie just before she was about to go into the ring!
"Wonderful" I thought sarcastically, this is setting the tone for the day!

Upon entering the ring he was both on his toes and had his eyes on stalks, all of us having no idea how he'd get on. The vast majority of horses had been stopping at fence 2 that we prayed he wouldn't follow suit. It wasn't a particularly horrible fence in itself but the landing was basically dead into a corner and you had to turn on a 90 degree angle and a stride later was fence 3. 
He got in there and after a big jump over fence 1 I thought "maybe he'd be so exuberant he wouldn't even look at the fence or landed and just fly over it", but I was wrong.
He stopped and oggled it thoroughly digging in his heels but Georgie kicked on and refused to be defeated and got him over it. 
Now over what I thought was the 'bogie' fence I thought she'd be fine, although not being very focused and looking all over the place he was jumping ok. Georgie has finished the course and made her way to the first of two bonus fences when, at the very last moment, Beanie put in a naughty run out. Georgie turned and represented but he was having absolutely none of it. After presenting him at it a final time and riding positively he stopped a third time and was subsequently eliminated.

Not going to lie, I was really hacked off. I'm not a morning person as it is so for Beanie to a completely birk in his first class of the day wasn't exactly the best of a 5am day start.
We got back to the box for Georgie to exclaim "im entering him in his riding horse class, he can be punished by poncing!". 
Beanie is a very good all-rounder and enjoys his jumping, so Georgie competes him in the challenge classes so he doesn't get bored of showing. So for him to misbehave in a class that was supposed to be some fun for him, she was one unimpressed owner!
Fortunately the class wasn't too long away so we could have some refreshments and change his bridle and saddle over. He was re-turned out beautifully (if I do say so myself) and off we went to the ring.

He's a quirky one that horse cause after a break he was in a totally different mindset.
he was chilled, responsive and happy. Shortly after the call for competitors we're asked to make their way into the ring for the class to start.
It was like watching a totally different horse. He was floating around the ring, being responsive to Georgies aids and carrying himself beautifully and light in Georgie's hands.
He really did look a picture.

All of us were watching on longingly and were pleased to be pulled into seconds place for the judging.
To be fair to B he gave the judge a beautiful ride, but just as she was riding him the motorcross display started. I actually love motorcross but the sound of a 4 stroke scrambler just as the judge was riding was the last thing I wanted to hear.
Sadly just as the judge asked for canter a bike revved while doing a huge flip and he jumped but other than that the judges ride was spotless.
The display got louder and louder with the commentator practically shouting something inaudible over the commentary system he was so excited and more and more bikes took to the air for very cool tricks, but frustratingly Beanie could hear it but not see it.
He did trot up smoothly for the conformation judge, if not a bit on his toes.
We were all pleased to see Beanie had held his place in second and come away with a rosette and some prize money.
That's better than being disqualified! Our minds were now focused on the Retraining of Racehorses and Tattersalls Open Show horse class after lunch.

In much better spirits than before we had a lunch sitting in the sun chatting, while Beanie munched away at his hay net while sunning his back.
He was really very shiny! Perhaps he thought he was done for the day?

Everyone feeling much better after some food and drink we tacked B up for a third time and prayed he hadn't had enough for the day. It was getting increasingly hot as the sun beamed down so just prayed it stayed cool. I don't think any horse likes showing in boiling hot weather!

The ROR class was big, with approximately 18 horses in it and they all looking spectacularly turned out. This would be a tough class!
At the last minute there was a judge change which through some people but the original judge was replaced with a charming older gentleman who, as we found out, was a kind gentle rider which just what we like.
After a nice go around, to which B didn't disappoint, he was pulled into third place.

Photo by Diss Event Photography

Much like before, Beanie gave the judge a lovely round, and with no displays this time he was faultless - He really did go lovely. He had beautiful self carriage and nice even paces, lengthening nicely when the judge asked for a bit more in the canter as well as bringing him back beautifully in working canter. Georgie and I grinned, feeling so proud of this big ginger horse who was bit of a silly sausage earlier in the day. Honestly, It was like watching a different horse!

Watching on anxiously after the conformation judging we were really pleased to be pulled into second and qualifying for next years ROR final at Hickstead! It was like a repeat of last years class at Wayland where Georgie was second too!
B had redeemed himself then and was no longer in Georgie's bad books!

          Photo by Diss Event Photography
 
After the riding horse class Georgie was approached by a well known producer and asked to ride one of his horses in the ridden championship. They had 2 horses qualify and only one rider! Obviously this is a big compliment to be asked to ride, to which she accepted, so a quick rush outside the ring, jumped on and rode having never sat on it before.
She evidently gave it a nice ride as it was pulled in reserve ridden champion!
It was a lovely horse!

It was now 5 oclock in the evening, so after packing up quick sharpe we head off home in the car with lots of chat about the day and how it all went!
After a really crappy start it ended really well! See you in June Hickstead!
We currently aren't sure what our next show is as Mum and Dad move house, Beanie and Millie move to a new yard and Georgie goes on holiday!
Fingers crossed it Gransden!

Sophie x

Riding Helmets - Why Do We Value Style Over Safety?

Earlier this week I posted on my Facebook this very interesting article where a final year Industrial Design and Technology student at Loughborough Uni has designed a new polo helmet prototype with new and improved safety ideas. You can read more about what he's up to in the article or his blog. But it got me thinking about a variety of safety problems in equestrianism and thought i'd write my thoughts.

Photo by Robin Spicer

 From what I understand the HPA don't require polo helmets to abide by any British safety standards (Kite marks etc) but see it as the riders responsibility to wear a hat that they want and be responsible for their own head.

Also from what I understand (kindly explained by my friend Becx) that UKPA at Polocrosse tournaments check that your hat meets current safety standards and fits properly otherwise you're not allowed to compete. They sticker your hat with a sticker so that you don't have to have it checked each time, great idea!

I am under the impression that British Eventing and British Showjumping associations do 

similar (by all means correct me if i'm wrong as we don't compete under either) in that they check your hat meets current kitemarks and regulations and if you don't then you cannot compete.

I am absolutely all for these regulations. I've heard time and time again people say "but it's my head and I should decide" but have they really thought it through, who's going to look after them and take on that huge responsibility if they were to be paralyzed or suffer brain damage!?

Another thing that came to my attention of safety was back protectors. Recently I read this article from Horse & Hound  after the death of Canadian eventer Jordan McDonalds. The inquest into his deathfound he was not wearing a body protector that would not meet British Eventings standards. 

When this article was posted on the Horse & Hounds facebook I read some comments saying that some riders who are competing at CCI 1-3 levels have been personally adjusting and removing parts of the back protector to make it more stylish and comfortable!

Yup, you read that right, they're adjusting the back protector and in doing so are compromising its effectiveness in doing so. 

Showing is another realm that safety comes into play. Don't get me wrong, I love traditional dress in showing. To me top hats and beaglers looks absolutely awesome, but I would never ever wear one while riding a horse as the risk is just too great and unpredictable to risk my life for the sake of looking cool. 

Same with polo, I think i'd much rather wear a Charles Owen polo hat which is safety regulation compliant than risk a brain injury. Here Horse & Hound published an article in which a study found that nearly 50% of polo players valued look over their safety when buying a new helmet. Yes, we get it, you wanna look hot playing polo but you can still do that safely!

So how does change in values regarding safety happen? Myself and others while discussing it have said that in order to get these things changed it comes down to the manufacturers and the high profile people wearing them to make that transition and lobby for better standards.

Would it take top polo hat manufacturer Casablanca to make a hat that was safety regulation compliant and that reduced the severity of the impact injury? I'd say probably so. And if they did, it would no doubt take the high profile professional high goal players to wear them just to get the amateurs and low to medium goal players following suit. Again, I think it probably would.

Polito Pieres, polo's showman. Would it taking him or another higher goaler wearing a safer helmet to make you change?

Photo by Images of Polo 

But why is that? Well I think it comes down to everyone looking up to and having someone they aspire to be like. At any age we all have someone we'd like to ride like, whether that be a high goaler, an eventer, a dressage rider, or even a top show rider and what they wear does shape (whether consciously or unconsciously) what we want to buy and use. Why do you think manufacturers have sponsored riders and ambassadors? For just that reason..

It took Charlotte Dujardin in dressage to stop wearing a top hat for other professionals and amateurs stop wearing them to. I read that Mary King said she stopped wearing a top hat when performing the dressage stage at three day eventing because she was following in Charlottes example. If both those high profile rider choose to compete at the very highest level of dressage and eventing and not wear the traditional hat then amateurs thought why can't I? and opted for a safe reg hat with a harness.

With all that said, with showing still being so traditional in it's dress, as little has changed in the turn out of a horse and rider for the ring, it's very hard to go against the masses. 

Riders are reluctant to go against that traditional turn out in fear of being penalised and miss out on winning their class. I've known people purposely use a double bridle or pelham on their show horse, knowing their horse goes better in a snaffle for fear that the judge would mark them down for it. So they're compromising on way of going all to suit that tradition. That is how stuck these things can be and that's just one example.

Photo by Nico Morgan

Riders in ladies side saddle hunter are still wearing top hats to compete because they want to keep to that very traditional style of turn out of top hat, veil, habit and tails. Yes, a smaller amount of people are hunting and showing in proper hats as they don't want to compromise on their safety, but should the professional producers stop wearing them, and will that help the masses be persuaded to look after their safety more?

I hope so, but sadly I do not have these answers.

All that associations and governing bodies can do is to put rules into place and enforce them, we cannot physically make someone wear a safety reg hat. But by putting rules into place and making sure people abide by them is one way in making sure that events are as safe as they can be.

I applaud these high profile riders for going against these traditions and choosing to be vocal in their change, as that is how change happens. By someone feeling passionate about that cause and helping to change people's mindsets to ensure better safety.

Photo by Dressage News

I hope I haven't offended anyone reading this post. All the views expressed are mine and if you disagree with them that is fine

Look after your body, bones break and some heal and fix themselves but some things cannot be fixed like a spinal cord or brain stem so I urge you to always wear a proper hat and if jumping, then a back protector too

Sophie x

Photo Compilation - Accents of Horse & Rider

Accent - Noun A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.


Recently I got some inspiration and I thought while I was out and about I'd capture the small little accents of larger picture to create a more close up, draw your eye picture. They're of both showing, riding and polo.. 

I like the idea of highlighting the subtle things that make an riding outfit or horses tack from standard or boring to effortlessly cool

Smart Grooming Review - Coat Sheen

Good afternoon everyone, I hope you all had a lovely weekend with your horses?

I had a very busy one with Francesca's 3rd birthday party Saturday morning, a Polo tournament Saturday afternoon and then showing yesterday at Houghton Hall Equestrian Centre.

Sadly it was not to be our day, with the judges preferring Hacks to Riding horses. Beanie is the epitome of a riding horse - He's a nice 16.2 with sturdy muscular legs with a nice amount of bone, and very equal in this proportions. 

But Georgie and I couldn't fault him so we're not disheartened. He was a perfect gentleman giving the judge a lovely ride, he went off beautifully and smooth in his transitions and wasn't pulling and was soft and buttery in his mouth. He was a pleasure to groom and get ready yesterday and was so affectionate and sweet (not sure it was just cause I had polo's in my pocket or not! haha) not tugging me around and being pushy! Such a good lad! 

Talking of grooming I got to use my Smart Grooming tools again - This time I used Coat Sheen. I've had this for a couple of weeks now and used it before but only now has it been sunny and dry when we've been out and I wanted to wait to show the true level of shine it creates!

Our class was the very last one yesterday so after a lovely lay in and giving Beanie a chance to chill out and graze on the grass, we got him in and due to the lovely warm weather he had a bath! He's a very water happy horse so loves them as you can see, covering Georgie in bubbles while washing his tail. Pesky flies!

After giving him a good clean with baby shampoo and getting the ingrained oil and dirt out of his coat he was squeaky clean!

We allowed him to dry naturally in the sun shine, meaning his coat dried nice and flat. Once he was fully dry I got my coat sheen and positioned the bottle about half a foot away from his body (so not to get too much in one place, but to make sure it evenly sprayed his coat) I sprayed the sheen directly onto his flat lying coat. Once he was evenly covered I brushed it in with a goat hair brush like this one. It gently works the coat sheen into the coat slightly under the top layer, allowing it to lift out the other colours in the coat.

This was taken just as we were leaving and wow, he is shiny huh!? He's a very copper orange chestnut as you can see, and coat sheen really makes his coat shine!

We worked hard to get B as beautiful and shiny as possible with perfect plaits and white legs. Smart Groomings products work together to compliment each other and have more than one use which is partly why I love using them so much! 

I was really excited to see another competitor with a tub of leg and body whitener out yesterday making her horses legs sparkly white! I hope these reviews have been helpful and if there is anything else you'd like me to try, so let me know! 

Until next time

S x