Well it's been a while since my last blog & boy have we been busy. The aim of April was to get Galante our 5yo PRE out doing some BD novice.
So far we've managed 2 competitions, both have been a bit of a shell shocking experience for Galante. We soon found out at our first attempts at the beginning of the month that Galante finds the idea of competitions quite scary.
He's a lovely chap who even though he's worried he will continue without any issues, but he does go seriously behind the leg & this then makes the whole connection to the rein very wobbly.
Having said this though he did try & listened he has even managed to pick up 3 yes 3 lol BD points, I've recently found out that sometimes getting anything above 58% on a PRE is a good score. I'm yet to believe this as my judges comments where quite spot on, there really was no hiding the tension & as such score suffered, but it's early days & I'm more than confident that Galante is going to pick up some big scores once we get over the star struck issue.
We have entered a young horse class also so it will be interesting to say the least!! Not something many PRE's are entered for lets just say that & hope for the best..... Im not really worried about the fact he's a PRE tbh & it's never something that enters my mind as such. As long as i ride him correctly i think he may do well if i hold my nerves.
Now onto Troy he is the horse who has come back from a catastrophic field injury. We where given a very bleak prognosis from our vets & Leahurst. Needless to say i kept a very tight grip on hope & somehow even through the bleakest of times we made it through. He has been sound since April last year, however only came back to schooling in August 2011. I do attribute taking him Barefoot one of the biggest factors in this success story, that & an extremely carefully managed rehab. Honestly some days i cant tell you how emotionally & physically drained i would be.
BUT TROY IS BACK & he's lost 44kg in weight he had put on quite a lot of weight through being off work so it's been hard to get it off him.
He is now back training at a good Adv level & back with all his moves changes, Half Pass, working canter Piri's, half step & passage. The work is well all i can say WOW.
He has gained so much from being barefoot that his natural movement has such expression now & for the first time it is easy to see this in his work. I'm now able to get the expression under saddle & really ride it's a fantastic feeling & lovely to see in the mirrors of the arena. He is the first horse Ive trained to Adv level & boy have i missed being able to ride at this level I'm am the MOST GRATEFUL person to have this horse back & sound.
We have our first outing planned for Troy next month with a trip to train with Maria Eilberg & then shortly after we will hopefully be out doing a few Medium tests with the hope of possibly gaining a quick qualification if possible & Troy can keep a lid on his excitement.
So it is very much all systems go at CT Dressage & I'm seriously hoping for a good year, mind you it's already a good year in the fact atm all my horses are well & sound long may it continue.....pleeeeaase.....
Im very sorry but we have no comp pic's for you but i do have one of the lovely Castle Troy in his new Matchy Matchy Eurostar from Fur feather meds. Troy still has weight to drop but im so pleased where getting there.
There is also some exciting news for my clients we have recently teamed up with http://www.confidentandpositive.com/Home_Page.php who are based at Somerford Park, Chesire.
Sue Moran is a qualified member of the Association of Professional Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists and is an NLP Master Practitioner. Sue is also fully involved in the equestrian world so understands the unique issues that riders face, whether they are nervous riders, "happy hackers", top International Eventers, Riding Club competitors or Grand Prix Dressage Riders. My clients are being offered 10% of a session with Sue please contact me if your interest.
Thanks as always for reading, there will be more to come as April is far from over :)
