In the last few weeks Sadie has been doing one session a week over the show jumps and her progress is incredible. She has hardly spooked at any fillers and we have progressed from a small grid to single jumps from both trot and canter with or without placing poles. I like to mix it up to keep her think and I am conscious to just keep her straight and in a controlled rythym and leave the rest to her so she learns to look after herself. I am really pleased that she always seems to learn from her mistakes and is developing great technique whilst staying very calm and relaxed. Yesterday she had her longest session yet and got lots of photos and video.

Started with a simple grid approaching in trot of two cross poles with a one stride distance and placing poles and this was her reaction when the filler was added to the second one!  Then built up to an upright and a spread and started putting it up a bit as she was finding it effortless.

Sequence of three as she popped down it as if she had been doing it for years. Whilst she was spot on, I must admit I was rather excited at jumping my first proper size fence on my baby and let myself get a bit too far forward on take off.

Next took her round the rest of the show jumps

Finally the water tray which warranted a little look and a big leap.

Videos of various below which I have finally managed to embed into the website.

In summary I am really can't express how pleased I am with my girl who is so rewarding to ride. I am still determined to take things slowly although after such a good performance we have decided to do the clear round at the show Jumping on Saturday here at Stockland Lovell just for a bit of fun!

Finally tired out and hot, but still happy! For a horse that loves to pull faces in the stable she has her ears permanently pricked when being ridden.

Introducing Sadie (Steeler's Singalong) who is my own homebred mare 4 years in May and the last few days she has really made me smile through what have been exceptionally tiring and hectic days. She is out of my 'horse of a lifetime' mare who went clear at CCI*** by Up with the Lark (one of his first crop of foals) and we nearly lost her to septisemia when she was 2 days old. Coupled by the fact that both her younger sisters were lost through tragic circumstances, she is very special and means the world to me. I backed last summer and just hacked her a bit and she then had the winter off before coming back into work a few weeks ago. However as I have 11 other horses to ride for owners it is hard to find the time to fit her in and she is ridden 3-4 times a week and lives out.

I have however just managed to ride her a few times in the arena and started some trot and canter poles/cross poles and I haven't stopped smiling since. Understandably she tires after 20 minutes but as such enthusiasm for it all and whilst she may look a bit plain just standing comes alive when she is moving. I put the back protector on just in case, but really she feels safe as houses just quite bouncy.

On to trot poles and initially she found it the best thing ever to bound through them jumping each one!

I did however calm her down and make her trot through properly



On to jumping. She has never loose jumped as I just don't have the right facilities and I was so unsure how she would react. She is such a laid character I could imagine her just ploughing through them but how wrong could I be, she can get that huge stomach off the ground and be co-ordinated when she wants to!





Understandably did tire quite quickly so we kept the session short, but have since gone back in and jumped a small double plus a filler which she didn't really notice at all.

Choccies all round to those who have got this far. I am just so pleased she is enjoying herself and it is like having her mum back again (hence the awful grim I seem to have in most of the photos!). Also so nice to get on a baby who feels safe! Plans for the year are not fixed as I will be taking it slowly, but a 4 year old class later is not out of the question building upto badminton in 5-6 years time!!!!

Today the snow finally started to thaw although still too much in the arena to ride yet and a rather bitter wind made it feel pretty cold.

The horses are still going out for a few hours although the fields have got slightly slippery now the snow is rather wet. They are also rather bored of the walker now, as illustrated by Millie who has a couple of times stopped it dead by planting her bottom against it, ignoring all vocal attempts to get her to move. However a quick flick of the electric fencing button shows how quickly Millie can accelerate when she puts her mind to it and normality returns! The only exception is Sadie who was only introduced to this idea of going round in circles this week. As yet, the novelty hasn't worn off and she still marches on very keenly. I think she sees it more of a social occassion with her mates than a way of excercising.

Anyway, tonight we have more snow forecast, but it is warmer and there is a chance it could be more sleet and rain at the coast where we are. So please let it rain and we can wake up to see green outside with all snow melted so I can get back riding. Wishful thinking maybe, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed all night....

I know that it is everywhere, but we are really not use to so much white stuff in the balmy West Country: Frozen taps, icy tracks and the arenas covered in snow means hard work, but no riding just when I was ready to crack on with all the horses to prepare for the coming event season .

Archie and Ben are still at home ready to return as soon as the weather improves whilst Aragon  and Fling were just ready to start some serious schooling and a bit of jumping. Millie who had been in light/medium work all winter is raring to go out BSJA again and Sadie is getting bored a bit although I definitely wasn't planning on doing much with her until the weather is a bit better. Instead lessons with my trainer Sue Edwards were obviously cancelled today and I won't be risking taking the lorry out down the lanes until they have melted. Thank heavens for the horse walker situated right next to the yard and I am still turning everyone out for a few hours as the snow is powder and not balling up in their feet. With big pile of hay each they are behaving remarkably well although Sadie did have some acrobatics at first and even got her Mum to join in briefly!

Video taken on  mobile so not the best quality and some photos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv-b99c7Avk

 Aragon and Fling

 Aragon and Millie

 Mum and daughter Roodi (behind) and Sadie; not always easy to see which is which!

Sadie looking very furry and glossy who was very interested in Fiona's son Ben who came to visit the horses this weekend