You've practiced your dogs leg and related distances and worked on your approach to the square oxer that you're sure you will meet at fence one. Show day and you arrive at the venue, park up, and walk the course. You walk the related distances, eyeball the seemingly ma-hoosive oxer at fence one - and … Continue reading Coping with Competition – Tips and Tales for Riders to Curb the Nerves
Sometimes we just need some Vitamin Sea. With work being so busy, and having very few weekends off for shows and lessons, I've resolved myself to the fact that this summer is just going to to be about enjoying my horses and having a little fun. I struck lucky last week with my two days … Continue reading Beach Ballet with the Golden Oldie
I first came across Hogweed many years ago when my little palomino Solas developed thick blisters on the pale skin of his nose. Initially I assumed he was suffering from sunburn and proceeded to smother his pink skin in sun screen, as any good horse mom would. However, the blistering didn't stop. Watching him in … Continue reading Hogweed and Horses
I have two veteran horses - but you wouldn't know it by looking at them! Seventeen year old Giselle is generally a good grubber but she can be fussy. Twenty-one year old, Solas, is a glutinous gelding, who would eat all around him given the opportunity. He once robbed a ham salad sandwich from my … Continue reading What’s in the feed?
Dressage was coming. The Wild Atlantic Dressage Festival, that is - and seeing as I was helping with the promotion of the event, I set myself a the goal of rejoining Dressage Ireland, competing at the festival and riding a novice test for the first time. For many, this isn't a big deal, but for me, … Continue reading Enter at… Aye? Our Wild Atlantic Dressage Experience.
Background of the "Girthy" Mare "She's just being mare-ish," "She's just fed up of schooling," "Maybe she's got ulcers?" "Maybe she's just uncomfortable?".... These were the the thoughts that went through my head every time I dodged the wrath of my mare while tacking her up. Every time I crouched down to feel for the … Continue reading Schockemöhle Pallas Anatomical Girth – Product Review
It's been a while since I've written a little Miss G update. We've been quietly working away as best as we can in this wild winter weather and have been having fun between hacking, lessons and helping with the planning of an exciting new event. So, G moved home at the beginning of December after … Continue reading Trotting On… It’s nearly Competition Time
It's well known that mares have a reputation for being difficult. In horse people language the term we use is "mare-ish." Being the independent woman type with high moral standards, and owning two mares (one of which being chestnut), I feel pretty strongly that our equine lady friends are unfairly stigmatized. The topic sprung up … Continue reading Mares are from Venus – Geldings are from Mars
This is going to sound completely random, but that is how I roll... Does anyone remember the Kevin Costner movie, Field of Dreams? It's a 1989 film about a farmer who hears a voice telling him: "If you build it, he will come." Costner's character takes this as an instruction to build a baseball pitch … Continue reading If you build it…
"A year from now, everything you're stressing about won't even matter." Just a little over a year ago, while aimlessly scrolling through my insta feed, I stumbled upon the above quote. A daily inspiration post from one of those accounts created to suck in those who are lost in a virtual life limbo; attempting to … Continue reading A year from now…
