Yes, it's winter - it was a bit frosty at Kingston beach
Post Melbourne 3 Day downtime? What's that?!
Excitement is my word of the month. So much stuff is happening and the worst thing about it is I can't even tell anyone about much of it yet! I have been on planes, driven horses from one end of the state to the other and got a new job - Whew! The 'under wraps stuff' will have to stay that way for a while but sit tight for a very exciting announcement coming soon
In the meantime, the super star pony has been on holiday but not before attending a brilliant Heath Ryan clinic the week after we got off the boat from Melbourne. He recovered exceptionally well from his trip across the straight no doubt due the exceptional care provided by Tasmanian Horse Transport. However maybe it would have been better if he was a tad more sleepy as then he may not have seen it quite necessary to make us both eat dirt due to a silly spook in a slippery spot whilst hacking out a few days before... Brat. I took both Sizzle and Poppy to the clinic and it was fantastic! Both the horses and I got a lot out of it and I got some fantastic feedback as well
Teaching some super little riders while I was in Sydney
Then a couple of weeks ago I was immensely lucky enough to be given the opportunity to fly up to Sydney to try a horse, and while I was up there I conducted a clinic and got to help some super keen little riders. Thank you to Carmen ter Rahe for organising everything! It was a pleasure to teach such a happy group of riders and I thank you all for making my job easy by trying so hard and giving my 'different system' a go! The super cute horse I got to ride was CT Aurenda or 'Smash'. I spent four days getting to know this character and I can't wait to begin working with him! He is such a dude! Thank you to Carmen again for this opportunity and I hope Smash and I can do you proud! I am so excited!!
Getting to know Smash
I then embarked on a week of boot camp with super coach Lucy Bennett. I shared the trip once again with Dave Gardiner which caused much hilarity! From brand new hydraulics refusing to work all of a sudden to trying to park on scary hills and a certain little truck that wouldn't go more than 20kph up hills... (That better be fixed before the November trip otherwise I'm getting my heavy rigid licence and we will take the big truck!).
Poppy at boot camp
I took Poppy down this time as Siz was still on break and it was the best thing I could have done. There is nothing like the benefits of that kind of intense training! Poppy excelled and we finally made big progress in the dressage and jumping! I can't wait to see what this mare will do! (Side note: she is by Valhalla out of a Daley K/TB mare... Eek!) In the next week or so Sizzle will be back in work and we will be working towards another trip over for Lakes at the end of the year! I just can't wait!!!
So until next time!
