Miri is back in work. up to cantering now so fingers crossed she’ll be ok and back competimg before its winter again!

Dexter went to his first BE in two years on the 22nd of April at Bovington. He coped very well considering that it was rather damp! He decided that dressage was boring and spiced it up by putting in a massive fly buck over X in the second canter….cute… Two down SJ but a wonderful clear XC. So, actually quite pleased with him.

Then the rains began…. I was supposed to have 4 running at the unaff at Bovington the following week, but the organisers had to take the sad decision to postpone it. Understandable but still sad. This is now being run on the 10th June hopefully with better weather.

Rain has stopped play and the disaster of Badminton being cancelled and then the countless other horse trials that had to be abandoned.

This sunday (13th May) we decided to go to Bovington! (Yes I spend alot of time here!) They were due to run a Derby and Derby cross comp but the rain had left the ground too wet so they changed it to Sj and Eventer Trials on the arena! Alot of fun! We had a good day:

Ruby: 2nd in 2’3 and 2’6

Twilight: 1st in 2’6 Eventer Trial and 5th in 2’9 Eventer Trial

Magic: 3rd in Eventer Trial and 2nd in 2’9 SJ

Dexter: 2nd in 2’9 eventer Trial and one down in the open eventer trial and I left before I knew if he had a place.

Foxy: Had a long wait and had a couple down, but he did jump well round the bigger tracks.

LONG but excellent day from the team at Bovington. Thanks to all my helpers on the day!

See you soon

Amber and the team.

Since I last wrote life has been a rollercoaster!

Firstly, Barney was an absolute dream at Highclere. Dressage of 38 made my cry with pride. Then one down SJ (which was all me) followed by a beautiful clear round XC. leaving us in a respectable 15th place. The plan was to run him twice more before the season finished. But, I’m sorry to report that Barney,  the kindest most sweet horse I ever had the pleasure of working with that took to eventing like a duck to water! 4th in his first ever RoR horse trial. Finished 5th at Highclere this year in RoR section. Had cute habits like sucking his Tongue after a polo! On the 20th September 2011 this amazing star of the future was ripped from me by an extreme bout of colic and had to be put to sleep. I thank him for the 18 months of sheer joy and inspiration he gave me and all who met him in his short 8yrs on this plant. Barney, gone but NEVER forgotten

Barney at Highclere 2011

Thanks to all who helped me through this awful time, the vets who tried to help him. xx

Now, onto a slightly more up beat theme, the team was joined this autumn by the lovely Cherry (Cherokee) a 15.2hh Coloured mare who  visited in the summer for some schooling. Her owners (Mrs Swan) decided to let her come back for the hunter trial season. we went to Bovington and tried the arena XC where she did very well. Getting a place in the 2’9 then we started at Rockbourne where Jane Scarisbrick accompanied us around the small class and that super little horse went clear! Next back to Rockbourne for the sponsored ride and then back again, with Cracker (another coloured who came to stay, owned by Mark Morgan) to go round the 2ft 9! again she went clear!

Cherry went to the Bovington HT and went clear around the BE 90 track at her first attempt! Looking forward to eventing her next season.

Thanks for reading

Amber xx

Since my last post I have been riding and busy teaching.

Three Wilton pony club camps mean tired but happy and efficient Amber, having to fit at least two horses exercise in before heading off to Camp.

Main Camp was brilliant, held by kind permission of Rob Mcloud at Tentanry Farm. I had a fantastic group who did very well! Only got told off once by Mrs LeFroy for having the jumps too high!! haha, a record I think! Jane got herself a lovely new horse too(!)

Jane showing us her dressage skills!

Junior camp was at Longford Castle, a stunning setting! Again a super group that I had a fantastic time teaching

The venue for Wilton Pony Club Junior Camp!

Then last but CERTAINLY not least… Mini Camp! How can such small children have so much energy?! Fab group who jumped beautifully on the last day!

The gang at mini camp!

I’ll catch up tomorrow with Highclere horse trials and Barney!

TTFN!

Amber

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Barney giving this showjump lots of space!

Hello,

After a rough December, things were looking up for 2011

Miri was 2nd at Moreton BE in March and qualified for the Badminton Grass roots Regional final at Larkhill at the end of the season – fingers crossed. Twilight also went and did very well coming a very repectable 11th!

Unfortunately while working at home Twilight tweaked a check ligament and although he will be fine, it means a few months off.

Then we went to Somerley Park, where I am chief dressage steward. Lets just say Miri was a monkey!

I took Barney for his first horse trial at Larkhill and decided to try Miri at Novice. Barney was brilliant and came 4th in the RoR class! Miri did a good test and ok SJ but decided that the xc was a bit too much for her. So we have decided to see how she does at some showing and pure SJ. Then aim for Badminton next year.

Next was Bickenhall horse trials. The course looked lovely and Miri did a very relaxed test, but the score was a little harsh. She was in the BE100 plus class. I also entered Barney into the BE100 section. He was a good boy in his dressage improving on his score from larkhill. He then showjumped beautifully only having one down.(see picture)

Then we were off to XC and he spun, I hit the deck and he stood on me! My leg was studded twice and off to hospital I was whisked! Amazingly nothing was broken but there was alot of bruising and a couple of holes that I had to have stitches in! Ouch!

At the moment I haven’t ridden for 18 days and I’m going a little mad! Thank goodness my family have been able to do the horses for me and Crystal has kept them going!

THANKS CRYSTAL, DAD AND MUM!!

Hoping to get on something by the end of this week, thankfully all my clients have been very understanding and I am able to still get around and teach.

Thanks Cheryl for letting my borrow your car!

That’s all for now. I’ll let you know when I’m back riding, aiming to be fit for the Bovington Showjumping festival in May.

See you soon and thanks for reading

Amber xx

Sorry its been literally months since I’ve been on here.  

Firstly Happy New Year

Here’s hoping that 2011 is sucessful for us all!

Ive got my first comp of the year on sunday. Miri and Barney are going to do….. Dressage!

It’s Barney’s first ever dressage test! Hopefully they won’t show me up!   Watch this space… i might tell you how it went in a couple of months!! LOL!

Bye for now! xx

On Sunday 10th October Silverwood Miracle (Miri) won her first ever BE! We had a dressage of 34 and double clear in the BE 100 Plus! SO HAPPY WITH HER!
The best thing was that she was so calm in the dressage! anyone that knows her, knows that that is a real feat!

I took two others to Bovvy. Twilight, owned by Sandra Druce. Did his third horse trial and was 10th. Grace did a good test and clear SJ. Unfortunately her greeness showed a little, with a hesitation at the ditch and the mean fence judge giving her a stop. Never mind it was her third horse trial and only second BE 100.

All in all a great day.

My sister and I are off XC schooling tomorrow with the lovely Barney and she is bring Grace who will hopefully show him the ropes!

Night for now!

Amber xxx

Friday night consisted of bathing three horses ready for the Dorset Charity Show at Homelands. Then plaiting. Miri and Grace were entered into the Working Hunter Class, as they were there for the showjumping anyway. Barney was entered for the ex-racehorse class, in-hand and ridden and managed to pull a shoe off too! Luckily my amazing farrier said he’ll be at the show and will pop it on for me there! Eddie was just doing Showjumping.

5.30 saturday morning we were all up, Crystal bathing Grace who had to stay out that night. I had to go and put my others at the second yard in. We then had to load everything and everyone (not forgetting the doggies!)

I was riding Monic Clapcott’s 6yr old, Silverwood Magic in the Hunters and the ID class. Last season we had trouble getting Magic to go in the showing classes, especially when the judge got on. Well, I think we have solved that one this year!! She was rather fresh on the initial trot and canter round, throwing in some pretty good bucks and leaps, and then becoming amazingly strong! I’m looking at this as a postive, she’s obviously feeling well and enjoying it! She was last as her behaviour was pretty bad! It was her first show of the season and I felt that she had finally grown into herself and was feeling happy and well after alot of bad luck this winter.

Meanwhile, In the In-hand ring, my Dad was showing Barney in the ex-racehorse class. And predicably the judge said he was too ‘ribby’. Which I still find crazy! Or course he’s ribby, he was on a racecourse, actually running 7 weeks ago!! I wish that the judging in these classes was a little more realistic. It is supposed to take into account how long they have been out of racing and judge on this fact as well as how fat they are! He behaved beautifully, stood alot better than he did at Wilton show. Never mind, rant over, he got 4th which was good. Even with 3 shoes! Keith put his shoe back on for me and we tacked him up for his ridden class! I was hoping just to get to the ring and that he didin’t explode when we all had to canter round together. In fact he was brilliant. A little strong but I couldn’t fault him. He let the young lady judge get on and she gave him a good ride. I did warn her that the was only three weeks in training with me and only 7 weeks off the track! He stood while we stripped him (thanks Terry O’Neill for grooming for me) and did a wonderful trot up. We kept our place at 4th! Very pleased and excellent judging (in my humble opinion!)

Bit of a break, time enough for my wonderful Mum to cook some hot dogs for us. Got Miri and Grace all shiney and ready for working Hunter. Both clear and stylish. All went back in and walked, trotted and cantered around and Crystal and Grace were pulled in 2nd and Miri and I were 3rd!! WOW! We also won a numnah each. Well, that was a surprise!

On to the jumping. This is where the day becomes long. Both the first classes were enourmous! at least 40 in each. We decided to go back and untack for a while. Gave it about 2 hours and went back over. They were still on the 2’3″! We asked Dad to take Barney home and stayed. Eventually our class started. Miri was clear, Eddie was clear and so was Grace. We took them through to the jump off and Crystal set a quick clear time. Grace jumped clear but not so quick, then a few others knocked Crystal down. It was then my turn on Miri! She was AMAZING jumped and turned so quickly we won by a good few seconds!