Posts

Before a jumping round, I check the usual things: girth tightness, bridle fastened, martingale adjusted, boots secure, and helmet done up. Then I reach for one…

A new cross-country venue can look completely different on a screen than it feels from the saddle. A bright course map may suggest an inviting round, while…

Archie has always been willing to work, but willingness and fitness are two different things. At the beginning of a competition season, he could produce an…

Some competition days begin with calm preparation and end with a tidy test sheet tucked into a folder. This was not one of those days. The forecast had…

Cross-country is exhilarating because every minute asks horse and rider to think, react, and keep moving forward. By the time Archie and I cross the finish…

Flying changes are one of those movements that can look almost effortless from the ground. The horse canter seems to glide across the arena, the rider makes a…

Preparing Archie for a three-day event made me look at his feeding routine in a different way. At home, his meals were built around a familiar pattern that…

Packing for an overnight event is one of those jobs that seems simple until the lorry is parked at the venue and a missing girth, towel, or hoof pick suddenly…

My first horse trial on an unfamiliar property was supposed to be a straightforward day of dressage, show jumping, and cross-country with Archie. I had trained…

Before a competition, I want Archie’s canter to feel balanced, adjustable, and easy to organize. A good rhythm gives us a better chance of meeting fences…