Posts
Competition mornings rarely go exactly to plan. A horse may take longer to load, traffic can slow to a crawl, or the warm-up schedule may change before I have…
After a long eventing day, Archie’s feet receive as much attention as his tack, muscles, and coat. Dressage warm-ups, show-jumping rounds, cross-country…
Competition days bring plenty of noise. There are trailers arriving before dawn, horses calling across the lorry park, instructors giving last-minute advice,…
Buying a second-hand eventing saddle can be a sensible way to find a quality piece of tack without paying the price of a new model. It can also become an…
Canter fitness is one of the least visible parts of preparing an event horse. A horse can look happy in the school, jump a few fences confidently, and still…
There are show days when the plan feels solid from the moment the lorry leaves home. The tack is packed, Archie has travelled quietly, and I can picture every…
Finding the right bridle for eventing has been a much longer process than I expected. Archie can be wonderfully generous in his work, but he is also very clear…
A flying lead change can look effortless in an eventing arena, but it is a surprisingly detailed movement. The horse must change the leading leg in front and…
Archie has always been the sort of horse who makes every part of eventing feel connected. A quiet schooling session affects the dressage test, a balanced…
Grass arenas can look perfect from the lorry park and feel completely different once a horse starts moving across them. A little rain, a shaded corner, or…