Blog 2015

DECEMBER

My friend Scott came over from America - he'd never been to Olympia. The lovely Louise Donkin invite us to join her in a box and look who was next door!!!

A couple of excellent training sessions for Charlston with Roland Tong!

The entrance to our beautiful yard at Christmas

Donations from myself, liveries and staff for the 'Be a Santa to a Senior' campaign being run by Homestead Senior Care based near our yard in Sawbridgeworth

NOVEMBER

Charlston made his Small Tour debut, coming 2nd in his first PSG and winning the next two and gets a nice write-up and photograph in the Horse & Hound!!!

Another new arrival!! The most gorgeous Lusitano, Chibanga with his owner Jenny!

OCTOBER

We are thrilled to welcome two new clients to Diamond Dressage, Mandy and Harry, a beautiful black Trakehner gelding and Amie and Herro, a fabulous Spanish boy!

Both horses and owners have settled in nicely!

Hannah and Muppet did us proud at the Brook Farm Area Festival Championship coming 5th in a huge, and very strong, Novice Restricted class! This pair are on fire this year and a week later contested the Houghton Hall Area Festival, where sadly Hannah's nerves got the better of her - we have all now signed up with a Sports Psychologist to help us!!!!!

SEPTEMBER

I am simply heartbroken.

Qrusade MKM

1 May 2011 - 29 September 2015

RIP my beautiful boy knowing that you were truly loved and adored your whole life by everyone that knew you, but most of all by me. We'll never get to dance up that centre line now and go on the journey that was meant to be, my hopes and dreams are shattered along with my heart, but most of all I'm going to miss hearing you call for me and seeing your beautiful face every day, you lit up my life.

I'll never forget you, or stop loving you xxxxxxxxx

AUGUST

Charlston went to the Keysoe Regional Championships. We made too many mistakes to be competitive in a very strong class, but I was thrilled to be placed 12th on 64.9% in the Advanced Medium Restricted Championships. Marks and comments from all 3 judges were very encouraging for the future.

The following week, Hannah and Muppet went to the Addington Regional Championships and I'm thrilled to say they put in a fabulous test for 5th place!!!

MAY

Qruz is having a great time hacking round the countryside, together with his schooling. He is having a growth spurt (help) so I am taking it easy with him. He is entered for the Equine Bridge assessment day on 10 June, I will see how he feels nearer the time before I decide to take him or not.

Louis contested his first Advanced Mediums at Brook Farm and Patchetts. Brook Farm was interesting........ having not been out since February Louis found the whole thing hideously exciting, practically losing the plot after the first flying change. The judge clearly didn't like his off piste moves and awarded him 56%!!!! He was however 2nd....... out of 2!!!!!!

He did, however, make up for it at Patchetts the following weekend by holding it together and scoring 66.6% and coming 3rd. Giving him 4 points towards Regional Qualification. I am now going to throw him in at the deep end and enter him for the AM98 in the hope of securing the final 4 points we need!!!! We shall see.......

Charlston contested his first Advanced tests at Houghton Hall. I couldn't be prouder of my boy, he won the first on 67.79% and then 2 days later was 2nd on 66.16%. He needed two scores over 62% for me to be able to apply for Group 3 rider status to enable us to compete at PSG. Small tour here we come!!!!!

I am proud to announce that Diamond Dressage sponsored the Best Rider class at the annual Raybrook Showing Show. The Winner was Maisie Wells!!

Yard Move

The yard move went as smoothly, when moving 18 horses, rubber matting and equipment, as it possibly could.!!!!!!

Huge thanks to everyone that helped, especially Helen, Mark, Daryl, Gary, Sue, Hannah, Mike, Michael, Lisa and Sue. A totally exhausting 8 days, but totally worth it!

APRIL

Helen and Riley did a fabulous job at the Pet Plan Championships, held at the British Dressage Winter Championships at Hartpury. They easily qualified for the second round and then held their own to be finish 12th on 67.70% in the final! Such an achievement at their first (I'm sure of many) major championships.

I took Qruz and Louis out on the 2nd, to my friend Ben Martin's. Both boys were very well behaved and felt amazing. I ran through the AM98 on Louis which was 'fun'!!!!!

Qruz wasn't too keen to load coming home, so lots of practice required at home as he has a lot of travelling to do in the future!

Qruz at Ben's

Helen and Riley are working hard towards the Elementary Restricted Petplan Finals at the Winter Championships on the 16th, they are looking good!

MARCH

A few photos of Qruz working at home - he has been well behaved..... long may it continue!!!!!!

I went up to Will's to ride Qruz before I brought him home - he gave me an amazing feel, once again, Will has done a fantastic job with him. I cannot recommend Tanglewood highly enough.

At Will & Ginny Turnbull's

This photo of my beautiful girl Mondi was taken on her 23rd birthday on 20 March. Foxy couldn't waste the opportunity to photo bomb!!!

APRIL

****Relocating!!!!!!!********

We have been given the opportunity to relocate to Hoskins Farm in High Wych - and

we jumped at it!!!!!

The most beautiful yard (more photos in the Picture Gallery), amazing facilities and hacking. We will be moving there on 1 May 2015. Exciting!!!!

Having two schools will allow me to do clinics - both dressage and Flat, so watch out for dates!!!

Winter Regionals

The Regionals were never a realistic option for Louis as, having learnt changes over the Winter, he had lost the ability to canter without doing tempi changes - so he wasn't entered!

Having worked beautifully on the run up, Muppet then developed Cellulitis 4 days before his class and Charlston developed pus in the foot on the MORNING of his classes and was on 3 legs........ Both were withdrawn......

HOWEVER - DRUM ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Val and Earl did absolutely brilliantly coming 12th in the Prelim

and Clare and Molly hit TOP TEN, with an 8th place in the Elementary Restrictied FSM.

Fabulous results from the one's that actually made it there!!!!!

OCTOBER

We are thrilled to welcome Mandy and Harry, together with Amie and Herro to the yard, both horses settled in well as did their owners!!