it has been a while!

Joey in the Prize Giving at the JAS Champs

So I realise it has been rather a long time since I last sat down and wrote a blog. I could make excuses about being busy and having too many horses to ride, but in reality I have just prioritised other things - sorry! Although I have tried to keep everyone much more up to date with regular posts on my Facebook Page.
Despite the weather putting a downer on most of our eventing plans this season, the runs we have had have been pretty good with 5 double clear and 5 top three placings on three different horses. Coco has had a 2nd in the IN at his only run this season. Hudson has jumped three double clears picking up 3 third places and I stole my cousins pony for a run whilst she was doing GCSE's and picked up a double clear and 2nd place on her. 

Earlier on in the season I had more success at the JAS final. One of my favourite competitions and I am fairly sure it is Lily's favourite competition! We took Lily and Joey down to Hartpury for the final and Joey picked up a 3rd in the BE100 Final, meanwhile Lily won the BE100open final and was 7th in the Novice final. As always we came home with plenty of generous prizes and lots of lovely training vouchers which I have put to good use with my brilliant jumping trainer Ernest Dillon. We also picked up a win and a 3rd on Lily and Joey respectively at the South East Eventers League Arena Eventing Finals which was very exciting! 

Otherwise we have been doing lots and lots of showjumping and we (me and the horses) are loving it. Hudson was amazing to jump a cracking round in the 6yos at Royal Windsor, a full up 1.20m having only jumped one Foxhunter before he went. He was by far the most inexperienced horse in the field, yet made green and distracted mistake at the first for 4 faults but otherwise flew round for a faultless clear. With only 8 clears out of 50 starters, he wasn't doing too badly - he also found himself a fan club which he loved! 

We have jumped at the Hickstead Derby meeting and The Royal International picking up some good results and learning lots along the way. Coco jumped in the Amlin Plus Eventers Challenge again - putting in a great and speedy performance, but unfortunately a couple of rolled poles dropped us out of the prizes. Lily and Joey have both qualified to jump in the Main Arena at the All England Jumping Championships in September. 

Joey and I have been to our first International Show Jumping show at Keysoe where we competed in the CSI2* jumping. Unfortunately we rolled a pole each day, but again we both learnt so much and I felt Joey grew in confidence for the experience. 

We continue to make regular trips to Equine Aqua Training with Coco to go on their fantastic water treadmill - he loves it and is such a pro. 
Gill Maybury Chiropractor continues to help keep the horses comfortable physically with regular checks and treatments if they need it - don't know what we would do without her being able to iron out any niggles. 
The horses are all thriving on Simple System Feeds with all of them having been on the feed since the moment they stepped foot in the yard. The new balancer Simple Balance + is just brilliant. Not only is it convenient to feed being in a pelleted form but I know my horses are getting all the nutrients they require to keep them healthy. It is safe to say their performance and how they look proves how good the feed really is. 

So hopefully that is a short summary of some of the many things we have been up to over the past 8 months or so! 

​Georgie and the team xx

---