Still loving my show jumping
About Me
I get it, you need to know if this blog is worth following as your time is as precious as mine. I am a 56-year-old rider who still loves competing, training learning new stuff and just chilling with my horses. I am defo further up the hill than a teenager but also not ready to roll down the far side into old age. Blog posts will cover everything from juggling life with my own horses and full time job, reviews of kit I love or hate and thoughts and opinions on all the conundrums and ethics of human horse interactions in today's world and some fun stuff too!
I first started a blog back in 2011, writing enthusiastically every week about life on the farm and my ups and downs trying to fit in my horses around full time work and family life. The blog was picked up by Horse and Rider magazine, who asked me to write their back-page column for a year which I loved doing. It was during that year though that I suffered an bad fall at a show because of a chip bag! (Long story) It left me unable to really compete for quite some years, during which my enthusiasm for blogging cooled. However as my kidsgot older I realised I missed competing and got back to it. I may be a little stiffer at the end of each day, but I still absolutely love my show-jumping.
The Horses That Made Me
I have been lucky to own and ride so many great horses over the years. Here are just a few of them
Cavalla - the one who made me dare to dream I could showjump.
Out of all the equestrian disciplines showjumping has always been my thing. I love it. As an amateur rider who has always worked full time I tried my hand at eventing but show jumping is defo more my thing. Over the years I have had some wonderful horses some of which feature below.
Cavalla was my first proper jumping horse. She forgave all my mistakes as she was just so flipping brave and she was a generous horse who just kept jumping and allowing me to learn. I wish I had one like her now as I now know these ones are rare!
Modetia - my horse of a lifetime....
My horse of a lifetime came from the well known Balcormo stud, home of the Low-Mitchell family. I ended up moving 10 minutes away from them and got to know everyone one well. One day Sandra Low Mitchell called me and told me 'I am sitting on your horse'. Well what was a girl to do but head over and try the horse. I totally fell for the little sparky bay mare who loved to jump and we went on to jump classes I never thought possible and she totally cemented my love of a good mare.
My galloping grey - Garth - quirky but brilliant....
Getting me back in the game after having my kids was the stunning 'Garth'. He arrived at my yard and made his presence felt from the moment he stepped of the lorry. A quirky but incredibly talented horse - riding him you felt that there was no fence too big in front of you. Unfortunately though he was quite a spooky horse and if you were unseated in the slightest he used to panic and bolt - which is what happened at a show one day resulting in me having 6 shoulder operations. However I would not have changed this horse for the world he was just spectacular as a sports horse and the relaxed life on our farm suited his wild heart.
Big dreams....
I returned to the sport when my kids were older with the huge, gangly horse His Lordship, known fondly as The BFG. When he bought him at 6 he was already a stately 17.2, little did I know he would grow to be over 18hh and sadly problems with his back and general size meant that being athletic never really suited him so he has been the world's largest field ornament for over a year now, happy and hairy and has been great at keeping my homebred youngsters company. we will see what 2023 bring for him!
