Hope you have all had a good start to 2018! It’s been pretty wet at QD Horses, but it hasn’t stopped us competing. We had QD Esquire (Morris) out for his first show at Northallerton. We used our Lemon Tree music to win the Elementary Gold section with over 73%. We got a late entry for the Medium music, and I have to be honest I made it up as I went along and won with 69%!! He was so good and felt fantastic, he looked so fit and in such great shape.
Also, I had my sisters coloured horse out at Bishop Burton College to practice for his regional championship in February. He won a big class with almost 74%, he really went lovely and I could not ask for more from him.
I am currently training them all up for the regionals, we have four horses qualified and six classes so it will be a busy event. Later in February we will be going watch our new horse in Holland, and hopefully get some practice in for my shows over in Holland this year.
My advanced horse, Pikkert, has been training hard. We took him to Ledston Equine clinic to use their huge arena so we could practice my floor plans and tests, and we also worked on some piaffe and passage!! He’s still a little green so not quite ready for the Grand Prix yet!!
This month is pretty much training and teaching, and we’ve had some good results coming in from the clients I teach, which is always rewarding.
Next month, I hope to share my regional stories along with my Dutch trip.
Love Sarah & QD Horses
January has just flown by and with the start of the eventing season getting closer and closer, it feels great to be getting back to business with our preparations!
I’ve been enjoying planning our first runs of the year and just cannot wait to get back on that xc field!
Last weekend Robbie had his first outing of 2018, practicing our showjumping at a lovely new venue to the area, Laughton Manor. He came home with a fourth in the 95cm and second in the 105cm. We had a fab time there!
This week we are off for a XC lesson at Burnham Market with our fantastic trainer, Tiny Clapham. I’m really excited about that as I’ve only ever had one XC lesson (a fair few years ago!) on my now retired eventer, Hutch. I have a feeling I will come away with lots to improve on and I know that Robbie will absolutely love being able to fly over some solid fences on grass so early in the year!
We’ve spent much of our time recently hacking out and building up fitness. I think it’s really important for the horses to do some road work at the beginning of the year, even though they don’t get turned away for a complete holiday throughout the winter. For Robbie especially, it’s so valuable to him to keep him ticking over and in some sort of work, although not as strenuous as his normal exercise regime!
Having come to me with old sacroiliac problems, we work really hard with Tiny, who is always understanding and sympathetic with him, as well as our amazing chiropractor, Sophie Edwards, to make the best of his paces and keep him comfortable and able to perform! Without Sophie, Robbie wouldn’t be out competing! She keeps him straight and feeling great!
Robbie’s walk is by far his weakest pace. It lacks in clarity and Robbie finds it quite difficult to step under himself, making his steps short and tight and therefore poorly marked! Hacking out is great to encourage him to walk out and it makes my job easier listening to the regularity of the ‘clip clop’ on the road! It has definitely seemed to help improve his flatwork when we get back in the arena at home, so I’m hoping this will be seen in our dressage marks too! I also believe hacking is the perfect opportunity to work on my own strength, so you will often see me standing up in my stirrups whilst hacking down the roads, improving my lower leg and balance.
Catch up with yet even more pre-season prep in Feb!
Coral x
Even though over the past few months Katelyn and Balli have not been out competing, they have really been working on Balli getting stronger, calmer and learning the main basics again. These are slowly being achieved but are going to take some time.
Balli is still having Fibre-Beet in her feed and her condition is getting so much better, her coat is glossy, and she has great coverage even through these tough months of winter.
Katelyn is hoping to get Balli out competing again soon, but it will all depend on how she is going in the next few months. Katelyn is hoping to get Balli to a few clear round shows in the next few months and hoping to move forwards from there.
Rachel and Spirit are looking forward to getting out and competing in February. They have loads of lessons booked in with Ashley Boyce and have been doing lots of work on there fitness, hacking every weekend and putting in the work in the school during the week.
Spirit still has her important source of Fibre-Beet and is looking great; her coat is looking fantastic and better than ever. They are both looking forward to the up and coming year.
I have three horses to get fit and ready for their first event in the last week of February. As always we are heading to the lovely EMDG event at Osberton as a season opener. It is always such a lovely first event to blow away the cobwebs and (touch wood) the ground at Osberton is always incredible whatever the weather.
Harry is going really well and feels on top form following a disappointing 2017 season where things just didn’t go our way. Although the luxurious kept lifestyle he is currently living isn’t doing his waistline any favour and this is the horse who we struggled to keep weight on before discovering the miracle of Fibre-Beet!!
My lovely baby Rosie has been out and about this winter doing some Arena Eventing and is progressing very well in her lessons! She seems to have the right answer to every question asked of her and I’m very excited to get her out to her first event. We are off to have a play at some baby dressage at the weekend to get her inside some white boards!
All in all, I am very much looking forward to the start of the 2018 season with three lovely horses to compete. Now just to keep on top of my studies as my masters project start date gets closer!
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