Sponsored Rider 2009

Heather Stennett

This section is written by Heather Stennett.  Every month Heather will be keeping us up to date with what is going on at her yard and how her horse are going.  There is also a profile of her career so far and the horses she competes and rides.

March/April 2009

We only managed one more show at Towerlands before leaving for Portugal . Pablo was great - double clear and placed, and Skinny had 4 faults in the jump-off of the 1.30m. I would have liked to have done more in preparation, but Skinny had a little twinge in his back, so we decided to give that a chance to get better rather than jump more and risk it getting worse.

Our journey to Portugal was well planned and we decided to do it in a leisurely four days. We sail with Norfolk Line to Dunkirk , as they have nice ships and always try to keep the horses outside with plenty of air. So day 1 was from Felixstowe to Calais . The stables here are good and airy and clean, and what's more we know the way which is always comforting! We arrived in plenty of time, so the horses could settle and get a good rest before the long journey the next day.

Day 2 brought an early start with a long, boring drive all the way to Bordeaux . All went well, and the horses traveled like old pro's, making the most of the stops to wee, drink and eat a little food. On these long journeys we travel them with a net of Haylage, which works well as there is no dust and their bodies seem to keep functioning better if they have something to munch on all the time.

The stables at Bordeaux are so peaceful, almost unimaginable. Skinny was pleased to see his pal, whom he met in the autumn – a small Shetland pony who mooches about the place like he owns it.

Day 3 was my birthday and as luck would have it we had a much shorter journey, so not such an early start. After presents, which had been secretly stashed away at home, we set off to tackle the Pyrenees . Whilst we have done this journey a few times already, this time the Sat Nav was determined that there is a new road, I , however was not! Amidst the confusion we found our way to the stables in Palencia easily enough, if a little further round than we normally go! Really big clean stables, and the boys came off the lorry full of vim and vigor, showing no ill effects from the journey so far – still eating and drinking well.

Last day – great views, no traffic, but a long way. All was well until we hit the very last stretch, with all the motorways and mountains behind us, the water pump went on the lorry. Luckily, we realized and were able to stop before the engine over-heated. We were literally within hacking distance of the showground. Patiently we waited for it to cool down then went a bit further and stopped again, until we finally reached the showground. Thank Goodness it happened when it did, and not in the mountains, on the motorway or on the way home. At least we had a month to get it sorted out. Nothing is ever straight-forward!!!

After such a long journey the horses should be tired but I think that they must have been running on adrenalin, because they were both pretty wild. I would have liked to have really worked them hard, but after four days of not doing anything one has to be so careful not to overdo it. However, after the first weekend's jumping, more work was definitely on the cards!!

The weather in Portugal during the first couple of weeks was glorious, luckily, as that was when most people came to visit. Jann Turner came to check the boys' backs and get some sun too. Skinny's niggle was still there and after two weeks of not going so well, I chatted with the vet, who, after a brief examination, suggested that we try something for a stomach ulcer. Although he didn't have the required dosage, after the third week he did start to improve – luckily!

Pablo had jumped some good rounds with just the odd mistake, and a few rounds where he had been just too strong. On the third week we began to click and he was placed in the 1.35m – he jumped fab!

The last week I decided to keep them in separate classes to give myself a chance to concentrate on them one at a time. Pablo went from strength to strength – 5 th on Friday, 4 th on Saturday and so unlucky to have the last fence on the Sunday with the fastest time – what a confidence boost. Skinny too was better, just a silly mistake in the Small Grand Prix left me kicking myself, but at least he was beginning to feel a bit more like his old self.

All too soon, it was time to pack up for the journey home – 3 days this time and stopping at 2 stables that we had not been to before. Although it is tiring, you do get to visit some great places as you travel up and down to shows, and the yard at Valladolid was in a most glorious position. So to Blois where the route to the stables had been dug up, and we had to be rescued by the owner of the stables – we would never have found our way round all the back-doubles, and from there home. Luckily the boys traveled well and we were home early enough for them to go in the field – they still had enough energy left to show their pleasure at being home and out in the sun!

On the trip back, I decided that we would crack on when we got home, once we could get Skinny on some Gastro Guard. This was achieved within a couple of days so off we went to Belton Horse Trials where they had a couple of jumping classes. Pabs continued his good form and was 5 th in the 1.35m speed, whilst Skinny jumped clear too – hooray, his 1 st in 5 weeks! Fingers crossed he is turning the corner and getting ready for a busy summer in England .

February 2009

Having given Pablo a few weeks to settle in and have some Bowen treatment, it was time to crack on with him. We headed off to the premier show at Arena UK , maybe not an ideal practice show but Skinny needed the trip too so why not. We only jumped the 1.25m, which was a 2 phase with a lot of jumps!! As Pablo trotted into the arena, I could feel him thinking that there were a lot of jumps in this arena and not many gaps. He jumped round, but, in fairness, he felt a little confused and backward – so we had 8 faults. It was a nice trip for Skinny though, as he jumped a double clear. Whilst it was not a very lucrative show, we had achieved what we wanted - a couple of schooling rounds at a good quality show. We made some alterations to Pablo's bridle for the next show at Patchetts, but a bit too much and I was lacking in the controls department – Pablo thought it was great!! Speed will not be a problem!! Again Skinny jumped a good solid double clear in the 1.30m. We made some more alterations to Pablo's bridle before a trip to Towerlands. I walked the course and felt that it was ideal for Pablo and I to get to know each other – the bigger arena with an ideal course definitely helped and we seemed to hit the jackpot with the bridle, third time lucky!! He jumped a double clear and was 5 th . I was very relieved, pleased and excited! Once again Skinny jumped a great clear in the 1.30m, but was very unlucky in the jump off – just stroking off the last fence.

All in all a perfect month, with both horses seem to be confident and to be enjoying their jumping –m great preparation for our forthcoming trip abroad. We have been busy getting organized for the Portuguese Sunshine Tour; passports for the horses have been going back and forth to the BSJA, booking ferries and stables for the journey through France and Spain plus entries too!

The yard at Cowpasture is also very busy with new liveries and horses everywhere, dressage shows, and of course the young horses are in work although not doing any shows at the moment. The next few weeks will be spent making sure that the yard has everything it needs while we are away – and that we do too – looking forward to Portugal !!

BED DOWN – JANUARY 2009

New Year, Same Hopes!!!!

What a great start for me. Firstly, I am proud and excited to be the Bed Down sponsored rider for 2009, and, secondly, a new horse for the new season. For those of you who read this column, I am sorry, I can hear the groans already, but I promise to keep you up to date and will try not to be too boring in the forthcoming months.

I must extend my thanks to Bed Down, especially in the current climate, for continuing with their sponsorship this year. It really does make a huge difference to me both at home and equally when traveling and staying away at shows. Whenever possible I take my Bed Down bales with me and can always rely on them being clean fresh and no dust – the perfect start for all my horses.

All my horses are now back in work after some time off over the winter. Skinny has been to a couple of shows and feels strong and ready to go – already with one win under his belt.

An addition to my small team is Pablo. I can only describe him as small (especially beside Skinny) and very old fashioned. He is ten years old and is well traveled, but only did a couple of shows last year due to his owners work commitments. Having had his teeth and back treated on arrival, he is now in work and I am very excited to see how he will progress. Watch this space for the next instalment.

DECEMBER NEWS - 2008

What a strange month on the weather front – wet muddy to start and then getting so dry that we managed to harrow and roll a field. Although it is not really the time of year that one would normally consider doing any tractor based work on the fields, it was so dry and since the field in question is shared am and pm by two of our boys, it had got into a bit of a mess.

Skinny finally came back into work having had a whole month off. At first, he looked his normal sleek self, but after a few weeks work, he has taken on a rather larger frame (how does that work?). We are convincing ourselves that he is flourishing so much as a result of having his first completely clean sheet from Jan for ages – could be ever, knowing her!! Whatever the real reason he does appear to be flourishing just now, and the result at the one show he has been to since his rest supports that, as he won. It was only a 1.20m, but this was a great class to start with as the last time he jumped (in Spain ) he found the going a bit of a struggle.

Of the young horses, Bill is about ready to be getting on with things now, but in order to give his injury as much time as possible to make a full recovery, we have made the decision not to even try to take him abroad this spring. He shows so much promise (and attitude – not all bad!) that it would be a shame to shorten his career by starting too early. Whif made a bit of a start, but he is so big that his body still cannot quite keep up with any hard work that he is asked to do – so he will not be joining Skinny on any adventures just yet either. As for Napardie, he thinks all his birthdays have come at once. He is allowed to be as dirty and scruffy as he likes, eat all day (and night) and not have any of us bouncing around on his back!! However, Ann will not be away for much longer so he better start getting his head round being a nice hack again!!

The girls at the yard have been enjoying the dressage shows that they have been organizing between themselves. It is so nice to see people having enough get-up-and-go to organize the type of show that they want to enjoy – with a lovely relaxed friendly atmosphere without losing any efficiency in the organization.

Hopefully, we have a traveling companion for Skinny. We are just waiting for a horse to be vetted, so we are keeping everything crossed. Vettings can be tricky, especially when there could be a language difference – this horse is currently based in Belgium , so is being vetted over there. Once we know if and when we are going to be able to have this horse, we will be able to finalise plans for the Spring.

Our choices appear to be to go to Spain (if we are not too late with entries) and then on to Vilamoura, or Spain for only four of the five weeks, home for a week in the field, re-shod and backs done, and then to Vilamoura, or just Vilamoura for four weeks. How spoilt we are having possible options, but actually Lindsey wants a rest from us so she can't wait to get rid of us – again!! We will, however know what we are going to be doing by the time these fingers tap these keys again next month.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

OCTOBER 2008

October is normally one of my favourite months, mainly because the weather can often be so much better than you expect. This year, however, it was not!

John, Skinny and I returned from our five weeks of fantastic weather and jumping to be greeted by a really cold blast of English weather at the beginning of the month, which immediately had us all yearning to go away again.

The yard had been looked after brilliantly in our absence with everything well stocked and all the horses happy and healthy

A long trip in the lorry had given me ample time to think about my game plan for the coming months – so here goes! Sam, our working pupil for the last eighteen months has moved on, Grandini W has found a great new home and Napardie has spent the last month hacking out and is thoroughly enjoying life with Ann. So, why not strike while the iron is hot! Skinny improved so much on the last trip – both physically and mentally he coped with the work and the travel better than ever. Cold English autumn and indoor schools or warm weather in Spain for three weeks? No contest!! Out with the maps again to find our way to Montenmedio, the home of the Spanish Sunshine Tour.

A week of unpacking and packing, organizing and making plans, and a week's work into Wiff (our massive, raw and rangy 5 year old) before handing over the reins to Lindsey whilst we are away.

We arrived at Montenmedio with the sun shining – already a good start! Skinny had traveled well, and after having his customary welcome roll on his Excell bed, settled in like a pro. It is a fantastic venue with 900 permanent stables, vast arenas – both grass and all-weather – restaurants and bars all within walking distance.

My Spanish leaves much to be desired (actually I can ask for two beers – just!!) but my sign language is really quite good now and mostly we got by fairly well.

I couldn't wait to get going, and after getting the all clear at the vet's inspection, our first day's jumping loomed. What a first day! Skinny was much too fresh, excited and very boyish. So, after having two down, a good school was what he needed – and got! His mind was a little more focused the next day in the Small Grand Prix (1.35m) - just four faults. The Sunday of this show always has the Big Grand Prix for 20,000 euros, so I was prepared for a big and technical track and felt that Skinny was too. He was better again and jumped clear. In a class of 42 only two of us had gone clear by the time the 28 th horse jumped; but sadly five more went clear. Since we couldn't be worse than 7 th , I decided to have a go in the jump off – perhaps a little premature in relation to his experience at this level. However two down was still a fine effort and already all our entries were now covered! A fantastic start.

During the week we had the opportunity to watch so many different riders training their horses all using different ideas on a variety of horses – some good, some not so good but all interesting nevertheless.

The next Friday Skinny was again a bit fresh, but two great rounds in the Small Grand Prix gave us a good placing on the Saturday. A purely green mistake ended our chances in the Big Grand Prix. However, I can honestly say that he was jumping like I have never felt and really didn't deserve it. I certainly learnt my lesson – I was just enjoying the ride too much!

Sadly the last weekend was a total washout for us. The weather felt like we were in the midst of a tornado and were thankful for such great stabling facilities. They cancelled the first day, and then moved the jumping on to an all weather arena, but it really was too wet to be able to call the going anything but not good. Skinny is far too precious to me to risk on moderate going, so although it was disappointing not to jump having travelled so far, there is always another show. Not, however, with a broken horse!

NOVEMBER

Back home and feeling very happy about the last couple of months! Skinny is going to have the whole month off, so long as he doesn't get bored and start being naughty! Jann Turner was very pleased with how he felt on his return – a few tired muscles but generally very good.

All eyes and efforts on Wiff and Bill now. Wiff has started jumping at home again. Because of his size, he is going to need a bit of time but he has plenty of scope and is careful. Every week he has become stronger and more mature, so I am looking forward to taking him to some small shows.

Lindsey has started working Bill again, and he seems to be showing no ill effects from his accident back in the summer, so full marks again to Rossdales for patching him up! I hope he will soon catch up with Wiff and then they can travel together.

Winter is looming with all the added strains that go with it – wet fields, less grass, more hay, more hard feed, the list goes on and on! Everything has become more expensive over the last year, and over the last couple of months there has been quite a problem in getting hold of any quantity of shavings. The few bales that can be got hold of tend to be really pricey, so “well done Bed-Down” with their new ‘Rappasorb' – we received our first consignment this month. It appears to be a fantastic alternative – clean, dust free, fresh looking, easy to use and even Skinny who is inclined to nibble away at the chopped straw in the Excell doesn't think much to the taste! Best of all it is available and reasonably priced so good stuff Bed-Down!

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

It seems that poor old Napardie has finally been taken over by his ailments, and the joint decision to retire him has been made. He will happily live out his retirement here at Cowpasture Farm being hacked out by his owner Ann – something which they are both enjoying very much.

Velora had yet another accident which means that she won't be in action for a while. Bill, whose fetlock looked so bad, has continued to make the most amazing recovery – so hopefully things will turn a corner in the bad luck stakes!

We headed off to Bicton, but, ‘Wow', was it wet. It had obviously been really wet leading up to the show, but the day we arrived was quite sunny and dry. However, on the first day of the show all the grass collecting rings were just a mud patch. The main ring at Bicton is a bit like a mini Hickstead but with a style all of its own. Skinny coped very well on the first day and, although he had one fence down, he jumped very well. The big class on the second day was a 1.40m and it was a big one with a huge combination to finish. I watched the first few go – no clears and some very good horses and riders struggling with both the time allowed and the last combination. A little more pressure and Skinny reacted brilliantly, jumping a great round – clear and inside the time. In fact, he ended up being the only clear – a fantastic result and just what we needed after all our bad luck over the last few weeks.

Shortly after Bicton, we had an email from some show organizers in Portugal about a summer tour they had organized. After much deliberation we decided to try and go and so I rang the BSJA and asked to put my name down to go. The shows clashed with some good shows in England and whilst I would have liked to have done these, the lure of more jumping outdoors and the sun was far more appealing. We had to wait for confirmation from Derek Ricketts before we could make final arrangements, and because of the Olympics this took some time – but as soon as we got the nod, it was all systems go.

First, I had to make sure we had all the supplies we needed for the yard at home – 40 horses need a lot of hay, straw, feed and shavings, and get as many jobs done as possible. Then it was time to pack the lorry – with only taking one horse we had enough room to take all our feed, hay and shavings for the whole trip (and we even brought some home again with us!). We were very glad to be able to take Bed-Down Excel as we could make a very comfortable bed with five bales – and with careful skipping out and turning over of the bed, make it last a week – where others were having to use seven or eight ordinary shavings bales, and I daren't tell you what they cost out there!! It sounds mad to take just one horse all the way to Portugal , but John and I decided to take it as a holiday as well as giving Skinny some education and a chance to catch up on those lost eight months.

The trip consisted of 3 shows in Portugal and 1 in France on the way home. The journeys were all pretty uneventful apart from the blow-out we had on the third day – not a pleasant experience for us, especially for the funds! Even worse, however for poor Skinny who had to cope with the Juggernauts whistling passed his nose, since we were on the ‘wrong side of the road'!!

The highlight of the first show was the Puissance, which was held in the evening under floodlights with the most amazing atmosphere. It was just a huge party – Sangria, BBQ, music and big jumping. Skinny has never done a Puissance and it is a good few years since I did one. He was, however, very brave – the wall started at 1.60m and unfortunately he just rubbed it off behind at 1.80m. I'm sure, however, that next time he will know what he has got to do. That evening gave Skinny more experience than you can imagine; he dealt with the atmosphere and soaked up the attention – loving every minute of it.

The 2 nd show was in Comporta – a show I had been to before and I was pleasantly surprised by the improvements that had been made there. It was incredibly hot and the flies were terrible, but the arena is fantastic and filled Skinny with confidence. We were lucky enough to have Bob Ellis and David Ackland from England as course builders, so we had some idea what to expect each day. Our best result here was 10 th in the Small Grand Prix, which might not sound great, but, with big classes and sticking with our aim of only really trying to get experience, any places were a bonus. We were also placed in a strong two-phase competition and so we left Comporta feeling like we were building all the time.

Next it was on to Portimao, a 3* show right down in the Algarve . It was still very hot, but with just a little more breeze. Not, however, enough to blow away all those pesky flies!! We had fans blowing through the fronts of the stables to help keep them cool and they could get some respite from the fly invasion by putting their heads up close to the fans. The beach here is fantastic and we took the opportunity to enjoy the holiday atmosphere for the few days before the show started.

We were clear in the big class (a speed class) on the first day and double clear in the 1.40m two-phase class on the second day. Unfortunately, we were one place outside the money both times which was frustrating! But, at the end of the day Skinny jumped really well and proved that he could cope at 3* level.

It was time to start heading towards home, which left us with real mixed feelings as we had met some good people in Portugal . Nevertheless, we were certainly looking forward to the show in France . We arrived in Brive in good spirits, and this brand new equestrian centre did not disappoint us. It was, however, also home to several Llamas, goats, sheep, a little pig and a Dexter cow!! As you can imagine there were a lot of eyes on stalks and Skinny's education was furthered even more – though he did soon learn that they weren't horse eaters!

The big class on the first day was the Small Grand Prix, a jump-off class. I was 4 th to go so really for the first time on the trip I had the best of the going. The arena at this show was, however, at the top of a mountain with the collecting ring at the bottom, so I didn't get the chance to watch anyone go and was unsure of how tight the time would be. I decided that a clear round was the most important thing and not to worry too much about time. He jumped fantastically but just outside the time allowed for one time fault. After fifteen horses, there was still only one clear, and after 30 and after 40! Not until the penultimate of the 42 starters was there another clear, so Skinny was third – a pleasing result after knocking on the door so often for three weeks.

On the Sunday, in the big Grand Prix, he had just 4 faults, and since he had a late draw he had to cope with going that could perhaps have been better – something he struggled to do at the beginning of the trip so improvement there too. There were only 4 clears in the Grand Prix – it was big enough and a clever course – and as a result of the times of the first round we finished tenth (one place out of the money again!).

So we came to the end of our trip. Whilst we were not big winners, the job was done – improvement every week, some good placings and plenty of clear rounds, plus the bonus of the sun on our faces!!!

JUNE - JULY

Firstly, I must apologise for the slow updates. This time of year, as for many of us, life is amazingly hectic. No sooner has one arrived home from a show than one is turning round and going to the next one. The same with one’s list of jobs – never ending!

 

June and July, as well as being very busy, have been very up and down. Never a dull moment, and coping with these ups and downs is never easy either. However, it certainly hasn’t all been bad, and focusing on the positive goes a long way to help one cope….

 

Skinny has continued to improve, becoming fitter and stronger all the time. May finished off very well with good results at Suffolk County, but the last couple of months have seen him become more consistent at a higher level. With clears at 1.40 at Newbury and Weston Lawns, and good rounds at the East of England saw him qualify for his first Grand Prix. Although he had faults, I am sure he only needed to adjust to the bigger and more technical track. He then went on to jump a double clear in a huge 1.40 at Weston Lawns and qualified for the Ladies Final at Scope. He was also 4 th in a very competitive 1.30 and this round brought back to me the feeling and memories of Portugal two years ago. I can once again rely totally on his scope and generosity, enabling us to be more competitive.

 

Both Velora and Napardie have had their ups and downs over the last couple of months. The going is definitely an important factor for these two; this has meant picking and choosing shows, and a few changes of plan. However, good results at the East of England and Royal Norfolk have helped to keep their heads above water!

 

Young Whif is now back in work, although he certainly hasn’t yet stopped growing. He has, however, begun to mature, working in a much more relaxed way which, I’m sure, will help him to build up physically too. There is no rush, however, as he is so huge – pole work and hacking for the short term anyway.

 

We thought Bill was about ready to start going to shows. However, an early morning encounter with a field gate meant yet another change of plan. Straight to Rossdale’s for an operation under general anaesthetic, to flush out, tidy up and stitch what can only be described as an horrendous wound. Five weeks on, and the speed of the healing process has been truly amazing. Our thanks go to his fantastic surgeon and all the team at Newmarket.

 

Things at the yard have been busy as always, but with two great work experience students for a couple of weeks, we managed to catch up with the mundane but necessary yard tasks. Painting, repairing, etc., etc., on it goes! Still, lest we forget, it is all worth it when it goes right!

MAY – UPS & DOWNS !!

The beginning of the month was scorchio! We had a fantastic two weeks and the grass at Cowpasture Farm got a great head start, which I decided to let Bill and Whiff, our young horses, benefit from, whilst having a short break, allowing us to concentrate on a few County Shows.

Napardie started the month a little jittery and I soon realised his Kissing Spines were causing him some discomfort. Although it is a terrible burden for him, he loves his jumping and careful assessment and medication helps to keep him on the road.

Velora has had a great month coping with all the County Show conditions (Coaches-and-four and all the animals etc.). She has been placed in a couple of opens at Towerlands and just four faults in her first Foxhunter at Suffolk County Show. Thanks to the better weather she is enjoying life living out in the field, where she keeps herself fit!! This also cuts down on the never-ending mucking out.

Skinny has to be this month's grade ‘A' student. The transformation in six weeks from the end of April, when he did his first show back, to the end of May is quite amazing and very pleasing indeed. He started the month with four days at Weston Lawns. Although wild on the first day he settled throughout the show, jumping some good rounds. We headed on to South Suffolk but after much deliberation decided not to jump. It has been a long road getting him back to full fitness, and although the going wasn't terrible I didn't feel it was good enough. However, we had a lovely day, got sun-burnt and caught up with lots of friends including Sarah at the Bed-Down Stall. The following week we went to Hadleigh Show, where Skinny jumped two fantastic rounds in the 1.25m, to win. Napardie was unlucky, having the fastest time in the Jump Off in the A,B&C but with one down. Velora also scored a clear in this class.

Of course, Suffolk County is the one we all love to compete at, with friends and family there to support, and the fantastic main ring is a privilege to ride in. However, the classes in there are always massive, even the speed classes. Skinny has jumped in the main ring before and found it very daunting and was extremely spooky last year, so this year I was not sure what to expect. The first class on Wednesday was a 1.50m speed class – probably the biggest track Skinny has ever faced. However the perfect going filled him with confidence and two ‘novicey' mistakes left us with just eight faults but two smiling faces! The following day was the Fences and Footballs class, focusing more on fun the course was less demanding, standing at 1.40m. Having jumped the day before, he took it all in his stride, was careful and quick and not fazed by the ring at all. To top it off I scored a goal, so we finished up sixth. A reputable result against some of the fastest combinations in the country.

BED DOWN REPORT – APRIL 08

April started with a gargantuan trip to Weston Lawns – thirteen horses in four trucks for seven riders (masses of organisation required, not to mention the number of bales of BED-DOWN!!). Our novices, Grandini W and Temple What If, recorded consistent double clears. Whilst Velora started off a bit green in the main ring, she improved daily finishing with a foot perfect double clear to finish fourth in the Newcomers. Napardie took grade ‘A' student honours again this week finishing with an awesome win in the 1.25m which, as always at Weston Lawns, was hot to trot! On the Saturday, which happened to be Grand National day, the weather was somewhat turbulent, however the atmosphere was great. Both rings stopped jumping so that we could all cram into the restaurant and watch the big race. Snow stopped our play on the Sunday and we headed back to Suffolk with a troop of happy horses and riders.

On the following Tuesday we took a trip to Newmarket with Skinny and he finally got the all-clear to start jumping – beautiful music to our ears after all this time! However the timing seemed right to give him a few extra days and take five days holiday, the first five days in five years! Having missed the sunshine tour this year with the horses, we decided that we would go without them and catch up with both English and Portuguese friends. The food and drink flowed from start to finish and we recharged our batteries in the sun.

The next show was Towerlands where Velora gained more valuable experience and Grandini W jumped well and was placed. There was much excitement at the show due to another Stennett Equestrian team member, Stewie and Lars Night, earning an honourable place on the Irish Inter-Nations team and being the only member of that team to jump a double clear.

Although Skinny (Dire Strait) has never been a fan of Addington, we decided to make this the venue for his first outing as the going is always good - his steady clear in the 1.15m A4 was very encouraging after six long months. Napardie was 2 nd in the same class just pipped by the last to go.

Things are still busy at Cowpasture Farm – we have outgrown our hard standing car/lorry park and big plans are in motion to expand it. Billy Dane is now going as well under saddle as he does loose and has transformed from the hairy wild little Herbert he was last year into a grown up one and his first show and set of shoes are in the pipeline!

Thought for this month – Have a plan – if you don't stick to it's not the end of the world, but if you don't have one where will you end up!!

February/March 2008

February was a great month, the fabulous weather meant we were able to do so much; at home plenty of schooling and training went on and the dry spell allowed us to do some work on the fields and tracks. We held two jumping clinics at Cowpasture Farm – the sun shone and the days were enjoyed by all, from the very nervous novice to the more experienced competitor.

We were also able to compete at plenty of one day shows with the young horses, getting some vital miles under their belts before the onslaught of the outdoor season. Velora has continued to improve over the last few shows being placed regularly, and winning a newcomers. Whilst these shows have had little in the way of classes for Napardie, it really has not been worth travelling to the premier shows for him alone, so he has jumped the odd class at Towerlands to keep him ticking over - after all, hopefully, he will have a busy summer. I have, however, picked up a few extra rides to keep me busy – for Carly Milbank whilst she is pregnant and also for Carolyn Day whilst she recovers from a broken leg. I am glad to say that all the horses have gone very well. I have enjoyed the relaxation of just going to the training shows (some of those big shows are real pressure cauldrons!)

March has, however, felt far from productive. Shocking weather - high winds, snow and rain and I caught a nasty virus. It rather stopped me in my tracks, but I suppose the timing could have been worse. The yard has still been very busy with horses coming in for schooling, but the team at home has rallied well and coped admirably with the extra work load and the inclement weather.

At the moment Cowpasture Farm is pretty much under water, so all the horses have had to stay in, a policy we only use when things get really bad. As you can imagine the horses are all very fit and fresh and ready for action, so, I am glad to say, next week we head to Weston Lawns for four days with fourteen horse from the yard – so a trailer load of BED-DOWN bedding will be needed! After this show we will make some future plans for all the horses, and sort through the many schedules that have already started pouring through the letter box.

Last month I mentioned the WATO driving tests for transporting horses, I am glad to say that we soon had a date for our tests and all duly passed. The famous John Parker, and ‘his better half', were our assessors and they kept us entertained and well informed. Thanks to both of them and British Driving Society at Helmingham for all their help.

January 2008

2008 and our association with Bed-Down started with a successful time at the Unex Towerlands New Year show. Reliable as ever, Napardie started with a win and finished with a 3 rd . Grandini W also went well recording 3 double clears over the show. These results fired my enthusiasm and the Cowpasture team has been in full swing, taking the younger horses out to some shows over the last few weeks, each gaining valuable experience and showing lots of promise.

I have another horse back to competition this month, Velora, a 7yo mare owned by Ann Skeet. She is amazingly athletic but very hot-blooded with it and an exciting prospect for this year. She has jumped 3 double clears in just 4 shows so far, I will keep you posted on her progress.

At home in January…..

Dire Strait (Skinny) has come back into work, he is super fresh and like a coiled spring! Although he feels like he could run the Derby and jump a puissance, I have to make sure his fittening work is controlled and slowly built up to avoid any hiccups. I am really looking forward to getting him back out to a show in the spring.

Lindsey has been busy long reining & lunging a 4yo by Renkum Valentino, he moves amazingly and has shown a fantastic loose jump, as soon as he is ready I will be aboard, watch this space!

Don't forget that if you drive a horsebox for any financial reward or on journeys of over 65km, you need to take a Welfare in Animals (Transport) Order Certificate; we applied before Christmas and are waiting for our tests which gives us a bit more time to swat up! But seriously look into this as there may be a waiting list and you wouldn't want to get stopped without one with horses on board!

An Introduction to Heather and her horses

Career/Achievements

After leaving school at 18 I was thrown in at the deep end running the DIY Livery business here at Cowpasture Farm. Having already been a successful pony rider and made the transition to horses, this was to work in my favour, with my competing & the yard complementing each other. The opportunity to compete and produce horses for some supportive owners led to the competition and schooling side of the yard expanding.

The horses I was producing soon started to have some good results, I was on the gold medal winning England U21 team with Lucky Kilkenny and another horse Idle Genius gave me my first taste of HOYS with 7 th place in the Young Riders final. Since then I have qualified and been placed in major finals including Blue Chip, Scope, Hickstead and HOYS to name but a few. 2005 saw a great relationship with Cavalier Diamond, realising an ambition and jumping in Grand Prix and International Trials on the county circuit, we even encountered the Hickstead derby bank culminating with 12 th place in the British Speed Derby, which all of my friends were able to watch at home on Grandstand!

For the last 3 years, I have been lucky enough to compete on the Portuguese Sunshine Tour where I have gained a wealth of experience, enjoying some great wins and numerous placings.

Daily Routine

My daily routine changes enormously, depending on shows. I have an office on the yard with 3 very important boards on the wall for horses, staff and fixtures/treatments. These ensure everyone is aware of what is going on, from working the horses to visits from the vet or farrier. Each horse has a daily & weekly plan whether it is a youngster in for breaking or one of the horses regularly competing. So, keeping these boards updated is essential for the smooth running of the yard.

I normally muck a couple of stables out (some days more, unfortunately!) and then start riding. At the moment, we have a couple of working pupils and I spend time working with them while they ride.

The daily routine for the horses has to be fairly flexible so they can adjust easily when travelling and staying away at shows, however we try to give them all a chance to go in the field and have their own down-time, along with this they have a rest day each week.

I have to keep a close eye on stocks of fodder and bedding, supplying this to most of the yard and as you can imagine, there is a considerable amount required, including Bed Down!

There are 70 acres and 40 stables here at Cowpasture Farm so there is always work to be done on grass management and routine maintenance; luckily I enjoy a little escapism in the tractor…!

Hopes and Horses for 2008

Although having sold Cavalier Diamond last year, I still have a strong team of horses for the coming season and I am looking to add to this. The two main campaigners are Napardie and Dire Strait.

Napardie

12yo bay KWPN Gelding by Boy B. Grade A owned by Ann Skeet

We have had him for 4 years now. He was 3 rd in the National Grade B Final in 2004. Although he is not a big course jumper, he is an out and out winner and every now and again he jumps in a bigger class and has even been successful at a couple of international shows. At home he is a true gent and is ridden by my partner John's 8 year old daughter. He does his talking in the ring, coming alive when the bell goes, for Pards, the faster the better! Pards is partial to Bed Down Pure shavings!

Dire Strait

9yo Danish Bay Gelding by Mosegardens Dilight. Grade B owned by Heather

Bought as an unbroken 4yo, he has gone from strength to strength. His first championship win was the Jayrest Suffolk Novice as a 5yo. As a 6yo he was 10 th in the Newcomers Final at HOYS and placed in the Grade C championship at Hickstead. He won two international 7yo classes and was 3 rd in the 7yo Grand Prix on the Atlantic Equestrian Tour. Last year he was 5 th in a small Grand Prix in Vilamoura and placed in the Ladies Final at the Welsh Masters. He has an array of circus tricks and there is nothing Skinny likes more than to have a good roll in his stable full of Bed Down Excel!

BED-DOWN, Cherry Tree Farm, The Common, Metfield, Harleston, Norfolk. IP20 0LP
Tel: 01986 785278 e-mail info@bed-down.co.uk