30/10/2026
Well its all systems go for me now.
After my crashing fall back in March, I am riding again and working on getting stronger and fitter again. The horses are back at home, and if you missed the Newsflash - I had an arena built at home 🎉
I now have somewhere safer to ride and get back to regular training and competing again - SO EXCITED.
So over the coming weeks, I will walk you through my comeback with the horses, fitness, training, how I'm feeling and how I approach it all.
The horses have been doing some gentle hacking for the last couple of months, just walk and trot and helping me get back to it.
I certainly don't feel as confident on Joey as I was before. I am constantly worried about him tripping or slipping or being too exuberant.
Yesterday was the first time they saw the school finished and could venture in there. They went on a hack first so they weren't too fresh before introducing them to the school like an arena familiarization. This is going to be their training area forever more so I need them to have a positive experience from the onset. Both of them in there together for support, standing and having a wander to get used to it. We did progress to a little trot and canter to see if I could remember how to balance and all was fine. Joey seemed delighted that he would be able to use his brain again and show off his moves. He just wanted to canter, but was very considerate and still looking after me.
The coming weeks I won't over do the work in the school, non of us are schooling fit. I will concentrate on suppleness exercises and basic flatwork, and only for about 20 mins each.
Joey in particular needs to know that just because he knows how to do stuff - we are not off and running. I am going to take it slowly and set the foundations, re inforcing him to be patient and not anticipate. It will give me something to focus on while my confidence improves. He has muscle to build and his body to get strong in certain places again.
Enjoy joeys first canter in the school - demonstrating a move that I didn’t ask for & I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist in any test - a flying change into counter canter on a corner !
🤦♀️🐴