Some barn days begin with a horse that will not catch, a truck that refuses to start, or a schedule that falls apart before I have even pulled on my boots.…
Posts
How I Handle a Bad Day at the Barn
The round that changed how I read the rules
There are mistakes that disappear by the time the lorry is packed, and there are mistakes that follow you home. My disqualified round belonged firmly in the…
Why watching other riders can improve your eventing
Eventing is often described as an individual sport, but no rider competes in isolation. At a horse trial, every warm-up ring, start box, arena entrance, and…
My morning rhythm before an eventing competition
Competition mornings begin long before I put a boot in a stirrup. The alarm goes off while the yard is still dark, and for a few quiet minutes I lie still,…
How to stay steady when your horse spooks at a fence
A horse spooking at a fence can turn a familiar approach into a split-second test of balance, timing, and trust. The jump itself may be ordinary, yet a shadow,…
Why I Love the Sound of Hooves on Cross-Country Gallops
There is a particular moment in eventing when the arena, the judges, and the neat rows of white rails disappear behind me. My horse lengthens into a…
Why a good horse hauler changes the whole competition day
An eventing weekend rarely begins when the horse enters the dressage arena. It begins days earlier, when someone checks the truck, studies the route, watches…
What I Wish I Knew Before My First Novice Event
I thought my first novice event would be defined by the three phases: a dressage test, a show-jumping round, and a cross-country course. In reality, the…
How I Choose the Right Bit for My Horse
Choosing a bit is one of those jobs that can look simple from the outside. Walk into a tack shop and there are rows of stainless steel, rubber, lozenge,…
The role of grit in a long cross-country run
There is a particular kind of tiredness that arrives during a long cross-country run. It is not quite the same as the fatigue after a hard schooling session or…