There is a particular kind of tiredness that follows a day at a horse trial. It lives in the legs after repeated mounting and dismounting, in the shoulders…
Posts
Finding Freedom Beyond the Fences
How I Learned to Sit the Trot Without Fighting My Horse
The sitting trot has always been one of those skills that looked simple from the ground and felt completely impossible from the saddle. Watching a polished…
Finding Your Way Forward When a Horse Is Injured
An injured horse changes the rhythm of everything. The plans on the calendar suddenly feel irrelevant, the tack room becomes a place for treatment supplies,…
What My Saddle Fitting Taught Me About Partnership
A saddle fitting appointment can look like a practical errand on a busy equestrian calendar. The horse stands in the aisle, the fitter checks clearances, the…
Why I Arrive at Events Two Hours Early
I have learned that eventing begins long before the first bell, the first salute, or the moment my horse walks through the start box. For me, it begins in the…
Crossing the start box at a new level
There is a particular kind of nervousness that arrives when a competition feels important before you have even pulled into the trailer parking. It is different…
Building Core Strength For A More Secure Position Over Fences
A good jumping position is often described as if it comes from the legs alone: heels down, eyes up, hands following, weight balanced. In reality, the middle of…
What a refusal teaches my horse and me
A refusal is a small, dramatic word for a complicated moment. My horse stops, I lose the rhythm I thought we had, and suddenly the fence in front of us feels…
Managing Rider Nerves Before a Dressage Test
The lorry can be packed, the horse can be polished, and every movement can be familiar at home, yet nerves often arrive before the rider has even mounted.…
The Upside of a Rainy Competition Weekend
Rain has a way of changing the mood before a horse has even come off the trailer. Jackets are pulled tighter, boots collect mud, and every familiar task takes…