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As usual, all the horses had their annual break from October to December, as we are big believers that they need a break to bring them back stronger next year. All six horses come in overnight then go out in the day, whatever the weather, but are not worked at all. During their break, they all had a lovely massage from my friend, Elle, a visit from the physio, teeth checked and vaccinations to ensure they are super healthy and happy horses. They quite enjoy their holidays although they are always excited when their shoes get put back on and they start their work on the horse walker again.

 

Clips and shoe pads

Before that, they are all clipped to reduce hair balling up under their tack and rubbing them. They all had their shoes with pads put back on to ensure that they didn’t get any stone bruises whilst out training in the stoney Peak District. We will do anything we can to make sure the horses are healthy and pain free.

  

At the start of the year, I decided that Sky and Taz would be my main focus for the early rides of the endurance season, and then my Mum could help me get Psyrenkus fit in my spare time. However, as we all know with horses, plans never work out. I turned 17 in February and just 20 days after my birthday, I passed my driving test so I didn’t have time to ride in February. My college work also began to get on top of me so training slowed down a lot!

  

A packed schedule

I attend college Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, studying equine management, but I have a part time job on Tuesdays and Fridays at the local pub, so training the horses had to fit in around that. On college days, I have to get up at 5:30 to muck out three horses and turn four out out, so on my days off I was thankful for a slight lie in!

  

At the weekends, I work one day so the other is split between riding and doing college assignments. This winter has been a real struggle but i know I’ll be thankful at the end of the year when I hopefully pass my course. I hope to bring Taz and Billy on as the year goes on and college work decreases for summer. They are still quite happy and content getting fat and woolly in the field.

  

Tough decisions

I took the tough decision to drop Taz from training completely, so that my grades at college didn’t slip so I focused on training Sky and Psyrenkus, which paid off greatly as they both completed the first rides of the season with flying colours.

  

It has been really important that Psyrenkus and Sky have stayed in training because I hope to take one of them to Italy in September for the World Endurance Young Rider Championships. However, Pysrenkus still has two 120km FEI2* to do in order to qualify. I have chosen to focus on these horses as they are the best in hot weather and are both good travellers. My preferred choice would be Sky, however, things change through the year and I hope to take the horse that is most up for it and ready.

  

Professional breaking

Due to the lack of time, we have also sent our young homebred mare, Blondie, away for breaking at a professional breaking yard. Me and my mum hope to bring her on later this year and get her out competing, which will also take a lot of my time, but she’s coming on well and looks to be exciting for the future. Before we sent her away, we have spent a lot of time simply bringing her in, giving her and feed and brushing her all over. She really enjoyed that and was very eager to do more which is a promising attitude for the future.

  

Over the last few months, I have pretty much lived in my Harry Hall Blouson Jacket. It has kept me so warm and cosy during the early winter mornings and out riding in the wind, rain and snow! I even rode 64km, at the first ride of the season, in torrential rain and it never leaked at all!

  

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