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Masta is part of the Harry Hall family and we're proud to work with a hanfdul of professional yards around the UK who test and provide honest feedback on our products. We'd like to introduce Esther and Hattie Horsfall, dressage riders and trainers, operating out of Shaw Farm Equestrian in Todmorden, Yorkshire. They have an exciting string of horses for 2019 that they have trained themselves from youngsters.
Rolex, who we have owned for 7 years, is the trickiest horse we’ve ever had, so talented when he wants to be but so unruly and he has been very naughty in the past. We’ve had some real ups and downs, but we are now enjoying our training and competition success *touches wood*. This year we’re aiming to work at advanced medium and to start some PSG work.
Badger, he is the character of the yard! He likes to think he is in charge, he is so cheeky and amazingly lovable. Again he hasn’t been an easy horse but the good ones never are and we believe he has what it takes to make a top level horse.
Ivan, he was bought after an exciting trip to Holland, he was just backed when we bought him and is super sharp, super trainable and a quite soul in the yard.
We enjoy training regularly with Charlotte Dujardin and Matt Frost, we see training as an essential part of improvement, we strive to be better and our moto is performance through progression. We have both been riding for as long as we can remember, horses are our life, passion and occupation.
Yard life with and young daughter
Since becoming a mum life has had a big adjustment but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Multitasking is now the norm and doing a million jobs at once while thinking of a million other jobs is just my day to day life now.
Cora, my daughter, is 18 months old and gets dragged along wherever we go, I think she’s more horse obsessed than me and Hattie! At any opportunity she’s leaping on to Badger asking him to ‘gee up’ she’s even nearly nailed her up downs. She will have a pony of her own soon but I’m holding off as long as possible, being responsible for 27 horses is enough for now.
Yard life is busier than ever, our horses are on top form, all of them seeming to be going from strength to strength. Badger is now qualified for the elementary regionals and is soon to contest some mediums. Rolex is going from strength to strength and we’re starting to pick up the training intensity with Ivan after some down time at the end of last year, it’s easy to get carried away when they are so willing to work.
I’m loving the progress all my teaching clients are making, many of which are posting better and better results, moving up levels and enjoying their horses. SFE regularly host events and these are busier than ever which is fab! It can be quite a challenge advertising and organising them all, most of which gets done with stolen hours in the evening when I can escape Cora’s demands.
I’m very lucky to train with Hattie, I trust her implicitly and it’s beneficial to have “eyes on the ground” as often as possible keeps us on the straight and narrow.
Happy training and competing in 2019, and follow our progress on our Facebook page - @shawfarmequestrian