WIN WIN WIN tickets to The Edge of Glory Tour with Geoff Billington and Oliver Townend!

I am thrilled to announce I have been given media accreditation and will be attending this tour and look forward to seeing some familiar faces at many of the venues!

Oliver Townend and Geoff Billington are BACK for what is estimated to be their biggest and best tour YET!

Legendary show jumper, Geoff Billington and International event rider, Oliver Townend  will be traveling the length and breadth of the country this December for their Edge of Glory Tour.

Geoff has represented Great Britain twice now in the Olympic showjumping team as well as won the DFS Hickstead Derby in 2007. Geoff's enthusiasm for showjumping and competitive spirit makes him one of the crowds favorite wherever he goes.

Oliver is also another of the nations favorites and has also had a very successful career with horses. He won both Badminton and Burghley in 2009 and is continuing to do exceptionally well both internationally and in the United Kingdom. Oliver is now working hard to bring on talented youngstock from the Harthill Stud.

The Edge of Glory tour is one that is bound to be a fantastic night out for all ages of the family. Oliver and Geoff are determined to not only give an educational insight into schooling your horse at home but also offer breathtaking displays.

2012 is set to be one of the biggest years for the Billington - Townend tours as they have even more bigger and better tricks up their sleeves waiting to wow the audience. As well as this they are delighted to welcome 2 new surprise equine guests who will be making their stage debut this December!!

The hilarious banter, entertainment and fun guaranteed makes The Edge of Glory Tour suitable for all ages and even non-horsey partners or friends! There really is something for everyone.

Oliver and Geoff have promised to provide plenty of antics that will amuse, entertain and shock the crowd. They will also provide an insight in to life showjumping.

As well as this the tour boasts some fantastic shopping opportunities so why not bring your friends, family, partners or even your whole yard along!

Don't miss out - the boys are coming to a venue near you!!



WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN!!

I am giving ONE reader the chance to win a pair of tickets worth £52 for the Arena UK show on 4th December. All you have to do is enter below by thinking of a caption for this photo of Ceaser.

The competition will end Sunday night at 7pm. Entries received after this time will not be counted.  

Please ensure that ALL entries are submitted by emailing your answer to sian12@msn.com

Good Luck and I'll see you there! 

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Fantastic end of season results for the Hundleby girls!

Whilst I was on my way out on Friday evening I was sent a message to let me know the Riding Club results Ceaser and I were members off had been posted.

Throughout the past year we have attended their monthly shows and attempted to rack up points in order to aim for the big rosettes and trophies at their presentation evening in January.

I have been keeping a record of how we had done in all of our classes and was sure we had done well in the Riding Pony class but that was it. So I am sure you can imagine my delight when I opened the results to find we had got overall ridden champion in BOTH ridden veteran AND riding pony type.

Our season started off in a whirlwind as Ceaser was poorly early on in April and just as I thought my world was crashing down he pulled through and has never been better.

This made our triumphs throughout the season even more special and each 1st and 2nd place we gained was worked for and completely my own work. I am thrilled to say that we were never placed below 3rd place at any riding club show throughout the season and took 1st place in all of the riding pony type classes but one.

2013 is set to be fantastic year with new sponsorships and partnerships which I cannot wait to announce and talk more about.

(more on this soon)

**

BUT, it wasn't just me and Ceaser that did fantastic, two liveries on my yard are also set to receive the top rosettes.

Ceasers best friend, Rolo and his owner Paula did brilliantly and got both an overall In-hand champion in the cob class AND reserve champion in both the in-hand coloured and in-hand riding pony type! Rolo stands out in the crowd wherever he goes, with his long flowing mane and tail. I cannot wait to see him in the ridden classes next year. Him and Ceaser make a lovely double act so we are also hoping to do some pairs classes.

My dads horse, Khalisa behaved impeccably for his first ever season showing since being re-trained from a racehorse to riding horse and took overall in-hand champion in the ex-racehorse class! Our yard manager, Louise, shows Khalisa for my dad and I am also looking forward to their ridden debut next season! This stunning horse oozes presence wherever he goes and always turns heads.

A HUGE well done to team Hundleby is due I think - this season has been one of their best and none of us have once arrived back home without arm fulls of rosettes.

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First lesson in a while!

Well, the past two weekends have been absolutely disastrous in terms of getting out competing. Last weekend I had every intention of doing an Elementary test with Ceaser to prepare us for our first affiliated event in a couple of weeks, but unfortunately a day before the competition I somehow managed to get the dreaded 48 hour sickness bug. So, whilst I should have been competing I was stuck in bed listening to others from the yard trotting past my window as they went out on a lovely hack.

That knocked me out for a few days and after work and university it was suddenly Thursday and I hadn't had chance to ride once, which meant Ceaser had ended up having 10 days off - not something I wanted. After endless internet searching I found a local dressage competition that I could enter just to get him out and booked us in.

I knew he would be a little hyperactive when I went to get back on after his time off but little was an understatement! After five minutes of spooking, planting all four feet firmly on the floor and then spinning around at 5 o clock Thursday evening after a full day at university I accepted defeat, got off and went in search of someone to lunge him for me! I work Mondays and Tuesdays and then have university Thursdays and Fridays so if I want to ride those days it means I can't do so until 4/5 o clock when its pitch black and Ceaser thinks its dinner time, not work time.

Thankfully, a livery kindly offered to lunge him for 10 minutes for me on Friday so he would at least be a little more prepared for dressage on Sunday. Apparently he was as good as gold and didn't put a hoof out of line.

Saturday I had every intention of riding, then plaiting - until about 11am I got a text saying the dressage was cancelled due to predicted high winds. Just my luck, you can tell its winter again! So, I quickly popped down to the arena where our riding instructor was teaching some of our riding school clients and asked for a lesson. If Ceaser was going to be a pain like he had been recently then he may as well do it in front of a crowd!

Sharon, our instructor sussed Ceaser out instantly and why I have been having a few issues with him taking off and spooking a lot recently. Just 2 minutes in to trotting she noticed he is tending to over bend and locking his neck and taking hold of the bit when I'm asking for something, meaning that I have no control over what he is doing.

So for the first 10-15 minutes we spent time on getting him moving forward and working from behind a lot more. If he went behind the vertical and sped up without me asking then I was to half halt him whilst pushing him forward. It worked and after a little while he was working a lot better.

When Sharon asked me to canter on Ceaser wasn't as up-hill, which we have been having problems with in our dressage tests. She noticed that he is quite forward and referred to him as a "coil spring waiting to go pop!" which he definitely felt like! So we worked on getting my legs correct and pushing my bum into the saddle more to try and keep him up-hill so he couldn't take a hold of the bit and pull me forward out of my seat. It was definitely easier said than done as I was only riding in my snaffle bit but eventually after some leg-yielding in and out of a 20 meter circle on both reins he began to listen and respect my aids more.

I always find that once we have a had a canter in a dressage test he clicks on and gets strong. Sharon said he definitely gives this impression and because of his thick set neck and shoulders he would be strong if he wanted. It was quite funny that within just a few minutes Sharon spotted exactly what Ceaser does to try and test me and make me work twice as hard - which makes me feel even more confident about her as an instructor. She gave me some homework of doing lots of transitions and keeping him busy so he doesn't get bored and have time to think about being a challenge. We need to work on keeping his brain ticking the whole time I am riding as if I switch off for a slight second he finds something to look at and spook at!

Obviously for an Elementary test where you need to do lots of collections and give the impression of being a lot more up-hill, so I have now ordered a double bridle to use to see if it makes a difference in getting him more up-hill and just that little bit less strong. He is simply too strong in the snaffle so we need to look at other options.

Overall I had a fantastic lesson and have already been practicing the pointers Sharon told me to work at today. It just goes to show that what she said to work at actually works as we only had one spook at some pheasants today despite it being very wet and windy. I have taken him off his electrolytes and cut his high energy feed down whilst he is spending more time stabled during the winter as I am pretty sure that is not helping matters!

Hopefully we will get out competing soon, but if not I have a dressage clinic in two weeks so that will have to do! I hate winter, roll on summer!

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Exciting new sponsorship from Born and Bred clothing - Charles James Fox

I was absolutely thrilled last week when I was poorly to receive the news from Patrick James, owner and creator of Born & Bred clothing that he would like me to be a mentor to all of his sponsored young riders.

It was news that I was hoping I would receive after having had my fingers crossed for quite some time since putting my name forward earlier this year.

Not only does this mean I receive clothing from the Born & Bred range to wear out at competitions, around the yard and on days out but it also means I can help those young riders with their dressage as much as they wish to use me.

I cannot wait to put my order in for clothing as it is all fantastic and I really am stuck for choice on what to decide to have! So if you have any suggestions, please send them over. Something to keep me warm preferably, during this awful weather.

Ceaser and I have a profile page on the Charles James Fox website that you can view. It will provide you with all the information you need about me and how to get in contact. My unique rider number for the company is 9.

Charles James Fox (Born & Bred) website

I am so lucky to have been given this chance to be a dressage mentor and hope to share my tips and competition experience I have gained over the years with riders who need it. One thing I hope to show is that everyone has their bad days with horses, but not everyday is the same. You always need to be prepared to pick yourself back up, get back on and go try your best; in any sphere. 

The creator of Born & Bred, Patrick has created some fantastic products that really

emphasise the brilliant sport that we are all lucky enough to be involved in. You can purchase anything from wall planners, greetings cards and artwork, to clothing designed to wear around the yard or in the comfort of your very own home.

The hard work, thoughts and passion of equestrianism is evident in each and everyone of these products available, so if you have time please check them out.

Born & Bred offer both casual and competition country and equestrian clothing that does not come with a hefty price tag like most, so if you're stuck for a birthday or Christmas present idea for your loved one, then head over to the website - you never know, you could do all of your Christmas shopping on there!

Clothing
Wall Planner
Art work

They are just a few examples of what Charles James Fox has to offer.


Thank you again to Patrick for picking Ceaser and I to be one of your examples of someone to follow and I hope 2013 is going to be a successful year with good partnerships.

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The work of the Air Ambulance

Here is my latest column which features on the Boston Standard website. Please click the link below and it will take you straight to the page.

This week I tell the story of how the Air Ambulance in Lincolnshire saved my friends young sisters life. Throughout the past few months they have had to go through the ordeal of bad news and adapting a new way of life. However, this has not once shown in their attitude to living life to the full and Kirsty is a person we should all be proud of.

Boston Standard - column

To raise money for the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, myself and Katie, Kirsty's sister, are doing a sponsored hack on Christmas Eve dressed as Santas. No doubt we will look absolutely hilarious, but we cannot wait to raise money and help an organisation that potentially saves so many lives throughout the county.
To donate please visit: For Kirsty

If you have any comments or feedback please feel free to comment either below or on the Boston Standard's website.

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Do you like onesies and will you wear yours during the winter?

This week I appeared on the Peter Levy show again. This time it wasn't to talk about dogs attacking horses or the Grand-National, but instead to discuss "onesies" and how popular they are becoming!

Here is the link to take a listen: Peter Levy show
Go to an hour and 11 minutes and you'll be able to have a listen.

Take a listen and tweet me at @FurryMane to let me know what you think.

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Equilicious competition

Roll up, roll up....

One of my lovely friends has a fantastic competition running at the moment and I think its definitely worth entering!

Here's what they have to say:

"COMPETITION TIME!! All these deliveries are getting me into the festive spirit! So I have decided to be a bit more generous and increase the prize of the next competition! The prize includes a matching SADDLECLOTH, OVER REACH BOOTS and BROWBAND set- WORTH £68!!
All you have to do is like the Equilicious page (not the pic!) and share the photo. Someone at random will be chosen on 1st December (UK only). Happy sharing :)"

So, before you order or wrap anymore Christmas presents, don't delay - get entering now and earn yourself a Christmas treat!

To enter, like their facebook page and share the photo by clicking here: Equilicious 

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Schooling exercises for winter

Recently I have received lots of requests to help people keep their horses fit and supple over the winter months. Winter doesn't need to be any different than summer and there is no need to change what you're doing with your horse.

However, I am putting together a blog post of basic schooling exercises and will continue to update it over the next few weeks. With each update I will add more complex exercises both on the flat and over jumps.

I was asked by the Love Likit company to write this blog for their website so here is a taster of what is to come and you will be able to find the whole post on their site in the next few days.

"Another thing I have always noticed whilst watching various individuals at my livery yard is that barely any people use the whole of the arena. Most will trot, canter and do transitions around the outside but seem scared to introduce circles of different sizes in the middle.

I never spend my time exercising riding around the outside. I like to add variety and will very rarely use the outside track. Why not introduce circles in to your daily ride and other exercises? Don’t be afraid to ride serpentines; both three and four loops. Do a range of circle sizes at different places in the arena."

To read the full article please go to:  http://www.likit.co.uk/our-blog/posts/2012/november/winter-schooling-tips/

Don't forget if you have any tips then tweet me @FurryMane or comment below.

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