The 12 days of Christmas...2014 memories. The 3rd day of Christmas

When thinking of what I could do for this years "12 days of Christmas" theme on my blog, Mark and I came up with several ideas for what you guys as readers would enjoy reading and what would seem dull.

In previous years I've focused on products that I would recommend using on your equine and canine friends, and the posts have always been well received. However, this year it's safe to say my blog has taken a very different approach. Ceaser's fan base has gotten considerably larger in comparison to previous years, and with the new addition, Ziggy, people seem to be coming to me to find out just how that loveable grey is getting on. Add this to the surprise Mark and I have coming up for you on the 13th December and we decided why not do a post every other day where I pick a favourite photo that means something to me and reflect on the memories I gained from it.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Quitting your job! 

Spring - Celebrating with my main boy!

These photos go hand-in-hand. Celebrating here with the 2nd boy! Sometimes in life you've just got grasp what's out there and take chances. 

Let me explain. I've never been adventurous. Well, hang on, let me rephrase that - I'm adventurous when I'm on a horse and I want to try a new jump, or go down a bridle path I've never been down before, but when it comes to real life I quite like routine. That means taking chances is a new thing for me. I hate change. 

So, when I walked in a meeting one day with a job and walked out without one you can imagine my heart was beating ten to the dozen and part of me thought what the hell have you just done. (My Mum was fuming by the way...!)

I'd been in a job I really disliked for 6 months. I was fed up and wanted a change, I wanted to embrace new beginnings and after endless talks with people I realised my job wasn't going to take me anywhere. You see, I have this plan. In a few years time I want my own house, the cockapoo (or spoodle) dog, I want a bigger horse lorry, I don't just want to be 'another person', I want to be successful, I want to be someone people look up to for advice, I want to leave a stamp on this earth, whether it be through getting some books published, or simply by motivating people to follow their heart. 

Anyway, the moment I realised I wasn't going to get anywhere where I was and I'd had enough, I went into a meeting with a job and came out about to work my months notice. 

I didn't want this blog feature just to be about the ponies, because whilst they're such a huge part of my life, I do enjoy working and I get joy from seeing a project completed. The top photo is a very poignant photo for me as it was my last day in the job. I don't think I'd been that happy in weeks, possibly months. My friend met me at the yard with some champagne and we sat there for hours talking about our plans for life and enjoying listening to the horses munch their hay. It's the day I vowed I wasn't going to sit on my bum anymore and allow opportunities to come to me, I was going to go out there, find opportunities for myself and embrace any fantastic offers that came my way. I was going to make use of my mantra "Dream, Believe, Achieve" and be as successful as I'd always wanted to be. It was almost like that photo signalled the start of the rest of my life. 

The second photo is a mere month later; Mark and I are in Prezzo's celebrating the news that I'd just been offered a new job! From that photo onwards I've freelanced for Horse & Hound, I now blog for Carr, Day & Martin, I've had numerous wins with Ceaser, I've got more time for him than I had in my previous job and I've been involved in workshops on behalf of BD....but most of all, I love my job and I love waking up in the morning. 

So you see, sometimes it's good to take chances in life. 

(Disclaimer: I'm not telling everyone to quit their job. For the record I woke up the day after the top photo was taken not just with a sore head but wondering what the hell I had been thinking and whether it'd be possible to beg for my job back. hehe)

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Dressage to Music - a whopping score!

When this year started I set myself a couple of goals in my head. I didn't want to share them because ultimately I was too scared to, too embarrassed at what people might think and I honestly thought they would be laughed at. I kept them in my head and I told a very select few people throughout the year. A few times I lost sight of the dreams and just when I thought they were possibly getting closer they then seemed as far out of reach as they could ever be. But, as long as I had the dreams no one could take them away from me and one day I just got out of bed and told myself I'd reach them - whether it was alone or with the support of others, so I began to share them more and confided in others I never had before.



My goals included:

- Compete at the regionals at Prelim level
- Compete at the Area Festival at Novice level
- Compete in the Northern Region teams
- Qualify for the Freestyle to Music Novice regionals
- Get in Horse & Hound with Ceaser

Honestly? I thought of that list a few months back and couldn't believe how far out of reach they seemed, but then everything seemed to start going my way.

More on that another time.

*

I decided to take last Friday off work as a local venue were having a 3-day affiliated BD competition and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try and get the Freestyle to Music regional qualification I had wanted for so long. The last time we had tried to get it the judge told me our music didn't suit Ceaser and our floor plan wasn't the best. However I wasn't prepared to change my music because it means so much to me, so I worked on everything else in our lessons and getting Ceaser working in a better frame and more uphill.

I was slightly apprehensive about whether I had done the right thing by booking in for two novice classes as I was away with work Tuesday-Thursday so it would mean Ceaser would have a couple of days off and then have to go straight out competing. The day before the competition whilst on my last day away with work I found out I had passed my Masters in Sports Journalism so needless to say by the Friday I was walking round on cloud 9 and nothing was going to ruin my good mood!

Ceaser initially warmed up well and looking back on it I think I was very fortunate my music class was first. The warm up was busy with the bigger horses because it was a weekday show, but I tried to keep a focus on what we were there to do and ensure we utilised all of our 40-minute warm up time.

I tried to remember and put into practice what my instructor had said about collecting Ceaser up, doing lots of transitions and circles, changes of reins and mixing things up to keep him focused. Once he's warmed up, then tapping behind my leg a few time to ask hind legs to engage to help create the impulsion. It worked well and he felt great.

I had a slight meltdown before my test, couldn't remember if I was supposed to salute in the first halt so asked a fellow competitor I really didn't want to have to. Then Ceaser wanted the toilet as my music started so I had to push him on! Anyway, managed to catch up quickly and slow myself down, which I found difficult as that then made me behind my music by a few strides, which was odd - we've always been in front by quite a bit! 

Everything felt much better for being slower and I was pleased, but mad with myself that we had ended up behind my music and was adamant we would be penalised for it!

The test felt nice, we finally had some power in the medium trots and I focused a lot on getting my halts perfect, without Ceaser stepping back. We had been working a lot on getting a little more bounce and activity in the canter in lessons, so I concentrated on imagining I was trying to get his knees up more whilst keeping everything together, ensuring the hind was engaged and active. Ultimately it felt like an 'ok' test, but I'm always critical and I'm constantly finding things I could do or could have done better.

I took Ceaser to cool off and was in a bit of a down mood that my music really needed changing and I had allowed the hectic warm up to get to me a little. I put Ceaser away, walked off to get my score and didn't expect too much.

As I was approaching the board I saw someone had won with 72.50% - blimey I thought, we would be very far behind that.....until I followed our name and saw IT WAS US!!! I could not believe it, I had to stand and stare at the sheet for a good few minutes AND find our sheet until I was convinced I hadn't made a mistake and we had WON with 72.50%. I'm slightly embarrassed to say I ran back to the horse lorry to Mark, whom just stared at my sheet and then swore a little. I won't repeat what he said, but put it this way, we were both extremely shocked! I couldn't believe it...!

We had achieved ANOTHER of our goals; we were going to the Novice Freestyle to Music Regionals.......and then Horse & Hound phoned..............

Dreams can come true - if you want them to <3 

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Post a day..

I have to use Wordpress for work and as I was clicking along some posts I stumbled upon their "Postaday" topic which is basically what it says on the tin. A post, a day, on various topics. Looking back it usually is asking you to reflect somehow or answer a question and it got me thinking. Despite this being a very equine-heavy blog, I would like to do something similar. My life is based very heavily around equines, so I'm sure it'll tie back to them somehow. Enjoy.

Todays topic is:

 “And they lived happily ever after.” Think about this line for

a few minutes. Are you living happily ever after? If not, what

will it take for you to get there?"

My happily ever after would be living on the farm full time, with large living room patio doors overlooking Ceaser and Sara's field, allowing them access to my garden to come up to the doors if they wanted. A gate would be there that could be opened and closed depending if Mark and I were around so they could be watched at all times. Mark would tut and moan that they had gone to the toilet on the garden (again) but secretly not mind because there would be nothing better than being met by a friendly whicker in the mornings. I'd freelance for a living and would have enough work to tide me over so Mark and I could live comfortably each month and he is able to continue in the job that he loves doing. I would spend my mornings mucking out, riding my dressage horse, teaching and doing all the things that I love. I wouldn't be the worlds best dressage rider, but I'd be competent enough that people often asked me to ride for them, earning me extra money where needed. I would compete when I wanted and achieve my goal of getting to wear a top hat and tails. My riding school would be successful and bursting with clients after school. The laughter from the arena would fill the yard and it would be a fun place to be. Afternoons would be spent with a glass of apple juice and Banana Cake whilst sat in front of the computer writing children's books or freelancing for various publications.  My books would be popular enough to make me enough money to continue doing this on a daily basis and I would be busy enough to keep me from going insane. I would never be bored and I would never say "today is a bad day." My computer would sit beside photos of my Granddad and I so that whenever I needed inspiration I could simply look up, remember the precious times we shared and I would instantly know what to write. I'd have two dogs; Spoodles. One brown one called Marmaduke that is cheeky and spends nights curled up on my pillow despite Mark protesting he really shouldn't be on there and a black one that would forever be pulled around by Marmaduke. They would sit by my feet as I spent the long afternoons writing words and sentences that inspires others and gives them great enjoyment. Evenings would be spent tucking my horses into their bed and going to sleep content in the knowledge that I followed my dream and made all of the above reality. 

Why not share this post and see what others write?

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