A blog filled with all sorts of emotions and dreams can only mean one thing, the Eventing season has started, our first event is in two days time at Oasby. With the early part of the season planned we are all rearing to go.
I'm very excited for both myself and the whole team @ BDA, we have a great string of young horses this season to compete. Our home-breds Winair BDA and Willow BDA both co-owned by Kyle and I with Sharon & John Cousins who are fantastic, supportive owners, we will be aiming Winnie (Winair BDA) for the BYEH 5 year old classes, and KBIS 5 yr old Championships, whilst Willow BDA will be aiming for intermediate and 7 year old CCI*** levels. Both are pictured below.
Excited again as I have two new rides this season the lovely mare Maple (Billy Maple) owned by Antonia Bealby and Susannah Joy and the handsome Ferrari (Fine Design III) owned by Sharon Cousins. We will be aiming these two at BE100 level. Then to complete my string I will be riding the stunning stallion Dennis (Kansas) owned by Clive Aldous and Kyra owned by Denise Aldous, these two will be aimed at the BYEH 4yr old classes.
There is always a little anxiety with horses, they are why we do what we do, however hard we try to prevent all the things from going wrong that can go wrong sometimes it’s out of our control! Things can go wrong and its sometimes hard to accept that, but in doing so it just allows us to keep on DREAMING BIG!
With the Eventers sorted that just left Kyle to plan his string of show jumpers. He will be campaigning two of our lovely stallions. ‘Steve’ (Zilveren Icoon BDA) will be competing in the Newcomers Second Rounds. Whilst the very talented ‘Joey’ (Jaranck Van De Katenhorst) co-owned with BDA Equestrian and John and Sharon Cousins will be aiming for the 5 year old classes, as you can see from the video below ‘Joey’ is very chilled and a lovey natured stallion.
Kyle has a new addition to his string, ‘Rhubarb’ (Compliment) a beautiful 4 year old mare, also co-owned by BDA Equestrian and the Cousin’s. Rhubarb will be slowly produced and aimed at the 4 year old classes towards the middle to end of the summer.
So as we increase fitness levels of the Eventers our Head Girl Coriander continues to work weekly on the horses suppleness, the ‘Carrot & Coriander’ Yoga for Horses regime is an integral part of the horses week. Following on from the last exercise featured the ‘half-moon’, this time we feature ‘Steve’ performing the stretch movement named ‘full moon’ (this is not Cranny removing her trousers!) The exercises are designed to enhance vertebral joint range of motion, build core strength and improve flexibility.
A quick update on the mares in foal, during the mares pregnancy the growing foal actually gains 80% of its birth weight from the seventh month onwards, so this puts incredible nutritional demand on the mare. Combine this with the fact that it’s not uncommon for the mare to naturally lose her appetite during this time due to the foal taking up more room inside, nutrition is monitored even more closely, The first of our foals are due any day, we have two due just a few days apart, so those mares have been brought in and are being monitored 24/7 by the CCTV.
Finally, massive congrats to Jordan our Stubbing Court apprentice who passed her driving theory exam so another step closer to becoming a driver, next step lorry test!