Hi everyone, sorry that the updates have been so few and far between. Too many horses and not enough time! At the time of writing we are just 11 days from the days getting longer again and I can’t wait. Bring back those lovely, long summer evenings when you could lose track of time spending time with the horses.
Here at Georgie Wood Eventing we have had a few quieter weeks in terms of the horses’ workload but have also been very busy getting everything set up/put away/got out/organised ready for winter. The more prepared you can be, the easier getting through these cold, wet winter months is.
Since the end of November we have really upped the ante in terms of our winter training programme. The three boys and I are loving our regular dressage lessons with Tania Grantham, I don’t believe I am writing this, but I can’t wait for the next one having felt the improvement in the boys’ way of going and in my riding in just a few sessions. We have also been having some jumping lessons with Ernest Dillon who is as brilliant as ever. I learn so much every single time I set foot in the arena with him and the horses just grow in confidence. We tried Joey over a bigger fence for the first time a couple of weeks ago, to see what he thought of it and to see if I could hold my nerve down to a bigger fence. He jumped 1.45m the same way he jumps 1.10m, neat, careful and doing what he needs to do. Ernest and I are very excited to see just how far he will go. He has got all his Newcomers double clears for 2019 so we are looking forward to the 2nd rounds. He has also picked up the first of his Foxhunter double clears so hopefully we will get the rest of them by the end of May.
The next few weeks we have got more training with Tania and Ernest booked, some decent hacks to build their fitness, a couple of British Showjumping shows and lots of Arena Eventing. My aim for next year is to have my average dressage score below 30, this year it averaged out at 30.8, I want to be achieving plus 70% scores regularly. I aim to continue the form I have had in the jumping phases this year into next year. Out of 8 events that the horses and I completed this year (I withdrew before XC at 3 of them) the horses have jumped 7 double clears and finished on their dressage at 6/8 events. I would love to qualify Joey for the Newcomers Final at HOYS but it is very competitive so just to gain experience jumping second rounds will be great. The plan is to jump at Royal Windsor again too so lots to look forward to in 2019. I am very lucky to have a lovely group of horses who have already helped me achieve so much and look to be very exciting for the future too.
Georgie x