Here Comes the Sun...!
The best time of year in my opinion! The grass is green (something I'm still getting used to after growing up in the Aussie outback!), the sun is out, the horses are reaching good fitness and the polocrosse and polo seasons are just beginning... time to have some fun!
I played in Brightling Polo Club's first tournament of the season, The Spring Cup, and much to my surprise, our slightly makeshift team won! I would like to say it was down to me, but I fear I would be lying somewhat! I did manage to score a few goals though and I played a couple of homebred 4yo's who went very well, which was exciting. Brightling is our local club, just 15 minutes down the road and a really stunning setting for the sport. It is well worth taking a pcinic down there and watching one weekend!
We are holding our Kent Target Polocrosse Tournament next weekend on 6th/7th June here at Risebridge Farm, Goudhurst. Teams of all grades from all over the country will be descending upon us for a weekend of polocrosse and maybe just a couple of beers on Saturday night! The weekdn after sees Penny and I traveling to Ireland to play against the Irish Men and Ladies - again it should be a cracking trip.
It can't all be fun though (although I have to admit my job is pretty good fun too!) and the yard is coming to its busiest time of year. Sarah has done a terrific job organising things so I don't overstretch myself and we are doing our utmost to keep to our ten horse limit for starting and training. In my last blog I was starting a hand reared horse called Bono. I am pleased to say that he has come a long way and has really settled into his work. Hopefully he will be ready to go home to his owner to start his ridden career in the next couple of weeks.
I have been working with a local dressage rider, Sarah Bunch, for a while now. I started her lovely chestnut mare, Belaro, a year ago and she came to me to again in February for rebacking. She originally came from Germany through Christian Heimrich and although she has not been plain sailing for Sarah she has been coming for regular lessons and the mare has really started to work for her. The proof was in the pudding last week as she came 4th in the Potential International Young Dressage Horse class at Stilebridge, and was the 1st placed amateur rider (only 4 points behind international rider Dan Sheriff!). It is fantastic to see all the hard work and patience start to pay off!
If you are interested in coming to clinics with myself, I am holding clinic afternoons on the third Tuesday of the month each month. Hopefully they will develop into small groups for groundwork and ridden work for people who's riding and horses are at similar stages. I am also opening up the yard on the 1st Tuesday of each month for coffee mornings from 11-12.30, where people can watch me work a horse or two, have a chat with myself and Sarah and enjoy a coffee! Please contact Sarah or myself on 0774 9914267 if you are interested in attending.
Well, there's no rest for the wicked, off to take Jack for a little ride on his pony Mr. Jones (who judging from his belly, really needs the exercise!)...
Cheers, Jason.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
No Rest For The Wicked!
Well, that's my holiday over then! Since I've been back from Australia, I had a couple of days respite, then back into the swing of things!
I have had some of the horses I started earlier in the year back for a 'refresher' course and am really pleased with how they are going... maybe even a potential superstar or two amongst them! It is always nice to know how the horses go on in their careers. For example, it was great to read in Horse and Hound (7/14/2009) that "Mildred Hubble" has been winning at Novice Level for dressage rider Anna Levy and owner, Hattie Cripps. I started Millie a couple of years ago and have been back to do some groundwork with her on the odd occasion. Millie is a fantastic example of perserverance and patience from both rider and owner as in Hattie's words, "Millie is a witch and in the wrong hands she'd be horrible, but she's very talented!"
As for horses that are in for starting, I have an interesting case of a hand reared horse called Bono. He is a well put together chestnut gelding and I think he will make a good competition horse. You would have thought that being a hand reared horse would make my job a lot easier but in fact, I prefer to work with unhandled horses. They are more sensitive and react a lot quicker to you, whereas with Bono, it has almost been a case of 'Resensitising' rather than 'Desensitising'! I had to spend the first few days working on basic groundwork principles to change his attitude to me around and after a couple of minor arguments, he now leads without running us over and has actually taken to being ridden well!
As for my own horses, we have about eight in work for polocrosse and polo - a mixture of going horses and young'uns. We also have our liveries' ten polocrosse horses in work, so Sarah, Joey and our band of exercisers are getting pretty bored of doing laps of the fields! Last weekend saw the UK polocrosse season start with a nice multi-horse tournament at Ashfields Polocrosse Club in Essex. I took two homebred four year olds who performed above my expectations and our Kent Target team won the A grade competition, even with me doing my utmost to lose it by missing a goal in the dying minutes of the final against Arden! I will blame it on Jack and Rosie who decided they wouldn't sleep anywhere other than with me and Penny in the luton of our truck... needless to say not much sleep was had with them wriggling about!
The end of May sees me and the family off on a little 'holiday'... traveling up to Lancashire to coach and do demonstrations for the newly formed 'Rustlers' Polocrosse Club before traveling over to the Cheshire Racecourse for a Polocrosse Demonstration at the Cheshire Cup Polo Tournament. Lets hope the kids are used to sleeping in the truck by then...!
I have had some of the horses I started earlier in the year back for a 'refresher' course and am really pleased with how they are going... maybe even a potential superstar or two amongst them! It is always nice to know how the horses go on in their careers. For example, it was great to read in Horse and Hound (7/14/2009) that "Mildred Hubble" has been winning at Novice Level for dressage rider Anna Levy and owner, Hattie Cripps. I started Millie a couple of years ago and have been back to do some groundwork with her on the odd occasion. Millie is a fantastic example of perserverance and patience from both rider and owner as in Hattie's words, "Millie is a witch and in the wrong hands she'd be horrible, but she's very talented!"
As for horses that are in for starting, I have an interesting case of a hand reared horse called Bono. He is a well put together chestnut gelding and I think he will make a good competition horse. You would have thought that being a hand reared horse would make my job a lot easier but in fact, I prefer to work with unhandled horses. They are more sensitive and react a lot quicker to you, whereas with Bono, it has almost been a case of 'Resensitising' rather than 'Desensitising'! I had to spend the first few days working on basic groundwork principles to change his attitude to me around and after a couple of minor arguments, he now leads without running us over and has actually taken to being ridden well!
As for my own horses, we have about eight in work for polocrosse and polo - a mixture of going horses and young'uns. We also have our liveries' ten polocrosse horses in work, so Sarah, Joey and our band of exercisers are getting pretty bored of doing laps of the fields! Last weekend saw the UK polocrosse season start with a nice multi-horse tournament at Ashfields Polocrosse Club in Essex. I took two homebred four year olds who performed above my expectations and our Kent Target team won the A grade competition, even with me doing my utmost to lose it by missing a goal in the dying minutes of the final against Arden! I will blame it on Jack and Rosie who decided they wouldn't sleep anywhere other than with me and Penny in the luton of our truck... needless to say not much sleep was had with them wriggling about!
The end of May sees me and the family off on a little 'holiday'... traveling up to Lancashire to coach and do demonstrations for the newly formed 'Rustlers' Polocrosse Club before traveling over to the Cheshire Racecourse for a Polocrosse Demonstration at the Cheshire Cup Polo Tournament. Lets hope the kids are used to sleeping in the truck by then...!
Friday, 1 May 2009
Good to be Back!
I have just spent the past 4 weeks in Australia and have come back to what looks like a new yard! Richard Hillier has been project managing the development of the equestrian facilities at Risebridge Farm whilst I have been away and we already have new parking, the foundations for the new Barn, new fencing, repainted stable block, Claydon Horsewalker ready to be set up and all weather tracks! Its amazing what happens when I am out of the way! I am very excited to show all our old, new and future clients what we have been up to and we will be holding an Open Day on Saturday 15th August - put the date in your diary now!
Our new Yard Manager, Sarah Muir, has been doing a fantastic job in researching ways to improve and develop the quality of our facilities and service, for example, she is looking to set up regular Coffee Mornings and Clinic Afternoons. This has led to a slight restructure of the business, for example, putting a limit on the number of horses in for training at any one time to ensure that we are able to get the best results from their stay. We have also set up a liscensed Riding School that operates on Saturdays with Sarah Paxton, BHSAI, teaching on our horses and ponies. It has been a great success so far and will hopefully give lots of children and adults alike to learn to ride in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
As for my trip to Australia, it was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to catch up with my family! After gaining British Citizenship, it was the first time I have been able to represent the UK in Polocrosse. We played against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia and it was a case of close but not close enough! The play off for 3rd and 4th between ourselves and South Africa was a nailbiting affair that we lost in extra time... It was a bit of a consolation that myself and teammate Sophie Lodder won Best Male and Lady Player awards for that game and the cracking horse that I was riding won Best Playing Pony. We will be looking for revenge this Summer when South Africa send a Men's and Ladies team across to play against us!
I also managed to spend a bit of time with some amazing horsemen, picking up a few tips along the way... not to mention the best 3yo horse I have ever sat on! Banjo was found as a yearling by my father, Doug, a great judge of a horse, and he will be flying over here this Summer to continue his training.
Please keep an eye on our website (www.australianhorsetraining.co.uk) for any events coming up and details of horses for sale, Coffee Mornings, Clinics etc,. I will be writing a blog every couple of weeks, keeping everyone up to date with what we are up to!
Here's to a great Summer, Jason Webb.
Our new Yard Manager, Sarah Muir, has been doing a fantastic job in researching ways to improve and develop the quality of our facilities and service, for example, she is looking to set up regular Coffee Mornings and Clinic Afternoons. This has led to a slight restructure of the business, for example, putting a limit on the number of horses in for training at any one time to ensure that we are able to get the best results from their stay. We have also set up a liscensed Riding School that operates on Saturdays with Sarah Paxton, BHSAI, teaching on our horses and ponies. It has been a great success so far and will hopefully give lots of children and adults alike to learn to ride in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
As for my trip to Australia, it was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to catch up with my family! After gaining British Citizenship, it was the first time I have been able to represent the UK in Polocrosse. We played against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia and it was a case of close but not close enough! The play off for 3rd and 4th between ourselves and South Africa was a nailbiting affair that we lost in extra time... It was a bit of a consolation that myself and teammate Sophie Lodder won Best Male and Lady Player awards for that game and the cracking horse that I was riding won Best Playing Pony. We will be looking for revenge this Summer when South Africa send a Men's and Ladies team across to play against us!
I also managed to spend a bit of time with some amazing horsemen, picking up a few tips along the way... not to mention the best 3yo horse I have ever sat on! Banjo was found as a yearling by my father, Doug, a great judge of a horse, and he will be flying over here this Summer to continue his training.
Please keep an eye on our website (www.australianhorsetraining.co.uk) for any events coming up and details of horses for sale, Coffee Mornings, Clinics etc,. I will be writing a blog every couple of weeks, keeping everyone up to date with what we are up to!
Here's to a great Summer, Jason Webb.
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