Hey 2017

17 days in seems timely enough however.

I feel it remiss of me to not firstly mention Ooteman are having a massive sale on all the things. This said, I have all the things so don’t yet need to order! Life goals I’m not sure but we are currently okay gear wise which is nice.

It’s also kind of interesting that pretty much all of the Anky colours are on sale – I totally admit I got bored once they started repeating colours rather than doing new patterns and designs. Which looking at the new range that has just come out – yawn.

We still miss J, I can’t believe it was May last year – seems like only yesterday. In a comment that horse people will understand, the grass where the paraffin bucket was dumped is nearly grown over but not quite. His stable empty and E feeling like he needs to be the stallion of the place.

E is being awesome of course, hopefully we will start Inter 1 this year. He is more than capable of it  – we are really looking forward to being able to compete in the snaffle bridle as well as it just suits him better. It’s still funny score wise as the judges don’t know what to do with him, some love him and some hate him and we consistently get 3’s and 8’s for the same movements. That said one of the judges who isn’t really appreciative of him handed out a 8 for his extended walk and we were like wait what..!

That is where I like Dressage though in that we can turn up, ride and go home without worrying about scores or placings. It’s the best! Particularly as there is much less effort required.

I’m amused now that Scarlett is ready to start I much prefer riding her in the double bridle! She does go far better and is generally a much (much!) happier horse and as relayed to me by quite a few people, some horses are just built for a double. (And that in itself is funny as with the other horse I’m all yay about FEI in a snaffle!). So I daresay we will do limited newcomer classes and just drop the weymouth off beforehand.

Dressage wise it causes a few issues as whilst she is happily training Medium (and other tricks) it is a little too much pressure to start her out at Medium, pressure for her not me! So prep it is. Hopefully by years end she will be Medium/Adv. She is training all the things and has good horse knowledge on what is what – it’s more so just getting control which is a continual process. I admit I find the Prelim/Novice bloody boring and not challenging what so ever – we can walk/trot/canter and ride lengthened paces in the show ring.

I’m sure people will read what I’ve typed and pick it apart but meh! I’m really happy with how Scarlett is going, it’s been a long what 3/4yrs? I think some methods suit her and some certainly don’t – we will just continue to to take advice from all areas and run with what works. One of the most important things to continually improve and move forwards is that you try new concepts, if you always do what you’ve always done you will always get what you’ve always got. Which is why some people seem to hit proverbial brick walls and their horses always go the same way.

She will probably be a wild beast and cause carnage in the show ring – she is so not a show horse but it will be excellent acclimatization for her! She can gallop no problems, it’s more the stopping that is an issue – as in she is quite quick of the seat to stop!! That and I’m sure many show horse people seem to think Warmbloods are all massive hyper extended trots – which some are – but personally I would rather a horse that doesn’t consistently do late flying changes and one that has decent legs in years to come!

Hufglocken is steadily growing, it has outgrown my grasp. I can’t tell you how amusing it is to be at Dressage competitions and have people tell me that I should go an purchase Huf gear for XYZ reasons. It’s fun to be able to do lots of different designs and nice it’s being well recognized. Lots of time of course has been poured into it!

Obviously I’m a KEP fan, so was super excited to be able to take on distribution rights there. Currently in the process of setting up new site (EOH) to do KEP, Mattes etc. so H can just be Huf stuff. Easier ordering wise, particularly with the custom orders that take weeks on end.

Life is fine with just the two horses at the moment although my friends happily put up with me wanting a palomino pony or a new open galloway from one week to the next! Still wouldn’t mind a really nice open type. Scarlett will have a year or so in the show ring but she is very very much a dressage horse and I don’t want to smash her legs around on shitty ag show surfaces – what’s the point?!

Looking forward to our County saddles soon! Should be here early Feb and I’m sure it will really help both of them and myself.

I did switch all my Sprenger spurs over to the extra grip ones – which are the best because they don’t move!! An issue I was having with the plain metal ones.

Encore has a new DQ double bridle and Scarlett’s m2m one is coming soon hopefully! Still waiting on her dressage double but that should also be soon. So not really accumulating more, just switching to higher quality. In E’s show bridle case I just wanted a slightly wider noseband and so we had a 3rd bridle to put a browband on for rider classes – because I am not a fan of taking bridles apart!

White hamag numbers for S, new false tails (Tails by Jocelyn still being my favourite). I’ve reduced jacket wardrobe down to just my favourites – which no surprises is still Pretty Ponies, Wagners, Animo and then the Show Stoppers one in the slightly luminous brown tweed.

Still wanting red patent top boots though.

It will be interesting to see what this year brings, lots of things happening and I continually seem to add more. Game on bitches.