The Equestrian

FOR THE ART OF RIDING

Calm Down Wild Horse

ROYAL ASCOT

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IT’S THE WEEK of Royal Ascot here in UK!

The Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable race meeting, attracting many of the world’s best racehorses to compete for more than £6.58 million in prize money, but it’s also a great social event – which I love about the english equestrian culture. They are so developed on the social part around everything equestrian and it supports the industry massively.

The dress code is very strict and it’s amazing to see how everyone has put an effort on their outfits, finding matching dresses (or, for the first time in Royal Ascot’s 300 years, women are actually allowed to wear trouser dresses! Just make sure the shoulder bands are wider then an inch and covers the knees) and hats or facinators (needs to be minimum 10cm wide in the base…). Anyway, it’s beautiful to see and I feel very privileged to be wearing the official Royal Ascot Jewellery collection by Links of London, and to be a part of this fantastic event.

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I’m wearing the Ascot Silver Sweetie bracelet with the rose gold lady hat, horse and clover charms, accompanied by the Diamond Essentials Silver Horseshoe ring, necklace and ear rings.

LOVE IT.

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This post was sponsored via Links of London and Shopping Links.

IN FRONT OF THE LEG

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MOST RIDERS has heard the expression ‘to have the horse in front of your leg’. Today I got the question, and it’s a great question, ‘what does “in front of the leg” actually mean?’

It simply means that when the horse is in front of your leg he’s engaged, underneath you, and when you give an aid he steps forward – comes up from behind and into an elastic contact in the front. He responds quickly to the use of the leg, and with the appropriate amount of impulsion.

You can test if your horse is in front of your leg by giving a relaxed effective aid. You should feel that he reacts immediately and actively from behind, pushing the energy through his body forward and lengthening his neck into a steady contact. He should get quick behind and long in the front – as opposed to long behind and short in front!

Photo of Spring Hill Dressage’s Rick & me.

FLEX & SWING

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IT WAS THE World Cup Final this weekend, in Omaha. Many congratulations to the world’s best rider Isabell Werth to her win on 82,3% with her 12-year-old mare Weihegold OLD! Isabell gave a clinic earlier on Saturday (very jealous of my ex colleagues in US for being there with their horses!) but here are some of her tips on developing a GP horse:

1. The most important thing in the education of the horse is improving the flexion and bend. The goal is to make the horse more flexible, supple and elastic. The horse will be safer in the connection once you work for more bend and flexion of the sides — lateral sideways movements will help encourage the horse to come into the bit.

2. It’s important from the beginning to bring him from behind, while trying to make him lower behind. Find a good contact from behind and then you can start to do half halts. He needs to become more steady from behind with a really nice, clear swing.

3. Let the swing come out of the horse: Don’t interrupt the swing or rhythm. Encourage the horse to swing from behind. It’s very important for a young horse to find the rhythm on both sides.

4. Be careful with the inside rein, it’s a discussion. As soon as you use too much inside rein, you block the horse. Don’t shorten him with your inside rein.

5. Look for the contact: The horse needs to trust and look for the reins in order to begin proper work. Try to let him chew. He should look for the reins, so don’t throw away the reins.

6. Sit straight and still to encourage the horse to come through. When you sit on the horse, try not to lose his natural jog or interrupt the fluidity.

7. When beginning to work on the flying changes, try to get a little more connection and contact between the changes so she goes a little more ‘through’ the change evenly in both reins. Only a good canter will bring a good change.

8. To keep him in front of you, keep the shoulder in front of you.

9. Try to make the hind end more active with more jump. Ask for small, quick steps.

10. When you start with the half pass, start with more cadence control, and flexion. Once you have achieved that then you can ask for more forward more fluidity and swing within the gait.

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Photos of Amaretto & I by Frog & Field. We are both dressed is Equestrian Stockholm SS17, & boots from Celeris UK.

WIN WIN!

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WHAT A WEEK! Competition season is full on and we’ve had 5 competitions for Caruso & Dennis this week. It was really high winds and total crazy town at Caruso’s first start at Hickstead last week, we did a safe round and I’m super happy we got home with a 2nd place on 69,66%. Four starts this week at Oldencraig. Caruso found his bolder power and ended up winning both his classes with a 71+%! Then two starts on Duky Dennis – who is always in his bolder power – and we got two more wins! AH!

LOTS of love to Caruso’s Caroline, to Dennis’s Sam, to Sune Hansen & Spring Hill Dressage for top help, and of course to my partner in crime Tora <3

Always dressed in Equestrian Stockholm & boots from Celeris UK

 

CRASH & WIN!

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AH WHAT a week! I was first supposed to go out on my first competition with Caruso for the season. We’d prepared so well I felt just as excited going out as I like. Caruso behaved so well with the lorry (he hasn’t always done) and we were on time (wow for me). BUT, on our way down we suddenly got hit by a huge truck! Coming very fast and unfortunately a bit too close to mine it’s tail hit me, and that was good bye to the front of our lorry and to that competition day! LUCKILY Caruso, Tora and myself didn’t get injured. We’re all ok. And THANKFULLY we have amazing super hero’s like Caroline Edgeley and GP riders Annie & Dane Rawlins at Hickstead in our lives, who all came to our rescue in the middle of their own competition preparations! And in the storm it was that day. I’m so humbled and grateful. It took me 10 hours to get Caruso back home. BUT, it could’ve been a lot worse.

Friday was a better day! It was my first competition with Duky Dennis and I was really happy to be back riding at my former home arena Oldencraig, and to go home with a win on 68%! Dennis is a real fire cracker and fun pocket rocket. So eager to work and so enthusiastic to show off. Lots of love to his owner Samantha Blouqet and to the always top Tora Sirén for a great start of this spring!

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Always wearing Equestrian Stockholm & Celeris UK

BIG OWL

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I LOVE MY horses! It’s incredible what a good ride can do. Even if it’s a dark day and cold winter (well I’m sensitive, I think it’s cold), all that dark and coldness is just COMPLETELY gone as soon as I’m on a good ride. Ah, special star to Caruso today and Alan (Big Owl) yesterday!

Here’s for tomorrows:

I only work horses for 45 minutes. A horse can carry us for that 45 minutes. Never work a horse until he is sour, especially young horses in the indoor. He should go home with enthusiasm!

Don’t go to the lateral work, shoulder-in, travers, half passes(!) if you are not able to influence the length of the horse’s steps.

When training for a competition, practice one thing at the time. The trot work one day, and the canter work the next, rather then everything at once.

Photo with Big Owl yesterday misty morning 

LEVEL OF AWARENESS

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SOMETIMES YOU speak to riders that are on another level then you are. And it can be frustrating:) The reason is, a rider normally goes down the development line below, and it can be tricky to understand each other when on different levels of awareness:

1. The rider is unaware of their lacking skills of riding. (For instance, they are unaware they put more weight on their left seat bone then on the right when riding on a straight line.) This is some of the most confident riders:)

2. The rider is aware of their lacking skills of riding. (For instance, they know they put more weight on the left seat bone then on the right when riding on a straight line, but have a hard time to master and correct it.) A humble rider.

3. The rider is aware of their skills of riding (They know they put equally amount of weight on both seat bones when riding on a straight line.) This rider is normally riding for a high-level trainer on a regular basis, and might be on a chiropractor or yoga routine as well (I can recommend it!).

4. The rider is unaware of their skills of riding. (This rider is so competent they no longer have to think about how to ride.) This rider is often lacking understanding for the lower level rider:)

Where you are doesn’t matter, just be humble for other levels of riders.
Happy weekend everyone!

Photo by Frog & Field from Spring Hill Dressage with Equestrian Stockholm last autumn.

Longines Equestrian

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REALLY HUMBLED to be recognised by one of the largest equestrian supporters in the world, the elegant watch making LONGINES and their lovely team – and to be dressed for success in their most amazing Equestrian Collection!

Pay a visit to their store at Oxford Street next time in London, check out The Longines Equestrian Collection, and follow us here for more upcoming goodness!

Photo and video with my favourite, the L6.143.0.77.3

2017

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AH, SO HAPPY to have all my horses back in work after the holiday! And to feel they are all ready for the next level. Sometimes it’s just so important to let the horses have some time off (and, note to self, have some time of yourself!). They digest the info from the past few month and get ready for the next level. All my horses have, to some extent, matured over Xmas and New Year and it’s a great motivation for the spring.

I’ve just got the competition season for SS17 mapped out and wooh I’m excited for this season! And so grateful for the horses I have the opportunity to work with. Above with baby dragon Caruso last summer at the Hickstead Dressage Masters. So much has happened with Caruso since then, and so much is on the map for this spring. Can’t wait for this year! 

Caruso & me dressed in Equestrian Stockholm / Boots by Celeris UK

X-MAS WISH LIST

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HOLIDAY IS HERE! And here’s the equestrian list 2016. Wish it for Xmas or go get for your equine enthusiast friend!

  1. EQUESTRIAN STOCKHOLM’s grey winter jacket & fleece bandages. Just the best quality, and colour matched in all directions. The one and onlies, really. <3
  2. Eucalyptus & Winterberry Garland and Cascading Fairy Lights from The White Company. Put this in your barn and it’s Christmas already! The Fairy lights makes the perfect late night/early morning light. Just make sure your horses can’t reach it for a nibble.
  3. Berlei Horse Riding Bra. Giving the wearer maximum support and minimum bounce, this padded straps, moulded cup and inner sling offer reinforced support to every woman in the sitting trot!
  4. Heat Holder’s luxury blanket – I’m not very good with the cold winter weather, and it’s even more important for me to take good care of myself after work this time of the year, to rest up. Heat Holder’s keep you warm in many ways, and this blanket gives me the deep sleep and sweet dreams needed.
  5. Celeris Bia Boots Winter Padded – I’m more or less spending all day every day in my Celeris Bia Boots, and for the winter times they have a version with the inside padded in fluffy sheep! So comfortable I die.
  6. Lord Leather Care – Simply the best leather conditioner!

Photo by Jess Bower of Amaretto and me in Equestrian Stockholm