What Mary has to say! – End of year update 2018
END OF YEAR UPDATE
Bicton Horse Trials was the last event of a very short autumn event season for me (due to my collar bone break). Helen West and her team did as fabulous job as ever, running so many classes of different levels having taken over classes from the sadly ended Aldon Horse Trials. Bobby jumped another great double clear in the OI, having done a 27 dressage…it was a good way to end an unusual season for me!
The syndicate who are involved with Bobby, The Kings Group (Gilly Robinson, Liz Knowler, Hazel Fastnedge, Annie Jacket, Fenella Hughes and Annie Corbin) have been very patient with a rather staggered season, but hopefully Bobby and I will make up for it next year when he will be moving up to 3 star level.
I made the sad decision to sell Joey (Kings Ginger). He had got to advanced level, but wasn’t going to be a winner at the top. A friend, who wanted a smart horse to compete at a lower level bought him, so hopefully they will have huge fun together. A big thank you to Liz Young for her support of Joey, and of Billy before.
I’ve enjoyed backing Cyrus, my 3 yr old, and also another 3 yr old that I bought from the Monart Sales in Ireland…I had never been to a horse sale before! Emily was going there with Sam and his owners, who were keen to buy, so I decided to join them, and ended up coming home with Seamus! He is an athletic type with plenty of TB blood, and a sweet temperament, so fingers crossed for his future.
Tilly (homebred 4 yr old) is progressing well…I’ve started to ask her to work in more of an outline, and have begun her jumping career..playing over poles and small fences, jumping logs and climbing over banks in the woods.
The yearlings are fluffing out beautifully in preparation for the cold weather to come,I keep them unrugged..the older horses have Bucas waterproof rugs on. The outside horses are all having one feed a day of Baileys stud balancer and some cubes. The grass has been plentiful, but I will soon start to give them some Marksway HorseHage. I have just wormed them all with Equest Pramox.
Emily and I performed at Your Horse Live, doing 2 demos each day, and surprised the crowds by finishing off our demos with me coming in riding Hovis…the wonderful Clydesdale who is a mascot for Bransby, the equine welfare charity.
I’ve enjoyed going to a number of race meetings recently with David, who is a keen follower. We had a fun weekend in France going to the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe with friends, and staying with my cousin who lives near Paris. We have also been to Chepstow, Haydock Park (thanks to The Jockey Club), and Newbury race meetings. I do tend to eye up all the lovely rangy TB horses in the paddock trying to decide which would make top event horses!
Last weekend I was asked to be the after dinner speaker for Quest RDA’s Christmas Ball (Riding for the Disabled Association’s group in Surrey), which was a fun evening.
My latest challenge is to become part of the Round The World Clipper Race! I have signed up for leg 3, which is the Southern Ocean leg from Cape of Good Hope to Western Australia…eek! It is Nov 2019, just at the end of the event season….perfect 