With my eventing season having finished at Osberton, these past few weeks have been rather less hectic. Leo (Soltair Justice) was sold after his great performance in the CCI2* at Osberton and I wish his new owners the best of luck with him. I’m really looking forward to seeing how far this super talented horse will go.
Kitkat (Another Breakfast) is just back in work after his short break. I will be lunging him for a couple of weeks to keep him stretching out over his back and to make sure that he is feeling 100% again. His winter coat has come and he is currently looking like a big fluffy teddy bear (it’s sad he isn’t as cuddly as one!).
My new 4-year-old, Archie, has just had his shoes on so will be starting his winter education. It won’t be long before I will be taking him out to some showjumping and dressage competitions. He will also go hunting as I really believe there is nothing better for a young horse. They learn to go forwards and how to cope with different ground conditions, making it an invaluable experience for them.
We had to make a very difficult decision regarding Totty (Totten Lady, pictured top) , who I have not managed to get quite right since Bramham in June. She has had lots of niggling problems and we feel we have given her every opportunity to recover, but she just isn’t 100% sound.
So we have decided she will retire and we will breed from her. It takes a long time and a lot of work to get a horse to advanced/3* level so it’s gutting to have to call it a day, especially as she is only a 12-year-old, but hopefully she will enjoy her new career and produce some lovely foals. Just need to pick the stallion now, I do have all winter, so hopefully we will find the perfect one!
The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt’s opening meet is on Saturday so this weekend we had a great time schooling the hunters over the hedges on the farm to tune them up. It’s quite different hedge hopping in cold blood at home, but all the horses were great and I’m really looking forward to some proper hunting, especially as I am taking Louie (Bankon Louie) out on Saturday.
The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse, but I couldn’t agree more with what eventer Alice Pearson tweeted the other day…”I only like riding in this weather when I am behind hounds”!
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Rosie
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Rosie Fry has been blogging for Horse & Hound since shortly after she left university to concentrate on eventing full time in July 2013. She is the sister of National Hunt trainer Harry Fry and helps school and exercise his horses when time allows.