Shaun Mandy’s dressage blog: It’s go, go, go

Dear gorgeous readers,

I don’t know where the time is flying to, but it is! As I write to you I am sitting in front of my wood burner, listening to Magic Radio’s “stress busters” while Pringle is cuddled up in her blankets on the sofa. Yes, it is a dog’s life!

We have enjoyed a day off today. This generally comprises of staying in bed for as long as possible (Pringle usually wins this competition!), catching up on paper work, listening to interesting TED Talk (today was 10 things you didn’t know about orgasms by Mary Roach (and I really didn’t!)), reading and the such like. Pringle does not enjoy going for a walk on her day off and normally will not leave the house for a toilet break until about 3pm — she is truly one in a million!

Today, I also prepared some interview questions for my next Style Reins interviewee. You will have to keep a look out on my page to see who it is!

Well, the past six weeks have been a blast! Hard work and still working towards the all-important balanced life (if that exists), but loving it.

>>> Shaun Mandy’s dressage blog: Everything happens for a reason

Euphoria E (Inky, pictured top) and I competed at the Addington winter regionals in the elementary open and came fourth with 71.02%. This was only 0.07% away from second place and we are holding out for a wild card to the nationals! So far it is looking promising. Whatever happens, I was thrilled with him on the day.

We have been training hard and I have been working on getting him more through and connected to the contact with help from the fabulous Peter Storr. It was the best he had felt for me in a test and the regionals was only the fourth outing for us together. We are now starting medium tests and training the flying-changes at home.

Bare with…I just need to go and get myself a slice of Belgian chocolate and caramel tart, with cream of course! It was left over from last night’s little dinner party I hosted. Wayne and Jon, you will know of this amazing tart!

…I’m back — yummy!

>>> Shaun Mandy’s dressage blog: It’s all about the half halt

Another exciting member to join the Shaun Mandy dressage team is a four-year-old, KWPN gelding by Tango and Jazz is his grandsire. He’s known as Hueston or Huey as we call him. I had seen him last year at Ryan Shannon’s and Calum Whitworth’s yard as a three-year-old just after he had been gelded, so even though he had been backed I only saw him loose in the indoor arena. I very much liked what I saw and went back a few weeks ago with client and friend, Lorrain Nixon who bought him.

Huey has settled well in my barn and I hope to campaign him in the four-year-old classes this year.

Flights are booked for my next South Africa clinic in sunny Durban! This will be five days in April. I fly out just a couple of days after teaching at the Active Rider diva camp at Somerford Park, Cheshire.

I have made sure I have window seats on all four flights (I go via Dubai) as I just love looking out on the world below and you always get to see some fab sights, especially taking off from and landing in Dubai. Maybe it’s the ex-cabin crew in me…that doesn’t sound totally right when I re-read it, but you know what I mean — I did used to work for QANTAS! I am building up quite a few frequent flyer points with Emirates so totes hoping for an upgrade!

>>> Shaun Mandy’s dressage blog: Is this the bridle of my dreams?

It will be full on with teaching in Durban, but I’m very much looking forward to catching up with a few friends in the evenings and of course I will get to see my beautiful twin godchildren.

My groom Hannah and I had a bit of an embarrassing moment the other day. We had both been using the new white board I had bought and put up in the tack room to write messages and notes for each other and we were wondering why it was so hard to wipe the writing off when we were done. I was even checking the pens to see if they had accidently included permanent markers. After about four weeks of this and the white board stained to red, green, black and blue, we realised it still had its plastic sleeve cover on!

On that note, it is bed time. Pringle has still not moved from the sofa. Have a super week my lovelies!

Until soon xx

Body mind mastery quote: “An overnight success usually takes about ten year” – Anonymous

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