Lauren Shannon’s blog: rein-back, embryos, hunting and commentating
Well, it’s been a busy week after getting back from Osberton.
I have been teaching a lot in the last week, which is what I spend most of the winter doing. I also managed to get out autumn hunting with the Quorn on the sale horses, which definitely makes me feel like the season is very nearly at an end.
I have Smartie (Smart Lady), Robbie (Ballyengland Twilight), Crunchie (Kilcannon Credit Crunch) and a student’s horse, Louigi, competing at Oasby this weekend in the novice, before they head to Aldon. Crunchie and Louigi have had to learn rein-back and counter canter and it’s still not 100%, but I’m hoping they all have a good end to the season
The great news this week is that my former four-star horse Delphi (Quixotic) is in-foal. It has taken all summer, as she went to Twemlows Stud in mid-May. We tried different stallions and frozen semen proved not to be working with her.
We gave her one last-ditch attempt, as obviously it’s getting a little late to put a mare in-foal. Anyway, she’s taken to Cevin Z first time – she must like him – and after a heartbeat scan in two week’s time she will come home. I can’t wait to have her back and neither can Louie (Zero Flight), who has spent his first summer away from her in seven years.
I have been continuing to push my sponsorship and ownership deals since the brilliant result we had at Burghley and on the back of that have come some fun opportunities to get out and about.
I did some commentary work on Monday with commentator Ed Holloway. We covered the CCI** star classes at Osberton for Sky Sports 3 and 4 and Horse and Country. It took us nearly six hours, so I’m hoping it sounds ok! I’m not sure I was a natural, but I did get more confident as I went, so hopefully I will get the chance to do it again.
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Then last night I did an interview with the Eventing Radio Show. They do worldwide coverage of the eventing world, so it was a great experience to have. Chris Stafford, who interviewed me, was lovely and kept everything rolling so well that she just recorded our chat, it was that easy!
So I’m feeling a little bit like a pro with a microphone now. Better remember how to ride this weekend though, as the horses need a good run before the trip down to Aldon.
Lastly, I am so grateful to everyone who has sent me pictures from over the season. Will Baxter sent me a whole DVD of photos this week, which was a lovely surprise, and I can’t believe how many incredible photographers there are around willing to share their work. So let’s hope the weather can hold out through Aldon for some good shots at the end of the season!
Lauren
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Event rider Lauren Shannon blogged on Horseandhound.co.uk from June 2011 until September 2014. Born in Brighton, she lived in America from the age of three to 16, returning to the UK to go to university after she finished school. After university she worked for Mark and Tanya Kyle before setting up her own yard in Leicestershire. Her best result to date was finishing 9th at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with her top horse, Zero Flight.