Lauren Shannon’s blog: frozen pipes, World Class training and photoshoots
Thank goodness the snow and ice have finally decided to abate enough to let everyone get some work done – and it seems just in time for half term for most people!
It has been lovely this week to get to the yard every morning and not have to deal with any broken water pipes, for a change. The horses have all had a jump this weekend, and I am now prepping to take Louie (Zero Flight), Robbie (Ballyengland Twilight) and Lux (Gentel Lux) to the World Class potential training this week.
As I was ill for the first squad session, I am playing catch up this week. We are leaving bright and early on Wednesday morning to get to the session in time to do three dressage lessons before 11.30am.
Then the jumping sessions begin through Thursday, including cross-country schooling if the ground is suitably thawed. I can’t wait to get the horses out and have a little bit of help with my jumping, as I don’t take regular jumping lessons anymore.
Before I head off for that (and after, for that matter) I have a lot of young students to teach. As the weather has sorted itself out all my students want to make use of half term to fit in as much as they can.
I then have a photoshoot on Friday with my clothing sponsors, Rampant Sporting. I love doing things like this – we are only doing a little one at the yard, but its always fun to get to do something different to normal.
I have also been tweeting about needing to get some new cross-country boots, as I have a super sensitive horse that keeps getting boot rubs.
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Luckily, N.E.W boots heard my cries of anguish and have given me some new boots to play with. It just shows you the power of social media, and the willingness of other horse-minded people to help out sorting one of life’s little problems. So I am very excited to keep working with N.E.W Equine Wear in the future.
And don’t let me forget to wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day, hope someone is buying you all the chocolate you can handle!
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.