Live To Event

05/04/2026

We went out in search of a xc jump this morning but we didn't find any. Just a blustery hack - not that Moo noticed ❤️❤️❤️

03/04/2026

Back in the good old days with Richard Barton and Tilly

28/03/2026

Winner at Milton Keynes three day event!
Millie (Top Totty) and I 2006!
Pic not from that event as it was before phones ;) Pic from Kelsall BE90
Just found this while retrieving a cupcake stand....... 🤣🤣🤣

26/03/2026

Maisie has excelled herself today 😱😱😱

24/03/2026

What do you think?

*** RIDER WEIGHT: RIDING HORSES IS A PRIVILEGE AND NOT A RIGHT ***

“I’m a bigger rider…..but I refuse to never sit on the back of a horse again”. A comment that appeared on a rider weight post on FB recently and an incredibly sad reflection of how many people view their horses; they will carry them, no matter what, because they own/feed/pay for them, so it’s their right.

It’s simple. You don’t have a right to sit on the back of a horse if you are too heavy for the horse. The horse should no longer be a beast of burden; we know that putting a heavy rider on an unsuitable horse can induce lameness and will cause discomfort and pain. You don’t see athletes saying that they will run over hurdles but they can’t jump that high, so the hurdles must be lowered as they have a right to get over them. You don’t see larger, unfit people saying that they have a right to run marathons, so marathons must now only be half a mile. So why do people feel they have a “right” to sit on a horse that they are clearly too heavy for?

No, a 16 stone rider can’t “ride light”. However you distribute that weight, it’s 16 stone sitting on the middle of the horse’s spine.

20% is an incredibly generous “rule” (the suggestion that the rider in full riding gear and holding the saddle must not exceed 20% of the horse’s ideal bodyweight). It should be much closer to 15%. If you have medical conditions that mean you can’t lose weight, that sadly still doesn’t mean you aren’t causing your horse pain if you are clearly too heavy to sit on him.

“My mental health will suffer if I don’t ride”. Again, sorry, but that’s not a reason to inflict pain and suffering on a horse. You can groom them/lead out in hand/just “be” with them.

I haven’t posted about rider weight for a while, but some of the comments on that post clearly demonstrate that we are still in the same place now as we were 5 years ago with respect to riders thinking they have the right to get on horses that they are obviously far too heavy for.

Unrelated photo of wonderful Johnnie storming clear around Barbury 4* a few years ago ❤️

24/03/2026

This is so so so true!!!!!

🤣🤣🤣 Too funny not to share
🚨 Breaking news 🚨
The “fuel crisis” has officially been deemed irrelevant to horse people.

Petrol prices could hit £5 a litre and we’d still be out there at 5am, hitching up the trailer like it’s a completely rational financial decision. Because let’s be honest… fuel is a necessary evil, but those two glorious minutes in the ring? Absolutely priceless.

Economists: “You should reconsider discretionary spending.”
Horse people: “Is it discretionary if it feeds the soul and justifies 6 weeks of overthinking a distance?”

Also, let’s not pretend we don’t all live by the sacred, unspoken rule of horse ownership:
✨ Never. Ever. Add it up. ✨

Not the diesel.
Not the entries.
Not the lessons.
Not the “quick trip” to the tack shop that somehow equals a small mortgage repayment.

Because the moment you do… it’s game over. The illusion shatters. The spreadsheet wins. And we simply cannot have that.

So no, the fuel crisis won’t impact competition entries. We’ll just cut back on luxuries… like groceries, electricity, or basic financial responsibility.

See you all at the next show 🐎💸

22/03/2026

Took the new hat for a hack this morning 🤩

20/03/2026

I'm so proud of little Pippi. She's come a long way and is now freewheeling a little better which stops me from sweating quite as much 🤣 Learning to stretch down now too 🤩
She's growing stronger each day and is such a fun pony, loves her Daddy and has a huge personality!
She's a joy 😍

18/03/2026

Starting the day with a splash 💦 A Little water tray practice this morning 🤩🤩

18/03/2026

New hat test ride
Best hat ever 🤩🤩

17/03/2026

New hat day 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Been waiting a while for this beauty. Taking it for a test ride tomorrow!! 🤩🤩🤩