“I’m writing this blog as a distraction from the mounting paperwork which I am struggling to ignore as the intray has overflowed. I really must do something about that....

Anyway, the baby is still asleep so I’m taking advantage of a moment of peace. Life is as quiet as it can be at the moment, I’ve not been out competing much except for a couple of outings with Clyde (Mr Hyde), who is now rising six.

Calm before the storm

Rimmer (Mr P) is in potter mode until we gear up for competition mode, which will be Myerscough premier league show in March. I did consider the high profile show at Addington last weekend but the thought of spending two days in a wet soggy car park with two kids in mid January didn’t appeal, plus I remembered that last year I had said never again!

Next thing on the horse calendar is the regionals at medium with Mr Hyde. We’re going to Willerby at the end of February as it’s the least spooky venue I could find... Then it reverts to the usual chaos of the competition season.

It’s not doing Rimmer any harm just ticking over, I don’t want to flog him when he’s got nothing coming up. I think that’s what keeps him fresh all the hacking and light schooling.

Shelter shenanigans

In anticipation of Ancie our Dutch harness mare foaling – she is due in early April, I’d like a colt please Ancie – we’ve been desperately trying to put up a field shelter.

We were out there in the dark and the rain building this thing with two kids under five. We must be mad. I’m sure it would have been funny to watch us trying to put the felt on the roof in the dark in a howling gale. Honestly the language that came out of Simon’s mouth was appalling. He kept asking me why I’d bought this cheap thing, then I pointed out that however much you pay for them they still need cobbling together! Yesterday the roof was still on, so we shall see...

Our friend who is looking after Ansie for us keeps texting me saying she is doing funny things. Apparently she keeps climbing right into a gorse patch. My friend asked me if she was nesting!

Ancie’s two year old daughter Bonnie (by Donnerschwee) is with her. She’s a lovely elegant thing but sadly another boring bay. I have threatened Ancie that this time she must produce black with four whites or there’ll be big trouble.

Sh*tlands

We’ve had a bit of a disaster on the Shetland front. Annabel won’t ride Jessie anymore. Over the bad weather Annabel had a few dunkings off her: They were going through the puddles in the arena but Jess dropped her shoulder just and the right moment and she got dumped a spectacular four times in two days. Now Annabel doesn’t want to ride her, which is fair enough really. Luckily Jessie is only on loan, so I suspect she may be going back. I don’t want to push Annabel if she isn’t keen to ride.

Aye aye captain

My other exciting project is a big beast called Capitain Mac. He is a rising three year old and is Mr Hyde’s nephew. He’s a lovely dark bay with three whites who I got from Ian Smith – the same place as Rimmer. Mac’s dam is a Hackney x Dutch Warmblood and his sire is a Hanoverian showjumper. He’s already walk, trot, canter on the lunge and I mentioned to Simon the other day that he should start long reining soon.

Lo and behold the next day I turn round to find Simon merrily marching off down the road behind Mac! I’m hoping to keep him as he is the sort of personality you can really crack on with, very sensible. In a year or so he should be ready for a couple of novices, but I fear someone might try and come and buy him! He is already a good 16.1 so will probably be a big boy.

I’m still doing a lot with the Pony Clubs at the moment, helping with their dressage, so I spend lots of Saturdays shouting at children and ponies, which keeps me out of trouble.

Masterclass mayhem?

Then there’s the terrifying prospect of the three masterclasses I seem to have agreed to do. I’m not sure what I’ll do with Clyde then – maybe bring him into the arena as people come in otherwise it’ll be a complete shock to him and I’ll have to ride in very small circles in a quiet corner somewhere, which won’t make for a very good demo.

I’m currently debating whether to take him in a snaffle or double – he is six now so I could probably get away with the double but I’m not sure people would want to see him in one, but then again I’d love to have some control. Hmmm, going to have to make a call on that one closer to the time.

As I mentioned last time, the demos came to life on the British Dressage forum – a thread came up about it for some reason. I’m not really sure why anyone would want to watch me bimble about, but Sue [Carson] spoke to me at a show and said she’d organise it. It’s not going to be a beautiful and elegant Carl Hester demo, and will be very layman as we don’t know anything technical! But Sue says people want to hear the back story, so that’s what I’ll try and deliver.

We’re running competitions for people to ride as guinea pigs at all three demos, which has been a bit of a disaster so far as the marketing chap put an ad in the Yorkshire Post before any details went up on Sue’s site, so lots of people called Ian Smith who very kindly gave out my home number to lots of people!

Anyway, if you’re interested, the info is now up on the Sue Carson website. We’re trying to make it very interactive and respond to people’s issues and show what we do. We might bring a panel of five people out of the audience to ask questions and find out what they want to see.

I hope you can make it.

Till next time! Steph”