Tag Archives: training

Equestrian Centre

Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre – A yard that feels like home

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This lovely yard is near Purbright, Surrey

Not only is this yard everything you would want in a livery stable its also set in ideal hacking country, So if you want a fit horse or just to enjoy quiet hacking Stanley Equestrian is definitely the place for you. Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre Livery Yard is situated in an idyllic rural location on the Furzehill Estate, just outside Purbright village in Surrey and is lucky enough to be surrounded by miles of undulating hacking on it’s doorstep.

The yard has wonderful customer reviews praising the personal friendly service in a modern, organised yard, this will surely take the hassle out of owning a horse and allow your precious time to be enjoyed. Quality rather than quantity is the ethos of this well run yard, and with this in mind many of the stables have been used to allow plenty of storage, including 3 indoor hot wash areas, secure tack rooms, rug rooms, laundry rooms, feed rooms and the general office.

Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre has 2 outdoor arenas, a covered area if the weather is grim, a lunge pen as well as a horse walker. Paddocks are mainly post and rail with turnout individual or in agreed pairs.

An added bonus is a very comfortable heated clubroom with a patio to enjoy a cup of tea or sometimes a BBQ when the weather is kind! Plenty of hard standing parking both for cars and lorries/trailers, by arrangement, are available.

Security and supervision of your horse are well catered for as staff live on site so late night check is done 7 days a week, alongside CCTV coverage.  There is no doubt that Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre take pride in the horses (and owners!) under their care.

They offer full, part, competition, schooling and rehab livery, alongside training from Michelle or the clinics which they arrange.

Michelle Bone,

Michelle is the ‘In house’ trainer. She is a British Dressage Listed Judge and accredited trainer. As a child she was a keen competitor at Bisley Hunt Pony Club being on many event and dressage teams obtaining her “A” test while also showing at county level riding WHP, Riding Horse and Side saddle. Her first horse she took from pony club eventing to advanced level and has brought on many more since then. She has also helped develop dressage horses having ridden up to Inter I level.  Michelle is keen to help anyone who wants to improve no matter what their ambition or goal is.

Other trainers who attend the yard are Targa Hammond and Daniel Greenwood

Targa Hammond is a UKCC LEVEL 3 QUALIFIED COACH & International Grand Prix rider. She gives showjumping clinics at Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre to all levels of horses and riders who want to improve. Targa works with pupils to develop detailed and bespoke training programs they can take forward and develop. A previous member of the Young Rider team and with over ten years coaching experience. Targa works with individuals in a comprehensive and considered manner so they can achieve their long and short term goals.

Daniel is an International Dressage rider who has a very calm and positive approach to training. Daniel has ridden at Grand Prix and has an exceptional record for producing young horses. He is enthusiastic and encouraging no matter the type or breed of horse and gives great advice on exercises to improve the horse’s way of going.

Here are a couple of testimonials from Customers:

I’ve found the perfect livery for my ‘sensitive’ type. She’s not the easiest to manage, but Michelle’s 30+ years’ extensive experience and her common sense approach means we usually avoid weight loss or anxiety before they arise. I really value her approach – also using the vast experience of the experts around us – vet, farrier, dentist, chiropractor, equine masseuse, saddler, nutritionist etc.

The atmosphere that Michelle and her team have created is calm and tranquil, resulting in happy horses and happy owners. It is so nice to see owners staying for the day, enjoying time with their horses without feeling they have to rush off after riding.

So if you are looking for the perfect home for your horse in the Purbeck area check out Stanley Hill Equestrian Centre.

Dressage

Nicola Buchanan The three D’s – “Dedication, Discipline, Determination!”

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Professional Profile in the Spotlight Today is Nichola Buchanan.

Nicola Buchanan is an International Dressage Rider based in the United Kingdom based in Hampshire. She represented Great Britain between 2002‐2014. Highlights including winning Grand Prix at the Hickstead CDI *** in 2008, being listed for the Beijing Olympics and competing in World Cup Qualifiers including Olympia London. In 2008 and 2009 Nicola was asked to demonstrate grand prix dressage at Gatcombe Park during a three day event, “More than 10,000 people were watching, making the performance all that more special.

Nicola learnt to ride while growing up in Indonesia on the native ponies, “My mother had always been a keen horse women and it was her influence that got me started. I was sent to school in England at 11 and my riding took a back seat until the holidays. These were then spent in Singapore where I spent all my free time at the Saddle club riding and competing. One of my highlights while on holiday was competing on the pony club team. We were sent to Hong Kong (where I was born ) to compete against Malaysia , Thailand , the Philippines, Indonesia and most of South East Asia. It was an excellent experience and I won individual silver.”

Nicola spent 4 years working and training in Holland at the yard where the Dutch National Dressage Championships took place. For 6 years she was based in the USA importing, training, competing & selling Dutch dressage horses. 2 beneficial years were spent training in Germany with German Olympic Dressage Team trainer, Jonny Hilberath. Nicola has been based in the UK since 2000 and she trains with Carl Hester Team GB Olympic Gold medalist. Nichola is an Ambassador for TRM. TRM stands for ”Thoroughbred Remedies Manufacturing Ltd.” And is Europe’s largest manufacturer and distributor of Nutritional Feeds Supplements and General Healthcare products for Horses.

Her grand prix Horses St Swithens & Sancerre have now retired but their highlights include competing internationally at Lingen, Oldenburg, Saumur, Olympia, Hickstead and Hartpury.

Nicola currently competes, Don Corleone VH Scheefkasteel, a 16.3hh Belgian‐bred bay gelding by Turbo Vant Gestelhof, born in 2003 and owned by Nicola, he has benefited hugely from TRM supplements, recently achieving a 4th place in his first International Grand Prix in 2014. In the spring of 2014 Nicola purchased Half Moon Dark Magic, a five year old gelding, and plans to bring him up to International level over the coming years.

She continues to share her passion for the sport and, for her, training is about sharing her experience training riders from Novice to Grand Prix level.

British Dressage

British Dressage Team Quest – Find your perfect partners

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Its time to think about your competing strategy for next season. If you are a rider and thinking of taking up dressage or just getting out more with your horse? How about team dressage? British Dressage introduced the Team Quest competitions last year and this year it seems set to take off.

With 30 competitions scheduled countrywide in February its time to sort out some competition teams.  Each team has three or four members and the three highest scores count, with a reserve in case of any horse being unable to compete.

TQ Qualifying competitions to take place from 1 February 2015 to 31 August 2015. With eight Regional finals to take place in September, followed by a final championship to be held in November.

To take place all team members must have a minimum of a Team Quest Club membership (or any other paid category of BD membership), and all horses must have a minimum of a FREE Associate Horse Registration – This can be done online.

Teams are divided into three age categories – BYRDS Team members 16 and under, 25 and under, and Open Team riders of any age – and each competitor can chose to ride an Intro, Prelim or Novice test.

For the inaugural championship  in November 2014 there where not only prizes for the best performance but also . Best Dressed for amazing outfit coordination and inventiveness –  Which the Yahooligans took home. What caught the judges eye where the inventive clipped ribbons on the horses in support of a fellow team mate, who has competed in TQ whilst battling breast cancer. Then there is was also Best Team Spirit award which was awarded to the loud and lively u16s team, Chaos Cousins who could not be missed as they gathered round the arenas whenever their team mates competed to sing, dance and do whatever they could to settle their comrade’s nerves.

Norfolk Divas, Little Little Little and Large and The Charnwood Chancers were the three big winners at the first ever Team Quest finals over the weekend at Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire (1 – 2 November 2014).

Over the course of the two day competition, 195 competitors in 50 teams contested in one class per day – with the top three percentages from each team on each day combining to achieve an overall score.

Riders can choose which level they ride at, providing that all combinations are eligible for Intro, Preliminary or Novice (qualifiers) in accordance with BD rules.

Are you thinking of finding your perfect team horse, then have a look through our for sale pages.  Good luck with your Dressage Team Quest for 2015

 

Horse Jobs

Looking for Livery?

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Livery review

Ewelme Park Stables, Nettlebed, Oxon

Kate Lockwood who runs Ewelme Park says the yard is set, very peacefully,  in the heart of the Chiltern Hills. She goes on to say “We are very friendly and have a very relaxed atmosphere with amazing off road hacking directly from the stable door for miles and miles”

The yard has great facillitites with a lovely 20 x 40 outdoor school that never floods or freezes (although because Ewelme Park is in an area of outstanding natural beauty lights are not allowed on the school). All horses are turned out in single sex small groups. We don’t do grass livery but all horses are turned out everyday throughout the year. There is 24 hour supervision which is always reassuring.

As a bonus there is a lovely coffee room with a wood burning stove for those chilly winter days.

Kate Lockwood herself specialises in the treatment of horses and their riders. Using equine osteopathy along with the structural assessment of the rider she can make sure that you are both functioning at 100%, helping to increase your overall performance together as a team.

She is an ex Veterinary Nurse and has been a keen horsewoman all her life regularly competing in eventing and dressage.  She is currently bringing on her own young Warmblood.

I note that she has had a variety of interesting clinics hosted at Ewelme Park Stables including Pilates for Horses. Other sell outs last year where Equine First Aid, Lower Limb/Foot Anatomy and Dissection, Equine Dentistry, Bitting, and Saddle and Tack Fitting and also very usefully an Equine Massage for Horses course. All facilitated by experts in their own fields.

This sounds a charming well run stables in an exceptional setting for those who want to get out and enjoy their horses. A stables with the care of the horse and rider team at its heart.

 

Horse Advice

After an accident with a horse how can I overcome my fear?

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4 signs that you are definitely rattled and 4 helpful tips to help you see off those butterflies.

“You’re not a rider until you have fallen off seven times”. How many of us have heard this saying?

However, each of those 7 falls can make us scared, question why we are riding at all and for some the seventh fall may well be the last time they want to fall.

Fear and horses are not a good combination.

When I was learning my pony only had to turn a corner, not even a sharp one, and off I’d slide. In fact I swear I did actually spend more time sitting on the floor than on my pony’s back. Luckily he was close to the ground and never seemed to be going at any great speed so I was lucky and falling off didn’t really phase me. As I got better and stayed on for longer periods, allowing said pony to go a bit faster and following on from him a series of ponies then horses then proper show horses, hunters & eventers and I fell off more frequently and at greater speeds and from greater heights… and then I wasn’t so laid back. Looked at from a distance the sensations could have been described as fear I don’t think I thought of them as fear but it did shock me, It did make my tummy try to jump right out of my mouth, it did make me feel sick. Shock or fear are natural reactions, they are natures way of protecting us. It was not the getting back on top that was more difficult, mostly I just jumped right back into the saddle and carried on… it was more the next time, or the time after that, sometimes for months, mostly unbidden the butterflies would suddenly rear their head and rattle me.

I don’t disagree that you are not a rider until you have fallen off seven times, but I do think that its right to acknowledge that each of them have shaken you up, dented your self confidence and can affect how you ride afterwards.

Fear is a very useful emotion, if we didn’t have any fear, we wouldn’t be able to tell if we were in danger and extreme fear is paralysing and irrational and does need to be addressed. Everyone is going to cope differently:

  1. You may make excuses to avoid riding, in you head its all perfectly rational, suddenly your diary is so full you just cant take the time to ride.
  1. You may think yes I’m fine but then faced with the same jump you freeze of you deliberately (or subconsciously) pull your horse up. You sit there kicking but hope that he wont go so you pull him back at the same time.
  1. Your horse starts making you very nervous. He only has to jinx or react and you over react. You just cant enjoy what you are doing and are constantly expecting the worse.
  1. Or you may experience extreme anxiety, where there were just little tingles in your tummy before now you almost cant breath, your heart is thumping and you are very hot.

The first step to overcoming this new fear is to stop, step back and analyse what the problem is. Calmly break it down into its component parts. Of course there are some accidents which are way beyond anything we can plan for and for these life changing events it is best to seek professional help. For the majority of us though I am talking about being dumped off a fresh horse, mis judging a fence, not concentrating and being caught out when our horse spooks.

When you break an event down into its component parts it has a calming effect, you are able to remove the emotional connection to the event.

Ask yourself what is going on in your life that may be causing you to lack concentration, or was it due to a lack of common sense. i.e. I knew Frank was fresh…I hadn’t ridden for a week” or where you tackling something new of bigger where you overconfident or did you take a risk. Sometimes thinking things through can help us understand the obvious.

Some people can bottle their worries up and carry on regardless, but they know they are pretending. They are experiencing the same fears but choosing to ignore the effect it is having on them. However this is not always the best idea. Each event does need to be acknowledged and thought through then rationalised.

April Clay the Sports Phycologist suggests the following techniques and suggestions for rebuilding your confidence:

  1. Take it slow: take a step back and ask a little less of yourself do what you know you can do and then when you feel confident ask yourself to step forward again.
  2. Build physical strength/basic skills: Increasing your physical strength can increase your confidence and your ability.
  3. Realign your self talk: stop saying “I know I will fall off again” and replace those thoughts with more reasonable, positive ones. Acknowledge that you are feeling anxious but think positively on how much you are progressing. Visualise yourself correcting the problem: visualise the correct way of doing/approaching. Feel in your head the movements that you need to make to achieve this. Do not use I”I must not do this or that” use the positives.
  4. Relaxation training: Meditation of exercises like Yoga or Tai Chi are not only great physically for your body they also help you become more self aware and therefore more able to control your mind and body together.

How you begin to build up your confidence after an accident will depend on your unique situation and your individual personality. Some of you will have higher hurdles to get over, but stepping back, analyzing, starting small and thinking positively will make all the difference to you and your horse.

Anna Clay has published a very interesting book “Training from the Neck Up: A Practical Guide to Sports Physchology for Riders or The Rider’s Edge: Overcoming the Psychological Challenges of Riding written by Janet Sasson Edgette and Tony Johnson’s Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse these books are available on Amazon and elsewhere.

Finding the right professional trainer will also be a great help.  Someone who you feel at ease with and are able to properly discuss your concerns will be able to make sure you address any worries and help you along the road to becoming the confident rider you want to be.

 

Horses For Sale

Gemma Moss Dressage

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Gemma Moss Dressage

  “Have High Standards and Exceed them” is Gemma’s Motto of the Day and her Clients seem to concur that she is certainly running a professional and effective livery and training yard

 “Gemma has done the most fantastic job starting our 2 youngsters. We can’t recommend her enough.” Said Isobel Langton and Jillian Poolers is very impressed with the work Gemma has done on her “sometime difficult” horse “turning him into a willing Happy Boy”

As a trained veterinary nurse your horse could not have a better carer  and her training record speaks for itself as a producer of quality show horses at county level incl RIHS.  And she was the Summer BD Regional Winner 2013 following this with a very creditable 13th at BD National Championships 2013 Last year she was ac BYRDS A squad Team member 2014  and has been selected to represent England Home International 2014 ~ A Squad Finalist BD Festival of dressage 2014.  Backing this up with BD Young Professionals semi finalist 2014 and being Selected BD High Performance Camps  for 2014/2015

 

Her yard offers fantastic facilities:  with Indoor and outdoor arenas and American Barn Stabling plus everything you could dream of to pamper and train your horses. Gemma offers Full Training Livery for Potential dressage prospects and re schooling/ Young horse training in all disciplines.  She is also a freelance instructor at all levels of riding from Lead rein upwards and has worked closely with Australian Horsemanship expert and may be able to offer help to horses thought previously dangerous or sharp

Horse Advice

What’s the Problem?  

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Are you struggling with the way your horse is going?

Frustrated when you compete and time and again the same things happen.  Is it your horse or is it you? Working alone and never seeming to make progress?: its like working in a vacuum.  Let someone take the pressure off you.  There is a saying that a problem shared is a problem halved and there is nothing truer in the horse world.  Having someone on the ground to analyse your riding style and approach and the way the horse is going under you is invaluable. Finding the right trainer will revolutionise your approach and your enjoyment of your horse.

 Horse Scout has just the person you are looking for.  Click through and find yourself on the road to a successful partnership…

Horses For Sale

Learning To Walk Before You Run

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 While you are still learning about your horse and your own abilities and, indeed, even when you are very experienced indeed, Horse Scout has a wide range of Professional Trainers who can help you walk in harmony with your horse and take the first steps in a wonderful relationship which could last for years and take you to places you never dreamed of going.

 

Jumping

Training the young event horse

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Much like a healthy relationship between two people, the relationship between an perspective event horse and rider should aim for interdependence not codependence!

Eventing places demand for fast thinking, quick, and clever response. Horses in production and training mustn’t always rely upon the rider. When galloping down hill in mud, you must know the horse can assess and respect the fence at all levels.

Horses who always look to support will eventually come unstuck, owed to factors such as poor ground, loosing shoes, crowed distraction etc. A well trained jumper can be sharp, athletic, and brave even without a perfect distance. Regular grids, pole work, and help from knowledgeable trainers will assist this development. Every now and then they have to help you!

Horse Scout thought for the day – “train for interdependence the balance between horse and rider, not the horses codependence on you entirely!”

Eventing

Promoting the event rider

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The average event rider struggles to stop for Christmas let alone weekends! Working all day everyday and making them inherently one of the worst relationship candidates there is.

Weekends are dark mornings, caffeine and lorry loading. At best home before dinner if not made the prize giving…

Weekdays are juggling liveries, teaching, sales horses, and dinners with clients. Week evenings often late, often unattractive , and tiered.

Putting such facts to one side- surely for all the input a little helping hand would be appreciated? Well fret no more ! Horse Scout has identified the dedication, and offers free advertising and promotion to riding professionals, and also their yards. The site helps them to be discovered, and expand business.

Have a look and let us know what you think. Here to help !

The Horse Scout Team