March 2006
New Horsebox from Newbert
After many years of managing in our little old faithful horsebox we have finally saved up enough to buy a new one. We needed a horsebox that could easily transport my two horses and provide overnight accommodation for thre or four people. We searched round loads of websites and magazines and finally found what we were looking for at Newbert Horseboxes. To me, the horse area is just as important as the living area, if not more important. Paul Newbert is a rider himself and has been building horseboxes for over 15 years so he knows what's right for the horses.
The horse area is very spacious and the living is very comfortable although not luxurious as we were still on quite a tight budget. One luxury is that we now have a tack locker so there is no more lifting saddles into the living area. The tack locker goes into the living which is why the horse area is so roomy.
So far we have already done hundreds of miles in the new lorry, with thousands more to come!
Telephone: 01427 880516 or 07977 094074
2006 Winter Para Trials Championships
The top 15 riders from both the Restricted and Open sections of the Winter Para Trials qualified for the Championships at Vale View. I came 2nd in the Open section, behind a new rider on the scene called Simon Laurens. He seems very talented and has a lovely horse.
It was one of our first outings in our new horsebox, and it seemed like a great luxury to be able to sit down in the living area and have a coffee without being crammed in like sardines - especially with the biting winds that blow across the car park at Vale View!
Many thanks to Vanessa Knight who organised the event. It would be great to see more Championships like this, with lots of qualifiers around the country at British Dressage competitions, and if they could include dressage to music as one of the classes I would definitley take part.
Physio Sessions
Thanks to my TASS Bursary I've been able to afford some physiotherapy sessions with Anne Hobson. Anne is an RDA physio and we have known her for many years through her daughter, Victoria Spalding, who is now a leading horse physio and was in Pony Club with my sister.
One problem I have while riding (and while on foot) is that I tend to tip my head to the left and and this makes my weight fall to the left and makes me twist my left shoulder back. I have been given lots of exercises to do while riding Indi which should help straighten me up.
First of all I have to keep tipping my head a bit to the right so that it is central to my body. I have to ride on the lunge without reins and twist my shoulders to the right. Holding my left arm in front of me at shoulder height amazingly makes me sit square on Indi, because it make me lift my left shoulder forward. These excercises will also make me more supple.
Then I have to ride without stirrups. This helps me to feel when I am straight - if you're not sitting straight without stirrups you're likely to slide off the saddle! Sometimes I have to ride without sturrups or reins. Luckily, I have good balance!
Anne has also given me some stretchy elastic which I have to pull in various different directions. This will help stregthening my right side, which is weaker than the left.
After two sessions I can already feel and see an improvement so I will definitely keep doing my exercises.
Visit the TASS website for more information on bursaries and scholarships.
