Equestrian Life – February 2015

HOW SMART ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR?
With spring just around the corner, what are your aims and aspirations for the coming season with your horse or pony?

We can all start the New Year full of enthusiasm. I’m sure many of us have been through the overindulgence of Christmas and probably tried a get-fit-quick campaign in an attempt to lose some weight during January. But now that you have got that out of your system let’s make a plan for you and your horse. What do you really want to achieve this year, in the short term and in the longer term? Let’s keep the New Year momentum going and set some SMART goals for you and your horse.

SPECIFIC
How specific is your goal? If we want to get fitter or ride better, how can we determine this? Would it be clear to anyone who has a basic knowledge and understanding of riding, exactly what your goal is?

MEASURABLE
How do you know when you have achieved your goal? How can you measure it? Perhaps you want to ride three times around the school in sitting trot without bouncing in the saddle or getting out of breath, or maybe you want to clear that fence that is three holes higher than your personal best? Make sure you are clear about when you have achieved your goal.

ACHIEVABLE
Is your goal achievable for you and your horse? We can all aspire to win medals or ride for our country but only a select few will ever achieve this. Make sure your goal is a possibility for you, with your riding skills and the opportunities available to you.

REALISTIC
Is your goal realistic for you and your horse? Do you have the necessary skills and resources to achieve the goal, or are they within reach?

TIMELY
Have you allowed enough time, or too much time, to achieve your chosen goal? The timescale is very important so the goal can be achieved within the optimum time. Too little time will make the goal unachievable and too much time may make the goal not enough of a challenge.

Whatever your aims for the season, don’t be too hard on yourself. Make sure there is a small reward attached to the first goal that you have set yourself.

The nights are already starting to draw out and before you know it the sun will be shining and those goals will be within reach. Happy riding!

Full details www.sheepgate.co.uk
Tel: 01205 870236 / 07768 156262
Email: events@sheepgate.co.uk

SHOWTIME…
2014 ended in excellent style for BSPS Area 4b, with nine members (some with more than one pony) qualifying for the final and biggest show of the year – the Horse of the Year Show.

It is such an enormous achievement to qualify and the show itself has the most electric atmosphere, making it an amazing occasion for competitors and spectators alike. Most riders who are lucky enough to compete are just proud to be there – anything more is a bonus!

Area members went one better than the previous year, with two class winners as well as other good placings. In the 143cm WHP Isabel White and Cre Dubh Boy performed beautifully to take the top spot. This was particularly special for Isabel, as Cre Dubh Boy has now moved on to his new home. Isabel was also placed 9th in the 153 WHP on Daydream Fourteen.

The highly successful mare Trudi Thornton won the Intermediate Show Hunter Class. Trudi is owned by Roz Bosworth and was ridden at Hoys by Jess Nevin. Area success in the Intermediate section continued in the Small Intermediate Show Riding Type, with Newark based producer Lucy Glover taking 8th place on her beautiful black gelding Chiddock Time Lord.

More success followed for the LG Showteam with a total of nine ponies qualifying. James Read enjoyed his final ride on Fofsway Dominic to finish 8th in the First Ridden. The heartbreaking parting from Dominic has been made a little easier as he will be staying on the team to be produced for eight-year-old Ellie Ellingworth next season. Ellie’s sister, six-year-old Georgie finished 6th in the Lead Rein of the Hunter Type class with Peplow Dancing Queen.

Annandale Motivator was beautifully produced by Yorkshire’s Team Ahern for Kara Arnold, who achieved 4th place in the 133cm Hunter Pony. Catherine Hudson was also placed 4th in her class riding Gartconnel Siaradus.

All of the Area members enjoyed a fantastic year at every level and several new members, who all did extremely well, were welcomed. The Area’s achievements were celebrated in November at the annual Points Award Party. The party was held at The Woodhall Spa Golf Club and was a fantastic night with great food, entertainment and company. Members were joined by top show rider Robert Walker and his family, who kindly made the presentations to individual members to acknowledge their success.

The new season is now looming and the Area is holding a clinic with respected judge Sara Parrott on the morning of 1st March at Elms Farm, Caythorpe. This will be followed by a WHP clinic in the afternoon with Becky Crosbie-Sterling, who proved very popular last year. This is open to both members and non-members. See the website for information on how to get involved. The clinic is always very relaxed and friendly and all levels are equally welcome.

The Winter Show will once again be held at Newark Showground on 29th March. Again, this is open to members and non-members and all are welcome. Please see the website for the schedule.

www.bspsarea4b.co.uk

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