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Articles by our riders.....
Dressage at Shelleen Valley
Last week Shelleen Valley stables held an in house Dressage competition. All the riders performed a walk and trot dressage test. Despite the typical English weather; everyone had great fun and the ponies and riders looked very smart with the horses mane’s plaited, and wearing their show gear. All the children done very well, with no one receiving any disciplinary marks
My loan pony called Warrior Hawk done really well. Thomas and I competed Warrior Hawk. Thomas came 4th and I came 1st. We were both really proud of our pony Hawk; he behaved really well and he was a pleasure to ride.
Everyone was very pleased with their results, and we’re all looking forward to the many other shows both at our yard and away this show season.
By
Louise June 2010Show Jumping at Holt Farm
On Sunday the 18th April, I woke up in excitement – it was my first ever show! We arrived at the stables at around 7:15am and ran out to the field to fetch our horses. The night before we had had a yard competition to see who could make their horses look the nicest. Hawk who is my amazing pony came first! I was very surprised considering I had only learnt to plait his mane the day before and I had only learnt half the grooming techniques that day as well.
Once our ponies were in the stables came the long but essential job of making them look their best. First we re-did the plaits that had come out, then we gave them a good groom all around their legs and body. I put on Hawk’s saddle, bridle and bandages, once he was ready I went to help the others. Finally around 8:30am we headed of to hack over to Holt farm where the show was to be held. On the way I rode next to Ellie on Misere.
We arrived at Holt farm as I had never seen anything so posh. There were huge horses wandering around and the jumps looked so high. We got off our horses and made them look nice again after the hack. Then we went and bought tickets. At this point I started getting nervous – I bought 2 clear round tickets and I bought a 1.9 class ticket. That basically meant the height of the jump I was going to jump. So we went back to our horses and got into show gear. Then we mounted and set off to the clear round ring. Ellie went round the clear round first winning 2 rosettes.
I went next. I was nervous as Hawk hadn’t really been jumped may times before and was only young. I got to the first jump and Hawk decided not to jump so I circled round giving him an extra big kick as we came to up to the jump, he went over clear. I was very proud of him now and we continued round. I knocked down the second jump which meant I didn’t get a rosette as you can’t knock any down. Hawk jumped the rest of well as so we went for our second attempt. This time Hawk jumped them all perfectly I was so proud of him and we won a rosette!
It was then time for my class. I got to the ring and entered we had walked the course when we went to get our tickets but after the excitement from the clear round I had forgotten some. So we started and he jumped the first 6 really well. Then we got to jump 7 and he jumped it but I turned the wrong way so we lost out on time. Then it was over jump 8 and we knocked it down. I didn’t get into the jump off but I didn’t mind – the thrill of the jumping was all that mattered and it was an amazing experience.
We then watched other riders jump whilst munching on burgers and sipping coke. That was one of the best experiences I have ever had and I was super proud of Hawk.
By Tom May 2010
Fancy Dress at Shelleen Valley
A group of girls had fun as they dressed up both themselves and their horses. We had our photos taken, and then we went along the roads. Some of us dressed as Santas, a Bumble Bee and lots more.
By Vanessa March 2010