We've had a busy start to the year with a full-on training plan to work on the judges feedback from our last competition, and get ready for both the Para Equestrian Nationals and Horse of the Year competitions in March. I'm riding 3-4 times per week which is hard for me in terms of strength and stamina, and I get quite tired sometimes but it's something I have to work through to get the amount of training in we need in order to ride at our best! Plus it gives me a good standing when we have 3 days of consecutive riding at our competitions.
Tech is coming on in leaps and bounds and we're slowly but surely building him up and getting him to where he needs to be. (So much so that he's gone up a whole rug size!) Becky has been working him most days and he's looking and working really well. He's such a funny boy - he gives Becky a run for her money sometimes when she's asking something new or hard for him to do (that's the stubborn clydie side coming out of him hehe!) but he's always very sweet and obliging for me - such a good lad! (Poor Becky gets all the hard jobs!)
Unfortunately Betty Blundell, my awesome coach who took me from riding for therapy to becoming a competitive para dressage rider, and who has been with me and Tech right from the start, has had to take a break from coaching us. I would just like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to you Betty - without you I wouldn't be where I am today. We've been through heaps together in the last few years, including different horses, locations, and crews, our first competitions, improving scores as well as a couple of falls from both of us! I'm so grateful for everything you have taught me. You are a true inspiration and you will always be an important part of my team!
So enter stage left; Anna McIntyre who I met at last year's Horse of the Year! Anna has always been very supportive and I really admire and respect her as a rider and trainer. Anna has been coaching both me and Becky (plus Tech of course!) since December and we're going great guns! I just love the way that she teaches and is refining our training so it's the best it can be for the unique way that I ride. Thanks so much Anna - you have done so much for all of us already and I love having you as part of my team!
As well as our dressage training, we've been working on de-sensitising Tech to random things that could be scary for him while we're out and about. We took him to Wright's Farm to take him through the obstacle course and at first he was quite nervous about it all and was literally jumping over the tarp on the ground that he was supposed to walk over because he just wasn't sure about it. Luckily Becky was on board at this point! It didn't take him long to get his brave boots on though and he was soon walking calmly through everything, including the strip curtains, umbrellas, rustly corridor and the tarp. So then I got on and had a ride around it all too. It's great taking our training away from home now and then to keep it interesting for all of us and do something a bit different! We've now got a stock of 'scary things' in the tack room (including a bright blue tarp!) and get them out now and then to have a play with Tech and keep him de-sensitised!
We've also been working on his fear of bikes! Tech is a pretty cruisy dude most of the time but he seems to have developed a fear of bicycles lately. (Not sure if there's been an incident with a bike in the driveway next to the paddock which may have scared him? Who knows with horses!) So Mum volunteered to ride a bike around the paddock while Becky worked him to try and get him over this fear. We're making progress slowly...
"Savvy Steve" came and gave Tech a session of Savvy Touch a couple of weeks ago so he's in tip top condition for our training and upcoming competitions. I've never seen Tech so relaxed and content as he was at the end of the session! He had a few good adjustments and is working really well after his treatment. We're also loving our latest Savvy Touch additions: Faark Off fly spray (new item on our pre-Jodie mounting checklist: Have you faarked him up?!!), 2 in 1 shampoo and shine which smells great and makes his coat super white and shiny, and of course stocking up on our Savvy Touch favourite Skin Smoothie.
So we're now on the countdown to our big trip for the Para Nationals and Horse of the Year in Hastings. It will be our longest trip away from home so far and the first trip in our new JC Trailers float which we're picking up next weekend (it's an understatement to say we're all very excited!!). The two competitions are at the same venue which means we can set up camp and make ourselves at home in our awesome Equip Outdoors tent and stay settled for the entire two weeks. I have to say I'm not looking forward to the packing (or unpacking afterwards!) but it will all be worth it if we can do as well as we hope to. Bring it on! :o)