Ginnie Turnbull - December 2011
 Family ties keep it interesting
November was a general MOT month for the horses with teeth and backs being checked, along with a few adjustments in tack etc. All my tack is looking very ‘old’ after a tough season and even we had to throw bits away which is very against our religion! The odd noseband that I had in Pony Club is starting to look as if that was a very long time ago! Perhaps it is.....
Anyway Flo continued her dressage outings throughout the month with massive improvement and we even did a test in front of judge who slated her last year and achieved 72%! Result! Her owner Angela and I had a small smirk at that one!
Sam and I are still working on our changes and now at least he changes in the same stride front and back rather than being about 6 days late behind. Best keep working on them me thinks!
Immediately after Christmas we went showjumping with seven of the eventers and although there were very few people mad enough to be there, it was great to be out and the horses surprised me by jumping very well. Percy was especially fab in the Foxhunter and made me almost feel I could ride.
The yard is still full to busting with all the eventers and several youngsters starting their career. Very luckily for us several of Will's breakers have stayed in and are going to compete with us this year! How exciting! Especially when we perhaps started off some of their mothers/sisters too. Family ties make it interesting as often their temperaments are very similar.
Two of our beloved ex-event horses, one of our own and one (Sid's sister) have gone on loan. Molly has gone to a great farm environment to do pony club whilst her daughter (by Grafenstolz) comes in to be broken this Autumn. Yankee, my own old advanced eventer, has gone to a fantastic family in Yorkshire to do a bit of everything. They are both very lucky.
Last weekend we took six 4/5 year olds to do some dressage. Three of them were first-timers and were very well behaved. Apart from a few handstands and lorry ‘moments’ we all survived. Nice to have that one under our belt. Next time must be easier - surely!
This month we are out just about four times a week either dressaging, arena eventing or showjumping. Lets hope the weather stays kind to us! Til next time ...
Photo caption: Dark de Nero owned by Louella Stud, who Will has just broken.
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