I know I said Solo was too young to last throughout a whole jumping clinic… but… All last week he did nothing but argue. He argues about leaving the barn, he argues about going up hills in walk, he argues about whether he wants to lunge or not….altogether, as per usual, he has way too […]

Well, it’s very unlikely that Solo will do more than be ponied out or a quick spin on the lunge – reason being??? We were up half the night welcoming our newest equine. Selena’s retired eventer, Be Bold Juliet, had her first baby and it’s a HUGE chestnut filly. Or at least it’s huge for […]

Solo is now ensconced in his new barn at the back of the property. The six horses that we moved over there seem to be settling in. As always, there was a bit of running around the first night we turned them out but the new pastures were too big a temptation and everyone had […]

Solo is ‘up and running’. He has hacked alone and in company and he works in walk trot and canter in the outdoor, or the indoor arena – again, either on his own or in company. He is 4 years old now and he can hack, do big circles at trot and canter in the […]

This time Solo didn’t stagnate while I was away. This time his education continued without interruption. I was away for a full week, my two students stabled at Chesterland and both young riders schooled cross country with Bruce Davidson, then competed at Plantation Field at the end of the week. It was a great week […]

Solo cantered beautifully yesterday and today he is having a well earned day off. It was the first day that Selena and I have both been there together in about four months. We lunged him and then loose schooled him a little in the indoor arena. He is obedient to loose school and settles to […]

It would appear that our boy is finally ‘over the hump’. He has not looked back – he continues to enjoy his work more every day, and trots forward with a greater degree of enthusiasm and confidence, by the minute. While I have been driving up and down to Ocala, Selena has been riding him. […]

The horses are all home from Florida. We arrived back yesterday at three in the morning and today I need to drive back down to Florida pick up the house trailer. This means I don’t get to ride Solo before I leave. Solo has been in work while I was away. He has had as […]

From Thursday onwards, the week just went from good to better. I had a nice ride on Friday – usual ’round in circles’ both on and off the line, but it felt like he was enjoying it more, and discussing it less. On Saturday when we were trotting, I steered him gently around the outside […]

I have come to the conclusion that my daily ride on Solo is the make or break point of my day. If my ride on him is good, I am on a high for the rest of the day. If my ride is so, so, then I tend to be thoughtful and spend a lot […]