2020 look back

This is the last post of 2020 so I take a look back at a year that I want to forget but also remember the many firsts that I and Fred have achieved! This year has been one like none before, with lockdowns, masks, tiers, social distancing, and bubbles all being new concepts to learn and adapt to! 

When the pandemic first struck and a national lockdown was introduced riding was halted, mainly due to fears of putting added strain on our NHS if a fall should occur. We moved yards around a month into the lockdown and the horses were allowed to settle into their new environment. Gradually riding was slowly restarted in the field and it was great to get back on, I do get a bit down when I don’t manage to ride for a while.  

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Guest blog from Reveal Equestrian

This month we have a second guest blog kindly written by Jenna from Reveal Equestrian and this time she is sharing her knowledge on dressage riding by providing an introduction to this sport. Jenna is based in California and runs an equestrian centre which teaches a variety of training and lessons.  They are dedicated to teaching students about the fundamentals of equestrian riding and horsemanship.

Introduction to The Sport of Dressage Riding

Many people notice the Olympic level dressage on the televisions. Dressage isn’t a stylish move with lots of impressive names. Further, you may notice the horses seem to have complicated maneuvers because they sit motionless over them. 

Horses will be trained by the trainers with the basic dressage to create balance and responsiveness. So, you will be given the set of required elements and perform a dressage test with music. 

Photo Credit: Reveal Equestrian

Guest Blogger Interviews – No 4. In Due Horse

This months guest blogger interview is from Louise Dando at In Due Horse. Louise is one of my all-time favourite bloggers and I have been reading her blogs way back before I got into blogging myself. Sorry, I’m a little late with this months posts, however, I am sure you will all agree that Louise’s interview was worth waiting for! So without any further talk from me, I will hand over to Louise so that you can all find out a little more about her and her brilliant blog:

In Due Horse

1. How did you first get into blogging and what inspired you to start your blog?

I started my blog In Due Horse in 2018. I had moved to France from the UK in 2017 and found I had far more free time than before as I was only working part-time. I started part loaning Mya, from a friend of a friend in May 2018 and I hadn’t ridden much at all for the previous few years. I used my blog as a way of getting back into horses. I started doing things like going on a beach ride, visiting studs and going places that I would never would have done if it wasn’t for my blog. It’s weird I needed the blog to do these things but it really got me back into horses and relighted my passion!

Photo Credit: EZH_Photos

Equi-Theme Saddle pad & Fly Veil Review

Recently I was very lucky to have been gifted a beautiful Equi-Theme saddle pad & fly veil set to review. The items were very kindly sent to us from Matchy Horsey after they contacted me regarding one of their new items. In return, I agreed to write an honest review of the items and include them in one of my posts. So me and Fred have put them to the test. After all who can resist a bit of matchy-matchy!

Some of you may have seen on Instagram and Facebook a few weeks back that I gave a sneak preview of the products, as I waited to try them out. Well, the weather finally picked up and I got to use them for a couple of activities. Is anyone else like me a love a new item but also hate the idea of getting them dirty?

Reveal Equestrian – Guest Blog Post

Today we have a guest post by Jenna from Reveal Equestrian based in California. Reveal Equestrian is dedicated to teaching students about the fundamentals of riding and horsemanship, from groundwork to competing at “A” show levels. Jenna has produced an article for us on their top tips for beginners starting to ride.

5 Horseback Riding Tips for Beginners

Horseback riding can provide endless hours of recreational fun for you and your family, and allow you to spend time in nature and the company of animals. Especially if you are taking your firsts lessons or wishing to enjoy a horse riding holiday, some tips allow you to make the most out of your experience. Read on to discover what to expect from horseback riding in San Juan Capistrano. 

Guest Blogger Interviews – No 2. Horse Shoe Rd

Welcome to the second of our guest blogger interviews, this month we are joined by Jen from Horse Shoe Rd which is an Equestrian Lifestyle Blog. Jen welcomes you on her adventures as a DIY horse owner, show mother, groom, planner and organizer. Based in the United States, Jen shares their stories of travelling to horse shows and keeping horses at home.

See below to find out what Jen had to share with us…

1. How did you first get into blogging and what inspired you to start your blog?

I’ve always enjoyed writing and gather inspiration and ideas from Pinterest for a TON of things, from crafts to favourite meals. I found that Pinterest didn’t always have ideas directed specifically to horse shows. When travelling to horse shows, our bunch loves finding great restaurants for a great meal. My initial inspiration was an ebook/travel guide on great dining experiences based on horse show related travels.

Savvy’s Yard – Guest post

This week I am excited to share with you a post created by Tracey from the lovely Savvy’s Yard. Tracey is here to tell us about her own experiences of riding during pregnancy, along with sharing with us her new equine business and blog. Read one to find out more about Tracey her family and horses.

If anything is going tell you to stop riding while pregnant, falling off will do it!.

My name is Tracey and this is my story of running a new equine business, riding a horse and becoming a mother. Together with my husband Adam, we run our business Savvy’s Yard from our country cottage in Somerset, UK. Named after my horse Savvy, Savvy’s Yard is our online shop and social media blog. The tagline is “Inspired by horse and country living” which from our background of horses, farms, cottage renovation and living in the country it fits really well. Not only do we source our gorgeous collections we also make some of the items too. We are fortunate enough to have space at home, adjoining Savvy’s stable is our workshop where some of our items are made. The result is a fascinating collection of unique homeware and lifestyle accessories inspired by horse and country living. 

A pandemic and riding – to be or not to be!

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Like me, you have probably seen lots of controversy over the whole ‘do we or don’t we ride’ during the current pandemic and a country in lockdown. I like many others have also had to consider this question in relation to the strain on the health service.

I can conclude though that yes I have continued to ride but should this had occurred a few years ago, then there’s no way I would have gotten on board my faithful steed. However, I can now confidently say that I do trust my horse! I understand that things can happen unexpectedly and horses can be unpredictable. Therefore, I have considered my actions and we have been sensible in our riding.

Field cuddles

Guest blogger interviews – No.1 Nutty Nags

Welcome to our new monthly interviews, devoted to guest bloggers.

Each month we will be featuring an interview from a different guest blogger and getting to know more about them and their blogs. I am hoping this slot will allow readers to find a whole host of new and inspiring bloggers to follow.

First up is the lovely Vanessa Hill from Nutty nags. Vanessa is a retired lady who lives in the UK, she writes about all things equestrian, from tips to product reviews. Vanessa enjoys eventing as a more mature rider and proves she has what it takes to be a great equestrian.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Hill

Read on to find out what Vanessa had to share with us…

The Mama Equestrian and Becks Back in the Saddle.

So, this post has a bit of a twist to it and has been created by ourselves and equestrian blogger Becky Oliver, from Becks back in the Saddle, for a collaboration post. A few weeks back Becky contacted me, asking if our Facebook group members, could be approached to gather their personal experiences of riding, during pregnancy and following childbirth and if we could create a joint post.

Becky got a good response to the post and has included these in her blog (link here), as she is currently writing about her own experiences of being pregnant, whilst riding. In my post, I will be including my personal experiences and tips for riding with children, as I have 3 children myself and I have never ridden whilst being pregnant.

Photo credit: Becky Oliver