Since moving to America I've had the most incredible support from my owners, students and other supporters, for which I'm hugely grateful! I didn't come here with many resources, in fact it was just Rocco and I that got off the plane in Newark, NJ! Since that cold (40 degrees, cold to an Aussie) May morning I've come a long way. It was just Rocco and I for a bit, then Boo came, then Mario, then Cole, Lola and Ti. None of these horses were upper level horses so it was a bit like starting from scratch. We lost Boo along the way to soundness issues and a differing of outlooks on his future. Lesson 1: being a 49% owner gives you all the expenses and no rights. Lesson 2: owners are like any other relationship, both parties need to respect and trust each other and make decisions based on the well being and good health of the HORSE. For the horse is the reason we are all here. On a side note, interestingly when I moved here I thought I would come across a wonderland of fancily bred warmbloods creatures who galloped like Pharlap, dressaged (I think I just made that word up!) like Tortilas and jumped like Sapphire! Ironically my team of five horses consists of 4 thoroughbreds who came off the track. So much for the warmbloods! I think this shows what I've suspected all along, a good horse is a good horse and each should be taken on face value. Anyhow, I inherited Mario from a rider heading back to college and Cole came thru Robert and Kathy Taylor and I started Lola and Ti (he'd had a little education) off the track. Each has their own past where they've developed habits that we work on improving on a daily basis. By now I'm sure you're wondering where I'm going with all this, if you're reading this then you already have a knowledge of my background, my point is that small improvements are often the best and it's a long way starting out to getting back in the mix! This brings me to Pine Top Advanced last weekend where Cole scored a 38 in the dressage! Not a score to set the world on fire but it was a 6 point improvement from Pine Top II! This is very exciting because I really rate this horse, he'll definitely be an advanced horse and I believe he'll even surprise us and go beyond that. I've ridden less talented, less clever horses at advanced!

This weekend will be super busy with Ti, Civil Liberty (more on that next week) and Charmer (another example of a wonderful TB that's competitive against the WBs) going to Sporting Days on Saturday, then I will have Mario in the Mini Prix on Sunday at Highfields. Sporting Days also marks the return of one of the most competitive young riders in the country, Alex MacLeod on Jimmie. She will also be riding Lola. Kaden has been prepping Key for her first prelim and will be going early in the morning on Saturday too. Then for me it's back to MD Sunday night to teach on Monday.

Lastly, I hope you all saw the link to my blog on eventings most up to date, popular and accurate news website, Eventing Nation. Albeit as a reference to the polo ponies Cole and I met in Wellington, but hey, any publicity is good publicity so I'll take it! I guess I'll just have to start writing more interesting, entertaining blogs.....