Wellington Training!

There are several ways to do fitness work, I generally choose to do one or two horses at a time, polo players are a little more time efficient, twelve at once!

Wellington, FL is the playground of the rich, famous and elite, horsey and otherwise. To play here you need to be famous to get in, elite to be competitive and rich to afford it! OR you can have a couple of good horses and a couple of good trainers that welcome you in and enthusiastically help horse and rider to become better riders. This week I have taken Mario and Cole, with thanks to their owners, to Wellington to improve our dressage and show jumping. For the show jumping I'm working with grand prix rider (recently turned eventer) Marilyn Little-Meredith, whom I also work with back in MD. With Mario we're working on improving his slight left drift and his rideability between fences. Cole is a different kettle of fish and requires and obviously requires a different ride. He's careful but not to the same point as Mario. Australian dressage rider Nicholas Fyffe is helping me on the flat. I know Nicholas from Australia where he also helped me and he's reminding me of small habits I've allowed to slip since moving to America. For example we've been working on my seat and the effectiveness of aids. He has also been focusing on making a more established half halt and having my horses quicker on my aids. I have one more day here and then I'm really looking forward to getting back to Aiken to focus up on the horses I have left there, particularly Lola, Ti and Charmer, all of who are competing at Sporting Days and Full Gallop. Cole is my only starter this weekend at Pine Top and I look forward to bringing you my results after the training we have been receiving. Mario will next compete at the March Madness in Aiken, SC.

I know it's only a tiny jump but check out his back end!! That's the athleticism that makes me happy to canter into 1.50 metre fences! Students: ignore both my pink jumper and my position, I don't know what I was thinking....

The eventing season is starting to really kick into gear with most of top horses and riders out competing at Pine Top this weekend. Cole was 8th in the intermediate, and I have to say there were three mistakes in the three phases and they were all mine. He tried very had and his dressage is definitely improving. This concluded a very 14 days that included 5 events! Next I'm heading to Florida with Mario and Cole for showjumping and dressage lessons. Then it's back to Pine Top, Sporting Days, Full Gallop, Southern Pines I and II, Atlanta for some SJ, Morven Park, the Fork then home! In between all that my weekly visits back to MD.

As a side note, check page number 40 in http://www.theaikenhorse.com/. Another cover page!

Sporting Days was how eventing should be; rain, mud and good courses! I had two horses entered who both did quite well in the dressage, Ti being the best of the two scoring a 31.8. He finished on that score to come second and start his eventing year off to a solid start. This is a horse that I rate quite highly and am lucky to have the ride to see just where he'll go. He did place in a couple of show jumping classes early in January so it's good to see his dressage showing the type of work I've always known he is capable of. When I say it was wet, I mean the dressage was done by battling thru 30cms of mud! I didn't run Lola cross country as I have a bit of work to do on her jumping and as she's a very nice horse, equally talented as Ti, Mario and Cole, I don't want to hurry her. I already made the mistake of starting her last week when I knew she wasn't ready, so I won't be in a hurry to do that again.
In a side note, I'm not sure what it says about Australians, but of the four competing at the event we pretty well had each class covered as far as prizes go! Not exactly sure how all that galloping around on the rock hard ground of Goondiwindi and Albury helped, but I guess it must have!

The eventing year begins!

Tate Shaw with Mr Mc Cuan's Mario enjoying the sunshine!

What a great start to the year at Pine Top I this weekend! We had great weather (75 and sunshine), great courses and great horses. This weekend was for Mario, Cole and Beth Sohkohl's Charmer. Charmer and Cole did well in the dressage but Mario wasn't on his best form, suddenly finding the dressage ring to be a little lonely and neighing throughout the entire test! The judges comments were along the lines of 'lacking focus' and 'a little unsettled' today! He was still good enough to be in 4th place, but I was disappointed given his work was far better outside the ring. He did redeem himself cross country however by giving me the best ride of the three, which was a surprise to me as Charmer and Cole are typically xc machines. They were both good but I think a little insulted by the small size of the jumps. While neither of them took it seriously at least Charmer was polite and pretended to be interested. Cole was downright rude and explained to me that I was wasting his time. They will be back there in two weeks in the prelim and intermediate so I hope that makes them happier! It defiantly was great to be back out galloping between those red and white flags, I think there shouldn't be any break over the holidays for eventing!

Lola, Ti and Key start they year at Full Gallop this Wednesday.

Whilst living down south for the eventing is great for the training and the horses (it's the best time of the year in that respect), it is a huge strain on the finances and time.. I'm very committed to the students I leave behind in MD and travel back each week to teach them. This is what a typical weekly schedule looks like starting from Thursdays.

Thursday - XC school 4 horses. Ride another 4 at home. 1 or 2 lessons.

Friday - Ride 8 horses and prepare for show.

Saturday - 5am start taking 4 horses to a show. Get home ride 3.

Sunday - 5am start back to show. Get home ride 3. Break every speed limit to get to the airport (located in GA) in time for first of two flights. 11.30pm arrive in MD, go hire car, get to house at 1.30am.

Monday - 7.30am till 9.30pm teach.

Tuesday - 3.45am leave house to return car and catch first of two flights back to GA. 11am back in farm in SC to ride 8 horses.

Wednesday - sleep in till 8 then jump 4 horses and ride 4. Teach a lesson or two.

Even with this hectic schedule I still only just break even and am VERY VERY appreciative of my students and owners continued loyalty, support and commitment to my horses and their own endevours. I feel truly lucky to live the life I do.

For all the Australian's wondering if it is really necessary to move EVERYTHING south for the winter. This is the side mirror of my truck. Yes, ice! This happened on one of the drives down..

After a great holiday in Australia (some spent on the beach working on my non existent tan!), it was back to MD on Christmas day and straight to work. The week between Christmas and New Year is always hectic and this one was no different. Teaching, riding, packing plus teaching, riding and packing! The first load of horses went on January the first to Aiken. Followed by the second load on the third and the last load a week later. That's 66 hours on the road for me just to get them team relocated to avoid the winter cold! The 'South of the Border' signs, once a source of entertainment and joy, get a little less amusing each time I drive past them.........

Whilst the eventing doesn't start until next weekend I thought I'd blow out the jumping cobwebs and by competing in the Aiken showjumping winter classic. Very successful show with Checkout the Charmer winning (owner Beth Sokohl on enforced break), Titanium (Amy Taggart) winning a couple of thirds and Mario (Sunset Hills) jumping a super double clear in the 1.30m and having a rail in the Mini Prix.

The schooling and training is going very well with all the horses appreciating the sun and sand. Cole is going well and really getting way better on the flat. And Lola is loving her jumping!

Teaching Down Under and Analysis of the year that was.

Teaching country Queensland style Down Under.

After a long, successful year of competing and teaching I headed back to Australia for Christmas with my family and a bit of R and R. Of course that means I still teach, who doesn't on their holidays! As you can see it's a little different than the East Coast of America!

This is the time of the year also that I analyse each horses performance from the year and plan the coming one. I'll run thru a few of them, please bear in mind that the goals for myself and these horses are very personal and by sharing them my intention is to give you an insight into the emotional and physical commitment I make to each horse.

McCuan Mario

Mario had an excellent start to the year with a 3rd in the Aiken Mini Prix, one of only two eventers in the class and the only one to jump clear. This was on top of his other numerous placings. In the eventing he has made leaps and bounds, literally! Last year he his dressage and cross country were very fragile but this year he was able to consistently score in the 20's in the dressage and has the cross country figured out. Unfortunately he suffered an injury at Plantation Field in April which had him out for the rest of the year. He's back and in full work and as fit as a fiddle! His 2011 plans will see him starting with showjumping in Aiken in January then eventing with a goal of a 1 star mid year followed by a 2 star toward the end of the year. His show jumping career will also continue.

Collection Pass

Cole has been the surprise star of the year! He's an unassuming little horse that you would trust with your grandkids! He's quickly moved up from training level in March to now competing successfully at the intermediate level. His weaknesses are the dressage and showjumping, both of which we've worked extremely hard on. The show jumping was all about getting him a bit bolder and not so backed off. I did this by taking him to a couple of big jumper shows to where I could use the arena to school this area. Now he's got that figured out and is confidently jumping around 1.25m classes.The challenge with the dressage was to get and keep his head down! As simple as that! This has taken the most time and with the introduction of a double bridle are well on our way. Next year he will start with show jumping then straight into the eventing. He'll do a 2 star at Bromont then a 3 star late in the year.

Lola and Ti

Unfortunately my photo collection here doesn't contain any of either of these horses..... These two young horses are seriously exciting horses for the future. Similar in their build, they have different ways of going. Lola works on trust and her own intuition whereas Ti (I think) sees the whole thing as a video game! He gallops around thinking he's a character in Avatar taking on the evil human race by using his awesome athletic talents to be able to jump anything! He had a late start to the year with me and will start next year show jumping then head for a 1 star at Bromont. Lola sadly had about 6 months off competing with a pesky abscess and an annoying splint. She had several good places in eventing and a win in some show jumping. She will come out at training level and move up from there.

Thanks again for all the positive feedback through out the year. And congratulations to my students on their many and varied successes! MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO MY OWNERS AND SUPPORTERS FOR ENABLING TO CONTINUE MY QUEST TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS, MY SUCCESSES ARE AS MUCH YOURS AS MY OWN!

New Zealand

The final resting place of Champion of Champions, Sir Tristram, Cambridge Stud, Hamilton, NZ.


After making the long flight (25 hours all up) home to Brisbane, Australia, I took the time to have a quick shower, peek at the new arrival (who's tentatively called Sophie until we finalise her name) then it was straight back to Brisbane International airport for the 3 and a half hour flight to Australia's closest neighbour, and little brother, New Zealand. The trip was not a holiday, way more exciting, a shopping trip to find the next superstar to take on the US horses! And what a group we saw, all beautifully presented, talented and well performed at varying levels. It also served as a reminder of just how tough these Down Under horses are, they have a whole other set of lungs and reinforced tendons! I can tell you it would be very difficult to turn down some of these guys, all potential superstars. In particular a little black fellow by the name of Blackie that will turn up on an Australian, American or British team in the future. Without giving away too much, hopefully we'll have a Kiwi speaking horse on our team soon enough!

Whilst there I also had to great fortune of running into not one, not two but three legends of the horse world. One being Mark Todd, greatest eventer/horseman of all time. I tried out 5 horses on the same arena he was teaching. Having the great Toddy in such proximity was a massive motivation to keep my heels down and not miss into anything! Then I was fortunate enough to be a guest at the world famous Cambridge stud with my host who has a mare at the farm. There I saw the mighty Zabeel, sire of multiple group one winners incl Melbourne Cup). I also visited the grave (the farms centre piece) of the mighty Sir Tristram, sire of many, many group one winners, sires and champion producing fillies. As much as he meant to the racing community he also means to us jumpers. His bloodlines can be found in the many of the most successful jumping horses to come out of Australia and NZ. So obviously this was a huge privilege and honour for me!

I'm now back in Australia as of this morning visiting my family for Christmas and enjoying some warmer weather!!!! Whereever you are, try to keep either warm or cool, depending on the hemisphere!!