Starlight Farm

15/11/2024

I’ve been holding out. Nearly all foals born at Starlight Farm….even this unlikely but very cute mischievous pair of twin fillies. More updates coming soon 🥰

12/11/2024

One of the scariest posts, a reminder of the divide between town and country, or what people really understand about the world and what makes it go round.

We’ve been getting hay from our Brook Road neighboring farm for years, and one day David Brown told me the following little story.
He had just finished haying one big field, and as he was driving by he saw two women riding on the field. He called them over and asked them if they could ride along the dirt road instead of on the hay field, and this is when the conversation became a little whacky.

One of the riders looked down at where her horse was standing on the grass and said---this is NOT a joke---“THAT’S baby hay?”

She literally didn’t know where hay came from. It would be like thinking milk comes from the refrigerator at the grocery store, or meat from the meat counter, but there it was.

I am aware that there’s a growing modern divide between country living and suburban life, but “baby hay?”

22/10/2024

Wade has always built famously awesome horse trucks for us to dream about driving our horses around in. Thank you for Wade’s generous sponsorship at Equifest and who doesn’t like chocolate 😂🍫

At only 12 years old, Hannah Ashwell did exceptionally well to win the under-17 Speed Jumping, scoring herself $750 cash at last friday's Equifest Wade Equine Festival of Speed. We thought we'd throw in a couple of Toblerone to sweeten the deal! Well done Hannah for your excellent performance 👍 🙌 👏

22/10/2024

There was amazing sponsors at Equifest, we just love the leather care kits that Hannah and Heidi won from NSC. Thank you!

Heidi Clotworthy and Hannah Ashwell came to our stand to thank us for sponsoring their prizes – both won Deluxe Leathercare Kits. We really appreciated the time they took to come see us personally 🩷

Hannah won the 1.05–1.10 Pony Speed round at the Festival of Speed Nightshow and Heidi won Overall Novice Working Equitation. Well done girls!

11/09/2024

A great message to all our aspiring young riders. Worth sharing again.

08/09/2024

Always thinking about your horses welfare and the jobs we expect them to do. Many of the horses in our area have wintered exceptionally well, too well.

07/09/2024

A good coach plays multiple crucial roles that directly impact the growth and success of their riders. Some of these key roles include:

Mentor – Beyond just sport, a coach helps riders grow personally, sharing valuable advice and wisdom from their own experiences.
Motivator – They inspire and push riders to reach their full potential, fostering a mindset of positivity and determination to meet their goals.
Teacher – Coaches educate riders on techniques, strategies, and the rules of the sport, enhancing both their skills and understanding.
Strategist – Developing effective game plans, coaches leverage riders’ strengths while working on areas of improvement.
Communicator – Clear and effective communication is vital. A coach provides clear instructions, feedback, and support, ensuring riders fully understand their roles.
Disciplinarian – By enforcing rules and maintaining high standards, they promote discipline, respect, and structure within the team.
Supporter – Coaches offer emotional and moral support, helping riders handle pressure, setbacks, and success with resilience.
Evaluator – Regularly assessing riders’ performances, they set goals for improvement and help riders recognize areas for growth.
Role Model – Coaches lead by example, demonstrating sportsmanship, integrity, and a strong work ethic, shaping the attitudes and behavior of their riders.
Team Builder – By fostering camaraderie and teamwork, coaches create an environment where riders feel connected, valued, and supported.
Each of these roles plays an essential part in shaping athletes both in sport and in life.

However, one of the most critical traits of a great coach is the ability to handle the unexpected. Things rarely go as planned, and managing unforeseen challenges in a calm, efficient manner—especially around horses—is, in my view, the most vital quality a coach can possess

07/09/2024

Bert Rutten tells us:
“I have to be able to bring my hand forward and he stays where he is, that’s called self-carriage.
Then when I push him, he must have the desire to follow the bit, forward, downwards, then I have contact, and contact is not determined by the weight you have in your hand, that’s a mistake a lot of riders make, they think contact is weight. Contact is that the horse has the desire to follow the bit at all times.
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2024/09/bert-rutten-beautiful-riding-is-simple/

02/09/2024

Two more spots available now for young horse starting and schooling. Give me a call on 0274900775 Starlight Farm

19/08/2024

With the technical tracks we have in showjumping today, one of the biggest differences between a good rider and a great rider is good and correct foundation/flatwork (and horse power 😉)

Wise words below borrowed from Elsa Berggren 👌

4 things I learnt from working with different 160 riders around the world that I will always bring with me…

* Your hand can move forward, sideways & upwards but if you pull backwards you ride the horse backwards. (You also shut down their engine and their jump)

* Ride with one hand or hold the reins in a "bridge" is the most effective method to prevent an unsteady contact. (This is useful in all disciplines)

* If you cannot do all your proper flatwork (transitions, collection, lateral movements) in a light seat you're probably using your seat to push the horse forward instead of making sure the horse is in front of the leg. (Again true in all disciplines)

After all flatwork, which starts with ground work, and manners on the ground is how you communicate with your horse whilst jumping a track. Give it some thought.

30/06/2024

Look at the straight line from the riders elbow to the bit, how his hands follow the horse’s head and a balanced an stable lower leg and strong focus forward with his eyes.