Dior the Diva

13/08/2025

With no competitions planned now, we are enjoying our hacks! An early one this morning, but worth the 5:00am start 💜 getting used to riding in a jump saddle again, but I’m very lucky (and so is Dior) to have not one, but two beautiful custom made loxley saddles 💜

A year ago I was stuck in hospital, recovering from major surgery and feeling incredibly low and unsure as to if and when I would be back in the saddle again. It’s time like that, when you just need to stop for a moment and remember why you have a horse and enjoy it again! We don’t have a school, so consistency in our schooling is very hard at the moment, but I’m just enjoying our hacks and having a sneaky canter here and there and that’s what it’s all about 💜

11/08/2025

A few weeks ago, we went on a hack doing the ‘drift’ route. Since our last ride, a lot of machinery had been left there. Dior wasn’t overly keen, she spun for home and I made the decision to get off and walk her past it. I didn’t make a big deal of it, walked her around it, let her have a look and then even used it go get back on. Further up, there was more machinery she wasn’t keen on, so I jumped off again, walker her past it, not making a big deal, and got back on further up. Yesterday, we did the drift again for the first time in a few weeks and the machinery was still there. The first couple, she walked straight past without any issues and then further up she had a staring contest with the sheep 🤣 but with time, she walked past the rest without any issues 💜 I’m sharing this as some people think getting off makes you a wimp and is the wrong thing to do! I on the other hand disagree. It’s being sensible, but as seen here, it allows them to process it and next time there won’t be an issue! So proud of her, and myself. A year after breaking my leg, we have dealt with a lot, but my horsemanship skills are something I take a lot of pride in.

10/08/2025

1 year ago today…I suffered a nasty accident during a fab cross country lesson where me trying to save myself by landing on my feet resulted in breaking my tibia and ankle! I can still hear the sound of the crack echoing through Ickworth park 🤦‍♀️

It was one of those things that you don’t think will happen to you, but shows that anything is possible (and holding your neck strap isn’t really going to save you!).

The worst part, deciding what to do with Dior. After I made the decision to give her the time off, I could focus on myself. The break was the perfect time with her living out and did her the world of good.

5 days in hospital during the hottest time, but I was allowed visitors this time which helped, and a major surgery (which should have taken a couple hours, ended up taking around 6/7 hours and a painful and long recovery), followed by more hospital visits and X-rays, physio and daily anticoagulant injections all seem so far away now.

Losing my independence and my routine was incredibly hard, but I had Marley, Willow and Mitzi keeping me company.

I was told I would be out of the saddle for 6 months, I was back on board in 3 💪 My ankle actually healed in 6 weeks, but it was actually in the joint so that soo be fun in a few years and my tibia took 6 months to fully heal. I still have nerve damage, knee pain and pins and needles in my foot but I am here and walking.

I still have pain daily, especially in my ankle, I have a lump where my tibia has healed but these things I have to learn to live with. The metal work may have to come out, but that all depends on several factors but if I can cope with those factors, it will stay in.

Horse riding is apart of me, I’m glad I didn’t give up and we managed to achieve some goals I have had for a long time! The next few weeks are about fun for me and Dior, until I go away. I’m trying to enjoy every ride, because I was gutted when I missed the rest of the summer last year.

Mentally and physically it affected me, it always will. I’m more cautious now, but that’s also a part of getting older and wiser 🤣

08/08/2025

A lovely early morning hack (definitely worth the 5:00am alarm) 💜

05/08/2025

Dior has had the last few days off as she didn’t feel 100%. Luckily our amazing osteopath managed to squeeze her in today, and with Willow supervising, managed to work her magic! A few days hacking and then start we can schooling again.

We have a few exciting things planned between now and when I go away, so watch this space 💜

03/08/2025

Yesterday we headed down to Brook Farm equestrian (a new venue for us) for our first area festival.

Dior loaded and travelled like the pro she is 💜 Matt was away for this one, so we went on our own but Dior is easy, so it never bothers me when we have to go without our groom.

I’m really pleased with how she coped, I allowed extra time to ride from the trailer to the arena, but I didn’t need that as we marched confidently past everything 💜

Warm up she was very calm, did everything I asked. I tried to do as much stretching as possible as it appears she has tweaked her back 🤦‍♀️ Anyway, as we were there, we did the test and she did everything I asked (she decided to add a buck and squeal in the left canter transition! 🤣)

We didn’t get the best score, as she wasn’t quite 100%, but we went and we completed our first area festival.

When I broke my leg last year, I set myself 2 goals-

-inter county champs
- area festivals

So to say we have completed both after recovering from such a nasty injury is a huge achievement and we haven’t had an easy few months (to say the least).

I know we can do better, I know we are way more consistent than this and hopefully we can get the osteo out soon to work her magic so Dior is feeling 100% again.

For now, we will keep hacking if she’s happy enough to just to keep her ticking over.

We are going to have a break from competitions for now, me and Matt go away to Florida next month, so that’s my main focus, however we do have a couple of lessons planned before then so watch this space 💜

To everyone who supported us and sent us lovely messages and words of wisdom, thank you.

27/07/2025

Early start this morning to head down to meet our saddle fitter to get our brand new custom made jump saddle 💜 Dior was very relaxed and well behaved. No jumping as we haven’t jumped since August and believe it or not…I don’t have a death wish 🤣 But the first time doing poles in ages and we had fun 💜 After riding in my dressage saddle for 9 months, it did feel a bit weird getting on with the stirrups being shorter and seat flatter but it didn’t take long to get used to it. Dior felt fab from the get go and I know this will be a game changer for our jumping.

This saddle has some similarities to my dressage saddle, the purple stitching and welting, but is mainly black with cocoa knee rolls, thigh blocks, front and back facings and black and brown on the cantle with purple stitching. It is also on a 17inch panel with a 17 1/2 inch seat, the same as my dressage and designed to allow room for Dior’s big shoulder.

One more dressage competition to go next week and then we are going to have some fun before I go away on holiday to Florida

27/07/2025

Friday, we had our first schooling session on grass since I broke my leg! Schooling on grass when the ground is hard makes me cringe anyway, but ever since breaking my leg (which happened in a XC lesson) it makes me cringe even more! The ground was perfect, so I made the most and Dior did some lovely work…even if she got a bit excited and strong in the canter 🤣

23/07/2025

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21/07/2025

6 years since I picked up the sassy 3 year old with a Mohawk 🤣 What a journey it has been and I’m sure it will continue to be a journey with plenty more ups and downs! She has taught me a lot, we have learnt a lot together and we have had a lot of fun! She’s still as sassy as ever but I would be lost without her! Here’s to many more fun years together 💜I don’t think I’ve done a bad job with her really!

18/07/2025

Dior has had an easy week after 2 manic weekends! She had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off (Marley also had hydro and Willow had gun dog training) and then back to work hacking yesterday! She feels great! She has another Reiki session scheduled for tomorrow to help rebalance her after a hectic couple of weeks. This morning she also had her teeth done, no issues just a routine check and rasp. Carrie is fab and manages to do her easily without sedation 💜 A couple more easy days and then back to doing some schooling ready for our first Area Festival in 2 weeks 💜