Team Dior

31/12/2024

Well, another eventful year comes to a close! The year started off very well, we had conquered our hacking demons, had some fab flat, jump and XC lessons and flew around some hunter trials and ODEs.

Lots of highs and lots of lows, another yard move, but I finally ‘found myself’ again with regards to riding after my previous coach continuously beat me down until I was a shell of myself (confidence is fragile…it doesn’t take much for someone or something to knock it…but takes much longer to get it back!), we found a fab dressage coach who has helped us already in just a few sessions (wish I had found her sooner!), and plenty of light bulb moments in our other lessons. We even ventured to some new venues for us and Dior was treated to a custom made dressage saddle. I was also luck enough to win a sponsorship with Inspirider, due to my accident we have taken a break from sessions but I’m looking forward to restarting in the new year. My goals may have changed, but I still need a lot of help with past traumas and my mindset.

My truck let me down, the starter motor went and then the clutch went due to a fault whilst we were at Blackwater (huge thanks to Equine Rescue Services for getting us home!) and then some idiot who was driving with faulty brakes drove into the side of my trucks, which resulted in it being off the road for 7 weeks and £10,000 worth of damage! Luckily, I had a Hilux so that didn’t stop us getting out for some lessons and dressage.

August was tough…i broke my ankle and tibia during a stupid fall trying to land on my feet, resulting in surgery and now a lot of metalwork in my leg 🤦‍♀️ Dior had 3 months off, and despite being told it would be 6 months before I can ride again…I was back in the saddle in 3 💪

Marley continues to be the lovable lab that he is, and enjoys his hydrotherapy sessions and Willow still thinks she is a lapdog but has done so well with her gun dog training ⭐️

Dior and I finished the year off with a fab dressage lesson and then a lovely morning hack in the sun ☀️

2024 didn’t go as a I had planned, breaking my leg took a huge toll on my mental and physical health but we are rebuilding and it has allowed me to take the pressure off and really start to concentrate on some
Dressage goals I have. It has also allowed me and Dior to rebuild our relationship and bond and learn to trust eachother. I am incredibly proud of the super horse I have produced 💜

I have said bye to some old ‘friends’ and hello to some new ones. I’m grateful for the people I have in my life and support me.

2025 is hopefully going to be better! Me and Matt are off to Florida in September, and so I need to be careful and remain in one piece 🤣 2 weeks of rollercoasters and theme parks should be enough to get my adrenaline fix 🤞

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year 🥳

30/12/2024

This afternoon we headed off for a fab dressage lesson with Darling Dressage. This is only the 3rd she has been in a school since August, but she hasn’t forgotten anything. Elly had a play first, which was lovely to watch and then I had a play after and Dior felt fab! She hasn’t forgotten anything! The contact is there and the rhythm is there, and she was much more consistent, so now to work on fine tuning a few things. I’m my biggest critic, but I have to remember that I suffered a major injury and had major surgery less than 6 months ago. I have had to lengthen my stirrups by 4 holes and my left leg is so much weaker, but we worked on getting Dior more responsive so it’s easier for me. 20-25 mins schooling is about all my leg can cope with at the moment, but that will continue to improve. This injury has really allowed me to change my focus to our flatwork and work towards a few goals of mine that I have had for a while now. I am looking forward to the New Year, continuing our lessons and seeing what we can achieve in Dressage 💜
Inspirider

25/12/2024

Back in August, I didn’t think I would be back on board for my annual Xmas day ride, and when I slipped last week and ended up back in hospital having it x-rayed…it still seemed unlikely…but there isn’t much that stops us equestrians! A lovely Xmas day hack with Dior, Willow and Matt to start the day 💜

This year has been tough…I honestly think someone has a voodoo doll of me but I’m looking forward to getting out and about again next year, and continuing to rebuild our fitness and strength.

Wishing everyone a very merry Xmas 🎄

21/12/2024

A little update…this year has been tough and this week I ended up going back to the fracture clinic (luckily all seems to be soft tissue damage 🙏)

16/12/2024

What a fun and busy 3 day weekend! Friday, we headed out for the first time in 4 months for our first lesson. Dior was a star from start to finish, did some lovely work and didn’t spook at the poles which she hasn’t seen for 4 months and we even had our first canter 🥳 I am still regaining strength in my left leg, so that’s our much weaker rein but it will come, I couldn’t be any prouder of this special girl 💜 Looking smart in my Inspirider gilet.

I also did the monthly feed run, so we are stocked up on feed and bedding until next payday!

Saturday, we went for a hack, Dior was feeling fab after our lesson and of course…threw in a few spooks to make sure I was awake 🤣 Marley then had his hydrotherapy session and with Matt’s help, Dior has now moved stables and is much happier without the horse next door kicking the stable petition all the time!

Sunday…Willow’s gundog training session was cancelled, so I took Dior out in the afternoon for a longer ride, along with finishing my jobs and organising after the stable move.

Now she has a couple of days off, we will have a quick headtorch hack Wednesday and then I finish work for the year on Thursday! We have a few things planned over the next few weeks…so watch this space.

04/12/2024

From being a horse who was very anxious and incredibly nappy hacking…to being able to go for a hack in the dark by headtorch 💜 A short one this morning, but when you work full time and have no facilities, it’s about keeping her ticking over at the moment. Anyone who remembers honey, will know that we started hacking in the dark with headtorch as I had to rehab her for PSD in the winter, and we carried on to keep her out of the school as much as possible. Even just a few months ago, I said I would never do it in Dior…and today just goes to show how far our relationship has come 💜Hacking at the moment seems to fill me with less anxiety than schooling does…I never thought that would be the case 🤣 It’s funny how an accident can change so many things, but this time actually for the better

01/12/2024

I can’t believe how quickly weekends go (and I currently have every Friday off until January to use up some annual leave!).

Another lovely weekend spent with my 2 labs and Dior 💜 2 lovely hacks, all on the road at the minute as the ground is now quite wet, but I’m riding and a few months ago that didn’t even seem possible! I had a goal…to be back in the saddle before Xmas…and we smashed that goal 😁 Yesterday, it occurred to me that there are so many times I could have given up riding, from being kicked in the face, to having my confidence beaten out of me by previous instructors (to the point where I was a shell of myself…as a person and a rider!) and then breaking my leg in August. I didn’t give up and i am glad I didn’t…but it has made me slow down a bit (literally as I can’t actually walk very fast, but also in many other ways) and just enjoy my horse. I believe horses (and animals and sometimes people) come into your life for a reason, and I truly believe Dior was meant for me. She came into my life when I had to say goodbye to my previous best friend, but anyone who knows our journey…knows how far we have come, and how difficult it has been!

There is so much I wish I could go back and change…but I can’t…so now to look forward…continue to rebuild my strength in the saddle (physically and mentally) and remember to look after me!

I am incredibly grateful to have Willow, Marley, Mitzi and Dior 💜 Dior also enjoyed her warm bath today, getting rid of all the mud…until she goes back in the field 🤣🤦‍♀️

29/11/2024

Dior has been back in work for around 4 weeks now, and hacking is rather interesting (we like to jog alot 🤣), so today we went down the road for a play in the school, for the first time since August. It’s a lovely school, but very spooky! I lunged Dior first, so she could let off some steam…what became apparent is that she is definitely listening to me much more now, even walking in hand (which is great as I can’t walk as fast as I used too 🫤). As she was calm, and I know her so well, I ‘jumped’ on and we did some work in walk only today, some transitions, circles and serpentines to get her bending and thinking…she actually did some nice work with a few spooks thrown in for good measure 🤣 Funnily enough, it was harder for me mentally to get on board in the school than it has been getting on and going for a back 🤷‍♀️ I never thought that would have been the case a few years ago. Dior is definitely loving life at the moment 💜Looking forward to restarting my sessions with Inspirider again soon! Lots of things coming up lately to work on 😊

23/11/2024

This is so true 💜

🍂 A Good Mare 🍂

“There’s something different about the way a good mare connects with her rider. It’s special. Like an unspoken agreement. Once a mare chooses you as her person, it’s like she has an instinct to protect you, to fight for you. It’s almost as if she takes ownership of you.

I believe the good mares have a deep sense of intuition. They can read your mind. They know what you’re thinking even before you do. The good mares I know breathe fire in the face of challenge and then somehow, miraculously, know to quiet themselves when a timid child is plopped on their back for a pony ride.

They are clever, cunning and calculated, which can be your greatest enemy or your saving grace. The good mares I know do not tolerate egotistical riding. They do not tolerate force. They demand tact, finesse and emotional control. But once you have won a mare’s heart, you have won all of her. In exchange for your best—and nothing less—she will give you everything.”

Written by: Lindsay Paulsen

22/11/2024

We are good to go! Dior had the saddle fitter earlier this week and a new, full set of shoes today followed by a hack (after 2 days off due to the frost and ice!). She was a tad spicy 🤣 We went to go the ‘usual’ way but something spooked her, and as I can’t just jump off at the moment, we went the other way through the village instead of just going home and giving up. Not a bad start for my 4 day weekend! Looking forward to my spa day on Monday…much needed 💜

17/11/2024

A fab Sunday in the sun! Another lovely hack around the village on Dior who is feeling very well and happy! Being back on board is the best feeling ever! Dior seems to be quite happy being back in work also. She still keeps me on my toes 💜

She then had a lovely bath (her tail was grim!) and is now in at night for the winter (which she seems quite pleased about!).

I still have to remind myself that 3 months isn’t really that long, so to be doing what I’m doing is huge progress 💜

16/11/2024

I am so proud of Dior today! After having 2 days off (I had physio and was in a lot of pain, still am but that’s normal at the moment 🤦‍♀️) we went for a hack around the village for the first time in 3 months!

Dior came in from the field fairly unsettled and on edge, so I just let her calm down and because I know her so well, I walked her around for a lap before getting on to see if she was calmer and she was 💜

A few spooks here and there, which is normal for her and some jogging (she is now on week 2 of walk work!) but no napping and she even led the way when we came across her friend, Seren who came home with us.

I have had to lengthen my stirrups a bit, because I don’t have full mobility when it comes to dorsi-flexion but it’s getting better. I am so pleased with Dior, not bad for a horse quite a few ‘professionals’ told me over the years just ‘wouldn’t hack!’ Or be enjoyable to hack.

We have a couple of small outings planned before Xmas, it will be nice to get her out again as she enjoys her outings 💜

10/11/2024

When I broke my tibia and ankle 3 months ago, I aimed to be back on board before Xmas. Well…after long reining Dior for a week, today was the day! Straight on, and she wasn’t phased at all 💜

We had help on the ground, more from my benefit as the last time I rode I ended up in hospital. We did the short route we have been doing all week to build us both up. It’s not a bad thing taking our time, especially as she needs a full set of shoes with road nails back on before we really start hacking.

I don’t give this girl all the credit she deserves. Dior hasn’t been easy, she likes a buck but today, there was no anxiety or tension from either of us. I’m so proud of how far she has come and really think the 3 months off has done her so much good!

I did practice some of the work I did with Inspirider before my accident, and looking forward to restarting the work again as we continue to build ourselves up and work towards our dressage goals for next year 💜

I’m very lucky to have a super little horse and it was great being back behind the best ears and my happy place.

07/11/2024

This morning I went back to hospital for my 3 month check up. It will be 3 months 9th Nov since I broke my ankle and tibia and 3 months on 11th November since I had surgery.

My x-rays are looking good, my ankle has fully healed (I fractured the actual joint) and tibia is continuing to heal well. I have been off crutches fully for 4 weeks now and have been given the all clear to start riding again…although I have to build it all up again, so starting slowly with short rides. I still have quite a bit of pain and discomfort, and have to rest it a lot but everything is heading in the right direction. These 3 months have been tough and challenging, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I may need to have the metal work out in the future, depending it I have issues or I have too much unbearable pain in the winter, but that won’t be for at least a year.

Another X-ray in 3 months and then I shall be discharged 😊

06/11/2024

Dior had her saddle on today for the first time in 3 months! She didn’t bat an eyelid. She has the saddle fitter booked for a couple of weeks. A long reining session through the village before work this morning, she’s had a sheltered life the last 3 months and apparently the cows were scary! She has seen them 100s of times before 🤦‍♀️ we are still on walk work, but Dior was very keen so I was on a mission behind her. I had forgotten how fast she walks…not easy when I’m still lame 🤣 I have my follow up and 12 week X-ray tomorrow so fingers crossed.

04/11/2024

Super long reining session before work this morning. Straight out of the barn, through the bank end of the village and home again. Dior was very relaxed, as she can be quite tense through built up areas (Friday we did the same route in hand and she was very on edge!). Now a rest day tomorrow for both of us as my leg definitely needs to recover!

03/11/2024

And Dior is back in work! First long reining session in a while, so we started off in an enclosed space (incase she decided to long rein herself 🤣). The branch was scary, so I popped her on a circle and went past it until it was boring, which didn’t take long and ended it with a walk down the drive and back to the barn.She was so good, started to listen to me and apart from a couple of silly spooks, she wasn’t as silly as I half expected her to be ⭐️ I am looking forward to restarting my sessions with Inspirider and working towards our dressage goals. Jumping is currently on hold for the foreseeable future.