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March 2015
Well the nights are getting noticeably lighter and Spring is on its way, Hooray!
Bookings are now being taken from March onwards for starting / breaking in youngsters, general schooling, retraining difficult behaviours, or retraining racehorses. If you want to give your horse or pony a great, stress free start to life under saddle, or just want your horse or pony to be calm, responsive and easy to ride or jump, stand still for you to get on, easy to handle, etc. Using ethical, evidence based training methods based on Equine Learning Theory (how horse's learn), your horse will be trained in a way he understands without confusion. Your horse or pony will have their own paddock, 24/7 turnout and will be looked after as one of my own during their stay. Owners are welcome to come and watch their horse or pony's progress and be involved in the process if they wish. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information. References available if required or please see my Testimonials.

Snowy – A pony who was going to be euthanised due to dangerous bolting and bronking behaviours, owned and retrained by Sally.

Mischka – 5yrs old doing Groundwork whilst undergoing Foundation Training with Sally.
Rooster – 3.5 yrs old started by Sally, waiting patiently to be mounted to head out for his first hack. Milly – 4 yrs old, started by Sally & having her first Canter.

The whirlwind year of 2014
Well what a year 2014 was! With the purchase of Croft House Farm at the end of 2013, it was all hands to the deck and non-stop spending to get the house renovated, the land and fencing improved and made safe for the horses as barbed wire everywhere (awful stuff) and arena completely refurbished with new drainage system and new surface. It was a hard slog and pretty stressful at times but well worth the effort. What a difference a year makes!

I was also able to take a couple of lovely coloured mares in for Foundation Training / Starting. With all the work going on at the farm, my own horses to do and my teaching commitments, I only wanted to take in one horse at a time so that I could give them the full attention they deserved.

First we had the gorgeous 3 yr old Tian. What an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Couldn't have been a more perfect start to the new yard. Thanks to the excellent groundwork her owner, Michelle, had practiced before bringing Tian to me for starting, she really was a star. Michelle came to the yard regularly to be involved in the training process and to watch Tian's progress. She was thrilled with how stress free the whole process was for Tian and how light and easy to ride Tian was when she was ready to go home. Michelle has continued to enjoy furthering Tian's education with future lessons and plenty of hacking once she got her home. (Don't just take my word for it though, see Testimonials Page for Michelle's take on the experience)

After Tian came another beautiful coloured mare, Milly, an untouched 4yr old who had been bred by her owner for showjumping. She was a big girl at around 16.1hh and a little more challenging than Tian, only because she hadn't yet learnt all the basics of being tied up, standing still to be brushed, etc., as she had spent her life out in the field being a horse and enjoying life up to now. So much so she didn't really fancy hopping onto the horsebox and leaving home. Her owner asked me to go over and do a loading session with her as, very sensibly, she didn't want her to get a fright or have a bad experience. Over I went to do some groundwork and get her going on and off the box happily. Then she travelled over to mine the same day with a quiet horse to keep her company. She was very much a horse who liked to get on with things – a mare on a mission! She seemed to absolutely love her work but wasn't too keen on the old standing still milarkey, a real fidget pants in the beginning but with patience and consistency, she soon got the hang of it. A really lovely, quality horse who I can't wait to hear how she does with her jumping as she sure had some power in that back end!

Then along came another stunning coloured mare (I seem to be attracting them), 5 yr old Mishcka, who again had spent her life up to know enjoying herself out in the field with her mates. She was going to come to me but then her owners decided to keep her at home in the end and I would go and work with her at her own yard a few days a week. Probably a wise move as the weather soon turned and then Christmas came along, so it has been a bit stop and start for poor old Mischka but she has taken it all in her stride. We keep chipping away and are getting there slowly but surely, but the weather does keep thwarting us somewhat. Not an ideal time for starting babies in the winter really. Much nicer to do it in the warmer months!!

We were also very lucky to have a visit from the fabulous Manuela Mclean (BSc. Dip. Ed NCAS Level 2 Dressage Specialist & Principal Coach of the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre) who gave a fantastic clinic. All participants and spectators had an inspiring and informative couple of days, with the horses and riders all feeling and looking great under Manu's watchful eye.

And to top it all off a fabulous "Train the Trainers Day" in Cheshire with world renowned trainer, Dr Andrew Mclean (PhD (Equine cognition and learning), BSc (Zoology), Dip Ed & Principal Trainer of the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre). A truly inspiring and highly motivating day. The future looks very bright for Equitation Science! Which in turn means the future looks bright for many more horses as we continue to promote Ethical, Sustainable, Evidence Based Horse Training.