The yard is looking somewhat empty now as many of the horses have gone home for a well earned break over the winter. The handful that are left in have been aimed at the end of season events. Dantino and Butterfly are contesting Aldon International this weekend and then thats me done for the season!
I always look forward to the horses finishing the season fit and well, some have done outstandingly well and other haven't reached expectations, but thats horses for you! The winter, as always brings all the odd jobs that need to be done, and a well earned break for those on the team that have worked so hard to support me, the horses and their owners over the long eventing season.
I will spend the winter working on some of the younger and less experienced horses that will be making their debut in 2011 and also planning event programmes and aims for those horses coming back in 2011.
The yard move has definately been a positive point this season, but next year i will be limiting how many horses i have in perminantly as having all this space has encouraged me to fill all the boxes which has in turn been difficult to run all horses as planned. 
 
 
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Henry has recovered well from Burghley. His 2010 season is over and he will have a well earned rest over the winter, with sights on Badminton 2011. I can't beleive that the 2010 season will be over in 5 weeks, where did that go?! We're off to South of England Horse Trials on Saturday with Butterfly and Leo in the CIC2* and Tino in the Intermediate, then on to Osberton with Ellie on Thurs in the CCI.  

 
 
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  Thanks to Henry Bucklow of www.lazy-photography.co.uk

 
 
Henry stormed round the XC in his normal amazing manner. Unfortunately we weren't 100% happy with him on the Sunday morning so sadly decided to withdraw him from the final phase. It's always a hard blow for us as a team as we all work so hard to keep the horses fit, healthy and happy but sometimes there is only so much you can do. So Henry is home for a little break before we decide how he will finish the 2010 season which only has 7 weeks left! I have 2 horses running at West Wilts on Friday and 10 running at Pontispool on Sunday as well as an extra 2 horses that are coming in for schooling whilst their owner is on holiday. They are pictured below:
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Henry passes the first trot up and scores 74 for current 15th place.
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Well we set off yesterday for Burghley with Henry who is feeling in fine form after his placing at Gatcombe earlier on in the month. I had an unfortunate fall last week which resulted in me cracking a rib and having to withdraw from my local event Bicton and Highclere to be fit enough to ride at Burghley.
For those of you who can't make it up here to watch check out http://www.burghley.tv/?BH where you can watch the same day coverage of every individual dressage, xc and sj, available from midday on Thurs Sept 2nd.
Or why not have a look at the course http://vimeo.com/14195288 to see what Henry and I will be up against on the cross country. Wish me luck!
 
 
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Having only had 3 days to settle in the new yard, I was packing up to set off for Martinvast Horse Trials in France with one of the Newhall horses and Ellie.  The horses travelled well and it was a mixed bag of competition. Ellie proved herself to be a potential 4* horse and gave me a great ride XC, with an unfortunate pole down SJ leaving us mid-way placed down the board. She really will be a horse for the future and i have high hopes for her. Unfortunately I didn't run Captain Hook XC as he had not been himself in the SJ - so we decided to save him for another day.
Henry was a bit put out to be staying at home when the lorry left - his preparation for Burghley was kept on track by Alex whilst I was away and it's all systems go for the CCI4* at the beginning of September. We're off to Highclere on Saturday with 3 Intermediates running, so fingers crossed for good weather as this rain will have really made a difference to the going.
 
 
I'm now based at Newhall Equestrian, Broadclyst near Exeter www.newhallequestrian.co.uk
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Henry is his new stable.

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The yard is set around a court yard.

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The 6 horse Kylix walker

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The indoor school

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The outdoor school

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In the school