Don't know if I dare say it, but is spring finally on it's way?!? The weather the last few days has been lovely, everything is starting to dry up a bit and we can get much more done, which is good as there is plenty going on here at the moment.

Last week we had WOW with us for the day to do general check ups as well as making some videos.....

It was a very interesting day and it is nice to see and feel the horses going so well, especially as the start of the event season is nearly here! The videos will be published soon so look out for the links for those! Milli was jumping in the H girth again and she loves it, plus it keeps the saddle much more stable on her back which is very important when jumping. Click Here for more pictures of Milli jumping.....

With Roxie we did some gait analysis videos showing how changing the air in the saddle can effect the horse and the results were incredible.....I then had my dressage lesson with Jan Breeze and Roxie went brilliantly! Jan is amazed and just as impressed as we all are in how the WOW saddle has improved Roxie's way of going, if only I'd started riding in a WOW years ago! Don't forget to check out Roxie's Training Gallery for regular picture updates.....

This week we've got off to a busy start with visits from our farrier, Ben Price and Veterinary Physiotherapist, Sofia Graham.

Both horses are wearing through their shoes evenly and Ben is very pleased with how their feet are looking. They now have nice new shoes with stud holes all ready for the start of the event season :)

After having their feet done in the morning Roxie and Milli then had treatments from one of our lovely sponsors, Veterinary Physiotherapist, Sofia Graham. They both thoroughly enjoy their treatments and respond in different ways to each method used. As you can see from the picture above Roxie loves the leg stretch! She stretches around to the left, then back to the right, then down.....clever horse, obviously knows what she needs stretched! I can really recommend Sofia to anybody, every time she treats any of my horses there is always noticeable improvements after each session!

Sofia has been treating my horses since they have been ridden in WOW saddles and she has noticed the improvements in how they have been working. They are both much looser through their shoulders where they have been working more from behind and holding themselves. They are both much straighter through their hips which is because I am sat straighter myself due to the a-symmetric air that was in the saddles initially. I no longer need the a-symmetric air in either of my saddles now which is great :)

A Trainee Physiotherapist came along with Sofia today to watch as there was a few treatments on the yard today and lots to learn :) She commented on how well the horses were looking thanks to the super feed they are being fed from Hickstead Horse Feeds and the brilliant supplements from Global Herbs!

Both horses are to go for a light hack tomorrow after their treatments today and then crack on as normal. Our first event entries will be done soon as well which is very exciting.....look out to see which events we are heading too!

Until next time,
SG Eventing
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***Keep Calm & Canter On***
***Eventing 2014***

Last week one of my Clients, Kim, invited us to her yard to ride in her indoor school which was greatly appreciated. Both horses were very fresh but despite the distraction of the wind they worked very well. I was trying a new girthing system on Milli as she is continuing to change shape as she grows and develops. I put back balance straps on to her WOW Jump saddle so that I could use the new 'H Girth' (for more info. on this girthing please click on the following link: http://wowsaddles.com/accessories.html). The girth has improved the stability of her saddle without having to over tighten her girth. She felt a lot happier with this girth on too, much more forward and loose through her back :)

Roxie jumped very well too and I was very pleased we managed to have a jump as we went to Felbridge on Thursday 13th for the combined training. we haven't jumped many times in the WOW jump saddle so we are still getting used to it and how we both feel in it as Roxie is so 'in-tune' with me on her the slightest change to my position effects her.

So, despite the rain and winds Wednesday night, Kim and I were still very keen to go to Felbridge for the combined training so we decided to get ready and see what the weather was like Thursday morning. Guess what.....it was WET! No change there then, but there was no wind and the forecast was saying sun later so we set off believing 'IT WILL BE SUNNY' and remarkably it was!!!! Roxie was like a ticking time bomb from the moment I got on her, I honestly think she thought it was her first event of the season. We just about managed to contain her excitement in the dressage but I think to the judge she would have looked a bit tense. She didn't feel tense to me and she did some lovely work, especially her medium trots and canters. I'm still waiting to hear what my score was as we left before the scores were up but I wasn't expecting a winning score that's for sure!

With a very quick change of tack due to some dark clouds heading over we went to do our SJ round. As I said earlier we are still in the process of getting used to the feel of the WOW jump saddle, I'm not trying to use that as an excuse though as we did have a couple of poles down which were just silly little mistakes. Roxie had the first fence down which isn't something she normally does so either she wasn't quite focused on the height of the fence or perhaps I hadn't got her attention on what was ahead. She had the first part of a double of up-rights which was completely Roxie's error......it was on a related distance of 4 strides from an oxer and being very keen and not listening to her rider she went to go on three strides so she couldn't quite get her front legs up in time! I am going to have a re-think about what bit to jump her in as she no longer rushes on the approach or landing with her new saddle but I still need something more than just a snaffle especially when she is this keen, so I think it will be a bit of trial and error unless anyone has any suggestions?? please check out Roxie's Gallery page to see more pictures and a video from our day at Felbridge. Also a well done to Kim and Maisey for a good result at Felbridge too.

Roxie is feeling so great at the moment, much stronger behind after being fed the new Global Herbs product 'Hocks' and although very fresh and keen she isn't getting silly which I'm putting down to the feed she is being fed from Hickstead Horse Feeds. In fact our entire yard, which has various shapes and sizes of equines on, is remaining very calm and chilled about being stabled much more with a reduced amount of exercise and turn out! Plus they are all in great condition with a lovely shine to their coats :)

With this horrid weather a few BE events have already had to cancel so I am holding off entering my first events just yet as I don't want to rush either of them and run the risk of running them on deep ground which could end in injury ruling them out for the rest of the season! As soon as our first entry has been made I will let you all know but for now we are continuing to train hard and just keeping our heads down, or underwater as the case may be with this weather, until spring arrives.......hopefully we will have a great summer!

SG Eventing
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***Keep Calm & Canter On***
***Eventing2014***