How to Excel At Being Average

I don’t know about you but I always seem to be skint.  If I ever have any spare cash I spend it immediately on a lesson or a competition, or if I am feeling very flush (or have a desperate need), new tack for my beloved horse.  Tack is a tool, a fashion statement, a way to show off your horse’s best features, to show you understand the new field of equestrian science or simply to display your own good taste in saddles.  It can help or hinder your horse as much as bad riding, and if chosen well it can improve your riding too.  Always use a qualified saddle fitter to help you – they have been thoroughly trained by the Society for Master Saddlers – a list is available on their website here:  https://www.mastersaddlers.co.uk/ £ There’s no getting away from it though – it’s an investment.   Decent tack from nosebands to discipline specific saddles is expensive.   Even if you trawl eBay and pick up good quality second-hand tack it’s still not cheap t...

BD National Veteran Dressage Championships The first and most important thing I have to share this month is that my little sister, Tory, and the legendary Spotty Pony only went and WON the BD National Veteran Intro Championships!  They got a prize and a sash and got to do a lap of honour.  I am not sure who cried more, me or our Mum!  Sooooooo proud of Tory.  Spotty had three months off for a fractured splint this year and qualified at Intro as part of her rehab in just two tests.  Zero to hero!  They were even in the BD magazine.  Beau and I could only manage 12th in our section (average), but I was really pleased with how he went – and more importantly with how we worked as a team and finally trusted each other enough to combat scary judges’ tables (2), people opening the door into the gallery then letting it slam shut (1), and the swags on the walls (millions).  He was a very good boy and I was a very good girl :D . BD National...