British Pound Sterling

Sarah Lewis Show Jumping

Professional

winterGrey

The day after Addington Mark and I flew to Kochi in Kerala, Southern India. I spent 8 weeks in India when I was 21 and have longed to go back. India is full spectrum of sights, sounds and smells, so it’s hard to choose a favourite bit, but Kerala would be very high on the list. It was Mark’s first trip, so a bite size 8 days to start. We managed a whistle stop tour starting in Kochi, followed by a trip up to the tea plantations in Munnar, a night on a houseboat in Allepey and a few nights by the beach in Kovalam before flying back into cold, wet January.  We ate fantastic food in lovely street cafes and came back refreshed. So much has changed in the huge economic success that India is, but essentially little has changed with the lovely friendly people in this exquisitely beautiful country. 

After such a lovely week in India it was time to get back out to shows. We started with a Thursday show at Felbridge. I jumped Askeaton in the 1m, as 3 is a lot in one class. She jumped a lovely double clear. Khalissy jumped a great clear in the Newcomers to finish 4th, Breakdance jumped well in the Newcomers and Arietta jumped a lovely double clear in the Foxhunter. Off we went to Coombelands the following Thursday where Khalissy picked up another Newcomers placing, Askeaton was 2nd in the 1.10 and the others jumped well for a pole apiece. Thinking all was going brilliantly we were back at Coombelands the following week for a slightly poley day of rather indifferent riding. 

Sadly I once again have found myself without a full time groom, and while I have had some fantastic freelancers helping me over the past month, you can only be as good as the team behind you, and I don’t do so well with a constantly changing cast.  I have been thinking for some time about having two horses and keeping them at livery.  Not only making it easier for us to organise our time, and spend more time with Anna & Sophie and their families, but also getting the added support of being part of something greater than myself. As often happens this all came together very suddenly. I had a couple of frustrating days trying to manage to get to training and shows by myself and falling very far short of doing my best, which coincided with Trevor & Caroline Breen having room for  Arietta and Askeaton, so they are now are now living there. . Khalissy is sold and departs for her new home on Monday, and at the moment Breakdance is still at home. 

I am really enjoying the tremendous support that I’m getting from Caroline and Ryan Harvey. Something I’ve really only dreamed of! After just two weeks I’m noticing that being part of a system is benefiting me. It’s hard work - thinking and working differently, but it’s good. I’ve still had two to ride at home so I’m not seeing the time benefits yet, but slowly it will all fall into place, and the longer days make life so much easier. I took Breakdance with me on Thursday this week for some grid work and can see that whether he is at home or at the Breens he can benefit from the system too. 

We’ve been to one show at Felbridge since the horses moved. In the 1.10 Breakdance actually jumped beautifully, but I chose to circle in two difficult distances, rather than push him out of his rhythm. Askeaton jumped beautifully, but she is very experienced and can shorten and lengthen to accommodate strange distances, especially over much smaller courses. Arietta jumped a good round in the 1.20, just struggling in two strange distances. I do wonder why at mid-week shows early in the year we need such testing courses. Mostly these shows are full of professionals producing horses for bigger shows later in the year. It would be so nice if we had more training shows with simple courses where the heights didn’t get so big in the jump-off. 

As always many thanks to my supporters
Saracen Horse Feeds, Just Equine Ltd, Protexin Equine, NDS Equine and MacWet Gloves, and to the large cast of helpers this month, Lauren Andrew’s, Frankie Walker, Alana Spartow, Cookie Porter, Beverley Eatton, Ellie Colllins and Rachel Lyons and of course the team at Breen Sport Horses. 




Askeaton Felbridge 

Khalissy Coombelands 

Arietta Felbridge 

Khalissy Felbridge 

Breakdance Felbridge 

Arietta 1.20 Coombelands 

Askeaton 1.10 Coombelands 

Breakdance 1.10 Coombelands 

Arietta Coombelands 

India, Local Shows and a Big Change

Next stop was a training show at Addington. I was excited to be going back to Addington after a three year absence, and the concept of the training show, where you get two rounds at your chosen height, is perfect for where my horses are in their progress this season. 

I felt Askeaton needed another very easy round, so we had a brutally early start, made easy by having both Frankie & Lauren to help. I’m spoiling myself with help for these first few shows to allow Lauren to find her feet with the pace of show grooming, and to feel a little bit more relaxed about time while the horses are still very fresh. 

We arrived in perfect time. Askeaton jumped two lovely easy rounds in the 1m.  She feels great so fingers crossed we can keep it that way. 

The real value of the training show was revealed in being able to go straight in at 1.10 on Breakdance with no pressure, as these rounds aren’t recorded on their BS records. I have made a few changes to his management as he is a little bit nervous, he now has a small dose of Calming Powder from Premier Performance CZ, which I have consistently found to be the best calmer, and we tried the titanium mask from Just Equine as well. Although I managed to get in his way once in each of his first two rounds, and at the second fence in his third round, I was able to keep starting again and posted an almost foot perfect final round. This was a really big confidence and self-belief boost. It was like a show for him, but like training for me. There was plenty going on in both the warm-up and the ring, and he was definitely more focussed on going from fence to fence without worrying about pole-pickers, photographers and other horses. 

BE Khalissy then jumped two cracking rounds in the 1.10. She’s a real expert now, my only job is to read the numbers. I feel I have taught her all I can now and she needs a lovely home where she can teach someone all she knows, and fulfil her desire to go a bit quicker and actually be allowed to win things. She has been the most lovely and rewarding horse to produce. 

We had a bit of a wait for Arietta to jump in the 1.20. She worked in really well, no acrobatics or objections to other horses and jumped two lovely rounds. A bit too many brakes this time, but having felt so green last year she really feels super confident in her job now. 

It was a long journey home and a very long day for all of us. But it was well worth the trip. Many thanks to the team at Addington, sadly I can’t make either of their three day shows, but definitely have some others in the diary. Many thanks to Lauren and Frankie for all their help and to Mark for getting up early and helping me finish so late.  A big sigh of relief from Mark as we flew off to India the next day and he was worried about how the lorry, girls & horses would be retrieved from Addington if I fell off!

As always many thanks to Saracen Horse Feeds, Protexin Equine, Premier Performance CZ, Just Equine, MacWet Gloves and NDS Equine for their support. 



Askeaton 

BE Khalissy 

Billy Breakdance 

Billy Arietta 

Addington Training Show

We had two days at Wales & West Showground last week, intending to do the Newcomers 2nd Round there with all three horses. 

I had a great journey to Wales, arrived in good time and installed the horses in their stables.  The temporary stables at Wales & West are about the same age as me, so a little bit of maintenance (a new bolt on the door) was required to keep Arietta in, but this was soon accomplished, and I set off to my lovely B&B, the Lych Gate in Caldicote.

We had an early start on Thursday morning with three in the Foxhunter in the main ring.  Arietta was first up, and she jumped beautifully until I had a mad moment and decided to take a stride out, resulting in a shuffle and a pole down.  However, she jumped the rest of the round well, and I was very pleased that she jumped the water very confidently. 

BE Khalissy was next and I was very pleased with her, it was a strong Foxhunter and she was just a little green jumping into the first double, and had to work a bit coming out, resulting in four faults.  She jumped better and better as the round progressed, so I was very pleased with her.  

Askeaton was last of the three, she felt rather fresh and a little bit ridiculous, and clonked out two poles.  She feels ready to go back to jumping a few bigger classes now.  Not the greatest day on paper, but actually and educational and constructive day, and it was sunny which was a bonus.

By Friday the sun had been replaced with pouring rain. When I walked the course for the Newcomers 2nd round I thought it was a strong 1.25/1.30 from fence two and I decided that for both Arietta and Khalissy it would be too much for them at this stage.  With 164 entries I suspected this might be the case, and I think a large number of withdrawals and at least 30 eliminations and retirements endorsed this decision.  I think Askeaton could have easily jumped it - but we are still getting our confidence back, and I would rather wish I had jumped it than wish I had not! Luckily the secretariat were very accommodating and all three were swapped to the Foxhunter in the 2nd ring.  They all jumped really nice rounds, Khalissy having the first fence and then jumping beautifully, Arietta just tapping one in the jump-off, and Askeaton jumping a lovely round to finish 8th.

It was great to be back at Wales & West after a gap of 6 years. The surfaces and courses are always educational, and although it's sad to see that the big grass ring is now an all-weather, it's probably more popular with riders.  It might be nice to have a little more space in the warm-ups, but on the second day they added a grass warm-up which was lovely for warming up and opening the horses up.

It doesn't seem that we've been back very long before we're packing up to go to Chard, but I am hoping the horses are well prepared as we head into the busiest part of the season.

Sadly April is leaving us after three very successful years as she no longer wants to be a Show Groom.  We will be so sad to see her go, we have loved having her here, the horses absolutely love her, and she has been brilliant at everything, so I am looking for a very special person to step into her shoes.

As always many thanks to April, the horses are always happy and look stunning, Friday was particularly hard work with the pouring rain, and three horses in a class of only 60. Thank you always to my brilliant sponsors, Saracen Horse Feeds, Protexin Equine, Just Equine Ltd, MacWet Gloves and NDS Equine.

Wales & West

Askeaton - Foxhunter Friday

2013 Bay Mare by Golden Hawk out of a Good Times Mare.  Askeaton jumped successfully in International Seven Year Old classes in 2020 and has jumped successfully CSI2* Classes up to 1.35/1.40 in 2021.  She jumped clear every day at the Sunshine Tour 2022. She is very bold, scopey and careful.  She is a fantastic mover with a huge powerful canter. She has a lovely temperament, and has been very carefully produced.  

Askeaton

Just Equine deliver the very best equestrian brands straight to your door. Kentucky Horsewear, Dy'on, etc.  Really fantastic and helpful service.

Just Equine

Simply the best gloves for any weather. Never, ever slip. Climate controlled, hard wearing, sensitive. Once you've ridden in MacWet you will never wear any other brand of gloves

MacWet Gloves

I am delighted to receive support from NDS Equine. NDS is a leading company when it comes to collagen formulas for horses. Studies have shown that specific Collagen Peptides are needed, especially to help with different parts of the horse where the problems occur.

We use Equine Multi Collagen Total to support and help prevent damage to joints, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles for all our competition horses and for Askeaton, who has had a bone bruise, Equine Bone-X which is a unique, especially developed collagen peptide for incorporation into bone tissue, which supports microarchitecture and permits mineralisation to take place in a normal way.  This helps ensure that her injury is fully healed and continues to be supported.

I also take Ezy-Move, for humans, myself, and have found it very effective in helping the function of my arthritic shoulders.

NDS Equine

Excellent supplements, ranging from very effective calmers, to joint supplements, gut support, etc. Camilla Zanna is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Premier Performance CZ

We started using Protexin Acid Ease in April 2021 with dramatic results on two of our mares, Askeaton and BE Khalissy.  Almost immediately they appeared more comfortable to saddle up, less irritable to the leg and generally happier. We also use Quick Fix when travelling which we have found to be very beneficial on longer, more stressful journeys. We also use Gut Sponge for any horses that have an upset stomach due to stress or change in diet.

Protexin

Saracen is simply the best horse feed on the market.  We have fed Saracen for 20 years.  We feed Releve Cubes for most of the horses, these are cereal free, non-heating, and suitable for all horses. They are especially good for horses that are prone to tying up. We use Competition Fit Cubes for horses requiring a bit more energy. All the horses have Stamm 30 feed balance and Saracen Molassed Chaff. The brood mares and young stock have either Mare Care or Level Grow, depending on the time of year and support required. For any horses requiring more calories or top-line we use Equijewel. Saracen also have excellent, free nutritionist advice.

Wales & West 1.20

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