British Pound Sterling

Sarah Lewis Show Jumping

Professional

winterGrey

After two good days at Felbridge we headed off to Coombelands the following Thursday. Askeaton jumped first in the Newcomers jumping beautifully until pulling herself up at the beginning of the jump-off. Breakdance jumped a very even, but slightly weary round in the Newcomers and Arietta jumped a lovely double clear. 

It had been a busy week for them, with training and a two day show, but a useful one as it provided me with an answer about Askeaton's future, and it's important for Breakdance's future that he learns that sometimes he will be a bit tired, but he still has a job to do.  

I think it's really important to know when to accept that a horse has come to the end of it's competitive career.  Sadly for me both Emma and Askeaton haven't continued to compete into their teens, but luckily they are both beautiful, successful, well bred mares and they can have a second career as a brood mare.  Neither of them were suitable for amateur homes, both were really kind mares, but their competitive party girl natures made them a little on the sharp and busy side to settle into a quieter ridden life. Looking back at videos of Askeaton as a seven and eight year old I can remember how brave and powerful she felt, and how invincible she felt in the ring, always looking for the next fence and the next challenge.  I am so lucky that Shane Breen let me produce her and later buy her. From the moment she arrived here as a very nervous four year old, till the last hack I had on her, I have absolutely loved riding her. She is so clever and careful, such fun and beautiful to ride.  She was brave and competitive and allowed me to enjoy her "talking horse" status as a young horse. In return I have loved her, and with the help of Mike Barrott, Ed Lyall, the Casserlys, Caitlin McCaffery, Camilla Plass & Steff Gibbs (who oversaw the early rodeo years), April Kitchener, Ellie Collins and Saracen Horse Feeds we have tended to her every whim! She is now back where she started, at Breen Equestrian, and I hope she will be a brilliant brood mare for them. Often very good horses have very few homes, and she is definitely one of these.

Shane picked up Zarnita (who is about a month off foaling) and Askeaton together and Emma is now Bea Fuller's waiting to foal, so the yard is down to just Breakdance and Arietta, very quiet, but certainly much more relaxed, and giving me time to think about what I might do to keep me busy and focused once I am no longer riding.

I had a very good training session with Roger McCrea and Helen Wilson, overseen by William Funnell, at the Billy Stud, and then went to Coombelands the following day.  Breakdance jumped his first Foxhunter, which looked enormous. He was a little bit surprised by the extra 10cm on fence 2 and I then over-rode to fence 3, but he jumped absolutely beautifully until fence 11, where I got him a little bit deep and then over-rode again to fence 12.  I was thrilled with him, he is so brave and scopey, but so unlike the many busy little horses I have ridden, and I just have to learn to ride him more quietly.  William's comment "some of that was OK" - was good summary of where we are at.  Arietta then jumped an easy round in the Foxhunter, just being a little bit casual coming out of a double.

The horses had an easy week last week as Mark and I took the opportunity to have a few days exploring Amsterdam while Ellie and Phoebe took care of them.  We've picked up the pace again this week, and they have just passed their six month MOT with Ed Lyall with flying colours, so hopefully onwards and upwards for the summer.

Many thanks to my great little team of Ellie, Phoebe and Beverley for their great care of me and the horses, and their good humored company, and to Mark for endless support, and to my wonderful team of sponsors, Saracen Horse Feeds, MacWet Gloves, Protexin Equine, Just Equine and NDS Equine.

Askeaton as a seven year old

Four year old Askeaton

Askeaton 7 Year Old Championships Bolesworth

Askeaton 7 Year Olds Vilamoura

Askeaton 7 year olds Hickstead

Arietta 1.20

Arietta 1.20 Coombelands

Breakdance 1.20

Breakdance Newcomers Coomelands

End of April and Beginning of May

At the end of a busy Easter Weekend I collected the horses on Monday.  For some reason best known to myself I thought they would be well behaved and just eat grass if I turned them out!  Askeaton had a buck, a roll, and a run round the tree and had lost a shoe within two minutes, and Breakdance jumped out of his field losing a shoe in the process!  Immediate text of shame to the farriers in order that I would be able to do anything with the mad bunch at all.

I have been really lucky in that bringing the horses home has coincided with Ellie Collins coming back to work for me on a part-time basis to fit in with her flourishing transport business.  It's a huge relief to have someone who knows us all so well, and is brilliant with the horses and me, and lovely Phoebe Taylor and Beverley Eatton are able to do some days too to make up a bit of a team.  It's been great having a break from their day to day management, I think it's helped me see what I need a little more clearly, and it was definitely a good time to have them off the fields here with the dreadful weather.

It's been a short week with a run up to a two day show at Felbridge as the goal.  The horses had two days of hacking, and various shoes back on.  I then gave them a quick jump at home before having a lesson with Louise Simpson on Friday.  Louise made it very simple, and provided a much needed confidence boost for the weekend.  All three horses went really well and I felt set up for the weekend.

Saturday at Felbridge was incredibly busy, Breakdance jumped a lovely round in the Newcomers, bar a mad moment from me at fence two, and both Askeaton and Arietta jumped lovely clears.  I finished the day feeling very calm and confident.  Many thanks to Karen Rees for coming to help.

On Sunday Breakdance jumped what I thought was a lovely clear, but actually brushed the fourth fence!  However, once again he felt great, and much more grown up, but perhaps a little bit weary.  It's a while since they did a two day show and it's all part of growing up to save some energy for days two and three.  Askeaton jumped a super clear round, and was bizarrely twice as fresh as on Saturday, and Arietta jumped a nice round in the Foxhunter, albeit for two fences down, but she felt confident and made it feel easy. Many thanks to Sharon Moore for helping.

Finally the horses had a lovely sunny day to go in the field yesterday.  It has dried up a lot and they managed a good roll and graze and no lost shoes. Hopefully the weather won't get too wet again, and we can manage to get them out regularly now.  I really believe that hacking and turn-out help the horses to stay healthy both physically and mentally.

As always many thanks to Elllie, Phoebe and Mark and to my supporters, Saracen Horse Feeds, Protexin Equine, Just Equine, MacWet Gloves and NDS Equine.

Billy Arietta Foxhunter Sunday

Billy Breakdance Newcomers Saturday

Billy Breakdance Newcomers Sunday

Askeaton 1.10 Saturday

Billy Arietta Foxhunter Sunday 

Billy Arietta Newcomers Saturday

Askeaton 1.10 Sunday 

Felbridge

BE Khalissy is a lovely looking blood mare by Colmar. Very straightforward. Very scopey, careful and bold with beautiful paces, and a particularly easy canter.  She is beautifully balanced and can shorten and lengthen very easily. She debuted at International Five Year Old Level with great success, placing at the National Young Horse Championships at Bolesworth and qualifying for the Five Year Old Championships at Hickstead.  She was placed many times at CSIYH1* Vilamoura. In 2021 BE Khalissy progressed to Six Year Old classes, being clear 2 out of three days at CSIYH1* Chard with a placing in the Grand Prix, and clear all 3 days at CSIYH1* Wellington and 6th in the Grand Prix. In 2022 BE Khalissy has consolidated her form at 1.20 level with many Foxhunter/1.20 placings.  At Chard CSI1* she was clear every day, placing in the 1.25 speed class and in the 1.20 Grand Prix against horses with much more experience than her.  She is easy to hack out, clip, shoe etc. She is an absolutely delightful mare. Khalissy made an excellent start to the season in 2023, enjoying many placings.  She has now been sold to a young rider who has aspirations to represent the army with Khalissy.  We wish them both the very best of luck.

BE Khalissy

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.

Coombelands 1.20

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BE Khalissy

Recent Results

Coombelands

Coombelands

Felbridge

Coombelands