The Magic Pony has arrived.

My new horse Stonedale Magician arrived yesterday while I was away at Nadines clinic.
Today was first day of school including beautification. He has not had a lot of handling in the past 14 months so I just did some groundwork and then gave him a bath, trim, worm and covered him. Poor boy must wonder what has struck him.
Tomorrow we will start on the lungeing again and hopefully it won't be too long before he can be backed.

Nadine Francois Clinic

I have just completed a 4 day clinic on Henry with Belgian dressage rider Nadine Francois. Nadine trained for a decade with the late Portuguse maestro, Nuno Oliveira, regarded by many as the best dressage rider of the 20th century. Nadine's approach can best be described as classical, and closely mirrors Oliveira's methods, including the in-hand work. Her approach is softness of the horse.
Without a doubt this was the best clinic I have ever attended. It really opened my eyes to how bad I have been riding of late. By the end of the 4 days Henry was so unbeleivably soft and forward it made me feel so bad for how badly I had been riding
Finn and Pumpkin. Now I just have to keep up the work and hope I don't ruin it until Nadine comes back again in October. In the meantime I need to change my trainer back to the one I was using 4 years ago. I had stopped using her only because another trainer was more convenient. Its something I now regret. No pics sorry.

I have a new Horse!!

Welcome to Stonedale Magician a 5 yr old unbroken Welsh CobX by Millcreek Valiant out of TB mare Cautious Leigh. 15.2 ish.
He was started about 14 months ago but then his owner and her husband took over a farm management job up North where there was lots of work and no time for horses. No flat land either so not conjucive to finishing a youngster. So Magic got left.
So I have a bit of a job on my hands to get him back to where he was and then finish him off. Hes been hardly handled in the last year so there will be a bit to do.
But I am looking forward to this new project. Hes going to be a lovely horse and will be my fun horse for the times where its not practical to be taking out a stallion.
Hes not coming for 2 weeks as he is being delivered in a truck so until then I have to wait!

Unfortunately I have issues with this new computer accepting photos so until I get it sorted here are his pics.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=162573&id=767997968