Cloud

JULY 2013

Lyneham xc schooling, this is what it's all about!

June 2013

Late June and Cloud arrives back in England, Verity gets to try out her horse for the first time at a local starter xc schooling venue, just the job!

MAY 2013

We try a basic dressage test on slippy early morning dew grass at home, then head off to the Renarderie to have a little school round the teeny club xc course, it's abit small but gives her the idea and she gets full into the swing of it.

On the monday after Ginger and turnip jumped at Brecey they have young horse clear round morning so Cloud goes along with Charlie who might not be young, but we pretend he is. This is the smallest class still the best part of a metre but Cloud copes with it well, i think she even enjoyed the arena music!

Since it' still raining too much to jump a lot in the field at home , Cloud goes back to Gavray for a few fences with me and then some in Japenese with Koji and Asako!

APRIL 2013

We have a go at skinnies on a curve, xc style and even wild game jumping!

An aborted xc outing for Charlie and Cloud, due to a distinct lack of xc jumps at the destination, leads us to a riverside ride at the Roches des Ham. Not sure who enjoys the new plan more happy Mouse or happy Cloud!!

March 2013

Cloud behaves impeccably at the training competition at Le Haras du Pin, the penny's dropped as to what a show is all about. Shame about the rather dodgy video footage from my back up, but you do have to be there to realise how it works.

At least two horse will be jumping at any one time, sometimes three so a bit of ducking and diving is involved.

We even saw how cloud coped with being left at the trailer with a haynet by herself while Charlie did his thing, she's a chill bunny with that too!

February 2013

Finally it stops raining so Cloud gets to work in the field at home a bit. We have a go at skinnies which is terribly confusing to start with,

" How are your legs even going to fit through the wings?"

"Well Cloud if you must jump in this special skinny jump fashion that's going to be a problem!"

But then she's gets it.

Cloud goes to her first entrainement competition up at Auvers, near Carentan, it'a tuesday thing that runs early spring like Haras du Pins. It was pretty busy, which means horses evrywhere. There's no system you sort of vaguely see who was in the collecting ring first and gentley jostle for your round. It works remarkably well, not sure the English would be so laid back about it everyone would be more hurried than the other, more pressed and mprobably more important!

Cloud wasn't phased at all, far from it, she actually proved to be the anchor for Charlie who was finding it all a bit heady after the disco music of his first event. Since Cloud was finding it all so dull Charlie thought he better "man up" and get on with the job too!

JANUARY 2013

A wintry trip to the beach at Mont st Michel

Cloud has a look at Brecey's jumps, but she's not spooked at all!

It's grey, foggy, grisly but at least we get to practice water by crossing flooded streams in the woods.

Cloud finds a little more technique at Gavray, she has now realises that jumping is required not just trotting over and through!

Rather a chilly ride in the forest of St. Sever, the sun shone all morning until we ventured forth.

Then down came the hail, don't know who enjoyed it more, horses, jockeys or dogs.

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2013

December 2012

We stop for a little scenic tour of the illuminations at St Michel Montjoie on a trip back from Brecey. Cloud and Visa really appreciate it, I think.

Cloud takes her first outing to Beny Bocage, while we're there she has a go at jumping, since it's too wet to jump at home. She knows you're spposed to go over them, she hasn't figured how just yet!

November 2012

Back to work again!

Summer 2012

chilling in the field....

With buddies

.......... in the shade.