Success at Hartpury

Cloud Beta's performance at Hartpury Arena on Saturday 11th May was a heart warming follow-up to her display in the Novice Test at Home Farm Equestrian earlier this month.  Winning the warm-up at 72%, Cloud went on to achieve 60% in the Championship, finishing mid-division.  Coping well with the atmosphere, Cloud is proving to be a thorough and commensurate professional!

New Forest Ponies For Sale

Two New Forest Ponies For Sale.  Frankie and Benny 5 years old Geldings.
For details please see jamesgrassick.co.uk

Hoping Cloud Beta beats all at the championships at Hartpury

Cloud Beta's elegant and winning performance in the Novice Test at Home Farm Equestrian shows a tantalising promise of things to come.  This was all the more exciting as it was her first go at Novice Level!

Her success has qualified Cloud for the Championships on the 11th of May.  We are all systems go now, so fingers crossed!

Snow!!!!!!

Today I woke up to snow and lots of it.  The weather has make the Cotswolds stop.  The roads are treacherous to say the least.

The horses are all watered, hayed and fed.

Southie at Warwick and today at Taunton

On Sunday this week we went to Warwick with South o the Border.  He ran well but was a little out paced in a Handicap Hurdle over 2 and a half miles.  He finished 7th. 

However, today we went to Taunton once again in a handicap.  This time it was over 3mls.  He ran well and was handily placed leaving the back straight  but was tapped for toe and came 6th.

Southie does seem to be showing more interest in his racing so fingers crossed?!

South of the Border at Hereford 22nd November, 2012

Sorry for my absence.  I am going to endeavour to be a better blogger.
I hope Kuniko and co are reading?! 

We have a horse running at Hereford this week.  Southie or South of the Border is running in a Handicap Hurdle. 

Keep reading to see what happens next?!

We have a new horse, Great Autrechene.  He is a five year old.  He will be running December time so keep your fingers crossed!

Well I'm trying to be a better blogger?!  I am going to try and do this more often!!! lol.

Quito Z (G) became a Grade B this week so that's a great achievement.

Our two new racehorses are balloting out permitting, going to run at Hereford. Fingers crossed!?

Warwick Races

Today we took Rose de Rita and Cleeve Cloud to the races. 

Rosie ran in a 2mls5 novice hurdle race.  Her run was part of a plan to make her settle better in races.  We believe she will be suited by a shorter trip but thought this trip would allow her to relax into her races. 
She settled quite well and jumped alittle deliberately but well.  She blew up after 2mls 2 and pulled up about one furlong from home.  She blew hard and for a long time.  This would indicate that she has a big opportunity to improve.

Cleeve Cloud, 'Bailey', ran really well in the National Hunt Flat Race(Bumper).  He was in second place for most of the race.  He lost his way /action about 3/4 of a mile from home when the ground was alittle loose . He ran on quite strongly in the last furlong to finish 6th and was about 10 to 15 lengths from the winner.  This is his best performance to date.  Tracey his owner was very pleased as were all of us.

Uttoxeter, December 31st, 2011.

Rose de Rita and Cleeve Cloud both ran at Uttoxeter on saturday in a 2.5mls hurdle and a National Hunt Flat Race.

It turned out to be a day to forget.  The ground was heavy, Tom Scudamore said it was barely raceable.

Both horses confirmed that they are horses who prefer a more sound racing surface.

Both horses came back in one piece and will run very soon under more conducive circumstances.

Hartpury Showjumping.

Hartpury BSJA show was a success.  Nicola Warren came 4th in the 105cm Open and 6th, with a double clear, in the Newcomers on Ben Pablo.  Pacha had some poles down in both but worked a little starey.  She needs some time schooling and ring time, to improve her consistency.  Quito Z won the 115cm open amateur qualifer.  He seems to be much more confident now he is starting to jump more regularly.

New Racehorses.

We have two new racehorses to train, Ricardo's Choice and Dazzling Rita.  They are both horses with alot of ability and no shortage of form.

Cleeve Cloud is hopefully going to run at Cheltenham in the National Hunt Flat Race, over one mile six furlongs.  This is presuming he gets in.
Rose de Rita is in great form and needs a run desperately.  Hopefully we can find a suitable race for her soon.?!

We are off to Hartpury showjumping tomorrow.  It will be the last show until the new year.  Quito Z and Pacha are doing the 110cm and 115cm and 105cm and Newcomers respectively.

I have schooled G for the last few days.  He has been doing grids and relateds to help him be comfident when approaching combinations.
Pacha did grids that were alittle short in order to make her more snappy with her front feet, she can be a little clumsy with her front feet.

Solihull Riding Club 27th November.

Today I took two horses to Solihull Riding Club showjumping.  Pacha did the 105m and Newcomers.  She worked very green in the first class.  She has not been to Solihull before.  The indoor is is quite a starey venue.  She had two fences down in both classes, greenness was responsible in the first round and competition fitness or lack of it let her down in the Newcomers.  I was none the less very pleased with her. She made some really nice shapes at alot of the fences.

Quito Z, my best jumper won the 115m open.  This was only his second outing since having a break.  I have really made the most of the new school and jumped him alot.  I did alot of related work and combinations.  He is a very careful horse who can worry when confronted with alot of poles.  By giving him lots to look at it in his training, prepared him for competition.

He worked very well in the ring.  I was very focused on riding good lines to the fences whilst having following the plan I had made whilst walking the course.  I have to be very careful to have him straight for a fence and present him appropriately for each fence.

The New School!!!!

New School

The new school is finished and working well.  Joanne and Carol were the first people to use the school.  The surface is brilliant and has stood up well to being used.

The New School is nearly here!

I am excited to say that the surface to the school arrives next week.  I have bought it from Ross Hemming and Leisure Ride. 
This time next week Postlip will have it's first training school. 

Today I had some physiotherapy from Claire Woodward of Back into Action.  It seems as if everything is going to be ready for the launch of the new school.

Horse For Sale

Horse For Sale. Dougal, 7 years old TB Gelding. For details please see jamesgrassick.co.uk

NEW SCHOOL!

If you haven't already heard the exciting news, the new school started in earnest on the 5th September.  You can see by the photo montage that things are all moving along smoothly and quickly.
Tom Hamer is doing the work, ably helped by Chris.
It is going to be a 25m x 50m school.  The surface is supplied by Equestrian Direct.
If everything goes well the school should be ready for the beginning of October!

Keep checking back for updates, I'll keep you posted.

Horse updates

Just alittle note about all the horses. 

Rosie and Bailey are all working well and should be on the racecourse with six weeks.

Ghost and Button had a saddle on for the first time and both took it in their stride.

Petra and Ruby are now working in tandem for competitions.  Big G is going to Hartpury showjumping tomorrow night.  He is then going to Summerhouse to jump some bigger tracks.

The weather is changing.

All the horses are going well.  It seems no convenience that the weather has changed and all seems rosie in the garden.

Rosie and Bailey are working  well.  Rosie should be ready for a run in three to four weeks.  Bailey probably in about six to eight.

I am about to put a saddle on both Button and Ghost who do seem to be taking to breaking rather well.

I took Ruby, Petra and Ruby to Home Farm Equestrian for a school over show jumps.  They all jumped very well.

The Website.

How exciting!  The website is up and running and how good it is! 
Kelly Morse has excelled herself.  We are going to keep tweaking.
Work at the yard is going well.  The surveyor is coming this week to do the levels survey for the planning application for the school.

We have two new horses to break-in, Button and Ghost.  They are just starting being mouthed etc.  They are taking it very well.

Bailey is loving being trained and working in tandem with Rosie.

G is ready to compete just now.  He is going to start doing 130m's in earnest.