Due to Diana Henderson having a serious fall out hunting before Christmas, Beetle’s next task is a Hunter Chase with Diana’s daughter Camilla. I stepped up his canter work after qualifying him hunting, and now he’ll go to Charlie Longsdon’s over the road from us. I took him a few times to work on the gallops there with his string, then left him there the last time – new boy at school!

Before Christmas Lenny had a serious cut to his hock. It’s a very dangerous place to get such a wound, as infection to a joint can be deadly. He had a short spell in hospital, then came home for box rest. He’s been a model patient, and healed well............that is until grazing in hand he was startled, leapt, bucked and promptly fell over, opening the newly healed wound again – back to square one.

I had the most perfect day on my birthday. It went something like this...............had lie in until 7.30am, did yoga, favourite breakfast (mushroom, spinach and scrambled egg on bagel), Finn beautifully turned out when I got to the yard for an away day with the Ledbury, met some very friendly Ledbury people, jumped some big hedges, picked up one concussed field master, home and straight out to watch the premier of War Horse (only a 6 out of 10), 2 glasses of champagne, open presents, BED! BLISS!

An early season session with Pammy Hutton put us on song for some good results at two separate days of dressage (in one week – good effort!) at Solihull. Paddy and Tory feel much more like grownups now – all the hard work is beginning to pay off – we are producing something much closer to real dressage now!

We enjoyed the last ever point to point here at Heythrop with lots of runners, friends, and plenty of sampling from car boot picnics!

Paddy attended his first World Class Equine Pathway training session at Addington. We picked up a new exercise from Lizzie Murray to improve Paddy’s canter, and have plenty of homework to get on with. The jumping with Ken Clawson provided not only great focus for training at home, but also some fab exercises for my teaching. Double whammy.

To round up the month Martin has visited us to check and do some alterations to the saddles to have them in tip top shape for the season. It’s surprising how much horses and saddles can change during a year.

Event season only weeks away now..............................

Cheryll’s little Rocky has a new home with Chrissie Downs in the North Cotswolds country – they both love their hunting so hopefully it’s a match made in heaven.

Millie and Dalida are getting to grips with some clear round jumping, while it’s time for those that have been on their hols to come back into work. They start with just 15 mins walking on the road, building up to nearly 2 hrs. It’s boring, but vital to strengthen their muscles and ligaments before faster and more strenuous work begins. It’s just as important to have them walking in a good outline and smartly up to the contact, as this develops the topline muscles in preparation for the school work and gives a good foundation for the season ahead.

Paddy has received a letter from British Eventing HQ informing him of his inclusion on the World Class Equine Pathway. He was very proud (and so was his mother!). As he wasn’t quite fit enough to attend the December training sessions, I went on foot to assist Yogi and checkout the format. It is great to witness coaching from a different viewpoint – it certainly gave me things to think about and practice. The message was most definitely of a disciplined approach to your training particularly in the off season.

Imogen and Adrian enjoyed a day at Olympia for their birthday’s which, were both just before Christmas. They navigated their way round town, just managing to catch the last train home.

I’ve been lucky enough to get a good few days in hunting in this month, squeezing in as many as possible over Christmas. With staff holidays to cover it’s been a bit hectic, but we’ve handled it. It’s now down to the serious stuff in preparation for next season. We’ve got a great team of horses, and hopefully we can start to reap the benefit of the work that has gone into them previously. HAPPY NEW YEAR!...................looking forward to an exciting 2012!

My good friend Cheryll has sent her little horse Rocky to me to sell, so I’ve had a couple of days hunting on him. It’s such a dream to ride something so easy that doesn’t pull. He also has the role of chief nanny to the next lot of babies – Millie and Dalida on their clear round jumping trips. So far they have been impeccably well behaved, and are learning what it’s all about. I like to start youngster’s first outings with jumping shows, as when they are a bit over excited it is hard for them to focus in a dressage arena. The jumps give them something to concentrate on. At a later stage when they are well used to a show atmosphere they do a series of dressage shows to get to grips with that phase, before the XC schooling begins in the Spring.

I’ve enjoyed some great days hunting on Finn too. Diana has either Alfie or Beetle, and armed with a pocket full of snacks and a thermos for later, we set off for a day tearing around either the Warwickshire or Heythrop countryside. It’s great to go with someone else, especially a good jockey like Diana. Unfortunately she had a tip up on our first day out, and got briefly knocked out. We laugh now how she asked the same question over and over again when she came round, but the serious side is that it’s necessary for a hat change. All hats should be changed after a fall. With Tracey (Moomin) falling out hunting and breaking her ribs too, and Imogen fracturing her fingers while we were in Holland, we are getting a bit of a reputation at the local A and E............

This time of year I can devote more time to teaching. I love to help clients, and seeing them progress week on week is very rewarding.

My other preoccupation this time of year is STRICTLY!!!! If I watch no other television all year I wouldn’t care – I just love that show! Woe betide anything / one that gets in the way of my Saturday nights..................!