Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that everyone’s year ended well, and Christmas was spent with family and friends. I don’t know about anyone else, but I am exhausted. I don’t tend to make new year’s resolutions I just hope for a positive year like I’m sure we all do.  I completely spoilt Blossom and Bluebell but I just can’t resist those eyes. It was Bluebells first Christmas and she found it quite intimidating with everyone round whereas Blossom went crazy for it all.

December for me was a very exciting month. I found myself a very special horse called Jools. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have him. He arrived a couple of weeks ago now and he is really settling in. I have been riding him regularly and the joy I get from riding him is amazing. He really knows his job and gives me such a good vibe. His trot is very different to Diamanti’s, but we are getting there together. I am going to have abs of steel from riding Jools. He does like to show off his Piaffe skills where he gets a bit confused with my whip aids.

This will take time for the both of us to learn how to work together but he really does try his heart out. I am really looking forward to taking him to clinics and then hopefully it won’t be long until we can go to a party together.  We need to have some practise with loading into a trailer though. He is getting better, but he used to a lorry so needs a bit of bribery.

Diamanti is going well but she can definitely act her age, so we still pick and choose which days I ride her. She was a little fresh last time I rode her, but my body managed to work through it. I love it now that I can have more confidence in my body and my stamina is building up so I can manage more riding.

I’m sure like me there is lots of planning for the year ahead of what training and competitions that are being aimed for. I’m so excited to get out there.

I’ve been busy working with Hobbs rehabilitation giving demos of the Ekso skeleton and getting such a good response and feedback over it. The last time I used it we thought we would give squatting a go with the motors at their lowest setting which we haven’t done before. We weren’t too sure if I was going to be able to do it, but I did. I got so excited as it really made me work. We can’t get the motors any lower, but it gives us an opportunity to really try and perfect the movement and get my pelvis in the correct position which is helping so much when riding.

We are all really looking forward to starting the year and wish you all a happy 2019 and hope that you achieve everything that you want.