I have been on each of these rides every single year I possibly can and can say they are all really good, however, these are my absolute top three that you should definitely try:

1. RAF HALTON, Halton, Buckinghamshire - 26th March 2017 - 50 amazing jumps for all abilities, over 12 miles - this ride gets booked up super quickly so get your online entry in now - http://www.haltonride.org.uk/;
2. Frensham Ride, Surrey – 7 May 2017 - 40 mixed jumps, 10miles - brilliant jumps - http://www.frenshamsr.org/;
3. South Oxford Sponsored Ride – First Weekend October 2017 - 40 mixed jumps, 12 miles - perfectly manicured fences over beautiful scenery - http://www.sosr.org.uk/news.html;

Other great dates:

1) West Wycombe Sponsored Ride, Buckinghamshire (another massive favourite of mine) - Berks and Bucks Drag Hounds – April 2017 - 45 jumps - 2 river crossings - 10 miles;
2) Kingsclere Ride, nr Newbury, Berkshire - Berks & Bucks Drag – April 2017 - 50 fences - 8 miles;
3) Waddesdon Ride, Rotary Club, Buckinghamshire - May 2017 - 40 jumps, 12 miles;
4) Kingsclere Ride, Newbury, Berks, Vine & Craven Hunt -  June 2017 - 8 miles, 40 fences;
5) Stratfield Saye Ride, nr Reading, Hampshire – July 2017 - 10 miles - 30 fences;
6) Windsor Great Park Ride – 9th and 10th September 2017 - 8 miles - 20 fences - enter early, gets super busy.  Enter here;
 

Fox hunting with hounds in the UK is a highly debated subject which stretches across all kinds of people.  Every person I meet has a different opinion and I can never gauge what the reaction might be when I tell people I go fox hunting.  The point is, that fox hunting is not what it used to be.  We DO NOT HUNT A FOX these days, we actually hunt a few human runners.  So relax folks before you get all up in arms in excitement about fox murdering - it just isn't done these days.

To be honest with you, I did fox hunt as kid, I was brought up with it and I have seen both sides of the coin.  I have many pro hunting friends and many against.  The fact is that nower days we do not hunt a fox, but the rest is pretty much the same as it has always been.  I gallop about, jump hedges, drink from my hip flask, laugh profusely, freeze my ass off and have a generally awesome time gallavanting around the countryside.

With the hunting season just kicking off now, there are many options for the aspiring hunter.  You can go out with a drag hunt, blood hounds, fox hounds or no hounds - none of which actually hunt a fox - most of which hunt a few exceptionally keen and fast humans across the countryside - all of which is completely consensual I might add.  These are not folks that were caught stealing from the local bread market, no, some of them are training for marathons, triathlons or just trying to keep fit and they do a great job.

They lead us over ditches, up hills, through gates, over hedges and more.  They then get a quick break between lines while we all chat and quickly reach to pull our hip flasks out before galloping off once more.  If you are considering hunting and just don't know whether you and your horse could cope, take a look at my hunting guide which provides some great hunting tips and info - in a nutshell, man-up, you will love it.  I have seen a first timer go home without a huge smile across their face - do ensure you wear thermals, it gets a bit nippy :)

There are a few beaches recommended below, but Bracklesham Bay seems to be a favourite due to handy parking and very few horse riding restrictions !  I emailed Chichester Council to check this with them and it is still the case that you can ride at any time :)

Bracklesham Bay -  highly recommended !

1) Tide Times: Look under Selsey Bill which covers this area - http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast_and_sea/tide_tables/8/69#tide-details
2) Riding Times (extract from Chichester Council Website): Horses are permitted throughout the year on our beaches (at any time) from the entrance to Pagham Harbour to our boundary edge at Shore Road in Wittering. However due care and attention must be paid to users of the beach, they are not permitted to jump the breakwaters or race on the beach and owners must clean up after their horses - http://www.chichester.gov.uk/foreshore#horse
3) Parking: Large car park where horseboxes are allowed just by Billy's on the Beach Restaurant, East Bracklesham Drive, Bracklesham Bay, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 8JS
4) Access: Straight from the car park on to the beach !

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West Wittering

I recently took my niece and my two ponies to West Wittering beach in Chichester for a ride. Info as follows:

1) Check the tide times here (Chichester Harbour is nearest): http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast_and_sea/tide_tables/8/68
2) Check what time riders can ride on the beach - From 1st May to 30th September, for everyone’s safety, horse riding on the beach is restricted to before 9.00am and after 6.00pm.  It is always sensible to choose to ride at low tide. 
3) Parking - that's a tricky one - Cakeham used to allow parking of horsebox's but they have since stopped this.  TBC
4) Miles of beach to ride along, just don't get stuck with the tide coming in, leave plenty of time as I left it a bit lose and nearly got a little stuck :)

Gorgeous beach, really good fun, watch out for kite surfers but we had a super time, well worth it !!
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Hayling Island - Another well recommended sandy beach

Tide Times: Hayling Island comes under Portsmouth Tide Times : http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast_and_sea/tide_tables/8/65#tide-details
Riding Restrictions: From good Friday to 30th September you cannot ride between 10am and 7pm, after 30th September you can ride any time. http://www.hayling.co.uk/activity/horse-riding/
Parking: Just by the Inn on the Beach Pub, 97 SEA FRONT, HAYLING ISLAND PO11 0AS
Access: Straight on to the beach

I have been wanting to do my horsebox driver training for a long long time!!  As I passed my test after 1997, I cannot drive anything over 3.5 tonne on my current licence, this means I basically can only take one horse out and this just wouldn't do !

So, I started looking around at my options.  Now, I did think of taking the trailer test, so that I can pull a trailer.  However, after seeing some horrific trailer accidents on the motorway, I wasn't 100% keen on this idea.  So the alternative was to look at driving a 7.5 tonne horsebox.  To do this, I found I would need to take my Large Goods Vehicle (LGV), C1 Test.  This includes a medical, multiple choice theory, hazard perception and a practical test.

This enables me to drive a horsebox up to 7.5 tonne total weight including the weight of your horses, your kit and your lorries unladen weight, altogether cannot exceed 7.5 tonne.  Luckily enough I have found a horsebox that is light enough that I can take three horses and my kit and still be within the legal weight limit, which is definitely something to watch out for as the fines for being over weight are massive.

So, I found a nice reasonably priced box that yes is rather old but well looked after and low mileage.  I then sought about finding somewhere to teach me and sort my test.  After a bit of looking I found EP Training who are in Bookham, Surrey.  They were really really good, super efficient and got everything booked and sorted for me with minimum hassle.  The cost is about 1500 GBP, which yes is a lot, but it does get you completely booked and sorted for everything including training manuals and lessons and providing a vehicle for you to test in.  I think I got from my medical to passing the test in under 4 weeks.  Was a really good, easy experience.

So, now I am live and ready to rock, exciting times !!!

As my last visit to a one day event at Munstead with my new horse was a little dodgy ;), I thought it would be more sensible to get some training under my belt first.  I would like to think the point of Munstead was really to test my horses reaction to a show, and he was very mellow.  Now we just need to ensure we get around the XC course.  And, with that in mind, a few events for June and July 2016:

1) Gasstons Livery Yard, XC Clinic with event rider Tracy Brown, 11 June - http://www.gasstonstables.co.uk/events;
2) Bookham Riding Club Camp (Dressgae, XC and SJ) - 17th June to 19th June;
3) Pachesham One Day Event, 25 June (super low key and good for beginners);
4) Gasston XC and SJ Combined Clinic, 2 July;
5) A beach trip :) According to Chichester County Council we can ride on the beach any time between Pagham Harbour and Shore Road in East Wittering; if you wish to go elsewhere like Camber Sands, there are restrictions after 8:30am and before 7pm;
6) Gasstons Dressage Clinic with Stephen Hayes, 9 July;
7) Pachesham One Day Event, 23 July, or possibly Gasston's Hunter Trials same day;
8) Stratfield Saye Sponsored Ride, Berkshire, Sunday 31st July;
9) Littleton Manor, Reigate 2 day camp, SJ, XC, Dressage Clinics, 6th and 7th August;
10) Borde Hill Unaffiliated Horse Trials (70cm and up), 13th August - entries open 1st July - http://www.bdwp.co.uk/bh2/index.html & schedule here;
11) Highclere Sponsored Ride, Berkshire, Sunday 21st August;
12) Tweseldown Eventer Challenge, Saturday 27 August;

And that's me planned until end August, then hunting starts, woohoo !!!!

I must divert briefly from horses.........I had an awesome weekend this weekend as I spent some time on my work's latest ship launch for 'Harmony of the Seas', what an amazing experience.  Yes I missed PonyPatting all weekend, but I have to say, I did enjoy cruising, only Friday until Sunday, but still, what an experience.  The ship has more fun stuff on-board than Oxford Circus and the cocktails are yummy and strong (it was my birthday :) - they had ice skating, bumper cars, rock climbing, water slides, casino, bars, night club, diving show, Grease show and loads more, OMG, I am a cruise convert ha ha.

Anyhow, getting back to the horses, the other weekend I took my favorite rearer off to an XC clinic at Gasstons Yard in Headley.  I don't know if I can actually call this horse a rearer any more as he seems to have lost the rear in his rear.  He was an angel and jumped like a super star. I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson, was able to make it over all of the fences we were pointed at including a massive massive table that made me want to cry a little as it went through an arch that I didn't think me and my 16.3hh warmblood would even make it through, but we did, awesome happy times.

We even jumped a ditch without issue.  The thing about having great teacher like Lucy, is that when she tells you jump a jump, you just do it, its as if there is no other option, you just simply have to jump the jump, and oh my god can this horse jump.  I even made it over a few Novice fences which was pretty darn fun I have to say. 

So, the upshot has to be, I never thought I would enjoy riding a warmblood as much as I do.  Yes he is a lot of work to get going on the flat, you really have to gee him up, but when it moves, oh my god.  And this horse has definitely had some education at some point, and well, when it jumps its gorgeous.  The last thing on my list has to be neater SJ, at the mo we always have one pole, but I think with more flat work and getting a more compact canter, we will get there.  Thank you to Lucy Gasston (XC and SJ help) and to Madeleine Herridge for some brilliant flat lessons, you have definitely got me going with a horse that had a decidedly dodgy future ahead, now has a very pleasant looking one !!

OK, so, it was one of my rehab projects first One Day Event, I kind of had a feeling that everything might not go to plan, but then, you never know.  I have had him a couple of months by this point and thought I might as well give it a whirl, what's the worst that can happen, right ?!

So after hours of prep including tack cleaning, pony cleaning, plaiting and packing the day finally arrives.  Now I have done ODE's before on my mare, and have always gotten there and thought why oh why am I doing this :) but then once you get rolling, its all good.

Dressage was first up, the warm up was good, little bit stiff and nervous, but that's all fine, mainly from me not the horse !  Bearing in mind I have been practicing this for months, and the BE92 dressage test back to front, yet I still manage to forget part of it in my panic.  Bludy brilliant.  But, other than that, it did go OK.  We made it round without any horse related incident and held it together.  So it was a bit stiff and we spooked at the odd marker and nearly fell out of the arena, but hey, who cares, it was our first event on a horse that had been due to be put to sleep, I couldn't complain.

So, off we go back to the horsebox to hang out for a bit before the Show Jumping.  I go off to walk the XC course and my trustie helper sticks with the horse.  Now the XC course is pretty easy looking, lots of roll tops which are inviting and even the dodgy fences look pretty acceptable as they aren't too big, looks all good.  Its my favourite part of the day after all.

I had head back to the horsebox, grab my stead and head off to the SJ round.  We fly round with the last pole down that was coming down hill, my fault as I should have got his head up a little and kicked on, but its all learning experience and the SJ was super smooth and fun, no real problems there.

So, back to the horsebox again to ready ourselves for the XC.  A few swigs on the hip flask and a few tack adjustments and we are off.  My nerves have gone and I'm actually excited for this part, cannot wait to get there, just me and my horse flying about.  But NO, it was not to be, fence number 4 is a ditch and my horse apparently dislikes these things immensely and gives a big NO on three separate occasions to the point where we are politely asked to depart the course.

What the blooming heck, the only bit I am waiting desperately for all day, my only reason for going and we don't even get to jump the course, sad blooming times.  I thought they might let me continue on, but no, apparently at these posher events you have to do the walk of shame home, very sad :(

But on the good side, it was a great experience and I learnt that this horse copes with competition environments with ease, does not get tense and enjoys himself.  We do however need to work on ditches !  But keeping in mind I have no history on this horse whatsoever, I am pleased we went along and enjoyed the day.  Next time I am hoping we make it around the whole of the XC though, fingers crossed.

Next up Merrist Wood Eventer Challenge, woop woop, hopefully no ditches hey !!

What a brilliant weekend.  Took two of my horses to Frensham Sponsored Ride and it as great.  One of my project ponies was ridden by a good friend of mine, who rode him amazingly without any issues whatsoever.  Jumped all the jumps, stood quietly when needed and had a great time.  Also my 4 year olds first outing since he was broken a few months ago and for a baby arab, he was awesome.  Perfectly well behaved, jumped like a dear over cross country fences he has never seen before, went through water and over all sorts of different things, what a great day.

I think I learnt that no matter what people say, you can always prove them wrong.  On each of the horses I took yesterday I was told no you shouldn't take them on.  My Arab, I bought him as an unbroken three year old colt pure bred Arab.  Everyone said NOOOO, don't buy one of those flighty cotton wool ponies.  Well how wrong could they have been ?!  He was a diamond and has been since the day he arrived, not just to ride but also just his general temperament, I will never take an insult about an Arab again.  He has jumped everything and anything I have put him at and hasn't argued a single step.  That pony is an amazing little dude.

And as for my project ponies, well yes one is a bit poorly with some bruised bones in his feet and some time off, but I can cope with that, he is keeping my poorly mare company and they are enjoying some down time together, hopefully will settle both of their little brains.

The other pony who we took to Frensham yesterday has generally been a star, yes he can be nappy and we have had the odd dispute, but nothing scary or unworkable, I am thoroughly enjoying my time with him and he is proving to be  a great little horse, bring on Munstead on Saturday is all I can say !!

Essentially I think the more people say don't do it, the more determined I get, and so far it is all working out well :)  you just have to go with your gut and things always work out in the end.  Although I am completely poor from having 4 horses, the only thing I'll be buying for me for the next 6 months is new socks, if I'm lucky !!!

Hi Folks, I am always trying to keep a diary of Surrey area horsey events that I aim to go to, which never actually quite works out, but I like seeing them in the calendar and occasionally make it to the odd one!

Thanks to my amazing friends on Facebook, I have been given this list of eventing (and other) dates for Jan, Feb and March that I shall aim to shoot for, well at least to some.  Help yourself.........I know how nice it is to have dates in one place :)

Here goes:

1) Sunday 31st Jan - Merrist Wood - Indoor SJ and XC - 70cm to 1 metre - https://www.equineaffairs.com/eventdetails.aspx?id=208183 - NB Littleton is also on, on the same day BE90 and BE 100 arena eventing - https://www.equoevents.com/ViewEvent/ViewEventDetails/682;

2) 7th Feb - Coombelands Unaffiliated Arena Eventing - 60cm to 90cm - http://www.coombelands-equestrian.co.uk/events

3) 14th Feb - Coombelands - as above

4) 27th Feb - Gasstons Gynmastic Jumping Clinic - http://www.gasstonstables.co.uk/events

5) 6th March - HICKSTEAD (YAY) - Horsham and District Riding Club  - Arena Eventing - 70cm to 1 metre - http://hdrc.org.uk/events/details/new-arena-eventing-at-hickstead-competition

6) 13th March - RAF Halton Sponsored Ride - the DADDY of all sponsored rides over 50 excellent jumps, brilliantly organized, plus you can jump a plane, literally, its amazing.  My favourite day of the year by far - http://www.haltonride.org.uk/

7) 19th March - Gasstons Dressage - http://www.gasstonstables.co.uk/events

8) 30th March - Merrist Wood Indoor SJ and XC - http://www.merristwoodarena.co.uk/event-listing/

Out of eight dates, I must get to at least 4 of those !!