Showing posts with label equestrian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label equestrian. Show all posts

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

Shires Equestrian supports Veteran Horse Welfare

Shires Equestrian is thrilled to announce its support of Veteran Horse Welfare, a charity based in Wales which is dedicated to the needs of veteran horses.

The charity’s head office in Pembrokeshire is home to around 20 horses and ponies who are in retirement or require rehabilitation, but the charity is responsible for contributing to the welfare of many horses across the United Kingdom and, indeed, the world as Julianne Aston, the charity’s founder explains, ‘Veteran Horse Welfare is a charity totally dedicated to the care and welfare of older horses. I am delighted to welcome Shires as sponsors of both the horses and staff’s clothing and equipment. Already their rugs and grooming equipment is proving excellent and I am sure the horses will put their new rugs to the test this winter. I would like to thank Shires for their support and for choosing Veteran Horse Welfare as one of their nominated charities.’

‘We are pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile charity,’ explains Rhea Freeman, Shires’ Marketing Manager, ‘Veteran Horse Welfare helps thousands of horses and their owners each and every year, whether this is through providing advice over the phone about feeding, finding a new home for an ageing horse or rehabilitating a horse who needs professional help. We are excited to be working with the charity and look forward to the future working together.’

For more information on Shires see www.shiresequestrian.com, email sales@shiresequestrian.com or call 01568 613600.

For more information on Veteran Horse Welfare, see www.veteran-horse-welfare.co.uk or call 01239 881264.

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Rosie Thomas blogs for us!

Rosie Thomas, a rider on Shires' new Performance Rider Programme has written a blog entry about her preparations for Badminton!

Preparations for Badminton have gone really well, I think that the training that British Eventing has given me has really helped along with the British Dressage Classes he (Barry's Best) has done and even won at Medium and Advanced Medium Level. We started the season at Tweseldown in the Open Intermediate, which he did a fab test and jumped a good double clear and came home 3rd. Gatcombe he unfortunately pulled a shoe off in the cross country but the dressage and show jumping were great. Weston Park he did the Advanced and I decided to give him a steady run cross country and not push for the time. We went down to Powderham Castle and he did a cracking test and show jumped really well, with only two weeks before Badminton, we didn't want to risk him cross country, so we withdrew him. Which I don't think he was too pleased about as cross country is both of our favourite discipline.
At home we have been doing plenty of fast work, we have got some really steep banks on the farm and the ground has been just perfect to work him on them. He's been doing plenty of dressage training and we have marked out a 20m x 60m grass arena with all the white boards so we can practise the moves for our dressage test. It's surprisingly different on grass, we all get too comfortable with our all weather arenas! We have been BSJA jumping and have jumped some good rounds, at home we have been doing lots of grids, to keep him supple and to really make him work.
At Badminton I'm number 91, I would prefer to be earlier as there is less hanging around, but more time to get him settled. I just want to get there and get on with it. I will be leaving for Badminton on Tuesday lunch time, I still have the lorry to clean and pack! I will meet Tracey Garrett my groom for the week there and she will help me unload and get everything organised. My family will drive down each day that I am competing, they have to go back and forwards to do all the work!
The two horses stabled each side of Baz, Graftons Jackpot and Watzmann, have both recently won classes at Sapey, so we have told Baz no pressure but! I think he knows all this build up is for something special, He's just the kindest horse that always tries his hardest for me and I love him to bits no matter what.

Rosie will be writing another blog for us when she returns from Badminton...GOOD LUCK ROSIE!!

Tuesday, 21 April 2009

Guest blogger- Shires' Sponsored Rider Faye Berry!

Well, I did promise you we'd have other people blogging and to kick this off, Faye Berry, who's one of our sponsored riders, has sent over some news for the Shires blog! Faye lives in Herefordshire and show jumps competitively...she's also been modeling for our new catalogue so look out for her! Anyway, here's her blog entry...

After a quiet winter we went off to the Blue Chip Championship at Hartpury Arena in Gloucestershire. On the Wednesday we had entered a 1.20m class which was held in the main arena. Rocky went well, but struggled down a distance and had a stop. The following morning we returned to Hartpury and jumped the Devoucoux Star Championship class. There were 84 starters in this class and we were drawn fairly early, Rocky was on good form and after chatting with Gary Morgan and Nick Price, my trainers the previous evening, I was feeling a bit more confident.

Rocky went into the ring bucking as normal, so I knew she was going to go well, she jumped a nice clear round, although maybe a little too fast. We then had to rush outside to the outdoor arena to jump the 1.25m class, which was run 2 phase. Rocky jumped well in this and had a clear and 4 faults, which I was very pleased with. Nick Price had arrived at the show by then, and he helped me warm up for the Star jump off. He told me to take some very tight tuns and go for it, as I had nothing to lose. Rocky went into the ring and jumped a great round finishing second – what a result.

The following week Rocky had a bit of a rest, as I was on holiday in Turkey. Mum looked after Rocky and kept her ticking over so that she was ready for our next show. I arrived back from Turkey on a Tuesday morning and went straight to Bromyard Equestrian Centre for some BSJA training with accredited coach David Austin. I found this useful and picked up a few tips from him.

On Thursday we went off to Weston Lawns, where Nick is based and jumped a Foxhunter class and a A,B, and C handicap, she jumped 4 faults in the Foxhunter and clear and 4 faults in the Handicap.
On Sunday off the Weston Lawns again and we jumped the same classes and got the same result. Rocky is going well and has moved up the levels nicely, hopefully she will be ready to jump the Newcomers Second Rounds when they start in June.

Bye for now Rocky and Faye

Monday, 20 April 2009

So much to do before the weekend!`

Well, as our warehouse sale and equestrian event approaches, we are all super busy making sure everything is done, dusted, priced and sorted before the gates open at 10am on Saturday morning! We're all hoping that the weekend will be really successful and that everyone will have a good time. We've got a number of other companies attending like Dengie, Baileys, Classic Showjumps, Redmills, NEW, NAF, Equiami, Equinevolution, Warwickshire College, Veteran Horse Society, Fort Dodge and the Blue Cross...and maybe some others too, and we are putting together a series of talks from a number of experts as well as a free raffle and, of course, the warehouse sale! We are having the sale with three of our local retailers: Barnstormers, Fox Saddlery and Equestrian & Country Leisure and there will be loads of super bargains! So, if you're in our neck of the woods (that's Leominster) we're open both days so do come along!!

As for the talks, well, I really hope I get some time to listen to them. We've got the master from our local hunt coming to do a talk about a year in the life of the hunt which I for one am really looking forward to! Dengie are hoping to bring a lifesize digestive system...and I'm looking forward to that too...now all I need to do is book the weather!