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Catch up on what eventer Georgie Spence has been up to:

Welcome to the first monthly diary from young event rider, Georgie Spence. Georgie (19) is based near Chippenham, Wiltshire, and is currently on the World Class Start Programme for future potential Olympic British team prospects. She was a member of the gold medal- winning team at the Young Rider Europeans at Blair Castle in 2007 and received an award from British Eventing for being the rider under 21 years of age gaining the most points in 2007. In 2008 she is aiming to compete in her first 4* event - like Badminton or Burghley!

Georgie and the gorgeous Song For Gull, all smart and ready for a dressage test.
Photo thanks to Alex Colquhoun

“Happy New Year to you all! I spent Christmas at home with my family and so the day to day routine with the horses continued as normal. I am starting to get them fit for the 2008 eventing season and so I began by bringing them back into work using the horse-walker every day for the first week. I then started hacking them out before schooling.

I have got a few new horses to ride. One of them is a five-year-old mare called Libby and is owned by a lady called Judy Graham. She hasn’t done much at all apart from a few little shows and is quite a shy horse but is starting to come out of her shell a little bit now. We have only had her about two weeks and so she is still settling in. She had a few spooky moments hacking out, as do most youngsters, but is now schooling nicely and is well behaved. I am hoping to compete her in some five-year-old classes this season.

Along with the other new horses plus my own youngsters and my three top horses, Song For Gull, Trenear and Running Brook II, it looks as though I am going to have plenty to keep me busy in the run up to the event season. The next job is clipping them out as they all still look like woolly bears!”

Georgie at Blenheim with Running Brook II.
Photo thanks to Alex Colquhoun

Click on www.georgiespence.com to find out more

Hey, not really!

Tippy is still top pony around here! But while I was in Lapland over Christmas, I got to check out some other forms of animal transport.

This is Oliver the reindeer and he's 15 years old.

Then there was the husky sledding. You don't have any reins - just a brake and your body to lean in the sled. It feels really fast whizzing through the snow and ice. But the dogs were a little smelly! So I guess Tippy is still the best form of animal transport.

Siberian huskies can have odd coloured eyes - a bit like ponies who have a wall eye!

Happy New Year guys

Laura and Thomas here:

I hope you all had a nice break and Santa brought you everything that you wished for! I got a great new grooming kit, all the same colour so that my sister can’t steal it – don’t you just hate it when you get the yard and all you stuff has gone missing?

I did plenty of riding over the hols to keep me fit after all those mince pies I was munching. I was went to watch the boxing day meet, there were loads of people out with their horses and they looked dead smart all plaited up. I didn’t take Thomas (didn’t get time to get all my tack clean)!

Has anyone made any New Year's resolutions yet? I did the same old one - to give up chocolates. It lasted about a day, and then I had to have a load more Quality Street. That’s got be some kind of a record. A New Year's resolution broken in about 15 hours, I think next year my New Year's resolution will be to not make and New Year's resolutions!

Thomas has lost a shoe so I won’t be out hacking out this weekend but the farrier is coming on Monday so it won’t be long until the wheels are back on.

Hi everyone

Jennie here:

Well yes, Christmas came and went, along with New Year. Both were ace but the best was still to come...

On January 2 me and five of my best mates went to the O2 arena in London to see The Return of the Spice Girls! The concert was absolutely amazing.

David Beckham was there, along with Posh Spice’s three children and everyone cheered when they went and sat in their seats. George Michael was there too supporting his best mate Ginger Spice.

I didn’t stop dancing for the whole two hours and we all remembered the words to every single song, which was surprising as it was like ten years since we first heard them.

Geri and Mel C’s solos were real highlights but Stop, Lady is a Vamp, Mama and Wannabe were my favourites performances.

The girls’ outfits were all designed by Roberto Cavalli who is one of Posh Spice’s good friends. They all looked gorgeous but my favourite outfit was Geri’s original Union Jack Dress with a new twist – it was covered in sequins. Baby Spice always looked so pretty.

Laura is going to see them tomorrow (Saturday) and I wish I was going with her again. So jealous.
x

Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

OMW! You are never gonna guess what happened on Tuesday. I turned Tippy out as usual and left the yard for work.

Next thing, there's a phone call from Stella explaining that I might notice a few extra hoofprints in Tippy's field that evening. Gizmo had escaped from his stable, with Stella in hot pursuit. Tippy whinnied to him and Stella thought he'd just trot down to her field gate and she'd be able to catch him. But Gizmo didn't stop at Tippy's gate, he jumped straight over and headed off up the field at a gallop with Tippy alongside!

Stella said she would have left him out but he still had his stable rugs on and it was raining. She then had to spend an hour trying to catch them! They wouldn't even come to be caught with a bucket of food on offer.

Stella's now being careful to shut Gizmo's stable door every time she goes out!

Laura and Thomas here:

We have some fab new wheels at home! Just bought a new trailer and it is fab! It’s massive and can fit two big horses (like ours) in easily! Think we are going to take it out this weekend for a spin! Thomas is very excited, he thinks it's going to be ace.

If you read Jennie's blog last week you'll know that I went to see the Spice Girls on Sunday and it, indeed was fab! I was singing and laughing all evening. It was great and just so much fun. I was very pleased with myself for getting all the way through the London underground without getting lost, too.

I hope everyone is not too sad to be back at school!

Laura

Hi everyone

Jennie here:

As I’m sure most of you are aware, the RSPCA raided a farm in Buckinghamshire last week after a tip off, and found more than 80 emaciated horses, ponies and donkeys.

They were all under fed and watered and had overgrown feet.

The RSPCA also found 31 dead horses. A further three were so poorly they had to put to sleep there and then.

The tragedy has seen some of the UK's leading equine charities pull together to help take care of the surviving animals.

Some of the sickest were taken to the Horse Trust at Speen for care but Redwings, the ILPH and The Blue Cross have all taken on their fair share.

Each of the charities has been overwhelmed by the public’s support and have received offers of practical help and large donations of money as well as essential horse kit.

It’s important to remember at this time though, that it’s not just high profile cases that these charities are working on. They care for hundreds of rescued equines and constantly need your support.

If you can help in anyway log on and donate at:
www.redwings.org.uk
www.homeofrestforhorses.co.uk
www.ilph.org
www.bluecross.org.uk
www.rpsca.co.uk

Hey everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

I guess you are all getting like Tippy and me - absolutely and totally fed up with the rain!

At the beginning of the week, Tippy was still enjoying going out for a mud bath every day (that's a roll in the muddiest part of the field) but by Wednesday I was dragging her out to the field.

She isn't having a roll anymore and just stands at the gate all day waiting to come back in.

It's not good for her joints to stand in her stable all day, so I've been forcing her outside every day, even if it's just for a couple of hours.

The yard resembles a ploughed field. There is mud everywhere!

What are your riding stables like? At least Tippy isn't at risk of getting flooded out - are any of your fave ponies? Let us know. Email Laura on laura@horseandpony.com

That's it for now. Hopefully the sun will come out soon!

Laura and Thomas here:

I hope Jan isn’t dragging too much for you. I am already getting excited about my hols – I’m going skiing in Feb. Yay! Thomas says hello. He is leaning to swim at the moment, his field is so wet and muddy it’s untrue. If it keeps raining we are going to have to buy him armbands!

Any of you who are regular readers of the mag will know we feature a pet page each month so any of you with pets. send us a piccy in as I am sure they would love to see themselves in the mag. You can email them to me, laura@horseandpony.com or put them in the post to, H+P Pets, 33 Broad Street, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1RB. Oh and if you get your pet pic featured you get an exclusive H+P purse too. So what are you waiting for?

Bye Laura

Hiya

Jennie here:

Have you heard about Rory the three-month-old Miniature Shetland who thinks he's a dog? He was taken to live at the Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society in Pitsea after his mum rejected him.

Rory was very poorly and needed feeding every 15 minutes so stable manager Sue Allery kept an eye on him in the Sanctuary’s office, which he shared with Chocolate Labradors, Alfie and Millie.

They took a big interest in Rory. Alfie would even lick off his milk moustache and they were happy to share their dog bed with him.

As a result of their friendship Rory has picked up some very funny canine traits. He fetches a stick, plays frisbee and rolls over to have his tummy tickled. His little hooves give the game away though!

Visitors are welcome at the Sanctuary every Sunday. Check out more info at www.ehpps.org.uk

Rory playing fetch.

“I’d much prefer to drink from a bowl, please!”

Rory the Miniature Shetland and Labrador Millie playing together.

“Can I have some of your dinner?”

Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

I've had a clear out this week. Once you get to Tippy's age (20) you acquire more stuff than one pony could ever need. So, I've collected together all her old rugs and numnahs and donated them to Operation Esther.

Operation Esther is name given to the horsey world's efforts to help the horses, ponies and donkeys rescued from Spindles Farm, Amersham in Buckinghamshire. There's already been loads of money, feed, etc donated so I thought it was time Tippy did her bit! I got quite nostalgic going through all her old stuff. She's grown out of some of her rugs so those are the ones I packed up ready to go.

The convoy of trucks are due to go to Redwings and the ILPH this weekend.

Hiya

Jennie here:

Who’s trying to think of cool stuff to do in their half term (other than spend all day on the yard!)? Well think no further, I have news of a super cool, FREE day out!

You need to get yourselves along to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment HQ in Knightsbridge (opposite Hyde Park) in London on February 20, 2008 at 3.30pm.
HRH The Princess Royal will be revealing the BHS Equestrian Hall of Fame Wall of Honour.

There will be stacks of Laureates there to see their commemorative plaques on the Wall. We've had a tip off that Pippa Funnell will be there (chance to nab some autographs), and the legendary Shear H2O who is honoured as one of the great horses of all time.

It’s totally free and members of the public are welcome to go and hobnob with the all time Equestrian stars - plus have a look around the Household Cavalry’s HQ while you’re there.

That’s your half term made, I reckon. Have fun! x

Hi everyone

Laura and Thomas here:

The Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre is celebrating after the arrival of a new year Shire filly born just last week. The centre has been breeding Shires for 35 years but this new arrival was still a shock! The foal came early which was especially strange as her mum gave birth on the exact same date last year. The centre reckons mum and daughter are both doing well but are now in search of a name for their latest addition.

The Shire mares at the centre are usually named after Scottish lochs but this year the centre is running a naming comp. Any suggestions must be received by the centre by Feb 4. The winner of the competition will receive a border fine arts model.

For more info on the centre and visit the website www.cotebrookshirehorses.co.uk

I’ve included a pic of the new arrival below too!