Welcome to Georgie Spence's next monthly diary installment. Georgie (19) is an eventer and is based near Chippenham, Wiltshire. She 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.

Georgie writes:
I've had a very busy February with lots of things going on in preparation for the start of the new season. I went to the Jump and Style (JAS) at West Wilts with two of the new horses, Minx and Kiki, and also Trenear and Tom. It is a great way to get them going before we start eventing properly. They all went really well - Kiki finished 10th in the Open to qualify for the final, Trenear came 4th in the Open and Tom won, so quite a successful day!

Georgie has still been finding time to jump baby Ollie at home.

The following Sunday we took eight horses cross-country schooling to Boomerang. Because we only have a four-horse lorry, it meant doing two trips with four horses each time and so was quite a busy day, but they all jumped superbly. The younger horses are becoming very confident, and are jumping pre-novice and novice type fences quite happily now.

We took four horses to the JAS at Hoplands on the 16th and Daisy won the Pre-Novice and the Novice classes and Gull won the Open with a double clear. At Hartpury on the following day, Daisy won again and was second in the Pre-Novice! We also took three of the ‘babies’ (Henry, Sophie and Libby) along and I took them round nice and slowly. We finished with lots of time faults but I couldn’t have been more pleased with them. They are still quite green and were very tired the next day.

The following weekend, at the JAS finals, Daisy had a pole down in the Novice but won the Pre-Novice Championship with a double clear. Gully and Tom had one fence down each in the show jumping and finished 3rd and 5th, so I was very pleased with them all.

Tom competed well last year and Georgie has done lots of preparation for this season.

This month, I have also had quite a few dressage training sessions with Pammy Hutton and the horses seem to have all improved, so, fingers crossed, I will be able to keep the standard up for the whole season!

To find out more about Georgie please visit www.georgiespence.com

Hiya
Jennie here:

Laura, Sarah and I had a really nice day learning how to use our cameras last Friday. Although it rained loads, so we couldn’t do as much outdoor practice as we would have liked, I did manage to take a little arty pic of some of the pretty orchids Laura’s mum had in her kitchen. I’ve uploaded one here for you to marvel at. I was very impressed with my work, although I’m not sure how much technical knowledge I remember and will have to put in lots more practice.

My photo!

In other news… it’s my birthday tomorrow!!! (That’s Friday March 7.) I’m so excited. I’m updating my blog now cos I won’t be in the office tomorrow. I’m having a nice long weekend to celebrate turning 24. Gosh, how old?!

Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

The H+P team (minus Tippy) had an amazing day yesterday at the PC Conference. As Laura said last week, it was at Aintree. We got to get a real nosy round the course. The ground looks in amazing condition, although staff have not yet started dressing the Grand National fences.

Jennie and I did a little talk and we did get a bit nervous cos HRH The Princess Royal was still there... luckily she left just before we got up to do our turn. But we did have to follow Ginger McCain, legendary racehorse trainer. Ask you're mum or dad if you've not heard of his most famous horse Red Rum and they are sure to fill you in. Red Rum is like the most famous Grand National racehorse ever, so our talk sounded dull in comparison but we were just honoured to be in such amazing company.

Anyway, Laura's turned 21 this week so she's a proper grown-up, although she's still not found time to blog today! Please let her off though as her mum is helping out on a farm lambing and Laura has some orphaned lambs to look after. She's going to be busy bottle feeding!

Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

The heat is on at the stables at the mo.

You might remember I looked after Gizmo for a couple of weeks last year while Stella, his owner, recovered from an eye operation. Well, she's just had an operation on her other eye. So I'm busy looking after Gizmo again, as well as Tippy. She's been getting very grumpy as I tend to feed him before her in the morning and she just doesn't think it's on! Never mind she'll cope.

Gizmo wants his brekkie before Tippy!

Best go as I've yet more mucking out to do!

Hiya
Jennie here:

It’s not about which celeb gets your vote in the Dancing on Ice final this Sunday, oh no! There’s something much more exciting going on on the Planet Ice Rink in Basingstoke this month.

Icelandic horses will be performing on ice for the first time ever in the UK when the best riders in Britain compete with visitors from Europe in their unique tolting gait on the world’s most purebred horse. Tolt is a four-beat lateral gait in which at least one foot is on the ground at all times. It is extremely smooth and can be performed at speeds equating from walk to a fast canter.

You'll get to see Icelandic horses at a tolt.

IcesHorsesGB takes place on April 19. Tickets are priced at £13 for adults and £8 for children. They’re available from Planet Ice Arena, Basingstoke on 01256355266 or log onto www.planet-ice.co.uk.

To find out more about IceTolt check out www.icetolt.co.uk.

Hi everyone

Laura and Thomas here:

Thomas has some new friends - six baby lambs!

They are all orphans so are being bottle fed and live in the stable next to Thomas, much to his delight, he does love babies! He keeps sticking his head through the bars to sniff them!

They don’t all have names (but I am working on it) so if any of you have any suggestions then please do let me know! Email: laura@horseandpony.com

These lambs need naming!

Hey everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

I paid a visit to the Shire Horse Society Spring Show last weekend. Despite being freezing; the show was brill. It was the first event to be held in the East of England Showground's new indoor exhibition hall - exec so spectators got to stay warm and dry!

As well as all the show classes, the society put on a demo showing the changing face of the Shire Horse and cross-bred throughout the ages; right from knights in armour to the modern day leisure horse. It was great and very moving to think about how much Shire Horses, and horses in general, have helped people in their everyday lives and how much horsepower has given to us. It reminded me how much we have to thank horses and ponies for.

Hi all

Jennie here:

We’ve already had too many Mini Eggs in the office this week, and Sarah’s bought me and Laura our very own eggs – yum!

I’m sure you’ll all get your fair share of chocolate treats over the long weekend but don’t let your pet miss out! Don't forget, though, dogs should not be given chocolate as it's poisonous to them. But they don't need to miss out - Pets at Home are selling special animal Easter Eggs so they don’t feel left out.

Dogs will enjoy the cocoa free chocolate, for small animals there's a yummy yoghurt flavour and for cats a yoghurt and catnip recipe too.

Would your dog enjoy his own Easter egg?

All the treats cost £1.99 and can be found at 200 stores across the country. Log onto www.petsathome.co.uk and find your nearest!

Have a good Easter weekend.

Hi everyone

Laura and Thomas here:

Got any plans for this weekend? No? Well now you have!

This Sunday March 30, Redwings’ Ada Cole Centre in Essex is holding a birthday party for one of their very special adoption ponies called Louie.

You don’t have to adopt him to join in the celebrations. Everyone is welcome and it’s free to get in to the party.

There will be birthday parade for the star of the show at 1pm as well as horse care demos, walking tours of the site and quiz trails going on all day. You’ll also have the chance to meet mascots Red and Wings.

The centre opens at 10am so take all the family along and meet the birthday boy plus more than 50 other rescued horses, ponies and donkeys.

For more further party plans click on www.redwings.org.uk

(PS As Laura didn't have time to write this before jetting off to Rome for the weekend - Jennie actually wrote this! Tee hee!)

Hey everyone

Jennie here:

Just thought I had to tell you about this today. I do a bit of running but I'd never manage a marathon!

The International League for the Protection of Horses’ (ILPH) Deputy Chief Executive Tony Tyler is putting on his running shoes to raise money for the charity.

Spurred on by the shocking case in Amersham at the beginning of this year when more than 80 horses were rescued, Tony has decided to run the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday May 25, 2008.

“I’ve worked at the ILPH for eight years” said Tony, “but the state of the 11 horses we took on from Spindles Farm in Amersham has shocked us all deeply, but unfortunately it’s not an isolated case.”

It costs the ILPH thousands of pounds to rehabilitate and care for the horses that are rescued and Tony wants to run the 26.2 miles to raise money to help the charity keep doing their vital work.

Tony trains with Hoof it Harry!

If you want to sponsor Tony click on www.justgiving.com/tonytyler

Hi everyone

Sarah and Tippy here:

Just heard some news which all you Hello Kitty fans will be mad over!

Burda:ic has launched the official Hello Kitty website, offering fans a free online community. The site brings together everything a Hello Kitty fan will ever need.

Fans get the opportunity to chat about anything on the site’s forums, from Hello Kitty and other characters, to fashion, love, music, games, and much more. Users also get the chance to meet Hello Kitty and Friends, blog about all that’s pink and take part in quizzes. They can buy stylish Hello Kitty merchandise at the online shop, from bags, clothes, jewellery and accessories. Fans can even share their fun with other fans by playing a selection of online games. Awesome!

Join in the Hello Kitty fun at: www.sanriotown.com