A TRIP TO THE VET: 20/07/07 -

After Her injury in January this year jayde has required several check ups by the vet to make sure she is still healthy. Well on this Friday we drove her up to Swanbridge Vetinary Hospital, Hull for her to get a Scan and X ray on her leg.

We arrived at 11.45am just 15 minutes before the appointment was due and registered her only to find there was delays of about 2 hrs, as a vet hadnt shown up. So we were advised to put jayde in the stable which had been prepared for her and leave her and go off into nearby towns for the day. Jayde in her stable, Below;

We went for a mac donalds and then into a nearby town of Beverley where i got some bargains and last minute things for my camping trip to weston-super-mare for T4 on the beach which was fantastic, it was televised on channel 4. Then at 5 o clock we got a call to say jayde could be collected.

Having found nothing wrong with her leg only a splint, they said they were happy with Jayde's leg and she could be discharged straight away. They also advised to book jayde in for 6 months time for a final check up on that leg. We travelled home and put jayde and molly in there stables as jayde was still a little dozy from being sedated and it was going to be a wet and Windy Night.

We're going on holiday to Newquay for 10 days and then when we get back it will be very busy getting ready for horse shows so until then.

Laura Salmon x

AN UPDATE FROM SOUTHDALE 19/07/07-

Hi it's been along time since i've written but i've finished off my year at college and have been riding jayde and working quite frequently so i've been struggling to fit it all in. I've been on several university visits too.

Tomorrow Jayde is off to Swanbridge vetinary practice for a scan on the leg that she injured preseason this year, so we will be spending the day there with her. They will have to shave her legs but i'm not sure what the judges at showing will think to a horse with its legs shaved.

I'm off on my holidays, from fri night to monday morning i'm off away for a weekend to go to t4 on the beach hopefully the weather should be nice because lately it's been awful for July, and then i'll have a couple of days training before going on holiday to the south for ten days. It gives me time to relax away from college work and horses, obviously the horses are the one i will miss.

So we'll be back showing 5th August and then believe its pretty busy right up to season close in december so i'll update you after that show again, because otherwise there'll be nothing to say until then.

Happy Summer 2007
Laura Salmon.

HILL HOUSE EQUESTRIAN CENTRE 24TH JUNE 07 -

Well knowing it was going to rain we chose very wisely to go to hill house indoor rather than crowle.
If you placed in the top 10 you qualified for the jumping finals in september... which was an aim of mine particularly.

Leona went in the novice 2'6 and jumped a nice clear round and in the jump off pulled some daring turns and came 4th and qualified for the novice jumping finals in september. then in the 2'9 derby leona had a bit of trouble with the water tray.

I took jayde in the intermediate 3'0 and she just had one down but i ended up turning a circle when i missed a jump giving us 8 faults then in the 3'3 - 3'6 she jumped fab just having one down and there was only 2 clears and we came 6th qualifying for the open jumping finals in september.

Also our friend Holly did well at Crowle today.

Talk to you soon

Laura Salmon x

VISIT FROM THE EQUINE DENTIST AND A NEW ARRIVAL AT SOUTHDALE FARM... 11/06/07-

I had thankfully completed all of my exams and i had one last day of study leave before returning to class. This was the Day Robert Ruddy Equine dentist was coming to our stables to give the horses a check up.

Last time Jayde had the dentist she was really stressed so we had chosen to get Molly, Jayde and Jasmin (our little grey mare) sedated. Other horses at the yard were done whilst we were waiting for the vet. Jayde was done first and just needed her teeth filing as they were a little sharp, Molly had the same and jasmin had more extensive work done. They were all really sleepy Bless!!!

My grandparents had bought Jasmin for the dentist from her Loaners in a nearby village only we had in mind training to sell for Jasmin as it's mine and leona's dream career and we wanted to start young. So Grandad decided that her loaners could either buy her or we would have her back after hearing her rider wasnt very interested.

So Jasmin got to stay at our yard until any further decisions are made and be trained and she hasn't half got a jump on her. I'm going to check the horses tomorrow and ride jayde because Grandma and Grandad are taking a well deserved Holiday. And in the case of Jasmin i'll let you know what happens.

Laura Salmon.

MESSINGHAM 102ND ANNUAL HORSE AND PONY SHOW - 03/06/07.

It was already boiling before we set off so there was no doubt that suncream and sun hats would be required we arrived with loads of time at half 12 to let the horses settle in with the trade stands, the fair rides and many other attractions including a vintage car show, the atmosphere was buzzing, the sun was scorching reaching about 25 degrees and after some time around the show ground, we decided to retreat to revising for our exams the next day, mine biology and leona's in maths.Jayde and Molly were looking great and just chilling in the sun, we knew we had a long wait because they were only on class 3 and we were in classes 7 -9, novice to open jumper classes.

After a wonderful day at 5pm Leona rode her first class which was about 2ft6, and she had two stops at a psychodelic filler but got over 3rd attempt and also had one of the skinny double down, 12 faults. But in all the classes many combinations of horses and riders were eliminated. Then i jumped first in the intermediate at 7pm and made a speed error coming into the skinny double knocking both parts down, leaving me on a score of 8, again in the intermediate leona had 3 down, and i decided to wait for the open, which was 3ft 6, and at half 8 i finally got to jump, but we were both tired and had 5 rails down disastrous i know but at least we had no stops, so that built my confidence alot, knowing she would go round bigger tracks now and she seemed to really enjoy it.

Due to the pending exams on the monday, we got the horses into their travelling gear, and left them with our grandparents and a friend who would take the drive back to the stables with them, our dad picked us up to get us home for some revision, and as there would be no meal prepared for us at home at half 9, we stopped in at Mac Donalds, before going home to shower, revise and sleep.

Monday morning we were all still knackered, and my grandparents, who didnt get in til 12am!! so they had the day off and leona and i went to school for our exams, mine went fairly well but leona seemed a bit unsure of what she had done, then on tuesday i had french and my final exam yesterday in chemistry,which all were reasonable. Molly's getting shod today and having a weekend off cos leona is of away with her friend. We'll next be competing in a fortnights time at Crowle Show or Hill House Equestrian so you can catch me there!!!

Overall, Messingham show this year was great fun and a great chance to catch up with some of our old riding buddies, the atmosphere and weather were great, and even our jumping was ok, compared to alot of other riders, but next year i would leave it later til arriving so there isn't such a long wait. i want to take the oppertunity to thank my grandparents and my parents for being a huge help and making it possible for us to do this,for this show and the rest of this season and previous seasons, Thank You. So Messingham this year was great and we'll be back next year. And I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

Laura Salmon x

EPWORTH EQUESTRIAN CENTRE SHOW CROSS 27/05/07 -

It was raining and i mean throwing it down, but it was show time and not even the weather was going to stop me from trying to win and get my hands on the money. We arrived with little time to spare, we quickly registered our arrival at the secs office leona number twenty two, and myself number 19, i was riding at 1.03pm for the show jumping phase and twenty minutes later, for the cross country i only got on at 12.55pm in a bit of a panic but i managed a fifteen minute warm up because due to the weather everything was running a little bit late. at 1.10pm i went nervously into the ring, feeling ever so slightly cautious due to the ground been a little slippy, although i was only the novice phase with jumps up to 2'6 and xc jumps up to 2'9, and i'm used to going in the 3'3 classes i was still doubtful of my performance. It started off a little unsmooth and jayde was pulling but she settled down and turned it into the dream clear round, then i walked for ten minutes before popping the practice xc fence a couple of times to get jaydes mind into the next part of the competition. We set off strong on the xc course and considering how long it was only had two stops giving forty penalties overall, This left me and Jayde in the top ten finishing line.

Leona took molly, in for sj who really wasn't going to perform well in the down pour we was having and she got 16 faults, even though mistakes set aside it was a very stylish round, and in the xc leona missed out a couple of the more challenging fences leaving her with no chance of a high position finish. But we did all enjoy our ride.

A couple of days ago Leona recieved a letter saying she had placed in the top 30 of the region in dressage and had qualified for the Stonelege dressage championships, but dressage isn't leonas favourite discipline and she decided she wasn't going to be in the finals at willerby next weekend.

As for me after i finish my A level exams in 08, i want a gap year & i have decided i wanted to do something horse related for a year, to earn some money before uni, so an apprenticeship or yard work and so i can really concentrate just on jayde, showing and horses without any school work, which would be something i've never had the chance to do. I look forward to that. Anyway its the Annual 102nd Messingham show next week and i'm in the intermediate and open jumper classes, see you there!!

Talk to you soon
Laura Salmon.

RIDING YESTERDAY...SCHOOLING AND HACKING....

Jayde is still looking a little bit under toned so i've been riding her alot to try and build up some extra muscle because i'm on study leave from school, obviously i'm working hard at home, riding and work, but this week i wanted to put some more into my riding and try and get Jayde a bit more toned for sundays show cross competiton.

So i flatted her for half an hour really concentrating on stopping her leaning habit especially in canter which made me use my leg, then i jumped concentrating on a straight approach into fences using barrels i'd layed down as a guide and then i took her onto the fields for some cantering before walking her back to cool her down.

Due to the slight obstacle of a 4 mile xc course, i took molly out for a long hack, incorporating, trot canter and gallop, i'm just trying to strengthen her a bit for leona, whos not on study leave, today me and my friend Izzy are going to ride and take both the horses out before the farrier comes at half 2.

Laura Salmon.

EPWORTH EQUESTRIAN SHOWJUMPING - 13/05/07 -

Despite drastic weather warnings we made the 1hr trip to Ep Eq anyway where soon after arriving it began to rain. We could see that there would be a long wait until the intermediate and open horse classes so we kept jayde inside and we sat in the car eating our packed lunches kindly made by our grandma.

2 hrs later it was time to go and i was number 14. Jayde went well in the intermediate and we ended up in 4th place, pleased i was ready to tackle the open which also came well and ended up against one other girl in the jumpoff unfortunately i came 2nd rather than winning but also got my hands on some money. Quite a successful day all round.

Now i'm getting ready for show cross at Ep eq on 27th May, where i take part in a sj and cross country phase, i'm really looking forward to it, and now i'm on study leave from school, and about to sit my AS level exams in Biology, Chemistry, English Lit and French, i can also spend a little extra time getting jayde ready for the shows alongside Revision for school.

I Hope all goes well for us on Sunday.
Laura Salmon.

MESSINGHAM PONY OWNERS SHOW- 06/05/07-

We arrived nice and early at the show where we were ready to win. Leona even bought some new travel boots in cerys for molly and grandma bought us each a whip, mines bright pink :-P
I rode first in the 2ft 9 having just 2 poles, seeing us out of the competition and in the 2ft 3 leona had 4 faults. Then leona took molly in her first 2ft 9 since willerby last year and molly went round with a couple down. I had to leave to go to work as i could see the open would be outside my time range but leona jumped it 3ft 3 and came 4th.

So i was really pleased with both our horses and us.

Laura Salmon xx

HILL HOUSE EQUESTRIAN SHOW JUMPING- 29/04/07-

Another boiling day in the UK and another Showjumping competition for me and my Family. We travelled down to Hill House Equestrian centre for their competition in hope of winning some prizes.

Leona firstly took molly in the 2ft 3 class in which she cleared and then in the jump off went clear again and ended in 3rd place and then in the 2ft 6 class in which she came 6th having a pole in the jump off. So for Leona it was quite a good day.

I was a little nervous but jumping 1.15m in the practice ring but it didnt really go my way and in the 3ft i had 12 faults, all careless rails down and in the 3ft 3- 3ft 6 i had two stops at fences so it wasnt really my day.

But Family wise we had 2 prizes so it ended up ok.

Laura xx

EPWORTH SPRING HUNTER TRIALS 15/04/07 -

Well the weather in England really has gone a bit funny hasn't it, i'm not used to competing in 20 degree + heat til july and August, so to have it in April is slightly bizarre. We arrived knowing our classes Pairs and Intermediate were about to start so we quickly went to register our arrival only to find there would be a 3hr wait in the boiling sun til our first class. So we kept the horses in the shade with plenty of water and a hay net. We waited around and we sunbathed and had some food and then finally it was time to prepare for our class.

We started off well in pairs clearing the time section until i missed a fence, i just didnt see it lol obviously the heat got to me so i turned around and jumped it but i knew that it cost us our chance of winning and later in the course i had a stop at a jump which i would never expect to be in it but after that we had a good home straight.In the Intermediate both Molly and Jayde cleared the time section and went out on the main course with a strong start however Leona and Molly missed 5 jumps out knocking them out of the competition and then Jayde stopped at one jump which i couldnt get her any where near so i went round it eliminating us too. But Jayde cleared every fence except that one so although disappointed i was kind of pleased too. i just hope that this weekend at Hill House EQ

it's not so hot!!!!!

Laura Salmon x

PICTURES FROM BAGMOOR HUNTER TRIALS....

Above Jayde and myself
Below Leona and Molly

Laura Salmon x

Bagmoor Spring Hunter Trials - 08/04/07...

The first real atmospheric event of the year on easter sunday, because when you are there everything buzzes, it was a lovely warm day.. we've been getting a few of those in England recently lol!

Leona took Molly in the Prenovice class, as she's still building up her experience and molly performed a lovely Clear round to come 4th place.
Then we both went in the novice which went rather well but both had faults, again a very fun day for all of us.

Laura Salmon x

Epworth Club Training - 31/03/07...

Knowing we had alot of hunter trials up we scooped up the oppertunity to have a pre show practice on one of our local crosss country course so two weeks before the spring hunter trial at epworth we travelled there for some practice.

In our afternoon session there was only leona, another girl and myself so we made full use of this time to go over most of the fences there.

It was a wondeful day with lovely weather... who could ask for more?

Laura Salmon x

Hill House Show - 25/03/07...

The Morning i got back from Belgium and literally into the country i was asked if i wanted to show jayde the very same day, although tired i wasn't going to pass up the oppertunity of winning something, or building my reputation, so i went along with Leona and Molly to Hill House Eq Centre 1 1/2 hrs away.
Leona Took Molly in the Green Novice class in which Molly did well, only having 4 faults after having a rail down, and then in the Novice Class she went clear but in the jump off brought two down, but a very tired Molly still pulled in 8th position.

The i took Jayde in the 2ft 9 Derby which included a massive water tray and i was really nervous about how jayde would take it after a not so smooth warm up, but Jayde did really well and took me over it fine, just having one down at the double combination.

Afterwards i was completely Knackered so i allowed Leona to jump the Intermediate Class on her which is 3ft - 3ft 3 and Jayde took this all in her stride and came 6th overall.

A Fairly Successful day for all 4 of us.

Laura Salmon x

A CHANGE OF PLAN....

After getting the times to ride at sykehouse we realised we wouldnt be able to get there so unfortunately we pulled out and moved on to a more local jumping competition at epworth, to jump 2 small classes seen as jayde and molly havent jumped since december.

Although the trailblazers dressage is all over for our family we carry on been positive anyway took jayde in first class and she was really good and we came 5th overall, and then in the next she jumped brill too and tapped a pole which came off the cup on one side and balanced on top of the pole below it so just four faults for that.

Anyway Leona then jumped Molly who was quite lazy but she got round and did fairly well in both classes. I think Leona is riding both Jayde and Mol in trailblazer jumping this sunday at Willerby however i won't be there as i'm off on the return visit of the belgium exchange, so for now take care.

Laura Salmon.

WILLERBY HILL 2ND ROUND COMPETITION.....

On Saturday we had an early start knowing that Leona was riding at 9.52am and i was at 10.06 am, so we had to be up to get ready for Willerby, and the atmosphere was good and everything was cleaned and carefully prepared.

Leona when we got there only had 15mins to warm up and was soon in arena one ready to perform the test prelim 16 but Molly was feelingg quite lazy and didnt give much impulsion and leona scored 54% and came 21st.

I was fairly worried how Jayde would go, as she had only been back in work 10 days and these competitions need much more time to practice than that. but in the warm up ring something clicked and she came good, in the arena i felt it went well but not well enough to have qualified as we had a couple of mistakes which didnt seem like big ones to the ordinary untrained eye but i knew they were, but we still got 63.5% and came 13th place.

No qualifications but for me and jayde quite a successful trip and we have sykehouse on sunday to try and make our last attempt to get through, wish us luck.

Laura Salmon x

MY LESSON WITH TRACY....

Last night after college i went down to the yard (which was very muddy) only to dsicover i had no jodpurs lol, so i had to ride in the jeans i was wearing which was mmmm different, especially trying to fit my chaps and spurs over them.

i was expecting Tracy at 6 so saddled Jayde up at quart to and got on to work her in and practice before she got here, but as normal she was late and didnt turn up til half 6, jayde was leaning on her left shoulder quite badly at first but to try and improve this we practiced turns on the haunches which helped with that a little bit, after settling her down in the canter we took Jayde through prelim 16 the test for the weekends regional finals and Tracy thought it went rather well apart from eveytime she struck off in right canter she was on the wrong lead so we spent the rest of the lesson practicing this, and Tracy advised we concentrated on this in training for the rest of the week until the competition. Overall we were all pleased with Jaydes behaviour in the lesson. And molly spent another relaxing night in her stable doing nothing as leona couldn't be bothered......

Laura x

Good morning,

i wasn't going to post this morning but i thought i would let you know how the weekend went.
On saturday Jayde was much better and seemed to enjoy going through Prelim 16, and we got quite far on with it especially seen as it rained heavily, as always.
And yesterday we managed to learn the test completely, and trained alongside Leona and Molly. Jaydes leaning in quite badly on her left shoulder, a result of her injury, however i'm hoping an hour with Tracy tonight at six, which will hopefully sort it out.

I'm really getting quite excited now, remembering how i love the show season spring - autumn. I would of liked a little more training time but it can't be helped and we're going to do our best. Will probably post once more before regionals, but don't hold your breath, i'm very busy.

Laura Salmon x

A QUICK UPDATE....

I got down on Wednesday night as you know and Jayde was really full of herself and i mean really, so put her on the lunge and that didnt manage to get it out of her Tracy is really busy so cant get her until next week, so we've almost cut out all of jaydes energy food, so shes on 75% bulk, to try and settle her.

i havent started learning prelim 16 yet, which is quite a worry, but i will definately start this weekend whether jayde is misbehaving or not, then i have to learn prelim 13, for the Sykehouse Regionals a week later, which hopefully we will be in better form.

I can't get down today but my grandad is putting her on the lunge for 20 mins and taking her out which will hopefully keep her well, until tomorrow when we are doing extensive training, 20 mins on lunge and at least 1 hour of practice and the same on sunday... if i dont have a hangover.

The willerby entries are all filled in and are waiting on the kitchen side to be posted, which i will do tonight and then i have to get the sykehouse ones filled in, i've forgotten how busy Shows make you all through the week not just the day itself of the day before! i need to wash jaydes mane and tail and plait her up next friday....

Anyway so long...

Laura Salmon x