In The Saddle with Anita Marsh: Flying over the fences as summer sizzles

Many non-equestrians probably think the dry, hot weather is brilliant but for horse folk it’s an absolute nightmare.

One minute we are swamped with rain and flooded paddocks; now the ground is like concrete and the grass isn’t growing.

I’m not even sure how this will affect the second cut of hay and haylage.

Will we even get one or will it cause prices to sore even higher this winter? Let’s not even think about the cost of living at the moment.

Over the last few months or so we’ve decided any schooling work needs to be in an arena. It just doesn’t make sense to put our horses limbs and ligaments at risk. We are usually jumping at home about this time of year on the grass.

So we’ve decided to get out and about for lessons with my wonderful trainer and try out some clinics with my young Appaloosa, Haverlands Sully Fire. One of which was our first ever arena eventing clinic with local girl and fab equestrian, Becky Bingham.

My daughter has taken her pony a few times here and we did water training with Sully last year with her. You might remember my daughter and I holding hands in the water together on our horses once we had finally convinced Sully there were no sharks in the water.

The arena eventing clinic was something I really wanted to do.

It was a small group of people which I liked, both lovely with good horses.

What I wasn’t expecting was Sully’s fear of seeing sheep up close for the first time! Some of which came to say hello and did a little baa at him. It nearly blew his mind.

However, he did finally settle and we had a good time. I only wanted to jump small jumps, which after some run outs and refusals (the sheep were super scary according to my Appaloosa) we got him over the fences that I wanted to jump.

We did try a coffin but I wasn’t fully committed personally. I didn’t like the look of it and my horse is so finely tuned into me he decided he didn’t like the look of it either. We tried a lead over, but he was still not having any of it so we left it for that session but vowed to come back.

And back we came. A week later whilst it was still fresh in his mind. I planned another private lesson with my trainer and Becky (the owner of the arena) both there.

Harriette Rushton is a super confident horse woman and, as many of you know, she was the lady I sent Sully to to be ridden away. We continue to have regular lessons with her and she’s really helped us.

Harriette showjumps her horses regularly and this was not a problem to give Sully the confidence he needed. So I watched her take him over small fences and gain his confidence before she attempted larger ones around 70cm which he cleared beautifully.

She then went to train him over the coffin. The coffin is a man-made ditch in the arena like what you would find in cross country. Becky has two available and we were attempting the little one.

Sully still didn’t like it, but after a couple of persuading attempts he leapt it and my heart burst with joy. Harry then took him back over it a few times; by which this time he’d got it and was jumping lovely, even taking in a small fence before it.

At this point I knew it was my turn. I was happy enough with jumping the little fences but Harry and Becky schemed together and before I knew it I was also jumping the larger fences and the coffin with the fence before it. It’s been the stuff of dreams. Honestly, I’m so proud of myself.

I’m having to learn to sit back and wait for the fence as I find my nerves make me scrunch up. It’s like learning to drive all over again and trying to change all those bad habits you’ve picked up. It’s very hard, but ultimately if I don’t do it I’ll end up on the ground.

I can’t thank both Harry and Becky enough for what I achieved with them. It really has been fantastic. Sully is getting out as a young horse and seeing so much. He needs it as I’d say he’s pretty sharp.

People think he’s a dobbin, but he’s really not. He takes some riding and I have no doubt that he will be the making of me. Although Harry and Becky laugh when I call him sharp…so maybe it’s just me being dramatic.

You can watch our arena eventing videos on our Facebook page at In The Saddle - Anita Marsh.

Do bear in mind I’m just a middle aged school mum learning new things with my young horse. If you’re expecting some eventer then you’ll be disappointed. I’m sure proper riders don’t whoop as they fly over coffins. I do though. It’s ace. I also cry tears of joy afterwards. I’m peri menopausal so I don’t care.

Every time I face my fear and do something new with Sully I’m proud as punch. It’s easy to sit back and not go out of your comfort zone, especially after numerous falls.

What’s harder is to keep going, keep trying and to remember every time you achieve something small with your horse - celebrate it in a big way.

Go on, try it…if I can do it - you certainly can. As the latest craze in the English language seems to be ‘you’ve got this’. You really do. Go for it.