When the winter mornings feel a bit darker and the yard chores a bit heavier, it’s easy to forget just how much strength you already carry. Yet there you are, pulling on your boots, stepping out into the cold and choosing your horse all over again. That choice says more about your resilience than any sunny day ever could. Winter has a way of slowing everything down, but it also gives us room to notice the small things. The quiet snort that greets you. The soft steam rising from your horse’s breath. The warm weight of a muzzle resting in your hand. These are the little reminders that progress doesn’t always gallop. Sometimes it stands quietly beside you. So if this season already feels a touch long, remember that you’re not riding it alone. Every small step you take now builds the confidence and connection that will carry you into spring. Keep going. You’re doing far better than you think, and your horse already knows it. Do you have a top tip for getting through winter?

Quietening the Inner Voice That Says You Are Not Good Enough Every rider has an inner voice. Sometimes it is supportive and wise. Sometimes it behaves like a dramatic pony on a windy day, shouting unhelpful things such as you are not good enough or you can’t do this. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Us riders are a talented bunch, but we are also absolute experts at giving ourselves a hard time. The good news is that your inner voice does not always tell the truth. It is simply a habit. And, like any habit, it can be retrained. Why does the inner voice do this? Your brain is trying to keep you safe. It thinks that if it warns you loudly enough, you will avoid danger. Unfortunately, it does not understand the difference between a genuine threat and something mildly scary like a new instructor, a fresh horse, or a filler painted bright orange. So, it whispers worst case scenarios, hoping you will back away. What riders often forget You have already done hard things. You have ridden through nerves before. You have handled challenges in and out of the saddle. You are far more capable than your inner voice gives you credit for. Think of your mind like a young horse. If you let it spook at everything, it will. If you quietly guide it and give it something useful to focus on, it settles. Here is how you start retraining that inner voice

My Campers, I am getting lot's of new riders enquire about camps, what would be your top tip - item to bring to camp? Mine is below 😁

Dr Jo Winfield FBHS talks a little about the effects of school movements on the trot. This video was filmed at one of our summer camps. Jo is our guest speaker this month, this live conversation is included free for our VIP members or tickets can be purchased on the website Equine Experiences

Lets find out a little about you... You could use this format - Hi I am from_____________ the first horse I rode was called____________ Share a little about that memory. (My first proper riding lesson was on a horse called Happy Lad, he was a bay! We rode in a huge field on a track, no schools back then...) Got a horse? Tell us a bit about your horse, share with us what you love about him/her? Here is the last horsy pic I took on my phone (just attach it using the paperclip)