Meet Mari Durward-Akhurst Para Dressage Rider – February 2015

We have been frozen. Frustratingly it means I have had to miss two competitions, as I hadn’t ridden so didn’t think it was a good idea. Thankfully it seems to be getting warmer and so I have been able to ride in the school, hooray! It has also been great to ride after University and not to have to turn the school lights on; I even have time to take the horses round the gallops. Summer is on its way!

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I have been having lessons once a week with Linsay and Sky has been going really well. We have been working on his collected work. Asking him to come back to me and keeping him soft once he has done this he is allowed to go forwards. My medium trot has really improved since we have been doing this exercise. We have also been doing lots of small circles, changing the rein and changing the bend, keeping him occupied as he gets bored so easily!

Sky and I have quite a few outings coming up. We have got squad training next week. I am looking forward to my lesson with Maria Eilberg and then we are test riding the next day, It will be good to get input before my competition at Hartpury on Sunday. The competition season has truly begun, so I am going to be a busy bee!!

Unfortunately Bear has been playing around  in the field and has injured himself so he is now on box rest. He’s quite happy as he’s out of the wet and cold weather! He is allowed to walk out once a day which he enjoys very much, a bit too much at times!

Next month I will be updating you on how squad training has gone and on my first few competitions in March. I can’t wait to get back out competing it’s been way to long!

I celebrated my 21st Birthday last week and I got the news that my Sorbeo Horse Bedding Pallet is on its way. I am very excited. I can’t wait to update you all about how I get on with it.