Friday, 29 May 2009
Hey, we made it into Horse & Hound!!!
Ok, only on the Dodson & Horrell 'Feed to Win' campain but that is my claim to fame this week! Take a look if you have it. Page 14 - it's me and Will!!!!!!!!!
He is coming on very well at the moment and I was very brave and hacked him out all over the bank holiday with only one blip of throwing ourselves across the lane after the invisable hedge monsters decided to bite. In fairness he did come out of this after only a couple of minutes and you could pysically feel him do a deep breath and relax. We only scared one gardener and a child so not to bad all in all. The rest of the days have been spent with a mixture of a decent walk on the walker and walking in the big field. I am now starting to get him working and really stretching down and using himself rather than a leisurely stroll looking at the countryside. He doesnt appreciate this but there is no reason he cant start to work a bit now even if it is in walk and he needs his brain occupied.
Will has also changed out of the 'suicide' paddock into a nice paddock with some more grass next to a lady friend of his. Once he has finished 'checking her out' he is getting a good 8-9 hours eating decent grass so is looking very well and his bottom is starting to round off a little more (a bit like mine)
And the best news of all for me.................I dont ache anymore, everything has settled down at last so a happy horse and a happy rider. What more could you want?
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
We got there! I have ridden my pony!!!!!!
At last I have eventually ridden Will. I had the physio out last Tuesday to give him a check up and some of the others on the yard at the same time. She was very pleased with him, said he was looking very well apart from just a bit of extra muscle needed which we all knew but was to be expected after time off and box rest but no problems there, maybe a little stiffer on the right but not an issue. This is my worst side as well so it's all connected. She gave me one of these to do some massage work with him and get him lifting his spine and flexing his muscles. I think it's called a zoom groom.
He really enjoys his pampering sessions and actually it is fab at getting the last of the winter coat out at the same time but I might just end up with arms like Rocky at the end of it.
He really enjoys his pampering sessions and actually it is fab at getting the last of the winter coat out at the same time but I might just end up with arms like Rocky at the end of it.I was going to ride on the wednesday but as my horse likes to test my stress levels at the moment, he decided to come in with mild colic! My horse has never had colic in his life, there isn't anything to gorge on in his paddock (which has been named the 'suicide field' due to any horse that has been ill or lame always ends up in there for a while) and his feed etc hasn't changed. The only thing we thought is that the paddock next to him had been sprayed and knowing Will, the grass is always greener so probably had a quick munch over the fence and it gave him belly ache. I just had to give him a couple of syringes down the throat and a 20 minute walk on the walker and he seemed alot more settled and didn't try to lie down again. He didnt want his dinner and I left the yard about 8pm but the Yard Owner did a 10pm check on him and he had started to pick at his hay and I did a midnight check and he had finished so he was fine. I did find out however, that my dog is scared of the dark! Going down the yard, in the middle of nowhere at midnight and trying to find your way to the stables by the light of your mobile phone with a dog that jumped at every shadow which in turn made me jump which then made my imagination run wild so I kept thinking someone was going to jump out on me or a big fat rat would be sat there waiting for me to get near enough for them to run across my foot is not something I want to do again any time soon.
He kept going on the walker and I eventually rode on Saturday. Now for anyone that knows my horse will know he is not the best to hack out and has been called 'horrendous' I believe, by one event rider, but it has to be done so I popped him on the walker for 20minutes first before I ventured out for a quick hack to the pub and back, roughly about another 20 minutes. Blow me down, they were shooting that day but nothing was stopping me from getting out so off I went on a rather spooky horse. I think he was rather shocked at being ridden and obviously felt they were shooting at him. I told him, it had been considered but as long as he was a good boy, he was safe.
I managed to get most of the way round until it did sound like they were about to blow my head off so I went for the safer option and headed home. He was a little star and apart from being on his toes, he did nothing wrong. 
On the sunday they decided to have a cycle race round the village so I decided to risk him round the big field rather than kill a cyclist or two. He was very relaxed in there, and actually it takes about 10 minutes or so to walk a lap of the field so a few times round on each rein, job done, and I have decided I might do this more often. The only problem with the field is I have to walk him by foot to get in. Whats the problem I hear you say. The problem is, is that I cant get on from the ground. I am about as agile as the old pensioner before his new hip. I am going to hide a milk crate in the corner I think just for me.
How unfit have I become? How my calfs can grow so much in a short space of time I will never know. My half chaps were tight and I struggled to zip them up. Maybe they got wet the last time I wore them? Yes, that will be it, they have shrunk. *Cough Cough*
My ankles ache, my back aches and my bum bones ached when I got in the saddle on Sunday and Monday. I dont mind feeling my bum bones actually, I dont get to feel many bones nowaways, I still have my winter insulation hanging around.
My name is Lisa Wray. I am 32 and I feel like 62. My head tells me I am fit. My body says it is not.
Can you be the next Dressage Diva?
Here is a link for the latest mailout we have done for the top 10 tips on Dressage attire.
Enjoy!
http://trc1.emv2.com/HM?a=A9X7Cq8tJheK8XQcI6wce4_kXg
Enjoy!
http://trc1.emv2.com/HM?a=A9X7Cq8tJheK8XQcI6wce4_kXg
Friday, 15 May 2009
Our Pet Range
We all know and love our pets. To the proud owners, pets are like children. They all come with their own personality, their own traits, and their own mischievous tricks. They can make you laugh, they can make you cry - and they can make you scream and holler - but we wouldn't have them any other way.
We love our pets!Which is why we now offer a fantastic pet range. We have everything from Dog Beds and Kennels, Water Bowls and Feeders, Training Aids - and Clothing for all those `wannabe stylish pooches` out there. But one of my favourite products is the `Pet Hair Magnet Remover`. I mean come on! How handy is this little gadget?
http://www.cybercheckout.co.uk/Items/910000018-x-parent?sck=67223218&caSKU=910000018-x-parent&caTitle=Pet%20Hair%20Magnet%20Hair%20Remover%20**%20FREE%20P%26P%20
http://www.cybercheckout.co.uk/Items/910000018-x-parent?sck=67223218&caSKU=910000018-x-parent&caTitle=Pet%20Hair%20Magnet%20Hair%20Remover%20**%20FREE%20P%26P%20**If you have a pet, you'd understand that they leave fur everywhere, and if you have a cat like mine, I'm not just talking the odd strand here and there. I'm talking about tufts of it - imagine tumbleweed. This little gadget easily removes unwanted pet hair from carpets, sofas, curtains, car seats - anything. It's great. A colleague even has one. Her husky tends to refurbish the back seat of her car every time he goes for a ride, and she swears by it.I even went as far as coming up with a new advert:
It really does work!
A picture of my cat before
.... And after....
It really does work!
A picture of my cat before
.... And after....
But for some unknown reason they didn't think this advert would sell it, and my cat wasn't too impressed either.I can't think why . . .
Cybercheckout Ltd
Badminton Horse Trials
Well, a lovely time was had by all. Fantastic people, horses and an electric atmosphere.
In the group we had Estelle (the practical one with 2 cocker spaniels), Alison ( the organised one with a retriever) and myself ( the one who was eying up the bottles of Rose and trying to find my Weimerarmer who had gone to sniff out someone elses tent for food to pinch). Mother was around in the daytime but had the sensible idea of staying in a warm house with a friend. She is allowed to do this because she doesn't have a dog!
We arrived there on Thursday afternoon, after wanting to leave at 10:30am we eventually set off at 12:30. Well a girl has the right to be late , correct?
When we arrived it rained, trying to put up the awning on a caravan in the rain is not a thing I wish to do again in a hurry. Thankyou to my husband and his friends who colour coded the poles for us, it only took us an hour to do when I suppose we could have been going well into the night.
Before settling down and trying to light a bbq in the wet weather, holding an umbrella over the top of it, we took the dogs for a run (I think it was well needed by then after a long slow journey down) and then back to the caravan to wring ourselves out. That was the first set of clothing wet through, good job I packed enough for a fortnight!
The friday was a little wet in the morning for the 2nd half of the dressage but more than anything it was windy. The horses were fresh and kept us entertained with the airs above the ground when actually I believe it was meant to be halt and rein back.
We stayed to watch on the big screen as the dogs are not allowed in the grandstand but it is next to the beer tent and the strawberries and cream stand so not all that bad after all.
When we arrived back a little like we had been dragged through a hedge backwards due to the wind, we found the awning had blown down. My god, I loathe camping sometimes , no electric for my hair straightners and no bath for a long soak, I am such a girl.So off we went again, arms in the air trying to link colour coded poles together.
Saturday was lovely weather to be walking the cross country. Not to hot but nice and dry. We saw some fantastic jumping over the course and it was a good chance to wear the dogs out for once. Mother allowed us a few breaks to rest our aching legs at some good fences, it was a race between me and the dog as to who could lie down the quickest when we stopped.
When all was over on the XC we decided to take the dogs to the lake for a swim. Out of the 4 dogs, not one of them could swim! You had one cocker lying on the side watching the others trying to drown themselves, one cocker who only had to go in 2" deep before getting the bottom of her ears wet, the retriever who didnt want to retrive unless the ball was thrown over in the direction of something smelly on the grass in the distance she so deperately wanted to get to and my dog who has legs like a giraffe but didnt want to get deeper than about a foot. As she stood there watching the ball float away I decided to draw in the help of a random labrador and a springer to fetch it for her. I think I managed to just about get the "fetch" out before having to duck out of the way as a flying black thing that I think resembled a dog, flew over me and belly flopped into the lake, swimming merrily away to go and get the ball that my dog was still standing on the side whining about.
Next year, arm bands and a belly ring and she is going in!!!!
We decided to try out the communial showers, as long as you dont mind luke warm water and random hair in the drain holes, it wasn't that bad but anything would do at that point! I believe Estelle might have had a shower with her trainers on?!
Sunday was lovely, we walked over to the big screen early in the morning to watch the trot up, we really couldnt be bothered to fight through the crowds at Badminton House but you still got the commentary over the Badminton Radio.
Some lovely outfits on show by the riders this year but top marks go to Matt Ryan and his England flag t-shirt, as he is wanting to change nationality to be able to ride for our country, and Dee Kennedy for being able to run in those amazing high heel boots! Pleased to say all the horses looked fab for having been around the course the day before.
A spot of shopping and then back to the caravan to pop the dogs away for a sleep so we could go to the grandstand to watch the last 20 riders.
The atmosphere was excellent and a nail biting finish but huge congratulations must go to Oliver Townend and Flint Curtis who derserved the big win.
Every year I enjoy the Beaufort hounds and they didnt disappoint so it was eventually another year over and a walk back to get the dogs for another swim, which still didnt happen and I am sure I saw the belly flopping dog still doing laps around the lake.
Arrived back on Monday to have a well deserved warm shower, scrub, sleep and to count the bruises (Alison has around 5 or 6 from not being able to clamber on a jump in an elegant manner ) and prepare me for work on Tuesday and catch up on all I had missed over the 5 days.
No rest for the wicked , the dog is still nice and calm and I am sure I still have badminton dirt ingrained in my hands!
In the group we had Estelle (the practical one with 2 cocker spaniels), Alison ( the organised one with a retriever) and myself ( the one who was eying up the bottles of Rose and trying to find my Weimerarmer who had gone to sniff out someone elses tent for food to pinch). Mother was around in the daytime but had the sensible idea of staying in a warm house with a friend. She is allowed to do this because she doesn't have a dog!
We arrived there on Thursday afternoon, after wanting to leave at 10:30am we eventually set off at 12:30. Well a girl has the right to be late , correct?
When we arrived it rained, trying to put up the awning on a caravan in the rain is not a thing I wish to do again in a hurry. Thankyou to my husband and his friends who colour coded the poles for us, it only took us an hour to do when I suppose we could have been going well into the night.
Before settling down and trying to light a bbq in the wet weather, holding an umbrella over the top of it, we took the dogs for a run (I think it was well needed by then after a long slow journey down) and then back to the caravan to wring ourselves out. That was the first set of clothing wet through, good job I packed enough for a fortnight!
The friday was a little wet in the morning for the 2nd half of the dressage but more than anything it was windy. The horses were fresh and kept us entertained with the airs above the ground when actually I believe it was meant to be halt and rein back.
We stayed to watch on the big screen as the dogs are not allowed in the grandstand but it is next to the beer tent and the strawberries and cream stand so not all that bad after all.
When we arrived back a little like we had been dragged through a hedge backwards due to the wind, we found the awning had blown down. My god, I loathe camping sometimes , no electric for my hair straightners and no bath for a long soak, I am such a girl.So off we went again, arms in the air trying to link colour coded poles together.
Saturday was lovely weather to be walking the cross country. Not to hot but nice and dry. We saw some fantastic jumping over the course and it was a good chance to wear the dogs out for once. Mother allowed us a few breaks to rest our aching legs at some good fences, it was a race between me and the dog as to who could lie down the quickest when we stopped.
When all was over on the XC we decided to take the dogs to the lake for a swim. Out of the 4 dogs, not one of them could swim! You had one cocker lying on the side watching the others trying to drown themselves, one cocker who only had to go in 2" deep before getting the bottom of her ears wet, the retriever who didnt want to retrive unless the ball was thrown over in the direction of something smelly on the grass in the distance she so deperately wanted to get to and my dog who has legs like a giraffe but didnt want to get deeper than about a foot. As she stood there watching the ball float away I decided to draw in the help of a random labrador and a springer to fetch it for her. I think I managed to just about get the "fetch" out before having to duck out of the way as a flying black thing that I think resembled a dog, flew over me and belly flopped into the lake, swimming merrily away to go and get the ball that my dog was still standing on the side whining about.
Next year, arm bands and a belly ring and she is going in!!!!
We decided to try out the communial showers, as long as you dont mind luke warm water and random hair in the drain holes, it wasn't that bad but anything would do at that point! I believe Estelle might have had a shower with her trainers on?!
Sunday was lovely, we walked over to the big screen early in the morning to watch the trot up, we really couldnt be bothered to fight through the crowds at Badminton House but you still got the commentary over the Badminton Radio.
Some lovely outfits on show by the riders this year but top marks go to Matt Ryan and his England flag t-shirt, as he is wanting to change nationality to be able to ride for our country, and Dee Kennedy for being able to run in those amazing high heel boots! Pleased to say all the horses looked fab for having been around the course the day before.
A spot of shopping and then back to the caravan to pop the dogs away for a sleep so we could go to the grandstand to watch the last 20 riders.
The atmosphere was excellent and a nail biting finish but huge congratulations must go to Oliver Townend and Flint Curtis who derserved the big win.
Every year I enjoy the Beaufort hounds and they didnt disappoint so it was eventually another year over and a walk back to get the dogs for another swim, which still didnt happen and I am sure I saw the belly flopping dog still doing laps around the lake.
Arrived back on Monday to have a well deserved warm shower, scrub, sleep and to count the bruises (Alison has around 5 or 6 from not being able to clamber on a jump in an elegant manner ) and prepare me for work on Tuesday and catch up on all I had missed over the 5 days.
No rest for the wicked , the dog is still nice and calm and I am sure I still have badminton dirt ingrained in my hands!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
William,Badminton HT and fantastic offers
My lovely little horse William has been going on the walker since Saturday. He is doing very well and I cant wait to get back on now. He looks and feels great so it's all coming together at last.
Is everyone ready for Badminton???? I am so looking forward to going now. Just got to finish the day in the office and then go and run to the yard to finish Will, then I can start putting all my gear in the caravan ready for the off in the morning. The weather seems to be saying showers so I do hope they are showers and not full on downpours. I have bought myself the waterproof dog bed and the Le Bistro from work to take with me for the dogs.
I think these will an excellent addition alongside my throw away bbqs and plastic wine glasses!
And here is Ashka, my crazy dog who will get the benefit of them
We have just sent out the latest e-mail for our equestrian stock
There really are some fab deals on the last of the winter stock and the latest summer stock is going very well. All free postage as well so you cant go wrong.
I hope you all have a great rest of the week and weekend and I will post all the news when I return from my road trip.
Lisa
Friday, 1 May 2009
The woes of trying to get a horse to put his ears forward
Some people will do anything for a trip out of the office. 
Among our list of a million and one products here at Cybercheckout Ltd, sits a suave and sophisticated Equestrian range. Newly included in this range are Harry Hall Jodhpurs, Caldene Breeches, Sleeveless Shirts, Show Shirts, and Show Jackets. These are some very smart items, I have to say. And because they are new here they all needed images for the website.
Among our list of a million and one products here at Cybercheckout Ltd, sits a suave and sophisticated Equestrian range. Newly included in this range are Harry Hall Jodhpurs, Caldene Breeches, Sleeveless Shirts, Show Shirts, and Show Jackets. These are some very smart items, I have to say. And because they are new here they all needed images for the website.
So, off trundled Lisa, Marie and Alison equipped with a camera and these goods. (Lisa owns a little ol' horsey who, after a while and a little persuasion, seemed willing enough to be photographed) The images really speak for themselves. It was a lovely day, which worked in their favour, and they took some really good pictures. A job well done to the team.
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- (The Darling Bud of May herself)But we also have photographic evidence of their dark deeds and plotting Greek Trojan Horse tactics.
For those who are not familiar with this ancient story, a brief lesson in History: The Greeks gave the Trojans a large wooden horse. Thinking it a gift, the Trojans brought it into the battalion, and during the night, the Greeks jumped from inside it and destroyed the city. Lesson over.
The Evidence:
Here, we have the team (the CyberGreeks) recruiting for their secret army.
Here, we have them planning where they should leave their trap.
And here's a picture of the enemy (the CyberTrojan) they were planning on invading.
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