Equestrian Blogger of the Year 2017

I am very proud and totally honoured to be named as Haynet's Equestrian Blogger of the Year 2017! 👑🏆

I'm very rarely speechless, but I must admit this has taken me a long time to write as I just don't know what to say apart from thank you 💕

Like I wrote earlier, it was an honour in itself to be in the final group as I didn't even think I would make it! There were 12 finalists all with different blogs, I think nearly all interests and disciplines were covered. I was really pleased to see more international bloggers in the final group too, which is why Haynet and MirrorMePR decided to embrace the ever-increasing presence of international bloggers and to surprise us all with a brand new award - the International Talent award which Tacchi A Cavallo won! The Recognition of Talent award went to Diary of a Wimpy Eventer  and the Rising Star award to How Very Horsey. Well done guys!!

Wait... what?

After changing saddles so that Basse is now using Vallu's saddle (bigger head plate and different panels) with a sheepskin pad underneath, Basse has been on fire! 🔥 As in let'sgoeverywherereallyquicklyanddonothingelse fast type of on fire... This has meant that I have  suddenly a lot more forwards and a lot less balance so riding him suddenly felt like riding a motorcycle as I could not do corners without fearing that Basse might just fall over ⚖

However, luckily I follow Anna Ross - Altogether Equestrian on Facebook because she posts daily tips for riding (not just for dressage riders!!) and a couple of days ago she posted this: "Make a halt transition after every corner to help your horse learn to stay in balance. So many horses fall in on corners and run making it difficult to set up movements. Teach your horse to wait and you can turn it into a half halt later."

#rootd Eskadron Platinum 2017 blackberry!

I honestly cannot remember a time that I had been so excited for a new matchy set... Yes I know this may make me look sad to some people but honestly this colour from Eskadron when they first released it in 2013 is the ONE set that I have regrets about not buying! So when I found out that they were re-releasing the colour four years later, I knew I was going to pre-order that set so that I wasn't going to miss out on it again.

This is honestly one of my favourite colours because it is just so versatile - I hate it when a matchy set only looks good on a certain colour. This one you can put on any horse of any colour and the set will still look fantastic 🔮💜 Both of mine look fantastic in it, and if you search the hashtag #eskadronblackbbery on Instagram you'll see just how amazing it looks on every single horse!

Trials and tribulations: Sprenger Dynamic RS bit

Following on from my post in August about struggling with Vallu's weymouth and finding a new bit which I think is a good one for him, I've now just gone and bought him a new (well second hand) Sprenger Dynamic RS D-ring bit. Similarly with the weymouth, over the last month or so every now and then Vallu would play with the bit with his tongue as if to say he wasn't liking it, or then whilst riding he'd go way too light in the contact, open his mouth or then go behind the vertical so I knew it was time to find something else and quickly!

This bit combines an ergonomically created curved mouthpiece with an angled center joint, which is meant to result in soft and even pressure for the best possible bit acceptance. So essentially everything I need, right? His previous bit the Sprenger WH Ultra was also 14mm since anything thicker makes him stick his tongue out, but what I think the problem with that particular bit was that the centre lozenge contains a roller that is meant to give the horses a greater feeling of freedom with their tongue, but now this summer he's just started looking a bit uncomfortable with it. Maybe as he is getting older and his teeth are changing shape the bit that he's been so happy with previously is now not so good? 🤔

Helsinki International Horse Show 2017

Like I already wrote on the blog's Facebook page, Helsinki International Horse Show is always then highlight of my year and whenever we have lived in Finland my parents and I always try to go for at least for one of the days. Although there are plenty of big shows throughout the year, HIHS is the one to go to especially because lots of international riders come for the World Cup™ Jumping classes.

Daniel Deusser riding Cornet, photo from SRL's Facebook page SRL Laura Laakso

Cantinero, photo from SRL's Facebook page SRL Laura Laakso

One part of the expo-hall, photo from SRL's Facebook page SRL Laura Laakso