Riding exercise of the month: collected to extended transitions

This is one of my favorite exercises for developing great collected-extended-collected transitions. It's a very simple exercise that rewards your horse for beginning to explore their abilities that might be outside of their normal range - so that you can teach your horse that they can extend more! In this exercise, you're able to really focus on your position to maintain your softness and flexibility, but it also allows you to focus on those aids that help flow through the horse's back to maintain the looseness that keeps the energy thats needed for those extensions flowing.

Start out in working trot, go down the long side of the arena and at the last letter before the corner of the arena, ride a transition to collected walk and ride a walk half pirouette so that you can then ride back down the same long side. Using the lightest-possible aids, straighten your horse and transition back to the working trot. Before you get to the corner, transition to walk and make half a walk pirouette in the other direction. Once you're back on the long side, promptly back into trot and each time that you repeat the exercise, ask for more each time during the trot on the long side.

Trends to watch out for: PS of Sweden AW19 collection

So having had a few weeks to calm down after PS of Sweden's surprise publication of their new AW 2019 collection at the beginning of this month, I'm super excited to share with you more photos and comments about this brilliant collection! For me, this is THE collection this autumn - I love it in its entirety. The colours for the AW 2019 collection are: wine, grape, atlantic, jade, lush (pink), violet and raspberry.

 In a very interesting new tactic PS of Sweden have released ALL the names of the colours, but are doing several 'drops' over the next 3 months, unlike last year where they only shared the colours as they sold them. I think this is because now that people know which colours are coming, they're able to plan ahead and think about what colours and sets they want to purchase. At the moment it sounds like whilst grape and wine have already arrived now with drop #1, jade and lush will be arriving in September with drop #2 and finally atlantic, violet and raspberry with drop 3 in November. However, only the professional photos of the drop 1 colours of grape and wine have been released, but with leaks floating around on Facebook you'll be able to find the other colours very quickly!

Saying goodbye

"He's in the sun, the wind, the rain, he's in the air you breathe with every breath you take. He sings a song of hope and cheer, there's no more pain, no more fear. You'll see him in the clouds above, hear him whisper words of love. You'll be together before long, until then, listen for his song"

After 15 years together, yesterday morning I lost my best friend, my first horse and my greatest treasure 💔 They say the greatest act of love is letting go, so I did just that for him.

I just hope Basse knew how much I adored him and how lost I feel without him.

See you in the next world my love, please wait for me and come get me when the time is right 🌈