Maintenance - we were pleased to take advantage of the better weather as the fields dried out and we were able to get onto them to harrow and roll. We also had a demo for a manure collector which will pick up horse droppings and debris. We now have one on order, due to be delivered to us in May which will enable us to keep the fields clean and tidy throughout the summer months and ensure the wellbeing of our horses.
Easter Holidays - we enjoyed plenty of chocolate and lots of fun activities over the school break, including our first event where you could come and bring your hobby horse with you! Watch out for the Summer Holiday Programme which will be out soon!
Monday Special Daytime Events - Unaffiliated Dressage, Pole Clinic, Dressage Clinics with both Kate Cowell and India Durman-Mills - details of all Monday dates are now up on this website and available to book via My Riding Life. For our Wtham Villa Riding School Clients - please let your instructor know if you would like to take part in any of these events on a Witham Villa horse/pony and they can advise what would be the most suitable.
British Horse Society - we were pleased to welcome our BHS Business Manager for a visit here to discuss training, development opportunities and more. One of the benefits of being a BHS Approved Centre is the support available. Following this we are going to be looking in to training to become a Changing LIves Through Horses Cente.
Horses - After serving us so well here at Witham Villa we waved Jazz off to her semi-retirement home with one of our friends. It is wonderful that she has been reunited with her old pal Primrose who we are pleased to report remains very happy in her semi-retirement.
As Jazz left we welcomed a new horse on loan to the yard - Mikey. He is currently settling in and will be assessed and ridden by our staff and we hope that he will become a lovely addition to our team. He is approximately 16hh, piebald cob type, working on the flat and also jumping.
Continual Professional Development - congratulations to India Durman-Mills for passing the British Dressage UKCC L3 assessment. India now becomes a British Dressage Accredited Coach.
British Dressage - India took Nalla (Vanilla P) to the British Dressage Winter Championships where they competed in the final of the Elementary Gold. We are delighted to report that they had a beautiful “clear round” test showing good harmony, finishing in 7th place on 68+%
India and Eddie (Escade) competed in their first senior Premier League at Inter 2 level this month at Addington and finished in 8th place in a strong Gold class. It is very exciting to have Eddie out competing at this level and we are now working on developing his strength for the piaffe and passage work with a view to him competing in some Under 25 Grand Prix classes with India.