Wilbur's words: Reiki in the Sunny Chilterns

Me, Mole and Wilbur enjoying the reiki energy

I had the privilege of training with Cathy Birkinhead for my Reiki Level 1. Having felt the benefits of reiki myself, I wanted to share this with my horse, Wilbur. He's been out of sorts over the past couple of months - like me, he's not a fan of cold weather and mud - but I also wonder if there's something else going on internally, such as gastric ulcers or low grade pain. I took up Cathy's kind offer of giving Wilbur a reiki treatment, and here's how we got on.

Cathy arrived at our yard on a beautiful crisp sunny afternoon. She brought a bag of delicious apples and carrots plus a little bag of chicken bits for Mole. A good start! After some introductions in the stable, I led Wilbur into the outdoor arena. Normally when I take him in there, he fidgets, and I suspect he picks up on my tension as I get ready to ride. This time, however, he stood calmly and gave out a long deep breath. As Cathy scanned the side of his body with her hands, he moved  as if he was directing Cathy to stand by his abdomen and flank and then stood perfectly still. Cathy felt a heaviness in that area compared to elsewhere and directed her energy there for a while. During this time, I stood at Wilbur's head. Every now and again he would lick and chew, as he relaxed into the energy around him.

Cathy and Wilbur

Then, all of a sudden he started his trademark wirling of his neck and head. Round and round they went. This seems to be one of his stress responses and I think it was his way of releasing something. I didn't say anything to Cathy, but as he started this activity, Cathy felt the need to move her hands away from him in a repetitive sweeping movement, as if he was wanting to expel something from that part of his body. Then he let out another breath and stood still once more. I noticed his eyes had become softer - sometimes, over the past few weeks I've noticed facial tension indicating pain somewhere. The reiki certainly seemed to help - he and I were a lot calmer in the school the day after.

Horses are incredibly receptive to reiki energy, and I'm sure Wilbur and I will benefit from these sessions. In the meantime, I am working with my vet to make sure there isn't something going on internally. Watch this space!

Want to find out more about Cathy and how reiki can benefit you and your horse? Go to her website at Reiki In the Chilterns.

Kathryn White is owner and director of Cathean Ltd Medical and Copy Writing Services. She is a published medical, copy and equestrian writer with a passion for creating compelling text in collaboration with her clients. Her customers include pharmaceutical, healthcare and equestrian businesses across the world.  

Meet Amanda Kirtland-Page: rider confidence coach

Amanda is a woman of many talents. An experienced horsewoman, qualified instructor and competitor, she now combines her passion for horses with her skills as an accredited coach and counsellor to help fellow riders. After suffering a loss of confidence following a bad fall, she set up her Confident Rider Programme which has gone from strength to strength. Here we find out more about Amanda and how she works.

You started off working in the NHS as a psychotherapist/counsellor - what sparked your interest in this area? In my mid 20s I had a riding accident that meant I was unable to ride or work for a long period of time. I decided to volunteer for Victim Support so that I could at least contribute some of my time to those that needed help during very traumatic times. This sparked my interest in counselling and psychotherapy, so I started my journey into many fascinating years of therapy training. After 3 years of counselling, I started working in my local NHS surgery, and at the same time immersed myself into hypnotherapy training at a Cancer Care Unit in Clifton. It's been a wonderful adventure ever since!

What has been a highlight of your time working with horse riders as a confidence coach? Watching the determination and the drive of all the riders I see. Despite everything they go through, the traumas, accidents, losses and setbacks they have had in life, they still hold a burning desire to ride and to enjoy being with their horses. A huge percentage of these riders are almost unable to get on their horses when I first meet them, yet their drive to learn and do what they need to, in order to achieve their dreams is incredible.

Have you seen an increase in demand for this coaching over the years and if so, why do you think this is? Most definitely (thank goodness). When I first started, confidence coaching was nearly unheard o f and workshops were non existent. There was a lot of old school mentality of 'just getting on with it' and many riders were too ashamed to admit they had become scared. Many just gave up riding, others encouraged their children to take on the sport and got their horsey 'fix' that way. It certainly helped when we had high profile professional riders, such as Pippa Funnell MBE, admitting that sports psychology had changed their lives. The positive results were there for all to see.

From attending your workshop, I understand there a several factors that can trigger a loss of confidence; is there one that you see more frequently than others? Getting older! There are a number of reasons this has such an effect. We have more responsibilities, it impacts the amount of time off from work we can have, and we have injuries (horse-related or not) that can affect our comfort, balance, posture and effectiveness on a horse. We also have had more 'incidences' which we have accumulated from our past and, we don't bounce quite so well!

Are your workshops and coaching sessions a one-stop fix or do riders need to continue to practise the skills to keep their fears at bay? Some are one-stop fixes, say if there is just one thing you are very anxious about. This could be disliking drop fences, jumping planks, or a fear of mounting. Once we have worked on that particular fear, normally that's the work done. Generally though, riders lose confidence in many areas of riding and their self belief about their ability to ride drops, often to an all time low. In these situations, it is a matter of slowly building up that confidence again by continually using the skills they have learned through the workshops or coaching. Eventually, they will find many of these skills kicking in automatically.

If you could give one piece of advice to a horse rider who is lacking in confidence, what would it be? Find the best support you can. The instructor, friend, family member or partner who will be there for you. Someone who is 100% on your side, is willing to really listen and understand your fears, to be there to help without trying to fix a situation, and to encourage without pushing too far; someone perhaps who is struggling themselves and you can both help each other. It is possible to find support, sometimes it just takes a little while to find it.
To find out more about Amanda and her workshops, please go to her website.

Kathryn White is owner and director of Cathean Ltd Medical and Copy Writing Services. She is a published medical, copy and equestrian writer with a passion for creating compelling text in collaboration with her clients. Her customers include pharmaceutical, healthcare and equestrian businesses across the world.  

Tigger rides again as confidence is restored

My heart is pounding and my palms are sweaty. My horse, Wilbur, picks up on it and jogs down the driveway. I know I need to breathe, but it feels like my chest is tightening. The thought of getting to the road makes my mouth dry. Sound familiar? Well, there are simple ways to restore your confidence, as I found out a couple of weeks ago, when I attended an unmounted rider confidence workshop with Amanda Kirtland-Page.

Just being in a room of like-minded riders who all were all suffering with riding nerves of some sort was a comfort. It was proof I wasn't alone. The workshop was fully interactive, using NLP (neurolinguistic programming)-based techniques such as visualisation, self-hypnosis and anchoring.

So, how does it work? Well, your subconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is imagined and what is real; it reacts to your thoughts - the pictures you present in your mind. So visualisation helps you to trick your subconscious into thinking something else is reality which then allows your body to relax and breathe. Amanda suggested using cartoon characters for our visualisation exercises. For me, this meant having a picture in my mind of Wilbur as Shrek's Donkey and I was Tigger. Just imagining this helped my breathing to slow down. To take it one step further, picture yourself riding in the most ridiculous place. Confectionery seemed to figure highly in our discussions so we thought about riding through marshmallow woodland. For those of us who had nerves relating to jumping, we imagined flying over chocolate bars! The wackier your thoughts, the more relaxed you tend to be. As crazy as this sounds, I can say, hand on heart, it works.  Now, if Wilbur starts to be spooky or sharp, I pretend  he's talking to me as Donkey - I can hear the voice - and it instantly makes me smile and become more relaxed.

We also practised self-hypnosis, which was similar to a deep meditation. Again, this helps with relaxation and can be used before riding. The anchoring technique was also powerful. We were asked to recall a time when we felt confident (riding or non-riding related) and play this in our mind. We then created an anchor (or trigger) to stimulate those feelings whenever we need them. The workshop was excellent and Amanda was a great coach - knowledgeable and empathetic given her own battle with nerves.

I have since hacked out with much more confidence and, along with the help of  Gail Wilson (my instructor),  I feel I have more control of my nerves in the school. In fact, my newfound confidence was tested only last week when Wilbur took off round the school and....I stayed on rather than bail out! Not only that, but the confidence gained in this area has given me the motivation to take steps towards goals in my personal life too. Thank you Amanda.

Interested in finding out more? Go to Amanda's website to see how she can help you help you to enjoy your riding again.


 

Kathryn White is owner and director of Cathean Ltd Medical and Copy Writing Services. She is a published medical, copy and equestrian writer with a passion for creating compelling text in collaboration with her clients. Her customers include pharmaceutical, healthcare and equestrian businesses across the world.  

Diary of an event groom: Out of season, but no time for winter blues

 

I bet you’re all wondering what event grooms do over winter, when the excitement of the last event season is behind then and the new season seems so far away? Well, so did I, so I asked Crisy Salmon, groom to top eventer, Sarah Bullimore, to spill the beans having experienced the ‘other side’ of the eventing world and her first winter on the job...brrrr!

Vally enjoying lunch in bed

Well time has flown by since my last blog and we have been keeping busy. While the horses have been enjoying a well-earned rest, we have spent more time around the stables, clearing out, tidying, and organising ready for the impending season.  We now have all the horses back in work, primarily hacking with some schooling. I assume the horses will start jumping again soon and at some point, they’ll go to the gallops. Towards the end of last season, Sarah gave her two 4-year olds their holiday so she could bring them back into work after her last event of 2015 (Pau**** with Reve Du Rouet, Valentino and Lilly Corrine), whilst the ‘top boys’ had their break.

I’m sure Sarah won’t mind me saying that the horses all got quite scruffy over winter, with bushy tails, long manes, whiskers, outgrown clips and even some feathers! I love this because it just shows how much effort is put into making all the horses look their best and ready for competitions. And, after all, when the horses are either living out or in the field at night, there isn’t really any need for them to be looking their best.

We have been hard at work in readiness for them coming back into work. We have spent the last couple of weeks washing, scrubbing, disinfecting, hoovering, pressure washing, painting and repairing all the stables to get the yard looking spotless ready for the horses to be clipped, tidied up and back in at night. The 4-year olds will still live out along with the other youngsters and the mares carrying Lilly’s foals, but I suspect the others won’t go out as much over the next couple of months given the weather. The fields are like mud baths and will become very dangerous when frozen so it may be safer to keep them in.

Elfie (Corouet) 4 y.o. and first bred horse out of Lilly Corinne

The most enjoyable thing for me over the past few months has been learning about the life of an event horse in the winter. Having never owned or worked with event horses before I wanted to see how long they would holiday for, what would be the process of bringing them back into work, and how soon they would start full fittening work again. I  also feel like I have got to know Sarah and the horses much better which has given me more confidence going into the season. It now feels like we are in the final stages of our winter break and I am very excited about the prospect of starting my first full season working here. Whether looking after the yard while Sarah is away competing, or going with her to events, it is a great feeling to be part of the team, so bring on 2016!

Kathryn White is owner and director of Cathean Ltd Medical and Copy Writing Services. She is a published medical, copy and equestrian writer with a passion for creating compelling text in collaboration with her clients. Her customers include pharmaceutical, healthcare and equestrian businesses across the world.  

Twenty five years ago....

Ian's freezing room in his student house, Derby Road. I rather hoped Wendy James
 would catch a chill!

Twenty five years ago on 7 December 1990, I met the man who changed my life. It was a cold winter evening, snow was imminent. Simon Baily (aka Cupid Bailey!) and I had successfully avoided being hit by flying spuds courtesy of Nottingham University Willoughby Hall's end of term dinner. Across campus, the Sherwood Hall Christmas Party beckoned.

Why was I so excited about being there? Why did I keep asking everyone if Ian was going to be coming along? Something has been clearly working away subconsciously. Sure, we'd played volleyball together a few times, and had had a beer or two with friends, but I hadn't been aware of any feelings for him.
After what seemed a lifetime, Mr White arrived alongside his mate, Andy. My heart skipped a beat as he walked into the throng of dancing bodies. But then - damn it - a pretty blonde grabbed him and threw her arms around him. My disappointment took me by surprise - it wasn't to be my night. He was already taken.

Simon and I, Willougby Hall, 1990

How wrong I was. He eventually shrugged off the persistent blonde (alright, my interpretation of the proceedings!) and joined our merry little group. To cut a long story short, we ended the night kissing in the foyer of Sherwood Hall. A security guard tried to usher us out into the cold night air as the party came to an end but Ian was having none of it. I think his response to that guard was 'Can't you see I'm busy?' And the rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks Cupid Bailey for the introduction and thank you Ali Dexter for being the best sister-in-law I could have ever wished for.

Mole diaries: Take the lead and let go. Establishing recall

'I'm scared to let go!' Letting your dog off the lead for the first time seems to be one of the biggest challenges new dog owners face, myself included. You want him to enjoy his freedom out on walks, but at the same time, you want to maintain some control and keep him safe. Here are some tips that I've learned from Mole's training sessions with the lovely Sophie Langston.

Step 1: Take baby steps
Start establishing recall in familiar surroundings like your home and then garden. Place a favourite toy between you and your dog so you build in distractions.  Use a long line (longer than a standard lead but isn't extendable so it's not always under tension) out on walks so your dog gets used to being at a certain distance from you while you practise recall. You can then progress to letting go of the long line, so you still have something to grab if necessary, until you feel confident enough to remove it completely. Once he's regularly 'off-leading', you can still put his lead on at different times during the walk so he doesn't always associate this with going home. Consider walking with another dog who you know has a good recall so your dog has a buddy to stay with.

Step 2: Make sure you're worth coming back to
Save your tastiest treats for use on walks to reward your dog when he returns. You can also take a favourite toy that's for walks only, preferably with a squeaker so that you can attract his attention if needed. Your aim is to be more exciting than the other distractions, although eau de squirrel is a difficult one to beat! When he comes back to you, alternate giving him one treat, or scattering multiple treats on the ground, or playing with his toy. Get into the habit of touching his harness/collar each time he returns so it's not just associated with clipping on his lead. And, never reprimand him when he comes back after having a jolly elsewhere as he'll associate the telling off with coming back, not for running off.

Step 3: Pick your destinations carefully
Find a safe environment for you and your dog to walk in. I prefer walking in open countryside or on the beach because a) I feel safer and b) I have good visibility if Mole decides to zoom around. In woodland I feel more vulnerable and it's easy to lose sight of your dog if he picks up a scent. There are also enclosed paddocks that you can hire for dog walking, or see if your local stables has an indoor arena that you can hire to give your dog some off-lead time.


And finally
Do what feels right for you and don't feel pressurised into letting your dog off the lead. If you're confident when you let him go, he's more likely to want to come back to you. However hard you try and hide it, your body language and tone of voice will give you away if you're nervous. It's amazing how your mouth suddenly goes dry when you panic and you can't whistle or shout loudly. In fact, I always carry a whistle with me as back-up.
Bottom line is he's your dog, your responsibility. As his owner, his safety lies with you. Take things at your pace - every dog is different and every owner is different.There may still be times when he suddenly takes off at pace, but if you continually refresh your recalling skills you are at least minimising the risk of losing him. Have fun and happy walking!

What training tips can you share for establishing recall?

Kathryn White is owner and director of Cathean Ltd Medical and Copy Writing Services. She is a published medical, copy and equestrian writer with a passion for creating compelling text in collaboration with her clients. Her customers include pharmaceutical, healthcare and equestrian businesses across the world. 
 
 

PetPlans: It doesn't always go according to plan!

Oh what a difference a few weeks make! From a top 10 place at the PetPlan Dressage Festival at Bury Farm EC, we ended up in the bottom 10 at Vale View EC.

Photo courtesy of SBM

On the morning of the event, Wilbur and I took the opportunity to do an arena walk and I'm glad we did. Both arenas were indoors, but the National Arena, used for our class, had the canteen and kitchens running along the whole of one long side, behind glass, and only about 2 feet away from the arena boards. Not only that, but the tackshop was on the upper level also behind glass. These distractions certainly caused quite a lot of spooking although I'm pleased to say our arena walk worked as Wilbur wasn't too distracted.

However, the occasion got to me, and I tensed up as we went in. It's amazing how the nerves kick in when you travel to an unfamiliar venue - especially when the judges are sat at tables at the end of the arena and you can hear them whispering! Having said that, Wilbur and I didn't have too many discussions. We even managed to halt at G for our final salute without Wilbur trying to halt earlier, so all in all I was pleased with our performance. The marking was tough, as one would expect at a championship event, and all the competitors' marks were considered low from the discussions I heard by the score boards. We ended up with 61.2%, which is one of our lowest affiliated scores and certainly a contrast to the 67% we achieved at Bury Farm EC. But that's dressage! I still had a great weekend, and met some fantastic people. 

Mole enjoyed his trip in the lorry too!