How bizarre to receive this weeks “Richard’s ramblings” email on ground work when I just returned from the stables.

Talk about a timely reminder, I arrived at the stables this morning to turn out and muck out after the horses were confined to quarters yesterday as the rain was torrential and flooding, the pasture would have been torn up.

Normally Sarge the idiot would have been bouncing to be put out and tossing his head at me and carrying on like the big spoilt baby he is (wife’s horse, mine just wait 🤣🤣)

He was not at his stable door which I thought strange but stood at the back of the stable near his nets looking over the wall, I called him and he just stood looking away…….

The dipstick had got his foot through one of holes of his feed nets (it’s an English thing) and it was up under his “arm pit” tight and wrapped around his leg.

30 seconds later I had cut him out and he just stood waiting to be told to move.

My point is here is in regards to ground work and specifically the roping I did to his legs when he was a two year old, I was laughed at for been in the round pen and lassoing him, (look at cowboy Steve) walking him with his feet roped and more importantly stopping him and making him understand he had to stand still when roped.

It all paid dividends today and avoided what could have been  costly or damaging incident, it cost me a new feed net and a worried wife.

He walked out and put his halter on and went to the pasture like a little lamb.

Don’t skip this bit of ground work guys, very important In my mind, it could be a leg in a fence next time but having a horse that understands to remain calm and stationary made a potentially dangerous situation just a thing.

My friend last year lost a horse caught in a net as it panicked and strangled itself, she never does ground work except lunging as she’s an “English” rider! 

Checking the CCTV he had been stood for about an hour and half caught in the net, never did he pull back or thrash around once he knew he was trapped.

So thanks for the timely reminder Richard Boatwright keep those emails coming Sir!

Been a while since I rambled on with a stable update…. What a year 2025 has been, after several years of calm and consistent stabling it’s all changed and two moves later we seem to have got settled in new dig for the horses.

Losing ground for my round pen has been a massive minus to the whole situation and I miss it every day.

We had to let Sid go but he’s found a great home showing and he’s qualified for The horse of the year show and my next riding project big Stan has had to go, I am truly devastated to see him go as he was just nicely broken by me and coming on well, he’s gone to a riding school and is loved by everyone! 

The 4 stalwarts are doing ok, and we have got back out riding again after months off during the turmoil.

This is where I will probably sign off for a period of time as unfortunately just before Xmas I was rushed into hospital with an eye problem that will require surgery soon and as a result I won’t be able to use screens or drive for quite a while or ride as it recovers and they see if it has worked! 

Bed ridden for several weeks and not able to work, I will go crazy

So I wish everyone a fantastic start to the new year and hope 2026 is a cracker 

Final big thanks to Richard Boatwright, your videos and instruction is second to none and your an inspiration my friend, keep at it 

Merry Christmas to you all wherever you are in the world. 

I wish you all the best for 2026, stay safe and out of the dirt!  

New Pony Alert!

So we had a free stable (stall) that is already paid for and it was for the new foal that wasn’t meant to be…… meet Sidney 

He is a bit of a rescue Job and is in poor shape, but I’ve always fancied having a mini cob (gypsy vanner) in the herd and he certainly is that.

8-9 months old and around 10h and a Grey Blagdon (not sure what your US equivalent is)

he had been tethered on scrub land and I don’t think has ever been handled, led, wormed, groomed, had his feet done or anything, matted up and in a bit of a state.

But this little lad, mark my words will turn out to be a swan rising from an ugly duckling, still a colt but a very sweet eye and inquisitive nature.

Can’t wait to get him sorted and cleaned up, he will be a stunner. 

Destined to be a grass cutter and also put on the cart to give him a job. 

His education starts tomorrow….. 

Stable update (because I know how you love it 🤣🤣)

Angel - she really has got over loosing the foal well, back in work and loving the round pen work, she has driven carts before so ground driving is second nature to her, although turning and softening the head is a challenge to her as she has been taught to not bend! Grasped the code very well and her attitude has returned (dominant mare who loves a fight) - couple of rides, all good 

Flicker - the old girl has worked the code but doesn’t really understand anything much and given her age that’s fine, discovered a tumour in her front hoof so that’s bad news as she is to old to operate on

Sargent - making good progress with moving forward, he is a master at the code and ground driving is coming on, back in the saddle for him soon although he has taken to trying to roll lots to get out of work so nipping that in the bud 

😔 Unfortunately our much anticipated first foal arrived in the early hours of the morning today and we arrived shortly after (cameras) to find it unresponsive as the sack had not broken and it suffocated, absolutely heartbroken to say the least, she was a big filly and colour exactly as we wanted, the wish list was ticked in all aspects.

As sad as it is my thoughts now turn to Angel the mum, can I draw on collective experience of how to proceed in terms of occupying her, bringing her back into work, conditioning her etc

She was ridden lightly before been in foal by myself 

thoughts would be appreciated as this was our first and only foal we have bred and have no knowledge. 

Richard Boatwright really appreciate your input on this also please 

Had a Great few days with the horses since I returned from SC.

I’ve taken Sarge the Friesian back to basics with speed control and moving forward on command and it’s paying dividends as things are getting softer and less pressure to get desired results, a little ground driving which went really well but until I’m happy with this momentum I’m keeping that in the locker.

Stan the youngster is flying along, started the ground driving and he really is taking to it well, moved out of the rubber bit into a French link snaffle and he’s becoming really soft, slight hesitation and resistance in one eye and we are patiently working through it and each day I’m seeing an improvement. 

Due to the imminent arrival of a foal into the herd I’ve let Seeta the young mare go to pastures new, she really was a disruptive force in the herd, all the horses are much more relaxed.

even managed a few rides on the old girls, ditched the mecate for Richard Boatwright’s flat rein set up and wow they are so good to ride with, thank you for the extended length on them Richard, very thoughtful and definitely needed. 

If you don’t have a set, get some is all I can say! 

I did get them for the wife’s horse but she is not getting them now 🤣🤣

Well maybe a set for Christmas 

Hope your all making good progress 

Howdy all, on the back of my recent visit to ride and learn from Richard he helped me work on ground driving in detail and we worked through the process to help me get a handle on effective ground driving, I thank Richard Boatwright for this, I know it is basic stuff but essential for making the horse a success.

It got me thinking what do you want to see in terms of videos and subjects in the library that is not already covered? (It probably is but you’re not found it yet as the library is extensive!) 

Suggestions might help Richard for future reference, I know how busy he is but I also know he is passionate about the program and helping as many people as he can and records new content on a daily basis. 

Fire away with suggestions 

Also mention which series has helped you the most and is your go to currently for help and inspiration/instruction.

For me the Nachees colt starting and also Stardust softening the older horse collection has helped me massively 

So tomorrow is my last day in South Carolina before I head back over the pond to Blighty, reflecting on the past week or so spent with Richard Boatwright at the B1 HQ.

What a fantastic trip over again and I can’t thank Richard enough for his time, patience and willingness to explain in detail all aspects of the ES program and share his knowledge on Horsemanship. 

I leave more enlightened than when I arrived yet again with a fire inside me to do better for my horses and just be a better person to be honest. 

Big thanks to Richard, Lilly and of course Gus who Richard entrusted to me for the duration, I hope I have not ruined him too much! 

Watching him rope today made me realise what a great horse he  is when in the right hands and what a poor rider I am! 

Just for a bit of fun but with an interesting point to make, my good lady today went on a horseback archery tester day, I played groom for the day, her ride today was Flicker, her 27 year old Vanner who only last year converted from English to Western riding, not just tack but also riding method, a forward horse at times and nervous but she has done a few Clinics and has taken to non contact and pressure free riding well having previously been ridden full contact and constantly on the bit. 

All the other attendees were 100% English riders in every way, and not 1 of the 5 others could sit at standstill with no contact on the bit and shoot an arrow without having to mess around with reins and be out of balance, the worst horse was dancing around and bolting. 

If I ever doubted the decision to change our riding style and follow new principals like Richard teaches then today was vindication, other people were saying oh well she is just a relaxed horse and not wanting to acknowledge a different approach makes a difference to a horse that used to be highly strung! 

Now I have to buy her an archery set as she has the bug!