So it is progressively getting colder and more overcast here in gloucester… But apart from that it has been tolerable! The Gloucester Christmas market is now open as well and it is absolutely beautiful! There are over 250 stalls, a big christmas tree and a ice skating rink in the Gloucester Quays. The stalls range from food that serves delicious hot chocolate, baked goods, cheeses, jams, hot pasties as well as many other yummy foods. There are also lots of craft, candle, clothing and jewelry stalls. It just feels and smells like christmas when you walk around. I find it very comforting and special. I have to admit all I bought was food when I was there… granted it was really delicious food! But I actually didn’t buy anything else apart from food… even though I was supposed to be christmas shopping. I guess that shows where my priorities are! 

 

This week I also celebrated Thanksgiving! Eventhough I am accross the pond! Tiana and Annabelle where lovely and invited me to theirs for Thanksgiving dinner. Petey and John also joined us as well as some of Tiana and Anabelle’s friends. It was a riot of an evening which I thoroughly enjoyed! Surrounded by good people and good food always makes you appreciate what you have. I am thankful for so many things in my life and I am under no illusions that I am extremely lucky to have the horses I have as well as get to study what I love at Hartpury while competing my horses full time. I am a very lucky girl and I like to remind myself of that every day especially when times get tough. It is always hard when things get tough to remember to focus on the good things in life. I like to always remind myself that I am doing what I love every single day and that not everyone is lucky enough to get to do that. So even though I have numerous things to be thankful for I will focus on that this Thanksgiving. So on that note I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and were able to celebrate what they are thankful for! 

 

Moving onto a less emotional note… The horses are doing super and I am so pleased with how they have handled not being able to go out as much as they used too. Feyre was a little star this week and did a BS show jumping demo for a new app that is being produced to help with coaching. The demo was in Hartpury’s big indoor which has a lot of atmosphere. I was so pleased with her as she handled everything like an absolute pro! She did not care at all that when people where coming in and out of classrooms and walking along the side of the arena! We worked on straightness and suppleness in the session and it was very interesting to see the different view points. I will hopefully get some of the video from the session to be able to show!

 

On another note I also got to help with a rider psychology and coaching study this week. I was interviewed about my experience as a rider and how I have been coached in the past as well as currently. The study also looked at what drives people to ride and be competitive, and at what goals certain individuals have. So I got to have a discussion about everything during my interview as well as give my experiences. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed discussing everything. This study is not just limited to event riders, show jumpers and dressage riders as well as other disciplines are being looked at in it as well. I am very interested to see the results of the study when they come out and I am quite excited that I get to be apart of that. That is one thing I love about Hartpury, you get so many opportunities that aren’t just limited to your degree. I have helped with numerous studies so far that don’t have anything to do with my degree. But getting to be involved with the research helps me to decide which route I want to go for dissertation but also just gives me even more knowledge and experience within the equine industry. 

I have some assignments due in the next week so things are starting to get even more busy! But that is a part of Uni life and horses! You just go with the flow! So on that note I am going to return to working on my Advanced Equitation paper!

Until next time!

Sophie, Annabelle, Fintan, Ainle, and Feyre