I.M. Equestrian

Pretty awesome day at work!

Badminton week! Looking forward to course walking tomorrow and spending my day off there on Sunday! 🐎

Here’s hoping for belting sunshine at Belton!

This chap will be coming onto the market shortly. I’ve been riding Charlie aka ‘Limited Edition Two’ while I’ve been in England as his owner doesn’t have time due to work commitments, hence the reason he is for sale. He is home bred, 168cm, 7 years old by Porsche out of a Coolcorran Cool Diamond mare 👌🏼. He has evented and also pure show jumped, proving to be anybody’s ride. You can climb on after a few days off and he is as mannerly as he is when ridden daily. Feel free to message myself or Hannah his owner with any enquiries 😃

Would I want it any other way? 🤣

So- it’s been a busy few days. On 24th I arrived home from Germany, and on the 26th I flew to England for a riding trial.
Excited to say I got the job, and am now riding with the amazing team at Fox-Pitt Eventing! I can’t put into words how excited I am to learn and train with William this year!!
... 🎉🥳Argh 🥳🎉
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Nice to be looking out at it instead of riding in it this year! Top temperature today was 1 degree. -5 overnight tonight! 🧥 ⛄️

Hurrah. Finally I have wifi! This is where I am riding in Germany. So- week 1. I have friction burns on the back of my legs from doing so much sitting trot on big moving horses, and blisters on my fingers. We start riding at 07:30 - 13:00. Then we have lunch and start to prepare the livery horses for their owners arrival and lessons until 19:00. It’s pretty surreal riding in a 20x60 while the other people are doing halt pass and canter pirouettes casually while chatting to e...ach other about what they are doing at the weekend (all in German)! I can only be inspired by them all and remind myself this is why I’m here. I am probably most confident on the ‘exuberant’ 4 year olds who only have to do prelim equivalent work and that is my comfort zone! The horses are all in lightweight rugs or none at all! The temperature is max 5 degrees during the day and about -2 overnight! Makes me think we really over rug at home! The only hard part is that there is no phone service or signal for 4G. I have sourced wifi but it is poor! Not a lot of English is spoken so it is difficult at times but it will get easier! Auf Wiedersehen 👋
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A lovely day on the ‘school run’ with Frank in Co. Down. Very mannerly and civilised, as one would expect in North Down! #sonorthdown Thanks Rachel, and to sit on Elf again!! T minus 5 days to take off ✈️ 🇩🇪

A busy weekend, captured by Lyndon McKee in Carnlough on Saturday. A 15 minute change over to get washed and dressed for a prize giving then 5 hours sleep and a morning of Show Jumping with Andy Johnston’s ‘Sheer Alaya’. My horsey world certainly isn’t glamorous but it suits me just the way it is! (Note how handsome the grey horse I’m riding is in these pictures, owned by Sam Smyth. Also the scenery! 😍)

Although I do love my job... sometimes the elements like to test me! 💦

The last horse to go home before I head off on my travels. What a view!

🤓📖 A weekend of CPD for me. Saturdays lecture titles were based on ‘Lameness problems in the horse’. This gave an interesting insight to lameness and how it can be influenced by other factors including incorrectly fitting tack, rider instability, dental problems and muscular weaknesses. Sundays CPD lead on nicely and was a practical session titled ‘Ground, pole and ridden exercises with rider evaluation’, again looking at the horses conformation, musculoskeletal build and how... the horse worked. Horses were assessed lungeing and riding to see how their movement changed with lungeing and riding and how these changes can be improved and reduced with schooling. All very interesting and things we see on a daily basis as a rider and coach. Don’t take it for granted if your horse doesn’t ride or move like it used to, there is most likely a reason!
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Well well well...!

Ballygally on a Friday morning. Costa del Larne ☀️

Connell Hill, Sat 23rd Sept.

Just in case!

Great weekend at the Eventing Championships at Kilguilkey House, Co. Cork. Whoever said it was a long way to Tipperary didn’t travel the next 100km to Mallow! What a difference from last year to this year; but just as fun.

Ian is very competition and careful. I Have always been happy to leave all my horses in Ian's care when we go on holiday. Ian also competes for me on occasions when I m unable to compete myself ... usually gets much better results than I do too !!! Lol

Ian is a true professional and an excellent teacher who is dedicated to his sport. He has given me a lot of help with my horses, schooling, helping out at holiday times and lessons.

Ian is a top class horse man. He is sympatheic and quiet, yet takes no nonsense. Every horse that I have seen ian ride has ridden beautifully (and happily) for him. I would totally recommend Ian!

Ian is a natural horseman who's excellent for schooling horse's and a brilliant teacher for riders. Couldn't recommend this gentleman enough.

Ian has a great way of finding that balance between pushing you out of your comfort zone but never beyond your ability. Highly recommend him for lessons!! Ian also sourced the best horse in Ireland for us. We were looking for a mother daughter share that would suit my competitive daughter and beginner me. The horse he found us was perfect for both of us. Ian has such a wide network of contacts he is well placed to source the right horse for you!

Have had 2 lessons with Ian now...he's a fantastic teacher and such a nice bloke � Already I feel he's already improved my riding and as a result, the horse's way of going. Also has given me so much to work on and think about in between lessons. Highly recommended �

Ian is very competition and careful. I Have always been happy to leave all my horses in Ian's care when we go on holiday. Ian also competes for me on occasions when I m unable to compete myself ... usually gets much better results than I do too !!! Lol

Ian is a true professional and an excellent teacher who is dedicated to his sport. He has given me a lot of help with my horses, schooling, helping out at holiday times and lessons.

Ian is a top class horse man. He is sympatheic and quiet, yet takes no nonsense. Every horse that I have seen ian ride has ridden beautifully (and happily) for him. I would totally recommend Ian!

Ian is a natural horseman who's excellent for schooling horse's and a brilliant teacher for riders. Couldn't recommend this gentleman enough.

Ian has a great way of finding that balance between pushing you out of your comfort zone but never beyond your ability. Highly recommend him for lessons!! Ian also sourced the best horse in Ireland for us. We were looking for a mother daughter share that would suit my competitive daughter and beginner me. The horse he found us was perfect for both of us. Ian has such a wide network of contacts he is well placed to source the right horse for you!

Have had 2 lessons with Ian now...he's a fantastic teacher and such a nice bloke � Already I feel he's already improved my riding and as a result, the horse's way of going. Also has given me so much to work on and think about in between lessons. Highly recommended �