F and I’s’ Training Day 23rd May 2016 with David Pincus, hosted by Carol Bennitt. Demo Riders    Carol, Nina, Sarah, Mandy In Hand work  Carol with 5yr old, PSG and GP This was an excellent day in every way. Our Hostess is so welcoming, kind, encouraging and supportive.  Our Coach is tops.  Open to discussion.  Complete horseman, encouraging to all, both human and equine.  Understanding fully with an eye for detail resulting in noticeable progress…

The weather at Judy Harvey’s (Monday 9th May) could not have been more different  to last year when it poured with rain and Judy had put up a gazeebo to try and keep the spectators dry. This year it was needed to keep the sun at bay!!! Four BHSI’s rode with very different types of horses ranging from a 5yr old to 19yrs, Novice to Advanced, cob, warmbloods and Iberian.  Each partnership was discussed and…

A group of 12 members and their guests including three Irish representatives gathered at fence 2 for the annual course walk. This year we were lucky to have Eric Smiley FBHS as our guide. Eric began by explaining that there would be three groups of riders walking the course that day. The “oh my goodness I have made it here “ contingent. The “ I want to complete” riders and  finally the riders who would…

It was the really keen racing fans who turned up for Faith Ponsonby’s picnic at the Punchestown Festival of Racing on 26th April, and as representatives of the F&I Association I can include Ann Bostock,  Nick Turner, Faith and myself.  The day was cruel weather wise with hail storms a regular feature of the picnic.  Faith’s many racing friends had come from the four corners of Ireland and many had crossed that wicked little strip…

Danny Anholt and his dedicated team at Millfield hosted an excellent training day on Friday 18th March, providing a great opportunity for those preparing for the Fellowship exam or just wanting to improve their coaching skills. The day started with Danny running through the presentation that he had used in his Fellowship exam, which very effectively combined a power point presentation and a practical demonstration of horses and riders over fences.  Danny highlighted the basic…

We met at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1, Birdcage Walk, Westminster, having survived the journey during the rush hour. We are both glad we don’t have to do that every day!  The venue is impressive both from the outside and inside.  We were made welcome with coffee and met several people we know including our BHS CEO Lynn Petersen, who sits on the organising committee for the forum. This forum was oversubscribed by 45…

Clear blue skies and sunshine greeted us at Aston le Walls [Tuesday, 23 February 2016] for our xc sessions with Jeanette Brakewell. Four riders with 7 horses took advantage of Jeanette’s wealth of knowledge and experience which she was able to impart easily, always working on the basics with horses staying straight and to both reins. All the horse improved with the all weather arena at Aston giving them the confidence to keep progressing. One…

David Sheerin and the team at Wellington organised another superb training day making the most of all the fabulous facilities that Wellington has to offer. Richard had two training aims for all the riders at Wellington. The first being to establish the correct way of going and canter that is needed for the exercise and then maintain that canter on the way into and away from the fence. The second aim was to get the…

On Monday 25 January 2016, Pammy Hutton hosted an excellent and informative training and learning day for the F&I Association, at the Talland School of Equitation near Cirencester. In attendance and in support were Jeremy Michaels and Judith Murphy with ten participating riders, four of whom are working for the BHSI exam and twenty spectators. The day commenced at 10am with five riders being fortunate enough to ride some lovely horses ranging from dressage schoolmasters,…

It was great to have Jennie Loriston-Clarke back again this year to help and inspire riders and spectators! How many others have her depth and breadth of experience, and such understanding of horses and riders and their training, and her generosity to share this with others and pass the knowledge on! She teaches with great insight, and quick identification of riders and horses abilities and problems, finding exercises and corrections appropriate to them, given with…