Archive for the Equestrian Category

HorseSense UK Networking – 10 year celebrations!

On September 3, 2022 / Equestrian, Horse Photography, Horse related, Networking / Leave a comment

10 years! What an achievement!!

I can’t believe that I have been photographing these events for the last 8 years now! It is always such a fantastic experience where networkers build real and long lasting connections, with fabulous guest speakers and of course most importantly with the herd!

If you haven’t experienced it yet, I can only recommend it!

This time the guest speaker was Alex Durham who runs a successful videography business in Canterbury. We were all curious about her video equipment and were surprised to hear that she named them.

We were introduced to “Gary” the camera and “Drew” the hand-held mount. As you can see, we were also invited to hold her kit. Wow, that was amazing!

Becci Godfrey of HorseSense UK says:

Networking is an essential part of every business and ours has been no exception! When we started running our taster sessions in 2012, we noticed the participants would swap business cards after and go on to purchase one another’s services.

Arrival at the 10 year networking celebration event

In 2013 we ran a networking morning for a local networking group because I was struggling to explain the benefits of horses to a room full of people without them experiencing it first-hand.

In 2014 we ran 6 Networking Masterclasses with the horses and that’s when Barbara came onboard. Suggested that we get to know each other by a mutual acquaintance that we’d both met networking, Barbara started to capture the magical horse-human interactions through her wonderful pictures.

We changed to a pure networking format in 2015 allowing people to take from the horses what they needed and have run them that way ever since.

It felt fitting this year to acknowledge just how long our networking sessions have been running. Whilst the horses have changed in that time, our commitment to supporting the local community through honest and authentic connection has not.

It’s also no mean feat that Barbara is still our excellent photographer, with all that life has thrown us over the last 8 years – a partnership we are truly grateful for.

So cheers to running 10 years of taster and networking sessions with horses and a huge thank you to those that have been on this journey with us!

As we step into the next 10 years (we hope) we will continue to take with us what works and let go of what does not in service of our customers. Look out for an exciting new name and ethos to support it and be sure to spread the word about our events with others!

The next HorseSense Networking opportunity is on Friday 21st October 2022, with guest speaker and Spiritual Wayfinder Jan Brown.

The link to book is: https://www.horsesenseuk.com/service-page/horsesense-networking

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the wisdom of the horses.

Becci Godfrey

Personal and Professional Development Coach

Networking Neighs with Brandon Croft – Brandon Screen Creations

On June 21, 2022 / Equestrian, Horse Photography, Horse related, Networking / Leave a comment

“Networking with horses, what ‘s that like?”, I hear you say?
Look for yourself! No words needed!

I really enjoy these Networking sessions with the horses! The perfect place to be on a Friday morning. It is such a relaxed atmosphere, even the horses were very relaxed as you can see in the pictures! You should come and experience this for yourself!

Becci Godfrey of HorseSense UK says:

Friday’s Neighs must have been one of our warmest Neighs ever, with temperatures at a very balmy 26°C! The horses made a wise choice to opt to stay in the cool, though the napping on the job was a little unexpected!

As always, the subtle interactions between horses and people amaze me. Several yawns and eye rolls later, the herd settled down into a meditative trance, with Dainty even calling out in her sleep with a nicker!

Friday’s guest speaker, Brandon Croft from Brandon Screen Creations, was an inspiring story indeed. Having graduated from university in a pandemic, he took up a Kickstarter role with Anwen and Get Fruitful Marketing.

We’ve been lucky enough to watch him blossom from his very first day with Anwen to his going freelance earlier this year.

What a difference a good attitude and supportive boss and a year can make. We’re excited to see what his future brings.

Horses in sand school with people networking

The next Neighs is on 26th August and will be our 10-year networking anniversary. From a speaker slot to a roomful of local businesses, to the regular meetings with horses we run now.

I’m incredibly proud of the community and connections Neighs has made. Watch this space for our next meeting’s special offer!!

https://www.horsesenseuk.com/service-page/networking-10-year-anniversary

Becci Godfrey

I couldn’t resist to show you some more images from the day:

Lucie’s Lambs, Sevenoaks, Kent

On June 10, 2020 / B2C, Blog, Covid-19, Equestrian, Horse related, Kent, Spring / Leave a comment

Lucie’s Lambs

In my effort to promote local businesses during lock down, I recently connected with Lucy. Her business is based in Sevenoaks, Kent. It was very interesting to hear how lock down has affected her business and what she has been up to. This is what she said:

Lucie’s Border Collie

Living with my parents in the Kent countryside, I am lucky to have plenty of space for pet animals. Over the years, we have collected various cats and a rescue donkey in addition to my old pony and horse and the family dogs. But my pride and joy is the Border Collie (Scout) I bought while working in Ireland to help me care for my flock of pedigree Romney sheep.

Lucie’s Little Lamb

They are a bit like pets, too, especially this little fellow, who was too greedy for his mother and had to be bottle-fed. I take very good care of them – feeding them nothing but fresh grass and hay from our fields according to the principles of what is now known as regenerative agriculture but is really good old-fashioned husbandry. By doing this I am making a small contribution to improving the environment and so slowing down climate change. But it is no sacrifice because in their short happy lives the lambs produce meat that tastes so much better than what you can buy in the supermarket.

My customers are queuing up for more this autumn and you can join them here – www.lucieslambs.co.uk. You can call me on 07712690318 or follow me on my Instagram @lucietrapp or on Facebook @Lucie’s Lambs

At Lucie’s Lamb Farm every year* they tend to have a surplus of hay, which local equestrians are able to pick up in a socially distanced way straight from the field.

*Update: This year’s harvest did not create a huge surplus and has already been collected. I will keep you updated on next year’s situation.

*Disclaimer: Due to the current Coronavirus outbreak all images from this blog have been kindly submitted by Lucie.

#stay connected #helpindependentbusinesses #regenerativeagriculture #improvingtheenvironment #slowingdownclimatechange

The Freelance Groom

On May 27, 2020 / Equestrian, Equine, Horse related, Top Tips / Leave a comment

The Freelance Groom

The other day I got chatting to Beverley and I was very interested to hear what she has been up to during the lock down and what business changes she is making. This is what she said:

My name is Beverley Eatten & I am ‘The Freelance Groom’.

My business mainly involves the daily running of private establishments, caring for competition horses, travelling to competitions and exercising horses for my clients.

However, in 2017 I completed my Level 3 Personal Trainer course. I got insured & set up a small community to help women gain confidence and enjoy moving their bodies.

I have always had a passion for horses, but in July 2019 I left my full time position on a beautiful dressage establishment after 2 years to pursue my personal training career.

It seemed that no matter how busy I became with this new career, I was being drawn back into the equine industry, I just needed to be around horses! This was when I had my ‘lightbulb moment’… equestrian fitness!

I noticed how much money and time people were spending on making sure their horses were in tip-top condition, but completely forgetting about themselves.

Equestrianism is a sport. It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding at Grand Prix & travelling Europe or just doing the occasional Prelim 5 miles down the road. As a rider you have the ability to get the upmost best performance out of your horse, but you also have the ability to negatively affect your horse’s way of going.

Equestrian fitness is about being fit for purpose

Equestrian fitness improves balance, straightness, flexibility & strength in specific muscle groups. A lot of riders I work with are one sided, in some cases this is very slight, in others it is more noticeable, either way it always has a negative impact on the horses.

I myself used to be one sided, I took it upon myself to work on my weaker side and become more symmetrical, since doing so and becoming a more effective rider, I have had multiple opportunities to take on some incredible rides and help others in the process.

I offer 1:1 sessions, this is either via live online training or physical access. During this current pandemic all clients have been training online with me.

I also offer small groups (up to 3 people) and in the near future I hope to be able to run rider retreats.

My top tips for rider fitness;

Stretching – something we all forget to do. We can’t expect our horses to be supple if we are not supple ourselves. The main areas of focus are the lower back, glutes and hamstrings.
Variation – as a rider we need strength, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility. So try new things, such as, yoga, boxing & swimming as well as focusing on your weaknesses as a rider.
Be Equal – if you are not equal in your body, you can’t expect your horse to be equal. Therefore we need to strengthen the weak muscles, for example; if your right glute is more dominant than your left, you need to work on the left glute more to equal them out. When you even out, your horse will too.
Rest – there is no point in training to become a better rider if when it comes to riding you are too tired and too sore.
Be patient – the same with when we train our horses, it has to be gradual and over time, so don’t rush it.”

If you would like to contact Beverley here are her contact details:

Instagram: The Freelance Groom
website: The Freelance Groom
email: beverley@thefreelancegroom.co.uk
mobile: 07553 526 226

*Disclaimer: Due to the current Coronavirus outbreak all images from this blog have been kindly submitted by Beverly.

#stay connected #helpindependentbusinesses

Theodora Izzard – TFI Reiki

On January 23, 2020 / Equestrian, Equine, Horse Photography, Horse related, Kent / Leave a comment

Last December I met up with Theodora. It was my pleasure to photograph her and see her using her skills on Chippy. I found it really interesting to see how quickly Chippy responded to Theodora’s Reiki session. Below are some images and an introduction from Theodora herself on her approach to Reiki with horses:

“I’m Theodora of TFI Reiki, a Reiki practitioner based near Maidstone. I work with both traditional Usui & Angelic Reiki specialising in working with Horses.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a non-invasive, simple and effective method of working with healing energy. The technique involves channelling energy into the client to remove resistances and blocks held within the body. Horses are incredibly intuitive and sensitive animals and use energy to communicate naturally within a herd.

Why would horses benefit from Reiki?

Just like humans, they carry stress and trauma they have picked up throughout their lives, as well as due to injury. Nobody can deny the bond you have with your horse, and what is that bond made of!? Energy! You and your horse communicate both when riding and with general care, so if one or other of you are holding blockages it is going to affect the other.

Horses are usually very receptive to Reiki and often will present the area of their body where they want the healing to me during a session. Some may seem to drop off to sleep, others will continue to happily eat their hay but Reiki is a great way to connect and communicate with your horse and I endeavour to use my emphatic intuition to always give you both the best possible treatment.”

You can get in contact Theodora either by calling her on 07515 480755 or by connecting with her via Facebook or Instagram or find out more by visiting her website www.theodorafizzard.com

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For your photographic enquiries you can contact me either by filling in the contact form or giving me a call on 07950 025 492. In addition to that you can see more images on my Instagram account, follow me to be kept updated.

Mechanical Horses – Amelia Wilbourn

On December 18, 2019 / East Sussex, Equestrian, Equine, Horse related / Leave a comment

I had the pleasure of meeting Amelia Wilbourn and her Mechanical Horses. Her business is based in Hartfield in East Sussex. It was really fascinating to hear about her business and how she helps her clients:

Amelia Wilbourn says:

“I have had my mechanical horses for four years now and have loved meeting a wide variety of clients. They have proved themselves invaluable for people to come and focus on their own posture without the worry or distraction of their horse or pony.

When meeting new clients I first find out a brief history of their riding ability and any physical or health issues that they may have. These could range from hip replacements, surgery, ME, back problems, falls, lack of confidence or the natural wear and tear that our bodies go through over the years.

An initial assessment then follows encouraging the client to look at their individual ‘body patterns’ of movement and balance with exercises off the horses. I focus on finding neutral spine and ear shoulder hip heel which allows the absorption of movement and is essential for balance and stability in the saddle whether you are a happy hacker or a competitive rider. When adjusting their posture it will often feel strange or weird as the proprioceptors reset, but when looking in the mirror they can see that they are straight and not tipping forward or backwards.”

The session will then progress on to the horses with some time spent on each as appropriate. The canter is very gentle and ideal for anyone who needs to allow their back or hips to loosen, or for those who are sitting on a horse for the first time following surgery. The faster canter/gallop gives the rider the opportunity to develop a light two point seat and jump position and to develop their balance and fitness. The trot horse allows the rider to improve their sitting and rising trot and feel more in balance with the horse and able to absorb the movement while maintaining stability in their position.

I have always had an interest in rider posture and biomechanics and have learnt a huge amount since having my mechanical horses in how our minds and bodies work resulting in some amazing changes and improvements that clients are able to make.

Having the two horse’s means that I can offer individual, semi-private or group sessions. More details can be found on my website www.ameliawilbourn.co.uk

As Christmas is drawing ever nearer, I am running a Christmas promotional offer including the pet photo shoot and a framed portrait (find out more here). You can contact me either by filling in the contact form or giving me a call on 07950 025 492.

You can see more images on my Instagram account, follow me to be kept updated.

Equestrian Sneak Peek

On November 24, 2019 / Christmas, Equestrian, Equine, Horse Photography, Seasons, Sneak Peek / Leave a comment

***Equestrian Sneak Peek***

The weather on the day of this recent equestrian photo shoot was very murky and overcast. This didn’t stop us from getting great images. I just selected the right backdrop after a quick walk around the yard. Every season is a good season to photograph your beloved pets. Roddy was a super star and so was his owner!

I am thrilled with the results and I am positive so will Roddy’s owner be!

Currently I am running a Christmas promotional offer (find out more here). You can contact me either by filling in the contact form or giving me a call on 07950 025 492.

Check out my latest work on my Instagram account and follow me to be kept updated.

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