Flora Young reflects on 2017

Last year was an emotional rollercoaster of a year for me. I had branched out setting up on my own, only for my Novice event horse to sustain an injury after Chatsworth International which was heart breaking. I had to be emotionally strong to pick myself up from this, and to concentrate on breaking and producing my yard of young horses. Someone was obviously looking down on me, because I was offered a fantastic, but quirky, event horse in the summer. I knew I had to take it slowly with her but we had the most fantastic round at Aston Le Walls & Norton Disney in the Novice and suddenly I knew I had a horse that could get me back on track.

Over the winter months I have worked hard educating the youngsters ready for the forthcoming season. Planning meetings to ensure I have a timetable of events from which I can organise training/rest and physio for all my horses…although we all know that dealing with horses, these plans can inevitably change!

I have also dedicated a serious amount of time Show jumping over the winter, racking up a healthy number of double clears and jumping some meaty 1.40m courses on PLS Halo Diamond but also taking the youngsters round smaller courses, to build their confidence up. I feel I have maintained my rider fitness over the winter, which is imperative for me going forward but also hugely beneficial to my horses.

Going forward, I’m feeling optimistic. I have a fantastic string of young horses who will be doing BE90/100/Novice classes and Doctors Orders, who, if plans work out, will do 2* with our sights on an Advanced before the end of the season. It may sound like quite an ask for a novice horse to get to an Advanced by the end of the season, but she’s an 11yr old mare with low mileage and phenomenal talent, so I feel she’s ready to go.

In conjunction with my eventing, I will also carry on Showjumping where our aim is to qualify for HOYS.

So with everything firmly crossed, here is looking to a positive and productive 2018.

Flora Young Eventing