SJ Equestrian

Two beautiful bays - what better way to start a day?!

🩶 Why I love this vocation

Today I was given the opportunity to continue riding a lovely horse long-term for his owner.

As grateful as I am for that opportunity, my favourite part of the day wasn’t the conversation.

It was standing in a field with a poo-pick in my hand when the horse walked over to me for cuddles.

This is a horse who has had some difficult experiences in the past. Over the last few months I’ve spent time rebuilding his confidence, improving his condition, and most importantly earning his trust.

Moments like that remind me why I love horses and why I chose this industry.

The ribbons are lovely. The results matter. But at the heart of it, this work is about relationships, trust, and helping horses become confident and happy in their jobs.

Some days the biggest win isn’t a rosette.

Sometimes it’s a horse deciding you’re safe. 🩶🐎

A view that melts my heart every time 🧡

🖤🧡 I’ll watch your back while you snooze 😴

Toby was keen to get out for his roll!

The roll of bliss after a long rein and a groom 😍

📣 Upcoming clinic dates at Spa View Farm, CV32 📣

£15pp for groups of up to 3 for 45 mins

£20 for individual 30 mins

All welcome - wether you want to stay in walk or work in all 3 paces we welcome horses and riders of every stage in training

Why Flexible Turnout Matters 🐴

One of the biggest things I believe in when it comes to horse management is being flexible with turnout rather than sticking rigidly to a timetable.

Last night, my horses were in because the weather was awful. Today they’ve stayed in because it’s been wet, windy and miserable. This evening, however, the weather has improved, so they’ll be out to enjoy some fresh air, movement and grazing.

Tomorrow? They’ll likely come in around lunchtime before the worst of the rain and wind arrives.

For me, good horse management isn’t about being able to say, “My horses are out 24/7” or “My horses are turned out every day from 8am to 4pm.” It’s about looking at the conditions in front of you and asking:

✔️ Is the field going to get trashed?
✔️ Are the horses comfortable?
✔️ Is turnout actually benefiting them today?
✔️ What does the forecast look like over the next 24 hours?

Turnout is incredibly important for physical and mental wellbeing, but so is avoiding hours of standing in driving rain, battling gale-force winds or churning fields into mud baths.

Sometimes the best management decision is to turn out. Sometimes it’s to keep them in. Sometimes it’s a mixture of both.

The goal isn’t sticking to a schedule. The goal is doing what’s best for the horse.

Good management is flexible management.

Some wonderful photos of some of our lovely liveries having fun hacking in the sun ☀️ together