The saying goes: From small acorns great oaks doth grow... I am of course aware that running a 32 horse strong yard is no small acorn however what I learnt from those six years are what the great oaks are hopefully going to stem from.

I was becoming more and more interested in my Wibble Wobble clinics for Nervous riders and the wonderful effects just one weekend had on peoples lives - the change in some was dramatic and when we started adding the Alexander work to the clinics ... WOW!!

I have become so absorbed by The Alexander Technique that I am now on a 4 year teacher training course.  This doesn't just work on people but on horses too and with correct classical schooling to free your horse the results are just amazing.  Patrick Print was always promoting the art of good classical horsemanship without the use of gadgets and the work of Gurd Heuschmann is revolutionary in showing how detrimental some modern training methods are to a horse (See  http://www.youtube.com/artofhorsemanship  "If horses could speak" ).

By combining my teaching and different riding experiences along side my current continued study into riders, training methods and my teacher training course in The Alexander technique; I am hoping to bring together some even more powerful courses for both horses and riders.

Closing has given me time to develop my study and to begin the writings of a couple of books which I may give a sneak preview to when ready - but be prepared to wait a while!!

Meanwhile I'm available for freelance teaching, we are still running our nervous rider clinics and you can even buy special magnets for people, horses and dogs, organic chemical free skin care and fuel saving devices from me!!!  (see http://www.bewithusonline.com/start ).

All there is to say is a BIG HUGE thank you to all who came riding and gave us many happy days and fun times at Holistic Horses.  A special thank you to Jamie Lonsdale and Barry at Kingston Lisle and all the other trainers in the village for making our time there so supported and fun.  Patrick Print (FBHS) for his brilliant training and support.  Richard Dunwoody, Hywel Davis, Stan Mellor, Chris Rutter, Colin Brown and all the other racing folk who helped up along our way and kept up the racing interest.  Craig Pilgrim for regularly getting on the pointers in the mornings to help exercise them!  Jo Waites and Georgia Taitt for their moral support and teaching the stable management courses if I was ill.  All my office staff Lisa Ryan, Jan, Jane, Becky Ward and Liz Rutter.  And last but definitely not least all my staff and teaching staff for their hard work, long hours and love of the horses including Lisa Walshingham, Janie Whitfield, Sooty, Kirsten, Jenny Fenn, Jan Stevens, Shiona Crounston, Dean Hannington, Mark Swan, Tracey Daly, Mad Jo, Mikaela Bury, Kayleigh Thompson, Jon Evans and last but not least Fliss Harper who was a stalwart to the end.  One last thank you and I'm sure you'll all know who it's to ... My family but especially my Dad - for constantly being there at every needed moment - when the yard flooded, when the tractor broke down, whenever a dad was needed - thank you Dad. 

A tribute to Paris -  November 7th 2008

It is with great sadness that I bring the news that Paris will be weaving her magic as a spirit horse from now on at Holistic Horses.  Paris was like no other horse and was the flagship for Holistic Horses.  She has helped so many people enjoy riding again, and helped many regain confidence on and off horseback.  She was patient, kind, willing and amazing.  She was happy, healthy and well right to the end and was enjoying excess carrots during her last days at Holistic Horses.  She was ridden right up until her last week of earth life and will be very much missed by many.  I've heard the comment many times that no one is irreplaceable - Paris is an exception to this rule - she allowed me to guarantee that I could offer enjoyable rides on a safe horse - a comment, despite the wonderful wonderful horses we still have, I can no longer use .... I suspect I will never replace her.

Death is nothing at all, I have only slipped away into the next stable, I am Paris and you are you, Whatever we were to each other That we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name, Speak to me in the easy way you always used, Put no difference into your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Ride as we always Rode, enjoy the hacks we always enjoyed together, smile, think of me, pray for me, Let my name be ever the stable name that it always was
Let it be spoken without effort, Without the ghost of a shadow in it, Life means all that it ever meant, It is the same as it ever was
There is absolute unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind, Because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you for an interval, Somewhere very near, Just around the corner, All is well.
Nothing is past; nothing is lost, One brief moment and all will be as it was before, How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

Goldie's Foal born 3.30am 21st May - our first foal for Holistic Horses 

First photos of Goldie's colt foal taken when he was just 2 hours old