Job update!

It's been a while since I've updated so here's the happenings from the past weeks; 

 As we all know it's been pretty chilly some mornings. This was late January one morning when we was riding out 1st lot in -8 degrees! Even though in such temperatures you wish to still be in bed , I wouldn't change my job for the world, you really do see some lovely sunrises in the mornings and spending it on board racehorses makes it extra special. 

First ever lead up with Brian's Well

Earl Grez and Joe Hill 

On Sunday 25th January we had 4 runners at Higham Point to Point. As it was my day off and wasn't up to anything I offered to go along and help. Earl Grez, my favourite horse was running so I couldn't wait to see how he would get on. It was such a fantastic day out as I'd never been pointing before and Lawney also let me lead up Brian's Well which is a lovely memory to cherish. All horses ran well with three 2nds and one 3rd, it was amazing to see Earl win and nearly win his race, such a shame he lost by a nose! I look forward to more outings. 

As if the bitter cold mornings couldn't get any worse ! Yes, of course we had snow. Thankfully, with the all weather canter Lawney has it's no problem to keep the horses in work. Photographer Eddie Keogh popped in on the morning of the snowfall and took some lovely snowy photos of our first lot. 

Ridiculously fluffy pony

Spotty looking chuffed with himself after a enjoyable hack. ( he thinks he's in training for Cheltenham ) 

On the 6th Februaury it was lovely to go home for the weekend and see everyone, especially my little pony and the handsome Cool Spot. On the downside I was struck with severe gastroenteritis on the Sunday evening and couldn't go back to work until the following week so it was a week at home, in bed , resting.. Not my cup of tea! 

After a horrible week of sickness it was lovely to be back at work feeling human again! The weather was also on our side, with the mornings becoming lighter it gives you hope that spring will be here soon. With clear skies most mornings the sun has been shining down on our back whilst riding out, it makes you appreciate what a fabulous job you have ! 

On the National Hunt yard it's been quite calm the past few weeks, Rude and Crude ran at Lingfield last week and bagged a 2nd against the pretty much unbeatable favourite, he ran very well and Lawney was happy with his performance. 

On the Point to Point yard it's been a few busy weekends. 

Alan has had a good few winners including Minella Theatre, Harbour Court, Consigliere and Done A Runner. Harbour Court and Consigliere will be running at the Cheltenham Festival in the Foxhunters which I'm really excited about. Quinz also ran at Doncaster in a hunter chase and ran a fantastic race, coming 2nd behind the favourite, we were all really pleased. 

This weekend we have Broken Eagle and Minella Theatre running, hopefully we can bag a few more wins! 

The link below shows you Lawney and Alan 's blog about the upcoming runners. 

http://lawneyhill.co.uk

First few weeks at work

These first 3 weeks working for Lawney Hill have been great! The horses here are so lovely and beautiful to ride. It's really interesting working in a racing yard and dealing with day-to-day life for the trainers, jockeys and stable staff. I've had some lovely rides on stunning horses and really enjoying my time here. 

 My working day consists of :

7am - go down to start work either tack up your first lot or start work on the yard dependent what I'm doing that morning 

7:45am - pull out for first lot if riding 

9am - breakfast

9:30am - back down the yard for 2nd lot

10:00am - pull out second lot 

11:00am - pull out third lot 

12:00noon - pull out fourth lot 

1:00pm - lunchtime 

3:00pm- back down to yard for evening stables 

5:00pm- finish for the day 

Weekends are slightly different - on a Saturday you have an extra hour at lunch so go down for evening stables until 4pm and on a Sunday you start work at 8am finish at 11am ( don't ride on a Sunday ) and down for evening stables at 4pm. I also get every other weekend off which is from Saturday 1pm until back to work Monday morning - this is always nice as I can go home for the weekend or just chill. 

Sunday 11th Jan we had point to point runners at Ampton 

Consigliere ( Connie) won the Men's Open wich was a lovely win for the team. We also had a 2nd and 5th on the day. 

 Connie after his winning race at Ampton

Christmas at home then off into the big wide world ....

Coming home after being away for 3 months was lovely. Seeing my pony, ex-racehorse all my Pullens family at work and my family at home - I couldn't of asked for a better Christmas! 

Christmas was absolutely, my Nan came up from Devon and me and my Mum cooked Christmas dinner for us all. Of course Pullens had our Chrismtas Morning Hack and we was all in the festive spirit riding out at 7:30 in the morning !! 

 Couldn't of asked to ride a better horse than the Chivalrous Cool Spot on Christmas Morning ! 

However how much I was enjoying being back at home I only had a week until I went my separate ways again.. And this time it was for a lot longer than 14 weeks! On Saturday it was my last day at home again, of course it was another emotional goodbye to everyone as I was leaving home for good, but it's a fresh new start and I can still come home on weekends off as it's only about an hour drive away. 

Sunday we drove to Oxfordshire to move all my stuff into my new home. The surroundings are absolutely breathtaking here, it's situated so close to the M40 but in the middle of he Countyside - amazing ! 

 Stunning view from my bedroom window. 

Once I was all settled in and unpacked it was time to get an early night ready for work in the morning - moving away from home at the age of 16 is a big step, I've always been quite independent but this was another step! Paying bills, rent, doing everything for yourself , making dinner , doing washing and earning a living - everything you don't think of when your living at home, now I'm here I really do take a step back and appreciate how easy life was at home. 

The end of BRS!

So I can't believe the time has come to graduate from The British Racing School ! Time has gone so fast but also feels like I've been here for years. The last week has been great, we've all been enjoying our last few days here on the straights and counting down til' graduation! 

Our last day and ride at the racing school was very emotional but such a remembered day for us all. We all had fantastic last rides and our graduation was a very tearful moment but we were all so happy we'd got this far and eventually going home with our families ! Below are some pictures from my last ride on Mutajarred ( sadly I couldn't have Allied Powers as he became lame a few days before ) there is also a link to the video of my last ride, some pictures from my course and our graduation. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nWBDsUk31bM  <- Last Ride Video 

Course 288/289 - Mr Bateman and Mrs Marshall 

 Me and Record Breaker 

 Me on Mutajarred and Katie on Ballywatt 

 Look at that cute face!!

 Trotting for home!! 

 Group photo - last ride 

 Graduation! 

I would be lying if I said I enjoyed every second, because I didn't! Some days I wanted to go home, I cried for nights on end and felt like I wouldn't get anywhere but i pursued and battled through and somehow got to the end! I was also awarded with the 'student who achieved the most out of the course' which was a honour to recieve. I had an absolutely amazing experience at the Racing School and would encourage anyone reading this who is thinking of applying to go for it! It's so worth it if your dedicated and willing to try your hardest for something you love. I can't thank the Racing School enough for the past 14 weeks as I wouldn't be where I am now without them. I now have a job working at Lawney Hill in Oxfordshire and is loving every minute, without the racing school I don't know what I'd do ! 

If anyone has any questions or queries about applying for the BRS , before you go, whilst your there etc. I'm more than happy to answer them and help you out in anyway possible please drop me an email on rebecca.hill1998@hotmail.co.uk

And thank you to everyone who has followed my blog and my time through the BRS ! I will keep updating now and then on my new job etc. 

Take care 

Rebecca Hill x

Week 11 and 12 at the BRS

Week 11 at the racing school was a good week for everyone. Everyone has been riding really well on the straight gallop and we've been on the advanced horses which has tested our ability and improved our confidence. I have recently been riding Allied Powers; he has just come out of racing last year and was a very very good racehorse, he's by far my favourite at the racing school and I've decided to definitely have him for my last ride here at the BRS. 

On Saturday we put up the Christmas decorations which made me look forward to going home I'm a couple of weeks, the racing school reception and common room is now looking very festive for the courses that's are her for Christmas. 

Throughout week 11 me and my lovely roommate Lauren Smith cycled to trainer Roger Varian's to do evening stables Monday - Friday. It was a great experience working with the racehorses in training and gave us an insight into what we will be going into in few weeks. 

Week 12 was a very busy week here at the Racing School, for the second time I achieved the Black Hat Silk as apparently my riding has improved alot and I'm doing well up the gallops. On Wednesday the British Racing School students went to Tattersalls to go carol singing, it was nice to get out and to see the Christmas donkeys!! 

On Thursday we had our NVQ2 exam in racehorse care, thankfully I passed with 88% and everyone else passed on my course too.

Friday 2nd lot we went for a hack on Newmarket Heath - I rode Look Away Now and everyone had a fantastic ride, I especially enjoyed it as I'd never been on the Heath before. 

On Saturday we had our dreaded final fitness assessment being it a freezing cold morning not even over 3 degrees no one was in the mood to do a mile run, press ups and sit ups. Overwhelmingly we all passed our assessment! Everyone improved their sit up and press up scores and everyone ran faster in their run! 

In all it's been a lovely couple of weeks and we are all exited to be going home Friday ! We are now enjoying our last days here at the Racing School on the straights and can't wait for our last rides and to graduate on the 19th. I can't believe how quickly it has gone here but also can't wait to be home in time for Christmas and to see everyone. 

I will update my final BRS blog entry after my graduation and last ride on Friday. 

Week 9 and 10 at the BRS

Week 9 

Wow, it's unbelievable to think that I've been here this long now. Time is going so fast here at the Racing School. Week 9 we moved onto the straights, this was a huge thing for me as it's all I've wished for since I got accepted into the BRS. It was an amazing experience and thrilling at the same time! My first ride up the straights was on McCracken, I enjoyed it immensely and was smiling the whole way 😀 throughout the week we rode different horses and was getting to grips with the straight gallop, I rode various horses including Wrecking Ball, Troubador, Cavendish Road and of course my little favourite 3 year old green baby Eddie. Eddie is one of the youngest horses at the BRS as he has just turned 3, he is still a baby, so not everyone gets on with him.. But I love him to bits even though I did fall off him at the top of the gallop the other day.. Yes my 4th fall here at the BRS.. Let's just say it was very amusing and so petty , ha! 

On Friday I went up to London ExCel to represent the British Racing School as head girl with Careers in Racing, it was a very long and tiring day but was great to see the interest that people had in getting involved with racing. 

Scott showing off to the crowd how it's done..

Week 10

Week 10 on the straights has been a fantastic week, I've felt my riding has improved a lot and everyone in our group is doing amazingly well. Next week we will be moving onto the difficult horses up the straights which I'm really looking forward to. I've also been enjoying my role as head girl these last few weeks, it's been a huge responsibility and very stressful at times but it's great experience before going to work for a trainer. This week we also filled out our 'dream sheets' these are given to the Chief Executive who finds us jobs at the end of our course , we will find out who we will be going to work for a week before our graduation. 

It's crazy to think that I've now only got under 3 weeks left until I graduate and go home for Christmas! Despite how much I enjoy the work here I cannot wait to go home for Christmas and to see everyone :) 

Week 6, 7 and 8 at the BRS

So it's been a few weeks since I have updated my blog as I've been pretty busy, but here is what's gone on in the past weeks. 

Week 6, as it was Halloween the BRS hostel staff held us a Halloween party, it was great fun, everyone dressed up and we had a fab evening. 

We also moved onto the round gallop, which is a step up from the ménage. I feel as if my riding has improved immensely and I can ride so much better than I did 5 weeks ago.  Saying this, I have now been ran away with a few times - which is a worrying experience but one you laugh about afterwards! I also had my 3 rd fall off Troubador , falling off here is just part of a day to day routine and happens more than you can imagine! I also achieved the Black Hat Silk at the end of the week - this is given out by our instructor to the student he thinks has improved their riding the most this week, I was very shocked as I didn't think it would be me! 

Week 7 was a week full of mixed emotions. Being here at the BRS isn't always full of happiness and laughter, some days are pretty tough and you just feel useless. Not every day you have a good ride or get on with everyone, you have to think that your stuck here with the same people day in day out and sometimes it does drive you nuts. A few days this week I felt like I rode crap, worked crap and just wanted to go home, but I just kept my head down and carried on, in the end it did improve and by the end of the week I felt much more content .. Because I was going home!! It was my weekend off !! I went home on Saturday at 11 am and spent the day out with my mum, it was so lovely to be back home, to sleep in my own bed and to spend time with my family and friends. Sunday morning I had a lie in ( was very nice! ) and went to the yard to see everyone, seeing Pumpkin , Spot and everyone really made my week special and I had a lovely hack out with Mel, Rosie and Ali. Soon as I knew it it was 3pm, and I had to head off back to Newmarket - it was very sad saying goodbye again but this time I only have 6 weeks until I'm home again. 

So lovely to see my pony ! 

And of course the handsomest racehorse ever known - Mr Cool Spot. 

Week 8 was a great week. Both courses 288 (my course) and 289 have merged so now we are a course of 16, this was a huge confidence boost for course 288 as course 289 have ridden out for trainers and are much better riders so we are able to learn from them. Course 287 ( advanced course ) are leaving on Monday so the BRS staff are handing out the new roles, head girl, boy, head of barns etc. Both me and Katie were unexpectedly called into the office, thinking we were in trouble, when in fact we were actually given the roles of head trainees. I was very happy to be given the role of head girl, even though it holds a huge amount of responsibility. Week 8 went uphill from there, everyone in our group rode well and was happy. I was put on the more advanced horses and feel confident with my riding compared to last week. Next week will be very exciting as we're moving onto the straight gallop. It was sad to say goodbye to the Advanced group as they were like rocks to me, but I wish them all the best in their jobs and will be sure to see them at the races in the future :) 

 Mr Nobarro