Week 4 and 5 at the Racing School

So tomorrow I have been here for 6 weeks. It is going so fast and I can't believe how much I have achieved and learnt already.  

Week 4 included an amazing experience of meeting World Champion jockey A P McCoy and class jockey Andrew Thornton as they came to the BRS with BBC 5 live to record a podcast with the students asking McCoy questions. You can listen to the podcast on the link below. After the recording we had the opportunity to get a picture with McCoy and Thornton and ask a few questions of our own. It was a fabulous experience and especially chatting to Andrew as he raced my ex-racehorse a few times and he remembed what a lovely chap he was too! 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04m06v5

A P McCoy

  Andrew Thornton

Riding wise the week included us improving our cantering pose position, I've ridden a different array of horses, some more difficult than others! Instead of cantering on your own , you canter  in groups  of 2,3 or 4 dependent on what horse your on. It is important that you keep a distance of 5 lengths as your horse may chase and you get run off with! Thankfully this hasn't happened to me, but it has to many others! 

On Saturday we had our week 5 fitness assessment - this is our fitness test that decides wether we are fit enough to carry on the course or not. Thankfully I passed the run with a time of 8mins18secs, not as fast as my previous but still in the safe zone so I was still classed as a pass, I also passed the sit ups doing 35 and the press ups doing 46. 

Week 5 was a very very intense week for everyone on my course as it was our 5 week assessment. Throughout week 4 our yard work and riding was being watched closely. On the Monday we took our diploma exam - thankfully I passed with 80%. On the Tuesday of week 5 we had our riding assessment, this was just a normal cantering lesson but with Mrs Donnely teaching us, and she decided if our riding was good enough to carry on the course. Tuesday afternoon we was told wether we was staying or going home - thankfully when I was eventually called in the director took me out of my pain and told me that he was happy with my work and I can continue the course! I was very happy and privileged to be one of the remaining 10 out of 18 who started the course. 

The rest of week 5 we rode out in the paddock- it was a breath of fresh air to have a smaller more concentrated group and to be out of the ménage doing bigger and facer paced work in a larger space!! I also had my second fall here on Allied Powers - a beautiful gelding who only came out of racing last year, he was a fantastic jump racer, he is quite a fresh horse and still settling into the racing school. He bolted and reared with me when a horse got lose and was galloping round the paddock, my fall was excused by Mr Bateman as I had sat all of his other rears, bolts, bucks and bronks, haha! 

On Tuesday we are eventually moving onto jumping and going onto the round gallop. I'm very excited! 

Week 2 & 3 at the BRS

So it's been nearly 4 weeks here at the racing school and time is going so so quick, I'm missing home each day but on the other side each day is getting closer to graduation ( even though I still have another 10 weeks! ) 

Week two and three consisted of stepping up the pace, this meant that some people had more horses to do, harder work when riding and fitness lessons increase. In the morning I get two straw bedded horses to muck out, sadly with a horrid muck sack but sometimes lucky enough to get a wheelbarrow. Ellemujie and Our Vic are the two horses I look after, Mujie has a very quirky character, enjoyes a good bite and kick if he can get you! Luckily enough he hasn't.. Yet! Our Vic is the Racing a School's famous flagship horse, I'm privileged to look after him! He's such a handsome lad, with a beautiful nature, always there to cheer you up if your feeling homesick or a little run down. In his racing days he also beat Kauto Star in a race at Aintree! 

Ellemujie

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/racing/article-555928/Kauto-Star-suffers-defeat-Our-Vic-triumphs-Aintree.html

Our Vic (left) leading Kauto Star (right) in 2008 at Aintree. 

I had another fitness test Saturday and happily passed it knocking nearly a minute off my previous time! I came 7th out of 16 and 3rd out of the girls. 

Fitness is one of the most important things at the BRS you have intense sessions on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and also on a Saturday ( only for the first 4 weeks )  these include, spinning, running, circuit training, army training etc. 

At the start of the third week I eventually had my first fall at BRS! I was riding Mr Nobaro, a lovely boy who spoked , span and dropped his shoulder due to another horse kicking the boards in the school! 4 of us fell at the same time and it was very comical! Everyone was thankfully okay :-) In the middle of the third week we eventually started cantering! It was lovely to canter again after 3 weeks of constant trotting. Firstly we just done a few lessons sitting canter in the outdoor ménage then we moved back into the indoor school to start cantering properly in pose position and short stirrups! It's very different compared to cantering at home, but I'm slowly adapting to the position and improving each day. 

Next week and the following week is very important as it is my 5 week assessment, this decides wether the Racing School want to keep me or get rid of me! I will have another fitness test on Saturday and then throughout week 5 I'm assessed on my yard work, riding and diploma. If I pass the assessment then I can move onto the round gallop ! Eek! 

I'm enjoying it immensely here, even though dealing with homesickness is hard but it will be worth it in the end! 

Received my British Racing School uniform! 

Lovely Sunday morning along the gallops

Evie's 17th Birthday meal