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Don't stress over studs for your horse's shoes! Here's a great introduction to the different types and their uses by our sponsored sponsored event rider, Eilidh Costelloe.

It’s that time of year again where I have a year end catch up with our sponsored rider, Eilidh Costelloe. It’s the third time we’ve sat down for a chat, through that’s about the only thing that’s the same. After all, neither of us could have ever expected to be having a conversation like this, because neither of us could have anticipated what 2020 would bring

Wow. How are we all doing?! It feels like an age since l wrote the last blog. Indeed it might have been an ice age for all I know, because time seems to move in some weird parallel Corona universe just now. Most of the time I have to remind myself what day of the week it really is and weekends don’t actually exist as a real thing anymore. Not the way they used to anyway. Easing of lockdown feels like looking at a mirage of a past life.

I’ve been mulling over what to write about for the blog. And while I plan to keep writing posts, not only so we have something else to read about, but also as an all-important means of maintaining a connection, I wanted to address how I, and I’m sure most of us, are feeling right now.  Because, like everyone, I am feeling more than a little sad and scared. I actually started writing this post last week, but things have changed so quickly and so often, that I’ve had to redraft it more than once.

MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and up until recently, I had never heard of it, which is surprising because the technology has been around for some time now and is an established safety feature in cycling and skiing helmets.

Our roving reporter, Lynne Clark, rounds up an exciting year with our sponsored rider, Eilidh Costelloe. So it’s that time of year again when I get to catch up with Country Ways sponsored rider Eilidh Costelloe (though I can hardly believe another year has flown by already!) It’s always such a pleasure to chat with Eilidh, because not only is she super talented, she is also incredibly candid about her experiences.

I’m very lucky to be in the position where I get the opportunity to talk to some of the horsey world’s premier riders, coaches and judges. When I catch up with dressage star Abi Lyle during a tea break at her demo evening, it feels like chatting with an old friend – even though I have never met her before.

When I arrive for the Country Ways sponsored Daniel Watson demo at Tillyoch Equestrian Centre, I find the man himself sat casually at a picnic table, taking a well earned break before beginning the evening demo (and before I interrupt him with my questions! ) I am introduced to him and the first thing he tells me is how much he has enjoyed his day’s teaching and how friendly we all are up here in Scotland It’s his first time in Aberdeen and he has thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mention the word Badminton in non-horsey circles and most people will think of the sport involving racquets and a shuttlecock. For the rest of us horsey folks however, the word is synonymous with the pinnacle of eventing.

Most of us who have ever ridden a dressage test will have at some point felt confusion/mild irritation/full-blown anger (delete as appropriate!) at some of the marks on our test sheet. Indeed the very fact that the demo to which this blog is dedicated is called ‘The Mystery of Marks’, denotes that there is often much confusion as to how and why judges award the scores they do.

Cecilia Gladwyn is a name synonymous with dressage. So when I was invited to have lunch with her to talk about her new initiative, the Celtic Dressage Championships (sponsored by Country Ways), I jumped (or do a small hop because I have a bad back and a dodgy knee) at the chance!

The other day we were lucky enough to have the lovely Katharine Mieras from TopSpec come to visit the shop and give the staff training on the latest products in the TopSpec and VetSpec range.