4 things to do instead of riding.

Hands up if you're sick of the awful weather?

I definately am - it feels like since January its done nothing but rain, rain and more rain.

Don't worry, this isnt a post just to whine about how awful the weather is, how terrible flooding is, and the mud - oh the flipping MUD!

Unless you're lucky enough to have an indoor arena (in which case, I'm jealous!) you've probably spent a fair bit less time riding than you'd like recently and a bit more time indoors dodging the housework pondering what to do next - I have, so i spent some time pulling together this little list of FOUR things to do instead of riding. (& no, doing the ironing is not one of them!)

1. Catch up on your favourite vlogs and blogs. I've recently started to follow Megan Elphick - @Elphick.event.ponies on Instagram, she's an event rider who home produces a number of ponies and captures the journey on her youtube channel. I love her insta stories and watching her train the young horses as she produces them for sale. Definately worth a watch when its bucketing down and you're needing some inspriation! 

2. Spend some time with your horse and get grooming. I own a grey, so I'm all about the grooming at the moment - its a fact of grey horse ownership. Grooming is a great way to socialise with your horse, check them over for lumps and bumps you might otherwise have missed and get them looking gorgeous for the next outing.

I swear by the Haas brush sets; they're an absolute must have in my grooming box and really do an amazing job in lifting all the deep down grease and dirt from their coats. My favourite is the Diva sheepskin brush, its great for laying coats before applying a shine spray to give that final bit of sparkle.

3. Carrot (or any temping snack) stretches are brilliant for suppling and stretching muscles in between work, and your phyiso will love you for doing them!

Not only will they help increase range of motion and flexibility - they're also a great way to evenly work both sides of the body to help your horse become more even when you're working under saddle.

There are tons of guides on youtube, but I'd definitely recommend a chat with your physio before doing any just to check you're doing the right ones for you and your horse.

4. Check out Pferdtrends. Pferdtrends is my one stop shop for matchy inspiration, and one of my favourite websites. Its a German website which catalogues all of the beautiful matchy outfits from the major brands over the last few years. They also run a really popular Facebook group (with over 40K members)b where people post pictures of their horses in gorgeous outfits. Its the ultimate inspiration and the perfect place to spend a few hours dreaming up your next outfit or browsing the different colours on different horses. I love looking up older seasons and seeing how the fashions change, and checking out what suits a white grey (everything...) of course!