Back from Australia with a new start ahead!

Shamefully it's been a couple of weeks since I last posted when I was back home in Australia for a much needed break. Since then I had an amazing 18th birthday, gotten super fit super fast, left Hartpury College (shock, I know!) and started homeschooling and have been on the go non-stop since arriving back in the UK.

While I was in Australia I was having three training sessions a week with my mum's personal trainer, Matt Brady at Hills Fitness who is absolutely brilliant. After only six sessions I felt a lot more toned and stronger, and enjoyed every second of the process! I was determined to keep up the strength and conditioning back here in the UK as I find it extremely beneficial to my riding, so I found my own personal trainer here in Cheltenham, James Ellis. Using the funding I have been very fortunate to recieve from the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) I have two sessions a week with James to improve my strength, condition and diet/lifestyle. Funnily enough I really enjoy pushing myself in the gym at 7.30am and feeling the pain for days after!

I can really tell the difference in my riding since starting the extra training and wonder why it took me so long to start doing it! To be effective on a 700kg horse you do need to have an element of strength, especially when you have a small build and short legs like me, as long as that strength isn't used against the horse! Also, having this kind of support behind me (along with Sue and Gary who help train me at Cheltenham Dressage) motivates me to no end and just goes to show that although riding is an individual sport, the idea of having a 'team' behind you is so important.

Another big change that I have FINALLY had the guts to make is leaving college. For the long-term readers here, you would know that ever since I started college just over a year ago I've always been swaying back and forth about whether to keep going with it or not, as it conflicts with my riding more than I'd like. After going home for a bit and being away from everyone else's opinions, I could make the decision for myself and I knew if I came back to the UK and kept up my stressful and ineffective routine I would just go straight back to being unhappy because I can't do what I love. Don't get me wrong, I love studying and being academic but only when I have the time to do it properly and when it doesn't get in the way of my number one priority, riding. So, I am now homeschooling myself biology. Doing the full A-level (AS and A2) and then continuing on to another A-level next year. This way I can focus on riding during the day, study at night and still do my A-levels without having competitions/training conflicting with lectures! And two weeks into it I am SO much happier and am still maintaining a great social life, something I find really important!

So in saying that, I have to crack on with my biology study now!