OHSWU2011 CTE 2nd

For winning the Oak Hollow Spring Warm Up combined training class...Scott Taylor training ZM's Hyndla in cross-country!

PS Long story is long

Owner's Notes: Kia has an even and predictable temper and mentality. She can however be a bit stubborn when things don't go her way. A bit strong-headed maybe, but a stubborn and steady hand can always handle that. Under saddle she is very much on her hocks and bears herself perfectly. Very steady on her feet, but tends to be very sensitive in her mouth, which sometimes isn't a good thing.

Scott's Notes: Spent the first few days lunging and under saddle in the arena, getting used to one another. Carried herself very well, settled into the new surroundings beautifully and picked up on the feeding times within a few hours. Has a lovely jump on her that you can really feel from her hindquarters and couldn't wait to get out on the cross-country course. Started with a very been-there-done-that attitude but after putting in a few dirty stops she made it very clear what she did and didn't like. Most time was spent working on light-to-dark jumping transitions, and straightness, particularly through narrows and narrow combinations. Attacked the water like a pro and once again those hindquarters really propelled her up banks, steps and out of ditches. Overall, a delightful horse to work with who will shine on the cross-country field with a little more consistent work from one rider.


The fifth day of ZM's Hyndla's training saw a thick mist that refused to clear from the cross-country course. Opting to leave the harsher parts of the course for good weather, Scott stuck to the fields, where the fog lay thickly but the ground was the most sure.

"She didn't like jumping out of the forest, she won't like jumping into fog." Ellie commented as she helped Scott tack up the Zakharov Sports Horse, whose stable name was Kia. The mare stood patiently while Ellie tugged the girth tight, and patted her on the shoulder as she finished. "But I'm out there with the camera today so it's OK if you fall, I can send the clip into You've Been Framed and get some pocket money."

"If you get £250, £125 of it goes to me, remember?" Scott said seriously as he led Kia onto the quadrangle yard. They'd left it til ten o' clock for Kia's training to give the fog a chance to burn off, but it wasn't happening. The skies remained white-grey with cloud and the fields were covered in what looked like thinly spun cotton wool. He mounted up at the block, his stirrups adjusted from yesterday, and left the yard by the eastern exit to go onto the cross-country course, Ellie following. From the direction of the fields came a high-pitched whinny, followed by another, deeper one as the Oak Hollow horses picked up an unfamiliar scent.

"I bet you anything that's Troy and Monty." Ellie guessed, cocking her head. "Troy squeals like a girl."

"Gelding in denial." Scott joked, impressed by Kia's unacknowledgement of the boys' greeting. "Well she hasn't freaked out just yet."

They had reached the gates to the field part of the course. It comprised three fields in total, stretching across the eastern side of Foaley's Law. The central field which they were entering now had a small warm-up paddock and several of the basic cross-country elements, some of which had been dismantled to Minis and Triers sizes for the riding school and liveries. With a "cluck" of his tongue Scott pushed Kia into a working trot, warming her up quickly through transitions and over a couple of the Triers fences.

Kia took the fog in her stride - her sudden refusals of the days before seemed to be reducing in number, as she settled more into Scott's way of riding. She took the basic log, hanging log, ditch, drop and palisade fences well before Scott moved onto harder work, jumping her through ditches and combinations. The last exercise was once again through a series of three narrow obstacles following a four-foot drop; but since Kia had no issue with drops, Scott was happy to omit it and address the more pressing issue.

Setting the skewbald mare up for the jump was easy enough - she was like a heat-seeking missile, except she sought jumps. Once you pointed her in the right direction, she knew what she had to do. Whether or not she did it depended on how bad you wanted to get over it.

"It's just a bit of fog. I promise the ground hasn't moved." Scott muttered to her. Ellie was sitting on the drop watching, camera at the ready. He prompted Kia with a leg aid and they cantered up to the first narrow - which she cleared. Scott breathed a sigh of relief as she popped the second - and hastily grabbed mane as she slammed the breaks on at the third, before spinning away to the right.

Ellie's cackle echoed around the foggy field. "Awwww he stayed on. That won't win me £250!!" She cried out, mock-annoyed, as he regained his seat and began circling again. He tapped Kia down her right shoulder as they went for the combo again, and, true to form, she jumped all three without a hitch.

Scott brought her back to walk. "Bloody mares!" He shouted back at Ellie, "That's why I ride stallions! They either like it or they don't!"

Back at the yard, with Kia untacked and wearing a cooler in her stable, Scott walked into the office to see Eleanor Morris attaching a fresh farrier's list to the corkboard. "Eleanor, how many horses would we have to sell before we got a new one?"

"More than we're selling at the moment. Why?" She asked, brusque and to the point, as usual.

He grinned wickedly. "Because when we do, we're getting a Zakharov Sports Horse."


Lol *Zarac, he loves her, really. She's made him want one ahaha.

You've Been Framed, BTW, is a humourous home-video show, where viewers send in funny clips of things that have happened to them, and if their clip is shown they win £250. We're always on the lookout with the horses for anything funny that we can videotape for YBF. £250!! I could buy so many cheap horsy things with that

ZM's Hyndla (c)
Scott, Ellie & Oak Hollow (c)
#HorseArt-RPG concept (c)