As a bit of a last minute decision or perhaps a quarter life crisis, I decided to pack up and head to Canada for a couple of months. 30 hours later travelling I arrived and so far I have survived the first week. I am at John Jaimeson's stable in Petersbourgh, Ontario. I met John when I rode for NZ at Spruce Meadows for the Inter-Pacific PC Championships, John was the coach for the Canadian Team. Here we have around 40 horses. Several are used for the riding school, others are clients that board and train here and then a few sales horses too. The riding school situation seems to be a little different here, the clients all seem to be more established riders than beginners. A good way for people to ride without the work and cost of owning a horse. A lot of horses are also leased here for time periods, and it seems a lot of money to lease the horses! But a great way for riders to get experience on top quality horses.

So a typical day here for me is, I start at 9am (earlier if we have a show obviously) and I usually ride 7-9 horses during the day. The horses are aged from 5 years plus. I ride most of the sales horses and then a few of the client horses or leased horses. My favourite so far is a grey mare called Levi by Levisto, a very sharp jumper who I would quite like to bring home.

My first cold morning in Canada, 1 degree!  Really happy Horze and B-Vertigo kitted me out in warm clothes before I left. Poor Levi is not looking impressed
 
Today we are leaving for the first show Palgrave not to far from the farm and where we will base for 3 weeks. We are taking I think 11 horses with us and 4 people John, the two grooms Suzanne and Carolyn and myself.
 
So far I am loving the experience but not so much the cold! We have had some stunning warm t-shirt weather until yesterday where I struggled at 1 degree. Anyone that knows me knows I am not good in the cold so when the girls here told me the weather can get to -40 in the winter I thought I better harden up. I don't think I can even comprehend how cold that would be! I have experience -16 previously in Canada a few years ago and that was bad enough.
 
I will try and keep a blog going so people that want to can follow what I am up to. Hopefully I will get a Canadian sim card so I can keep some internet access and contact to the rest of the world.
 
First Canadian goal: See a moose (set in motion 11 years ago, more on this next blog)