H.C show production

05/08/2026

On Sunday 2nd August, the equestrian world lost a true legend.

Monty Roberts leaves behind a legacy that has improved the lives of countless horses by helping people better understand them. His belief that horses should be listened to, respected, and understood has influenced horse owners and trainers across the world and continues to shape horsemanship today.

Although I never had the privilege of meeting him, I was fortunate to learn so much through his books and demonstrations. His philosophy wasn't just about backing horses—it was about understanding how they think, learning to communicate with them, and building a relationship based on trust and respect.

Here at HC Show Production, many of our young horses are started using the Monty Roberts Dually and principles inspired by his methods. His work has had a genuine influence on the way we approach training and has helped shape the horsewoman I am today.

One of the greatest lessons I took from his work was to always look at the bigger picture. Instead of expecting a horse to simply do as we ask, take the time to understand why they respond the way they do and what they are trying to tell us.

Whilst his passing is incredibly sad, his legacy will live on through the millions of people he educated and the countless horses that have benefited because of it.

Thank you, Monty Roberts, for sharing your knowledge and encouraging generations of horsemen and women to see things from the horse's perspective.

Rest peacefully. 💙🐴

04/08/2026

🐴 Tuesday's Top Tip: Manage Your Expectations

One of the biggest lessons I've learnt is that we can't control every outcome with our horses.

It's easy to head to a show thinking, "I want to win." And of course we all do! We work incredibly hard preparing our horses, putting in the hours at home and hoping it all comes together on the day.

But horses are horses. They don't know they're supposed to perform perfectly, and they certainly don't read the schedule!

When I took Viola to her first show, my goal wasn't to come home with a red rosette. My goal was much simpler:

✅ Load well.
✅ Travel happily.
✅ Take everything in her stride.
✅ Come home having had a positive first experience.

Anything beyond that was a bonus.

Yes, she looked at a few things. Yes, she found parts of the day a little overwhelming. That's completely normal for a yearling experiencing a busy showground for the first time.

The fact she behaved so well, trusted me, and came home happy meant far more than any result.

Whether you're heading to your first dressage test, show, jumping competition or fun ride, try setting goals that are within your control. The results will take care of themselves over time.

💬 What's one expectation you've changed that made competing more enjoyable for you and your horse?

03/08/2026

✨ Vviola's First Show ✨

Where do I even begin? I'm still so incredibly proud of this little filly. ❤️

Last Wednesday, Vviola headed to Yealmpton Show for her very first outing, and she honestly couldn't have made me any prouder.

From the moment we got her ready the day before, she took everything in her stride. Bath time, plaiting and all the preparation was met with her usual willing attitude. She wasn't quite sure about having the plait nearest her ears done, but that's something we'll keep working on, and with every experience she'll only become more confident.

On show day, she loaded beautifully, travelled like a seasoned professional and stood patiently by the lorry while we got her ready. She took it all in her stride. The only thing she wasn't completely convinced by was the tannoy! She could hear it but couldn't quite work out where the loud voice was coming from. It was another new experience, and one she'll soon get used to with more outings.

Despite it being her very first show, Vviola went into a lovely class and won the NPS Show Pony Yearling. 🏆

She then went on to stand Reserve Champion in the NPS Show Pony & Hunter Pony Championship against some outstanding competition, including the eventual Champion, who has already qualified for HOYS this year.

The judge was so complimentary about Vviola, saying she has a very bright future ahead of her. Hearing those words meant such a lot and gives me even more excitement for what the future may hold.

With the heat being so intense, we made the decision to head home afterwards rather than ask any more of her. For a young pony at her first show, she'd done more than enough.

I had planned to share just a couple of photos... but I simply couldn't choose! Every picture captures just how beautifully she behaved and how much she enjoyed the day.

Breeding a pony is one thing, but standing in the ring with one you've bred yourself and watching them exceed every expectation is a feeling that's hard to put into words.

I'm so excited to see what the future holds for our beautiful Vviola. ❤️🐴

03/08/2026

A little throwback that popped up from this time last year... 🥹

Baby Vviola having the best time playing with her mum, Stitch. She had so much sass back then... and honestly, not much has changed! 😂💕

Now we can't wait to meet Stitch's next foal in 2027. Here's hoping they inherit just as much personality! 🤞🐴

02/08/2026

✨ Spiritual Sunday | Trust the journey, celebrate the moments. ✨

Yesterday was a solo mission for me and Pi at Tiverton Show, and as I reflect today, I'm reminded that success isn't always measured by the number of rosettes you bring home. Sometimes it's about the little victories that nobody else sees.

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone involved with Tiverton Show. Every single person was so friendly, welcoming and helpful, making it such a lovely day. It was a fantastic venue, and we'll certainly be adding it to our diary for next year.

Now, onto Pi... 💙

He loaded beautifully, travelled impeccably both there and back, and I couldn't have asked for more from a young yearling.

✨ Our results:
🏅 1st Best Purebred/Part-bred Arab (Any Age)
🌟 Best Yearling
🏅 1st Best Foreign & World Breeds
🏅 1st Best Youngstock
🌟 Best Yearling

But the moments I'm proudest of weren't the wins.

Between classes we had to wait around in the lorry park, something Pi finds quite stressful. He called a little and found it difficult to settle at first, but he never became naughty or difficult. Instead, we took our time, let him eat his breakfast, practised standing up, and quietly worked through it together.

In the Best Foreign & World Breeds class, he was the youngest in the line-up. During the stand-up there were ponies jumping behind us, which was understandably far more interesting than standing still! Yet he still tried his heart out.

By the time we went into the Best Youngstock class, everything had clicked. His stand-up was relaxed and confident, his trot felt effortless, his tail was proudly over his back, and he showed everyone the quality and movement I know he has.

To take a yearling to a busy show on my own and watch him grow in confidence with every class is incredibly rewarding. The results were simply the icing on the cake.

This is your reminder that progress isn't always instant. Growth comes from patience, consistency, and showing up even when things aren't perfect. Every experience teaches us something, and every small step forward is worth celebrating.

I'm so incredibly proud of Pi and grateful to Aljobe Arabians for entrusting me with such a special young horse. Here's to many more adventures together. 💙🐴

Happy Spiritual Sunday. Take a moment today to appreciate how far you've come, even if you're not quite where you want to be yet. Sometimes the journey is the greatest achievement of all. ✨

01/08/2026

Home at last... 🏡❤️

Yesterday, lovely RV Jalal left for his new home after finding his perfect match just before the Nationals.

For a two-year-old, he couldn't have been better. He loaded beautifully, travelled all the way from Devon to his new home on a large nine-horse lorry by himself, and took the whole journey in his stride. On arrival, he calmly walked into his new field and within minutes was happily grazing as though he'd always been there.

Receiving updates like this is always the best part of helping horses find their new homes, and we're so pleased to hear that both Jalal and his new owner are settling in so well. We wish them every happiness together. 💙

If you're looking for your next Arabian, we'd love to help. We usually have a selection of quality horses available, mainly youngstock and unbacked horses, but we also occasionally know of ridden Arabs looking for new homes. We can also help source other breeds through our network.

📩 Get in touch if you're searching for your next equine partner—we may have just the horse you're looking for.

31/07/2026

🐴 Did you know you can improve your horse's bend with just a few ground poles?

Pole work isn't only about lifting the feet—it's a fantastic way to encourage flexibility, balance and body awareness.

In today's exercise, we're using:
✔️ A straight line of poles to establish a calm, even rhythm.
✔️ A gentle curved line to encourage correct bend through the body.
✔️ A simple zigzag pathway to help the horse soften, change bend and pay attention to the handler's direction.

The aim isn't to rush through the exercise. Walk with purpose, give your horse time to think, and allow them to find their balance.

These exercises are suitable for horses of all ages and abilities and can be adapted depending on your horse's confidence and experience.

💬 Have you ever used poles to improve bend? I'd love to hear what exercises work well for you!

30/07/2026

📏 Are your poles helping your horse… or making the exercise harder than it needs to be?

One of the biggest factors in successful pole work is correct pole spacing.

If the poles are too close together, your horse may shorten their stride, become unbalanced or lose confidence. Too far apart, and they may stretch, rush or struggle to stay in rhythm.

A good starting guide is:

🐴 Walk: 0.8–1.0m (2½–3¼ft)
🐴 Trot: 1.2–1.5m (4–5ft)
🐴 Canter: 2.7–3.3m (9–11ft)

⚠️ These are only starting points. Every horse is different. A pony, an Arabian and a large warmblood will all have different natural strides, so don't be afraid to adjust the distances to suit your individual horse.

The aim is for your horse to travel through the poles in a relaxed, balanced rhythm without having to chip in an extra stride or overreach.

Remember, pole work isn't about making your horse fit the poles—it's about setting the poles up to help your horse succeed.

💬 Do you measure your poles every time, or do you adjust them by feel? Let me know in the comments!

💾 Save this post for your next pole work session.

29/07/2026