Life on the yard

Although Piggy has a packed schedule of competitions, there are days on the yard when all the schooling and hard work goes in to produce the horses so that they can perform at the best of their ability, whatever their level. When not competing or training the horses Piggy is also in demand for giving lectures and demonstrations all over the country.

Piggy describes a typical day at home:

We are up and on the yard for 7am. We have more than 30 horses in at the moment so plenty to feed and muck out. This is usually done by about 8.30 when we stop for half an hour for breakfast.

I write a work list so everyone knows which horses are doing what, and who needs tacking up first. The team spend the mornings getting the horses ready, and then washing them off after I have worked them.

I school the horses all morning. Monday is usually the quietest day – but not always… and I aim to get the riding done by around 2pm, after which we stop for lunch.

We turn the horses out for at least an hour a day, more if we can, and they are regularly taken out for a hack. The hacking round here is good and it keeps the horses fresh. The day after a competition a horse will go on the walker for a bit and then out to graze. We have seven paddocks which we make the most of.

The afternoons vary. I may continue schooling, and sometimes I teach – although not as much as perhaps I should – or occasionally I go to look at horses. Manes and tails have to be pulled, the school harrowed and the fields poo-picked.

It’s the end of the day before you know it – not much time to think about anything except horses.

Piggy’s business has grown substantially over the past few years. To ensure everything runs smoothly she has appointed Sara Fowler as her Business Manager; not only to deal with the day to day running of the business, but also to expertly handle all matters associated with publicity including PR, lectures, demonstrations, appearances, etc – leaving Piggy free to do what Piggy does best! Sara’s details can be found on the Contact page.