Ginny Howe
29 Mar 2026
Not exactly the start to 2026 I had hoped for!
Braving the elements through the winter, with the excitement of the 2026 event season fast approaching and lots of plans taking shape.
There have been plenty of British show jumping outings with some very talented jumpers and an exciting little string of horses to campaign. Not to mention the homebreds, who are coming along nicely as they head into their five-year-old year, while the four-year-olds are starting to learn what ridden life is all about!
But, as we all know, equine life can be somewhat of a rollercoaster. The resilience it takes to get through the cold, wet and mud of winter seems totally worth it when there’s a new season on the horizon, lovely horses and owners, and some beautiful events to look forward to.
Well, at least I got one event under my belt — and what a way to start!
CHANUCK Z – OASBY BE100
A fun run for my super stallion Tommy. The long drive was totally worth it as he led from start to finish on his dressage score of 28.
Coming home with the WIN!!
Things then started to unravel somewhat…
A few weeks before Oasby, I got kicked by a young horse on my elbow. Quick reactions meant I managed to protect my face, but my elbow got the brunt of the impact.
At the time, I thought it was nothing too serious other than some bruising, so I carried on with the show jumping and, of course, Oasby. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be getting any better, so a trip for an X-ray was needed.
The result? A broken elbow and a damaged ulnar nerve.
Surgery was needed, followed by enforced time off — which, unsurprisingly, did not go down well!
Friends, Family and Support
Thankfully, I am so unbelievably lucky to have had so much support from wonderful friends, family and fellow riders.
In particular, Roberto Scalisi, a very close friend of mine, put his competition boots back on and kindly took up the ride on my stallion, Chanuck Z.
The other horses all remained in work, schooling and training, but it was important for Tommy to continue what he had started. He really needed those miles on the clock to help make the step up to 2*.
Bert and Tommy have built a wonderful partnership and have already clocked up a number of wins and double clears.
It makes me incredibly proud watching them, and I can't wait to see what happens next!
