Almost two months since I last updated the news page! There is so much to say that has happened in the last couple of months that I have been very privileged to be a part of. Four major events that happened really, plus some great personal news!!

Monty Roberts Autumn Tour.

One of the reasons I haven’t updated my site is because of being on tour with Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks. Traveling the length and breadth of the UK on 15 tour dates which went from t-shirt weather to -3 degrees with snow!!!

I always joke about the fact that I have the best seat in the house, however, it really is true. When I am filming Monty and Kelly working with the horses, I get to witness their skills very close-up! The team that works with Kelly and Monty are also highly skilled horse folks. So, when you hear comments like “That was too easy” the reason behind it is there are collectively over 150 years of horse experience and more. They make it look easy, because they have trained well, and understand what the objectives are. Monty also talked about the future, and the launch of his online university next year, and that should now help answer the question “Where does all this film go?”.

There are other plans as well, and a lot of work is happening within Kelly’s organisation Intelligent Horsemanship. If you are a memeber of the “family” you’ll already know that there is a DVD coming to you as a Christmas present from IH. It’s been created by Kell’s in-house film and editing person Katie. Soem of it was previewed at this years Your Horse Live.

Your Horse Live.

On the first day of the show, the strains of Mission Impossible were played as IH and Monty took to the main arena. Again cameras where there to record this fascinating demonstration of horse loading from the experts. Not only that, but IH had a stand at the show, Monty and Kelly were mobbed on the day, not only by people wanting to get a signature, but also to talk to them and the Recommended Associates on the stand about horses! Books were bought, new members joined, and the DVD played throughout. Feedback was really positive, and the rest of the weekend continued in the same way.

Warhorse.

There are moments when you become involved in something that you know is quite staggering. There is a play in London called Warhorse. The national Theatre, where its held is quite an auspicious venue with wonderful people working within. Their job is to bring the written word to life in various ways, and Warhorse is a example of the finest art of this. I had the pleasure of joining Monty and Kelly (along with Kelly’s horse American Pie), in the theatre where they played to over 1100 people, onstage with the Warhorse of the show. If you are a member of IH we hope to bring an article with some pictures to you in the private members magazine Listening Post.

BHS - Oxford

Another watershed moment for all, when Patrick Print (Chairman of the BHS), Monty, and Kelly took questions from an audience of over 200 members at the BHS AGM. Cameras where agin there to record the moment, and a good time was had by all. Both Kelly and Monty enjoyed the evening, with questions ranging from their views on other clinicians to practices of working with horses!


......and finally!

IH members will know that I partner with Sue Brown, both in our horse work and lives. Well, we are on the move and will be taking up residence in another location. Sue’s feverish work on the Equine Body (having been the tour physio for Monty) is coming to a major turning point and we hope to bring some really good news through her website very soon. 2009 is fast approaching and there is so much more to come. Huge interest in my corporate training courses run with another colleague in East Sussex (www.eventhorizonuk.com), more planned film and photography projects, the release of a Equine Touch DVD for IETA in the UK........and......and.....A new series of large prints, and monochrome images!

.....time to breath................

Well, its Autumn, officially!

This means that I am now on tour with Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks until the second week of November across the UK.

I’ve already filmed the first night at Merrist Wood in Guildford, and now heading on to Hadlow in Kent (I think).

BUT, if you are a helper on the tour you can download a hi-res picture of you with Kelly and Monty from this site. Look on the menu on the side and you’ll see a page called Helpers.

Choose the date and download the picture or click here..

Thank you again for all your hard work on the night, as Monty says, “If we didn’t have helpers, we couldn’t put on the show!”

It has been a little crazy recently...

So much has been going on, and I haven't updated the site for a while and there is a whole bucket of new stuff for you to have a think about, look at, and read...

BBC Oxford - Lights, Camera, and action
About a month or two ago, Sue and I were invited to talk on BBC Radio Oxford's afternoon show. Sue (HHH) talked about her work with horses, the Intelligent Horsemanship Association, and us...ahhhhh! I spoke about the photography and filming, my love for horses, and .....us! OK..it won't get any worse than that, there won't be pictures of us, riding off into the sunset holding hands...we leave that to others!

But, as a follow-on from that, I was given the opportunity to talk with the Video Nations Editor, David, and ended up providing materials for a Video Diary. They also very kindly put some of my pictures on the site along with a link to this site. Visit the Links page and have a look...its probably the only time I'm going to jump in front of the camera! (You will need to install Real Player before watching the video or it won't work!)

Intelligent Horsemanship Association
If you are a current member of I.H. then you qualify for a general discount on my services, and also a special discount on the ITL Prints (see the Shop). I've heard rumours that very good things are happening in I.H. and over the coming months it's going to be doing some interesting things. Can't say anymore than that but....I'm excited!

Kelly Marks on tour
Kelly is back on the road again, or is that the saddle? She is touring in May with Pie, and Pie's little cousin Caesar. While I won't be on the whole tour, I will be around, taking photographs, maybe filming, and getting my hard working fiancee (oh yes.....that's something else to keep me busy!!) Sue, cups of coffee and chocolates of all descriptions. Sue's running the IH Members stand, so if you aren't a member, want my discounts, and have a tickets for the tour, then join!

Prints, calendar, and a book finally in the online shop
I'm really excited about this. I have finally got my backside in gear, and have got the shop live. There are ten prints to choose from right now, along with the 2009 Calendar which is an advance order option. BUT, if that wasn't enough, I have also put the first ITL Horses portfolio book on there as well. If you buy it, it will be personally signed, with a message to you (or whoever you are buying for).

BHS - Book of the Natural Horse
I've just found out that a few of my pictures were recently used in a new BHS book. It's been released this month!

Now breath!
That's it for now

Simon

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