The start of the 2018 season has definitely NOT gone to plan for a lot of people this year! I have not known a winter like it, and a do NOT want to see another one for a very long time!
We were all set and ready to go to Tweseldown when I got THE text the every one dreads “ABANDONED”. Sadly this only started a trend for the beginning of my season.
Gatcombe = ABANDONED
South of England = ABANDONED
Goring = ABANDONED
I was not going to let this ‘dampen’ my spirits; and therefore had a plan B each time. We headed to Brendon Stud for some dressage after Tweseldown was cancelled competing in a Novice and Elementary test; coming 2nd and 3rd respectively. I was pleased with this considering Finley had minimal turn out the last few weeks.
Our next detoured show was at Felbridge for some showjumping in the SNOW! We competed in the 1.05 and the Newcomers where he flew round our biggest course to date going clear in the 1.20m jump off. Our winter of preparation had started to pay off.
After Gatcombe cancelled we headed for another weekend of dressage and showjumping. First stop was Brendon stud where we came 2nd in the Novice, and 4th with a disappointing score in the Ele.
We then headed to Coombelands on the Sunday for the 1.05m and Newcomers where he jumped to brilliant rounds. (Video below)
Our eventing season FINALLY got off to a start at Chilham Horse Trials at the end of April. This was far from ideal as I knew how testing, and atmospheric it could be there but such is life!
We were incredibly lucky to get the run at Chilham as the weather was horrendous! I was competing in very soggy conditions but the event team did a fab job with the ground. Finley had been waiting for this moment for two months and he certainly stepped up to the occasion. A lovely calm dressage test followed by one pole showjumping, and a speedy clear to land us fifth place in our first event of 2018! I couldn’t have asked for a better start and definitely worth the wait.
Our next run was in the 100cm at Tweseldown as I was unsure how he was going to cope with the Novice run at Chilham.
The weather couldn’t have been more different, but Finley stepped up to the occasion again with a lovely dressage, double clear, and yet another fifth place!
We then stepped back up to Novice at Borde Hill on the May Bank Holiday Monday. The ground was extremely hard and testing with the show jumping course causing lots of issues.
We pulled out another consistently good dressage. We had a few poles show jumping but I was pleased to get around considering the carnage that followed! The cross country course was quite tough, and I was nervous but he flew round making it seem effortless. I should never doubt him! We accrued a few time faults but I wasn’t going to push him on the ground. We finished just outside the top ten which I was really pleased with.
Finley’s most recent outing was to BCA Horse Trials to compete in the Novice class.
Despite looking after Finley to the best of my ability he came away from Borde Hill with a bruised sole in one leg and cellulitis in another! He has been having five star treatment in order for him to compete.
He performed a pleasing dressage (although I know it could of been much better!) To be lying third going into the showjumping phase.
The jumping was a lot more fluent and effortless compared to Borde Hill; but he had a naughty moment which resulted in knocking the first part of the double and costing us the clear round we so nearly had! However all was forgiven as he stormed round the cross country course clear within the time for FOURTH place! This qualified us for the Corinthian Cup held at Gatcombe as part of the Festival of British Eventing; so I am now going to be practicing hard until then.
NELSON
Nelson turned 27 in April and to celebrate I took him eventing to Munstead Horse Trials.
His face was so happy all day, and so was mine as this was the first time out eventing this season.
He bounced his way to a 32 dressage and double clear to come second! He loved being out eventing so much that we plan to head to Tweseldown for their next unaffiliated horse trials.
RANSOM
Ransom has finished qualifying for the Petplan Area Festivals at both Advanced Medium and PSG.
However his last outing to Pachesham was quite frustrating. He warmed up beautifully performing every movement; but as soon as he went in the arena he became quite unresponsive.
The movements he did perform well were marked highly which was one positive from the whole experience!
I decided to head for lesson with our trainer Robbie Carpenter in prep for our first Area Festival and he gave me some great advice to help with Ransom. I have been putting this into practice at home and so far it seems to be working!
We headed to our first Area Festival at Pachesham to compete in the Advanced Medium class. Although we obtained our qualification to compete at the finals our test was still far from perfect with a few very expensive mistakes.
Ransom is now on competition boot camp so they we cant start to develop the work he finds so easy in the warm, in training and at home!
IN OTHER NEWS
Easter week saw me teaching for me old pony club ‘Petersfield’ at their Mini and Novice clinics. These were a great few days teaching two great groups of girls who improved so much in a short space of time. I am going back to teach Junior camp in the summer for the second year.
I also have had the pleasure of riding two young horses as they start their eventing careers with two girls I instruct.
The first is Ramona. A seven-year-old Warmblood cross who is owner by Georgina. I took to her first event at Munstead Horse Trials. She is incredibly green and very wobbly; but the more she is being expose to the better she becomes.
We were lying 4th after the dressage and went clear show jumping. Sadly; the water jump was far too scary and ended our cross-country round. She has since been back through the water and is now much braver at getting her feet wet at different venues.
Then there is Travis. A six year old Connemara who is owned by Helena. He is starting his training from scratch and is coping pretty well at the moment.
I took him to his first dressage competition held at Belmoredean. This was a big ask for him as not only was it indoors – they were both long arena tests. He did everything I asked and managed to come away with two rosettes in a large class! His next outing will be to the unaffiliated horse Trials at Tweseldown in a few weeks time.
LASTLY…. I had decided it was about time I could drive myself around in the horsebox; and so I have been secretly beavering away with revision and lessons. I am pleased to announce that I passed my test FIRST TIME!
NO HOLDING ME BACK NOW!
LG Eventing and Dressage 