Rackham - 27 June 2015

Great event always seems nearer then it is. Just Penny and Bea on the Saturday. I was hoping Bea wasn't going to be as clumsy with the hot weather we had. We did improve our dressage with 30.8 just feels a little tight at times and needs to relax. I would say show jumping is her stronger point, but we had two down, Brian Lear built a very good course which coursed a few problems and plus I didn't have many brakes, I think a bit change is in order!!!  Cross country we had a hairy moment at the sunken road, we had to jump down and out over a skinny - it wasn't quite straight forward as that. We jumped to the left out to the right and crikey we’ve got to turn left to the skinny! We got around inside the time just missing out on placings.

Penny had a 30.8 showing I was very consistent in the dressage! We went ahead and jumped our best double clear coming 6th.

Next stop will be Brightling only 15 minutes down the road - yay!!!! I will have three horses in the BE100 Ollie, Bea and Mouse. I’ve been asked to be the Guinea Pig for the CIC*  dressage test. Will have to take one of the dressage divas but not sure who Madam or Poppy???!

Farley Hall - 20 June 2015

Farley Hall

A new event for me so wasn't sure what to expect. It was a very long drive up there. It was a lovely venue, the XC course was lovely bold BE100 course with a few questions to ask. This was our first BE100 together with Mouse and Ollie was doing the BE100plus. Mouse started us off with a 28 dressage - we haven't gone over the 30 mark with her yet, showing she is very consistent. Her SJ is her weakest point I changed her bit during the week, which I don't normally like to do just before an event but she jumped so much better at home, and it proved it worked with the best round she has done going clear. Cross country she was clear inside the time, we took one long route at the trakehner as she was a little sticky at the open ditch palisade, so played safe. We did get inside the time, which I didn't think we would have done. Mouse will be heading to Brightling next.

Ollie had a 29 dressage he just lets me down on the walk, we had to do extended walk across the diagonal. Doing medium walk is hard enough, extended, no chance! He made up for it by doing a foot perfect clear SJ round and feeling great XC, we also took the long route at the trakehner so tried to make up my time in between but didn't need to having 4 penalties for going too fast (ollie never goes too fast) it was a very easy time to get. They were both in the placings Ollie 5^th and Mouse  7th. Worth the long drive there!

Berkshire College - 13 June 2015

Just the two at Berkshire College as Ollie (Cullawn Warrior) got balloted and Mouse (Cavaliers Molly Moot) had to be withdrawn due to having a cough. So just the two girls Galwaybay Timberlina (Bea) and Doucette Du Seigneur (Penny). Bea was doing her first BE100 and Penny doing her first with me. I thought BCA would be a good course to start off with. There were quite a few skinnies and combination so more technical than big and bold. Penny scored another great dressage of 26 and just had the one fence down and clear XC inside the time made it feel easy. We came 2nd on a score of 30.

Penny

Bea had a 34.8 which wasn't too bad as we had a stumble out of the arena and nearly fell over in front of the judge! Such a clumsy horse at times! We had 4 faults SJ and a super clear XC and inside the time just coming inside the placings for 9th.

Mattingley (UA) - 5 June 2015

Mattingley unaffiliated ODE

Dressage divas this time, they were hanging up their posh white boots for the day and turning into event horses. Entered Madam into the 80 this time just to give her a confident round across the XC, she has only started XC jumping this year so it might take a little time. We started off great this time with a dressage score of 26 a lot calmer than Munstead being first time on grass, so I was really happy with the mark. Show jumping she was on form feeling like she wanted to go XC. She jumped clear, was worried she was not going to respect them as I moved her up to 1.10 BSJA so looked very small. Warming up XC was a lot better and went flying out the start box until we got past number two she wasn't too sure going through the scary woods to get to the next field but after that we was on our way with a few spooks at fence judges and people walking by. We just had the one step back at the water giving us 20 penalties which was a real shame but straight through the second water and we finished missing out on 2nd place, really happy to finish and she felt great.

Ruby who I ride for Anne Clarke also did the 80cm we had a much improved dressage of 31 and clear show jumping but had a disappointing stop at number 4 just went a bit green with lots of things to look at by the fence. Always another day and she’s coming on well.

Poppy was in the 90 scoring another fab dressage of 25 and clear SJ going around like a pro but XC caught us out. She felt super jumping across country just need to keep practising going into boggy wet puddles! It was a shame but that's horses for you! I feel she and Madam will make great event horses but it just going to take time and they’re all the better for it when they’re given the time. Their next events will be BD and BSJA shows until another unaffiliated ODE comes up.

Poppy, Kirsty, Madam and Peanut with Kate O'Mara's (Poppy and Madam's owner) Mum!

Borde Hill - 30-31 May 2015

Borde Hill

Last time I was at Borde Hill I had a trip to the hospital in an Ambulance!  Very wired to be back competing a year on from my accident.

Early start with three horses, Kirsty and I set off at 6.30 am having mucked out all the others on the yard first. We always stop for diesel  every event we go to and to refill ourselves, I think we are becoming regulars at the local garages! Always stop for a latte and breakfast food - keeps me going all day!

Walked the BE90 course, it was looking quite tough for a 90 track. A few people were asking me how I would  ride the corner combination which was a skinny flower box, 4 strides to a very skinny corner - you could either go around the tree or inside which I took, it looked a lot more straight forward and saved time.

Mouse aka Cavaliers Molly Moot was first to start the girl power. We had a great dressage of 25, two down SJ which is her weakest phase but we are going to take her out more and do some BSJA. She did a super clear XC coming 5th.

Bea didn't have a bad dressage of 30.5 even with a big stumble.  Followed up with a super double clear coming 2nd! The optimum time was really hard to get. We got 1.6 time faults and I was kicking on. Never had to chase a time that fast at a 90 before only three got around in the time!

Ollie was set to do the BE100 at the end of the day. We had a 30 dressage and followed by another super double clear wouldn't expect anything less from Ollie! I was a little worried about the water jump. We had a log then down into the water turn left handed to a drop down into water. But what was I worrying about he jumped in perfect, I should have been more worried about hitting that duck again!!

Great weekend with such amazing horses I get to ride. Thank you to all my owners for letting me ride them. Couldn't do all this without my little team especially Kirsty who comes out with me every weekend and getting up at stupid o’clock.