Hickstead - BD Masters - 9 April 2014

Can you believe I've never been to Hickstead to ride or spectate?!  So I was very excited to compete there with Madam and Poppy who are owned by Kate Woodhouse. 

Poppy was entered for two Prelim tests and Madam for two Novice tests. This is my first year doing British Dressage and really enjoying it - this was my third BD competition with the girls 

It was a early start leaving at 6.45 am but had to do all the horses at home before we left. Luckily I had my mum and Kirsty  to help and both horses were plaited the night before. I always plait the horses the night before if I have an early time. To make sure the plaits stay in I use Lycra hoods which cover their neck and face and they keep them stain free. Thank you to my sponsors Dragonfly Saddlery and pets for supplying them.  I've had them for well over a year now, they were particularly handy when taking Corby out competing and to the BRC Dressage Championships as greys show all the stains! At £31.99 for the version I have it really does save me a lot of time and means that I get an extra half an hour in bed which helps when it's a really early start!

The first test was at 9 am with Popstar first to go. I was lucky not get eliminated - I left Poppy's boots on, which the very nice judge told me. First test we scored 67% and the second Prelim we scored 70% she won both her classes. I was so pleased with her - a very grown up Poppy!

Popstar - Photos Spidge Photography

Madam was next we scored 64.11% in her first Novice test we had rein back which I've only just started teaching her. We won the the restricted section and 4th overall. 

The second test felt a lot more relaxed we improved by scoring 67.41% and came 6th overall and 2nd in our restricted section.

Swanky (Madam) - Photos Spidge Photography

A very good day with the two beautiful black mares!

Munstead - 23 March 2014

Munstead was my first BE event of the season and it was very exciting to be out again! 

With all the wet weather we have had,I didn't think it would run but the ground was perfect. 

A big thank you to all the organises and volunteers for all the hard work that went into organising and running it - it's always a great event.  

Holly and Ollie the two mature horses were off to Munstead for their first run, wanted to give Holly a nice first run at BE100 level just to build her confidence up. She lost her confidence back in 2010 at Houghon Hall where we did our first CCI**  I think it was a bit too much too soon. She started stopping a lot after that which was most uncharacteristic as she's so bold XC. So I took the decision to bring her back down to BE100 and Novice level to give her time to find her feet again. 

Good first run though scoring a 32.5 dressage even with her not doing her medium walk (jig jogging - a particular Holly trait!). I try and calm her working her in before the dressage the problem Holly has is she's so keen on the jumping phase quite a lot depends on where the dressage arena is situated in relation to the showjumping and XC course!  

Holly and Ollie at the lorry

Holly waiting patiently at the SJ arena!

Holly in action SJ

We had a fab clear showjumping and were walking back to the lorry when the heavens opened (a hail storm) it looked like we had snow! 

Hail storm - looked like a layer of snow!!

There's no way you can really prepare yourself being caught in a hailstorm competing.  I've ridden in terrible wind and rain many times but can't say I've been in too many hail storms whilst competing the horses.

We then went cross country and she did a fab clear however I had no brakes! 

Ollie was in the BE100+ he had a 35.5 dressage and clear show jumping.  We were all warmed up ready to go XC in the start box the red light went off to stop the course as another hail storm started. So glad I wasn't out on course at the time!  Ollie had a fab clear but being a little sticky over the ditches. This is something that I'll be working on with him XC schooling.  Through the season I tend to try to go XC schooling at least every other week.  It's really important to help the horses and not just expect them to perform at events, they need help in between to make sure their confidence is at the right level.

Ollie - held at the start box XC because of the hail!

Overall good start to the season and two pink rosettes (5th) both ending up double clear and finishing on their dressage scores.

The next event  will be South of England, Holly in the Open Novice and Ollie BE100. 

Lots of practising in between off to Pyecombe this weekend 5th & 6th April and Nick Turner clinic Tuesday 8th April. I've been finding Nick's clinics really beneficial, Nick is the High Performance Manager for Eventing Ireland and it's great to be able to have someone so experienced nearby holding clinics.

New Year roundup!

My blog is well over due sorry everyone - it's been a busy winter but that shouldn't be a excuse!!

Had a lovely Christmas spending it with the whole family and it was even more special being Oscar’s first Xmas!  He got spoilt rotten and so did mummy who got a gorgeous pair of diamond earrings from Daddy.

No rest for me over Christmas just had one day off from riding and took a few out Boxing Day for a lovely hack. Then it was back getting the horses ready for a dressage competition on 28th December at Bodiam.

I took three young/ new horses out which I've got in for schooling, Bea who is owned by Jamie Flint and Poppy and Madam who are owned by Kate Woodhouse.

This was Bea’s first ever event she had a 61% in the first prelim test and came 8th then she improved by scoring 63% in the second test.

 Bea jumping at home

Poppy was going so well in the warm up so relaxed, and just got a little unsettled in the test scoring 62%. Madam was 3rd in the novice test scoring 64% with a few naughty parts in the test!

Madam jumping at home

I also rode Shane Carter’s Irish Draught stallion, Carraig Donovan (Donni), he is such a lovely horse who has a very kind temperament. He hasn't done a lot of dressage and the first time I rode him was a few days before the competition, he came 2nd with 70%!

Handsome Donni or is it Corby?!

All in all a great day but something had to go wrong... Our lorry broke down a mile from home grrrr but a very kind farmer with his brand new John Deere tractor rescued the Dragonfly Wagon and towed her back home so a late night!

 Farmer in shining armour!

New year!!

No box to start the new year. Shane took me out to Felbridge for the combined training I took Juno and Shane took two of her’s Donni and Esther. Juno and Donni were in the 90 and Esther in the BE100. Donni won the 90cm on his dressage score of 30. Juno, who hadn't been out for a very long time, had a good dressage of 33 and a few down SJ - just a little keen!

Esther came 6th on her dressage score of 32 a very competitive section.

Next stop was Golden Cross BSJA with Esther, Ollie and Holly.

A 4 faults day for Esther in the 1.05 and took her into her first 1.10 just had the one down in the jump off. Still very happy how she jumped a complete star!

Holly was 3rd in the 1.05 and Ollie the pro was 2nd in the 1.10!

Back to Felbridge at the end of February with Juno who was 3rd with 27 dressage and one down.  Poppy 5th with 33.5 and clear SJ and Bea 33.5 and one down.  Very pleased with all of them!

The lovely Poppy 5th at Felbridge Combined training!

Horses signed up and registered BE ready for Munstead in a few weeks – can’t wait!!

South of England – 28 September 2013

SOE is one of my favourite events. I took Ollie & Holly again but this time Holly was entered for open novice.

Holly had a year off last year trying to put her into foal that did happen but instead I fell pregnant!! So she has had longer off then expected.

I started the season off in July and started her off Open BE100, last event of the season I decided to do novice, and hopefully the start of next season going Novice.

Early start 8:00 am dressage on Ollie, we did an average test of 32 and double clear, I thought there were a lot of questions to ask XC for a BE100 but no problem for Ollie (the show jumper!) he came 1^st finishing on just his dressage score.

I was pleased with Holly's test of 30.5, we had 4 faults show jumping and a lovely clear XC (finishing 17^th), I’ve not competed at novice level in a year, I was so happy to get around and clear. It's so nice being back on my lovely mare hopefully be back doing Intermediate and International classes next year.

Now on the agenda will be BSJA with Holly, Ollie and JJ (Cullawn Royale), Dressage and Combined Training. I’m hoping to do 1.30m classes with Ollie, he’s already qualified for 1.15m second rounds.

The horses will only have a week off this year when I'm away in Dubai as they have only done half a season. 

Wearing my lovely Charles Owen AYR8 hat from Dragonfly Saddlery (www.dragonflysaddlery.co.uk).  I wear it now for both dressage and showjumping as it's so smart!

Munstead - 22 September 2013

I had my dressage at 11.00 am on Holly so didn't need to leave until 7.45 am which was nice and not quite such an early start!

After I had done my dressage on Ollie (he had a 32 dressage) at midday we had a few hours to spare before I showjumped, so we walked the course and saw two rider falls! The course was causing a few problems especially at fence 15 a roll top with a ditch underneath. This was the fence I thought Ollie might have a look at!

I showjumped Ollie first and he did a super clear. XC we went clear taking one longer route at the water, instead of jumping the step down in water (where we have fallen twice didn't fancy a third time getting wet!) he jumped number 15 perfect with big encouragement from me!!

Holly was a star and went double clear and winning her section with a dressage of 25, Ollie came 2nd in his section so it was a good day. Thanks to my groom Kirsty for making them look pretty!!

Ollie on the XC jumping the roll top!