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On Wednesday it was an early start to drive up to West Wilts for the BE90 regional final. We arrived without getting lost (mainly thanks to the satnav function on my iPhone!) which gave me enough time to jog round the XC course which i’m sure amused a few jump judges.
First off was the dressage. we had a very good lesson the night before which filled me with hope for a good test. Although the test itself felt good it seems it was one of those where it was almost but not quite as we ended up on 37.5 and near last after dressage although also only 6 marks behind the leaders. Infact the whole section was within 8 penalties so very very close.

Next to the SJ, the warm up was very busy at first which Fleur didn’t like but we waited a little longer then warmed up to jump a nice clear.

Lastly to the XC in general it was fairly soft with the only major questions being a step on and off (with a stride in between) on an angle to a skinny a stride after,  and also a up to height skinny brush 2 strides out from an in the shade water.  We flew round though with no issues and well inside the time even though I took a few checks late on knowing we would otherwise be heading for too fast penalties.

Although we finished on our dressage score being a regional final the standard was high and over half the section also jumped double clears. We did though climb up to finish 16th (15th same score but closer to optimum time.)

Chuffed to bits with her although shame not to qualify.

After 3 successful intro (BE90) runs I made the decision to try a step up to prenovice (BE100) at winkleigh.

Walked the course on Saturday and thought it was fairly meaty with a few decent questions with lots of steps up and down, 2 ditches and two offset doubles although one was separetly numbered.

Sunday was the day of the competition and a very early 5am start. Dressage first as always which was a good solid test although I could feel her pelvis out again which effected the transistions. Was pleased with a score of 34 which left us 6th after dressage.

Next on to sj. Personay I thought the course was nice but it was causing chasos early on with poles flying everywhere! Fleur was jumping well but only if kept her quite collected. Went in and jumped a good round infct the first clear but unfortunately 3 time faults.

Lastly the xc. I had made the decision not to push her as the ground was very firm and so we were having an educational run. As said the course was testing but she took everything in her stride and finished with a good clear. We picked up 14 time penalties which pushed us from 3rd to 15th which of course is disappointing but I was so pleased with her attitude especially as in season. Give us some better ground when i can push for the time and we should be competitive which is my aim.

Well me and Fleur are in print. Does that make us famous?! Probably not!

But yes if interested we are in the results section of the June 17th issue of Horse and Hound for our Moreton result. We also have a 5 page article in the July issue of HORSE magazine (available 24th June) which is from our masterclass with Lucy Wiergsma. Some great photos if you ignore my face!!

Well yesterday was our third intro and also our last chance to qualify for the grassroots regional finals. Thankfully the secretary had given us nice late times so we set off at 9:30 to arrive just under three hours later giving me chance to jog round the xc course before I started.

By the time I got on for the dressage it was starting to get very hot (forecast was for chilly and wet!) and the flies were out in force. Fleur started head shaking really rather badly due to the flies and all hopes of a decent dressage were rapidly departing. But warmed up as best as I could and went across to the arena where she thankfully stopped shaking and settled down even after another horse nearly deposited it’s rider at the side of the arena! The test was good in general although I don’t think she is quite right through her back so some of the canter was a bit stuffy in places. We were given 31.5 penalties (68.5%) and were lying 4th after dressage.

Next moved on to the sj where we got a good clear other than fence 4 where a disagrement about striding meant Fleur ending up helping me out big style and climbed over the fence to leave it upright. But we were clear and that’s what matters!!

Lastly onto the xc which was a fair test and quite hilly in places so a good test of her fitness. Flew round the course although slight brake failure on hill down to water but brought her back to walk in time and slowly edged into water but importantly didn’t stop or step back. Rest of course she just flowed round and finished well. It turned out we finished 24 seconds under the time, whoops!

After walking and washing her off and leaving her happily chomping away on her hayledge we went to the score boards. I knew I had gone into third after my xc but over half the section was still to go and I didn’t know how good my dressage was in comparison with the rest of the section. A quick glance showed only one rider could move ahead of me so I was guarunteed 4th but after a long wait that person retired xc so we were 3rd.

Understandably over the moon with that result especially as it means we are now qualified for he grassroots regionals. Next event is the beginning of July where we will step up to prenovice at winkleigh. In the meantime the chiro is coming this week to give Fleur the once over.

Sunday saw our second BE event, again at Intro level, this time at Pontispool.

I have been working hard over the last few weeks since Stockland Lovell on our dressage and in particular focusing on getting Fleur to really engage her hind quarters and round through her back especially in the canter.

We went in for our test having again worked in well and performed what I felt was a cracking test.  The only way I could really fault her was that I had over collected her slightly for the level of test (so her fault not mine), and that in the walk I didn’t go for an all out stretch so to prevent her from jogging which she was threatening but she was soft and forward especially through the trot and canter work. Unfortunately though the judge didn’t seem to agree and awarded us 37.5 (62.5%), but reading the test sheet it is almost but not quite as if he was watching a different test. The judge said she was tense and not working forwards and also said she bucked into one of the canter transistions. well I can happily say she wasn’t tense and she was working forwards into my hand and she most certainly did not buck (I would hope I would have noticed if she had ), therefore will be chalking that test up to experience, I was pleased how she went so we will ignore the judge’s comments! :p

Next was the Showjumping, the course shall we just say was small and Fleur had no respect for it at all and was bouncing and pulling me round. She jumped a bit too flat over the planks and as they were the upside down cups there is no lip so the tiniest touch and they fall so we finished on 4 penalties. Disappointing as she is normally so careful showjumping but just confirmed she needs bigger fences to concentrate on what she is jumping rather than what is going on around her!

Lastly on to the XC, the majority of the course was nice and inviting and not too large, although there was a decent trakenher at 4 followed by a double of brushes on a 90 degree turn at 5. There was also a big question at the first water which had 4 parts so a big ask at intro.

She was jumping round really well and we were at a quicker speed in attempt to get rid of those time penalties. She popped the trakenher, brushes and water without issue when we then approached fence 10 an innocuous brush fence. On approach but still a fair way out she suddenly ground to a halt and shot sideways which at first I couldn’t understand. I then spotted that in the direct line after the fence was a photographer hiding in the long grass. I fairly loudly made a point that she was spooking at the photographer not the fence at which point he dropped his camera down from his face, Fleur realised he was human and went forward again jumping the fence with no issues and continuing round the rest of the course in style. I would say we easily wasted 10-15 seconds at the fence, so to find out we were 11 seconds over the time (so 4.4 time penalties) I was in a way pleased as it meant had we not had the photographer issue we would have been pretty much bang on the time.

Unfortunately those time penalties did cost us a place as without them we would have been 9th with we were 14th. Without the pole down and the time penalties we would have been 5th. So we were very close to a placing yet again but even our final result was a good one and I came away very pleased with her behaviour, even if she could have slowed down in the showjumping!

If you click the below link you can see the professional photos taken by Jayphotos.

JayPhotos.co.uk pontispool Pro pics link!

So onwards and upwards now, next weekend we are off to Moreton again for the intro and if that goes well we will move up to Prenovice at Winkleigh at the beginning of July.

Well we have done it, I can now call myself an eventer after completing my first Intro (BE 90) competition at Stockland Lovell on Saturday.

Although the course is known for being one of the most technical in the area, its a venue I know and like and Fleur was 2nd in the unaffiliated ODE there last year so I thought it would be a good place to start!

Because my times were fairly tight and the venue is only 15mins from where I work I walked the course on Friday night. I was lucky to bump into a friend Claire who was there for her day before dressage so I proceeded to walk the course with her. I will admit to being a little wimpish walking the course, but Claire gave me a kick up the arse and basically told me to stop being a wimp and they were fine.

Saturday was up at the yard bright and early, even though I had got everything ready and plaited her the night before, and we were loaded and off by just past 7am. Thats far too early in my opinion!! Arrived in plenty of time so I could declare and get my numbers as well as having my hat tagged with that infamous bit of yellow tape. Fleur was highly excited to be out at a party so there was no chance of getting studs in for dressage so just got on and went to work in. As soon as we got to the work in area she settled and worked very nicely. We went in for our test and although not as polished as I would have liked it was accurate and correct and the judge rewarded us as such with 68% so a penalty score of only 32 leaving us 6th (out of 39!) after the dressage.

Next we had a quick change and on to the showjumping (managed to get 3 out of 4 studs in as well) where the course was up to height and had a few decent questions. Fleur was in her element and produced a really nice (in my opinion anyway!) flowing round for a great clear.

Another quick change and on to the XC, our test of whether or not Fleur has finally grown up! Well the answer was yes, yes she has! I didn’t really know what speed to go at so just went at a nice comfortable forward canter, we also trotted into the first water and came back to a trot round a sharp bend. We came back with a fab clear, she didn’t look at a single fence and she finished full of running but unfortunately we did pick up 14.4 time penalties which dropped us from 2nd to 12th but I was chuffed to bits with her so can’t complain.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in an XC masterclass with Lucy Wiergsma which was held at Winkleigh by HORSE magazine on Tuesday.

We trundled along arriving nice and early as there was no way I wanted to be late! We met the other pupil and then the journalist, photographer and lastly of course Lucy. The lesson was to be one big photoshoot as well as it will at some point be used as a magzine feature, so look out for us in print sometime soon.

I really was unsure how Fleur would behave, we had been to Winkleigh once before several years ago for a ODE but that wasn’t exactly our most sucessful outing! As the other horse was also novicey (he was allowed though being 5, Fleur on the otherhand has no excuse at 10 this year!) we started small and simple and worked our way up in height and technicality as the lesson went on.

I wanted to work mainly on downward steps and water as this is where previously Fleur had shown to have a lack of confidence. Other than a very enthusiastic leap down the steps the first time when to be honest I was very lucky to stay on board, she just grew and grew in confidence without putting a step wrong. I learnt some great techniques and came away from the day brimming with new found confidence in Fleur’s XC ability, and also so happy that she actually enjoyed herself, such a change from the horse who a fews years previously had to be forced to go anywhere near an XC fence!!

Originally the plan this year was to maybe go out and do a few unaffiliated ODEs but I was given a large kick up the behind and told to get affiliated to BritishEventing and to go out and have some fun, oh and we are not allowed to go in at 80T its got to be straight in at Intro for us!!!

So watch this space, me and Fleur will be coming to a BE event near us soon!!