We Did The British Championships...

We arrived Saturday morning for dressage and I was gob smacked, it was all so posh, no gutters for arenas, we had 3 judges and a commentary and someone to open the little gate to the arena.

Icon performed the test of his life scoring 39 which left us a fair way down but we were along way from last place. He had a whole pack of polo's. We went home very happy.

I walked the course and found it pretty impressive but it all seemed very jumpable. Alan Nolan was walking the course the same time as me with his trainer and she was kind enough to give me some positive advice.

We returned on Sunday early to re walk the course and got more tips from Louise Skelton who had won the advanced the day before. Lots of friends and family (Mum, Dad my sister Anna, her daughters Monique and Maisie and my Auntie Geraldine) had come to support us and I prayed we didn't flop in the show jumping. He was fab and only had one down, it was a huge course but it looked a lot smaller once I was on Icon. I was over the moon!!

Next my friend Louise Calverly and I shot off to watch a few XC jumps being jumped, after seeing a few mistakes I announced I did not want to watch any more and we went to get Icon ready!

We set out XC with the aim of a slow confident clear and it went absolutely perfectly as planned, we only took one long route (at the top of the steep hill in front of the house, I was worried he would be short of puff) he remained bold all the way round. He coped with the hills really well but I was very glad we took our time as he needing nursing a little over the last 3 fences. However he recovered well and surprisingly quickly.

I am tonight a little stunned that we actually did it and so very pleased with my superstar horse.

(Thanks for the comment Stan. Stan is the grandson of Icons breeder, I teach him on his pony, he is always tells me Icon can jump anything, it seems that he is right!!!)