Dauntsey BE100 and Ledbury PC ODE

Dauntsey once again did an amazing job to run, they had to alter the course in the last few days as the River Avon was too high to use as the water jump.
The lorries squidged onto the lorry park, the ground was perfect for eventing apart from one very wet patch in front of the water jump. Both brothers did a super dressage, Take It 2 The Top on a 24 dressage scoring several 9's and a double clear to finish 2nd. Top Gun was in 4th after dressage but arggghhhh got strong sj and had two down. He was quick and clear XC and finished 10th.
 
I took Amazing Mika to our local ODE run by the Ledbury Pony Club. I know this course well as have taught zillions of Pony Club members round it. I set off to walk the course expecting the same old fences and was amazed at how stunning it all looked dressed up to BE standard, with flowers and trees. By the time I got half way round I was really looking forward to jumping round. Mika zoomed round to finish 4th, hes so bold, quick and brave, although I should sell him I think he can stay until next spring.....at least!

Fantastic Day - Moreton Morrell

As we left Moreton Morrell Horse Trials we turned on Absolute Radios Absolute 80's programme. They were playing Fantastic Day one of my favourite 80s songs and it totally summed up our days Eventing......
Hartpury Take It 2 The Top was doing his 2nd Novice. When I walked the XC I decided it was far too technical for him. A hanging log in the water with angled houses on the way out. Also earlier on the course a bank with a bounce on top to a palisade followed two strides later by a skinny house. However when he went clear SJ we decided to run XC. He flew round inside the time, he just loves to gallop and jump, I couldn't believe how easy it felt, Dan Jocelyn was parked next to us and asked if he was for sale and another lady who has bought horses off me before offered me an enormous amount. I said no to both. He finished in 7th place winning his first BE point and is now grade 3. Could he be a 3/4 star horse of the future, well without a doubt hes the best young horse I have ridden.

Hartpury Top Gun also did not let the side down winning his section. I didn't ride the star dressage test of last week and was 12th after dressage, however the SJ and XC caused chaos. It began to rain as the first BE100 horse went XC making the thick grass cover slippy, the XC time became almost impossible. We put enormous studs in and he galloped round bang on the optimum time. I was amazed when I went to the score board to see if we had managed to scrape a top ten place to find he had won!

Brothers Lead after Dressage

My alarm went off at 4.30 am on the morning of the lovely Monmouth Horse Trials, I was awake already, courtesy of 3 kittens, who had been having a rave in the spare bedroom since 3 am. (Cute and looking for good homes) I put my lucky pink horse socks on inside out by accident and left them like that, done by mistake its good luck.

The luck worked, both boys led after dressage on a 21 and a 24, I couldn't believe it. Top Gun finished on his dressage winning his section and Take It 2 The Top had 2 show jumps down to still come 3rd. I have had one dressage lesson with my new instructor Charlotte and miracles have happened, five 9's including one for my riding, I now need to pass this improvement on to the riders I coach.

The dressage miracle even helped stiff old Icon who had an 8 for his shoulder in at Pontispool Intermediate last Monday, thats never happened before, he finished 7th. The course was tricky and I never want to jump the double of Elephant Feet logs again, no ground line and loads of horses left legs, horrid to watch and horrid to jump even though Icon popped them well.

The next brother Hartpury Twilight has gone off to be broken, hes an exciting horse for next years 4 year old classes.

West Wilts Fab Days Eventing

A super day at West Wilts. I had nervously entered Take It 2 The Top in his first Novice. I felt worried, nervous and excited for 48 hours leading up to the event, stepping my lovely youngster up to the next level gave me wobbly knees and shaky hands, all those pre event nerves returned that I don't seem to get any more. I have had him since he was 2 and hes so very special. I need not have worried he rose to the occasion like the future star he is going to be. A super dressage test put him into 3rd after the first phase. He then rolled just one pole SJ and went clear XC with only 8 time faults to finish the day in 10th place. I never expected a top ten place so am thrilled to bits with him. His brother Top Gun was also a superstar finishing on his dressage in the 100 giving him a 3rd place.

Got myself into a spot of bother when I saw a professional rider beating his horse near its head with his whip over arm warming up for show jumping, I was so cross I put my best pony club instructors voice on and told at him to stop, he shouted at me to mind my own business and was really rude and had a pretty scary temper. I heard afterwards that this hadn't gone unnoticed and the stewards reprimanded him later. Meanwhile I hid in my lorry and only ventured back to the score board under cover of my baseball hat and I changed my T shirt in case he hunted me down for another rant at me! Anthony chuckled at my predicament and said "you can take the Instructor out of The Pony Club but you can't take the Pony Club out of the Instructor"

Take It to 3rd at Llanymynech!!!

Take It 2 The Top had another fab placing 3rd in Wales at Llanymynech this weekend. Love this event, really challenging courses round a galloping track. Take It 2 The Top was fab, double clear and flew round inside the time XC taking all the direct routes, he loves to gallop. Both waters were tricky with fences to be jumped right in front of them, The house in front of the 2nd water had lots of hoof marks on its roof where horses had refused and scrabbled on top of it. Monty was very bold, his only green wobble was at the easy first fence! His next outing is his first Novice, he is still a bit lollopy showjumping but feels ready to do an easy Novice or two.
Dressage Help
I have booked myself in for some dressage lessons. I need help now to improve the brothers dressage further. Take It 2 The Top is all my own work so far and some outside help is now needed. Top Gun had 2 lessons over a year ago so also some much needed guidence required.

Top Gun Is Back

Top Gun is fit and full of fun after his injury in June. He ran today at Aston le Walls and came 6th in a 90 open, double clear and almost too quick XC. Three horses including him finished in joint 4th on a score of 32, this means it then goes to the horses who are closest to the optimum time of 4.48, as I was the quickest round 4.11 I was then placed below them on the score board, moving Top Gun to 6th. He is now fit and ready for a BE100 when he goes out next week.
Stud Nightmare
I had to put Top Guns studs into his shoes at the event today. Ant usually does them but he was away at a chicken show, showing his prize winning birds.
First I break the stud tap off so it is completely stuck in Top Guns foot. Next I hurt my back. Then I cut my hand taking studs out (lots of blood) and to finish off I cant get one of the studs out.
Then I texted Ant to tell him I was missing him loads!!!