Winner Winner Chicken Dinner at Chepstow!!!!

'Rif Raf did a lovely dressage at Chepstow, one down SJ and then a super clear XC inside the time, she is so bold and clever XC putting in a huge jump at the trakener. Galloping down to it I could see no stride at all, she just felt like she said " it's Ok I have one" and flew it. She made the time easy which I was surprised about as its hilly round there, but she is now so confident it's easy to cut tight lines and jump fences on the angle.

Next the 4 year old qualifier with Massimo.

Massimo gave me a big loose trot in the dressage, courtesy of me dusting off my secret weapon, my Barrie Swain Semi Flex Saddle, horses move much bigger in them. This was the first competition I have ridden Massimo in a dressage saddle. I came out of the arena a bit frustrated as I felt while the saddle gave us a bigger trot, the small space of the arena meant we struggled to maintain a good enough overall picture to get a good mark. I needn't have worried as he went into the lead on a 29!!! 

He show jumped boldly but he lacked consistency in his rhythm and had two down and I thought oh well we can't win now.

He set off XC like a horse much older than his 4 years, but by the time we reached fence 6 a hail storm arrived. It was the most horrendous storm, hail with unbelievable high winds too. I approached fence 6 it was a dark imposing box jumped downhill, under an oak tree. The branches of the tree were bending in the wind, everything was blowing, Massimo spooked at the spectators who were running for cover, and I thought he's not going to jump this but he pricked his ears and off he went. 

By the time I got to 9 the hail stones were stinging so much I couldn't hardly see, my reins were slipping and I couldn't steer, we got through abc the roll top, step down to roll top all in trot. We were now riding directly into the storm, Massimo didn't like the hail stones battering against his face and nor did I!!   I wondered if I should pull up, I didn't want to put him off, it was his first ever BE90 but he just kept on jumping and went clear to win the class. Even the hail stones bouncing off the water making it look like it was alive didn't put him off.

When I came through the finish I found out the storm was so bad they had put the course on red/stop and everyone had ran to shelter. What a hero Massimo is! 

We didn't even know he had won, I only went to the scores to see where my livery Emma Horton-Smith had finished, she was 2nd, a fab day for her too, couldn't believe it when I noticed 1st in red by Massimo's name on the score board!!