I rode Archie and Millie in the Prelim class at the Affiliated dressage for more practise. Ben should have done a test as well and went beautifully the day before, but unfortunately aggrivated a tiny sore on his mouth so I decided it was not worth making it any worse so he got of lightly. Archie first warmed up calmly while everything was nice and quiet. In the arena he produced a similar test to the week before when he won apart from two bad mistakes breaking in the walk and getting the wrong canter lead which were both caused by complete lack of concentration when he became mesmerised by a new horse in the warm up!

Millie on the other hand came out rather argumentative, but with plenty of energy which was very welcome. I decided to really ride every movement and she felt great throughout the trot work with much improved stride length and rhythm; being able to carry a whip makes a huge difference for her. She did lose a bit of her engagement in the canter work which she does find harder, but I was generally pleased. Sorry, nobody was around to take her photo this time.

I wasn't really sure which horse would get the better score, but Millie came out on top coming 2nd with 64%. Acheiving straight 7's for her trot work and 6's for everything else I was very pleased as the judge has marked quite harshly. Archie was understandably punished for his mistakes and scored just over 60% with the judge also commentating that he did occassionally come to low in his frame which is an ongoing battle with him. I text Fiona who was at work and she was ectastic that Millie had managed a rossette and prize money at her first attempt at affiliated and she told me it left her smiling all day!

Monty the ex-racehorse has now been here 3 weeks for his re-training and is being a star. He has settled down really well and is now not bothered working with horses in the arena next to him. He has fantastic potential on the flat but does like to lean on the left rein and slip out through his shoulder so I have spent a lot of time teaching him to turn his shoulders from my outside leg. Jumping wise we have been doing a lot of work over poles and from trot, progressing to a grid with 3 fences on a one stride distance. He has proved to be totally unfazed by fillers and is quickly learning to work out how to just pop the fence rather than launch at it with a huge leap! Photo's below courtesy of Dee, Monty's owner who was a little unsure with my camera!

The last week has been hectic as the horses' work is stepped up in preparation for eventing season which is now only weeks away. Firstly Fling and Millie did a show jumping clinic with Eric Smiley last Thursday. I love Eric's simple, but effective teaching style which focuses on the premis that it is the rider's job to present the horse to the fence correctly; ie straight with a good canter between leg and hand and it it the horse's job to jump the fence. In particular his idea that the rider should have a constant comverstion with the horses at all times helped me get my leg on Fling who is quite fiery to jump. I actually rode her in a hackamore as the dentist had found her lower bars slightly sore a few days before. Although she was a little strong and opinionated during the pole work she did settle when the jumps went a little higher and ended up jumpinmg a few fences with no fighting at all and waiting for the fence with my leg on and so I was very pleased. Millie behaved impeccably in her lesson although the fences stayed quite small. I concentrated  in keeping constantly in front of the leg, but not running on her fore hand and also in getting the right leg on landing.

This was followed by unaffiliated dressage on Saturday where I had Archie, Fling and Millie entered. I started on Archie going early as he can be rather difficult warming up with other horses by spooking and bucking if anyone dares to approach him! A quick warm up with only a couple of horses and straight in, he did an accurate and obedient test with only one tense moment when he slightly spooked at a horse walking up the track alongside the arena. To be critical he didn't quite have enough connection form my leg and was a little stiff to the left, but I was pleased for a first attempt of the year which in the past has incorporated airs above the ground! Nevertheless I was surprised to find we won the class on 69%, let just hope we can repeat this at the events on grass when it is all much more exciting.

Next was Fling. When I entered the warm up it was quiet and I was amazed she felt relaxed, soft and obedient. Unfortunately as the warm up got busier,she got very worried about horses coming too close and I had to abandon any work. The wind was bitter as we waited for our turn and it was a very cold horse and rider that finally went in to do their test. As soon as she spied the white boards the penny dropped that this was a competition and I literally felt her heart beat increase! With this her back and quarters tensed up and she lost the softness and straightness I had earlier. On the plus side we got through the test without any major mistakes for a score of 63.5%, but there is potentila for much more if I can keep her relaxed. She is a very athletic horse capable of lovely work, but the challenge is going to be to get her brain on side.

Fling just before she started her test.

Finally it was Millie's turn and as the arena was running late and I had no intention of getting that cold again waiting I left it a bit late before taking her up. As a result  just had a rather rushed 5 minute warm up and she went in to trot round the boards spooking violently at invisible monsters lurking omn the other side of the fence. She settled to to an accurate and forward test, but just did bear down on her forehand slightly which was a pity as this has been improving so much in out schooling sessions. She scored 65% to finish 5th which both Fiona and I were pleased with. Video of dressage test here

After the dressage finished it was time to say good bye to Aragon as his new owner Pauline Parker came to pick him up. Pauline was the first person to come and view him the weekend before and decided he was the right one straight away. He is such a joy to ride being so genuine and easy going, as well as has incredible potential in both dressage and jumping. I would have loved to have kept him a bit longer and taken him eventing again, but it wasn't to be and I wish Pauline every success with him in the future. I will miss him.

However with 3 new horses in over the next few days there was no time for tears. More on them next time!