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!

Ben has finally come back from his winter holiday complete with a rather huge stomach. That means diet and that is something that Ben does not take kindly to. His modest haynet this morning disappeared in 10 minutes flat so he was put on the walker where he squealed alot, complaining that everyone else still seemed to be eating. As he was rather bright I decided a lunge would be the easiest re-introduction to work and to be fair, he was very restrained on the lunge. After jogging and spooky up to the arena and a couple of circuits bucking her realised that it was quite hard work with the extra weight and soon settled down.

Back at the yard the banging demanding more food started and so I decided that turn out was probably the best option as there isn't much grass at the moment. I tied him on the yard and then popped to the tack room to get the camera to take some first day photos. Ben obviously thought I was taking much too long and immediately pulled back, breaking the lead rope, and bounded down to the fields himself naked. As I followed him down he found the huge pile of droppings by the gate from pooh picking and yes, turned looked at me shouting "NO", he got down and rolled in it!!! After 5 minutes chasing him around he finally gave in to the temptation of food and I caught him and dragged him back to the yard. His penance for his antics was putting on the 'lovely' new, bright pink print rug that Anita so kindly sent down with him. I assume all her other horses refused point blank to wear it, as you can see from then photo even Ben looks a bit dazzled by it!

Down at the fields the other horses did look slightly alarmed at this luminous creature, not that Ben cared as he has some serious rolling to do and preceeded to spend the next hour rolling in every possible muddy patch. When I brought him in a few hours later, said rug was more brown than pink and there was definitely a smug look on his face; 'That will teach you to try and ruin my street cred and don't worry it will be all brown in a week.'

Think I need to browse through photos of Ben jumping just to remind me why I love this horse so much!

Following a very busy week with 7 horses now in, Millie and Aragon headed to the BSJA show at Stretcholt on Saturday which was holding there first jumping show. On arriving I was slightly disconcerted to find a course of uprights with several poles missing, but was then informed that they were still awaiting more jumps to arrive! As a result the first class started half an hour late and Millie and I were ready to go in first and christen the course. Although she can be quite spooky at home she really enjoys going out jumping and was completely unfazed to jump a nice clear. Aragon next was very excited to get on and then marched round the warm up like he owned the place. He behaved impeccably though and drew many an admiring glance. The course itself was really a bit small for him and he just tapped one upright, but he went round calmly and in control, although being a big horse the 20m by 60m suddenly felt a lot smaller than on Millie.

Aragon Warming Up

With about 8 horses through to the jump off I decided to not try tight turns on Millie, but just keep her moving on a forward stride which is how she likes to jump anyway. She produced another great round and tried to cut a few corners herself despite the fact she has never been taken against the clock before! Fiona and I were thrilled that she finished 2nd and gained £18 and a qualification for the 90cm amatuers second round.

After 2 rounds Millie was looking slightly tired, but Aragon definitely needed to go into the 1 metre class to give him something bigger to jump and we decided that we might as well enter both, but ride Aragon first to give Millie a little rest. Aragon warmed up beautifully and in the ring felt much more balanced and basculing beautifully over the bigger fences. Frustratingly he just touched one and it fell, but I was over the moon with the round and felt he could have done with the fences a bit biggeer still. Unfortunatley Alice who was filming forgot to start the video until the last two jumps so there is only a very quick video of the end of his round plus one of him jumping in the warm up.

Aragon Warm Up Video                     Aragon Course Video

Onto Millie and she felt rather dead inn the warm up so i opted for just a couple of jumps whilst wondering if I was right to try our first attempt at this height when she was a bit tired. I needn't have worried as she immediately perked up in the arena and seemed to be under the impression that we were going against the clock again! The result was a free, but lovely clear with her being exceptionally neat over the larger fences. She repeated this in the jump off, but unfortunately we didn't get the best stride to the planks which came down leaving us just outside the rossettes.  Neverthe less Millie was a star managing the raised jumps and really enjoying herself, show jumping is definitley her thing and she was still on a high today when Fiona took her out for an easy hack.

Millie Course Video 1m