21st March- A wet day at Swalcliff with the babies

Sadly for the new event at Swalcliff the weather didn't hold off. The course was beautiful and so well build, it looked like a mini badminton!
The three babies coped surprisingly well with the boggy conditions.

Argentinus did an accurate test despite the wind and the rain and scored a 36 which we all thought was a little harsh, He then jumped a brilliant clear in the show jumping which caused many problems due to the deep take off's and landings.
Followed by a good round across country with just one stop at a 'Life like' giant Caterpillar! (Very scary for a baby!)

Creeslough's test wasn't quite so accurate and well behaved due to a couple of minor mistakes and spooky situations, never the less her scored 40 which in the section wasn't too bad.
He then coped well in the show jumping and had just one down.
XC he came across many things he hadn't seen before, such as an imposing water fences by the secretary's with the dreaded Caterpillar which caught Argentinus out and a large hedge with a ditch infront at the top of a hill. so sadly picked up 40 penalties, I was pleased with his round and he will have learnt alot from it which will stand him in good stead for Portman which is likely to not be quite such a strong track.

Tell me About it, didn't perform his best test in the world, rather put off by the rain and wind and would have much rather stayed in bed for the day, After the disappointing dressage mark/test of 42, he then made up for it in the jumping phases, He jumped another double clear although on a couple of occasions rather lucky, then flew across country - quite literally! Being the fastest time of the day - floating across what was deep going he never even noticed! Going clear and finishing on his dressage mark to be placed 6th.

An educational day for them all and the all handled the going extremely well. Now set up for their next outing at portman, we look ahead!

Many Thanks to all the helpers at the event, such a beautifully built course despite the conditions.

13th March - Oasby - A good first run for the ** horses.

A 4am start and 100 miles later we arrived at Oasby, NR. Grantham.

A bit of a trek but well worth the travel. Divilabit and Bonne Amie both did double clear round the testing but fair open novice track. A good first run of the season especially when i hadn't had a chance to take them XC schooling, and they had not seen a water jump since the one at Weston Park **.

The ground was fantastic and the course rode well. The show jumping was on the smaller side of novice or so Bonne Amie and Divilabit thought!

Both horses did average tests and managed to keep a lid on their excitement of being at a party, not scoring their best marks possible.. they are hopefully saving those for Gatcombe in a couple of weeks!!

It was a good confidence run for the both of them and now they are all set for Gatcombe.

11th March - What a result!

Second Event of the season for Rising Midnight and his first run at Intermediate. He did i brilliant dressage scoring just 30.9, It was a nice test but the exciting bit is how much i know it can be improved! Then he had 2 rails in the show jumping, It was a full up track and by far the biggest he ha ever jumped on grass. He showed plenty of scope, sadly in the first part of the triple we met the first element a little wrong and he knocked the first and second part- I am still getting to know him, and training him for the deeper stride to a fence but sometimes there is a little confusion!

The pressure was on XC as i am hoping to take him to Houghton CCI** but need two Intermediate runs clear XC. Now there is one down and another to go! He gave me a brilliant ride, he was very genuine at the skinnys and certainly bold enough for the bigger wider fences. Not really going for the time he picked up 25 time faults which was quite common in the section and finished 9th in his first Intermediate!

It was a first outing of the season for Chilean Boy, after lots of dressage training with his owner Katha over the winter it has certainly paid off! Even William F-P thought he was a new ride for the season.

Scoring 33 in the dressage again it was a nice test but there is so so much more i can improve on. He still finds his shoulder In's particularly difficult.

After alot of waiting around before my show jumping, He had 3 rails down. One of which was the first fence.. not sure he was completely awake! he jumped nicely and it was a shame about the faults, He was calm and level headed which is a huge improvement on last seasons first run!

XC he was a machine, going the straight way at the bounce sunken road, he made it so easy. A little keen at some fences but jumped brilliantly and was very accurate at the corners and skinnys.

He finished just out of the prizes and came 12th.

Bring on a busy birthday at Gatcombe with Bonne Amie doing her first AI, Divilabit in the Intermediate, Chilean Boy and Rising Midnight also in the Intermediate. Not much time for birthday celebrations i feel!

One more step theni will be a proper trucker!!

As of March 1st I now hold my theory HGV test, now just to find time to fit in the crash course of 5days and then the big test!! During the full swing of Eventing this could be intersting.. work in progress I think...

**NEWS**
AM Trust Equine Insurance now insure Creeslough, and offer part discount as sponsorship, which is a fantastic help towards the costs of things. I think that having them insured is so important especially for the cost of vet fees and it just gives you piece of mind!

7th March - An exciting start to a new combination!

New ride this season Rising Midnight, Was brilliant today finishing 8th in the Intermediate Novice at Isleham.
He did a lovely test, slightly on edge and a little fresh being it his first outing. He kept contained with just a couple of mistakes and there was one on my behalf at the very beginning of the test i was in Pre Novice mode from yesterday and forgot to halt!!whoops!

He show jumped well, all our BSJA over the winter has certainly paid off! Having just one pole down on the not so hard ground we were all very pleased.

XC he flew, a couple of baby 'ish moments but all in all he felt great, picking up just 12 time faults on a track that had a not so easy time to achieve.

A fantastic start to the season- bring on Tweseldown for the big grey!

6th March - Start as we mean to go on!! Aston-le-walls

Well what a fantastic start to the event season, I couldn't have asked for more!

The 3 young horses - Argentinus (Yogi), Creeslough (Syd) and Tell me about it, all in the

Pre-novice at Aston le walls did a fantastic double clear inside the time.

'Tell me about it' finished on his 28.5 dressage to finish 5th.

Creeslough and Argentinus both just outside of the placings.

BallyCullane Dundee ridden by Jordan Daniels for her sister Taelor. Is based at my yard on livery and I teach both sisters , The combination also did a great double clear.

Not only were my horses on form but Clair Wells's a local rider who I have taught for over a year also started her season off well, to go double clear and finish just outside the placings, As well as Keira Sullivan based at our yard going double clear.

Thankfully the rain stayed away and meant that it was a lovely day at Aston. The lorry is re-packed ready for our road trip up to Isleham with Rising Midnight in the Intermediate Novice, Let hope the good form continues!

2nd Feb - Addington BSJA

Thankfully not such an early start this morning as the babies are not quite so much of babies anymore having progressed to starting at class 2 the Discovery!!

A new course builder for the day meant it had some what interesting turns and angles asking alot of the young horses, proving quite and influential tracking and caused many problems. The 3 i had in the class all came away with a rail down or two.

The next class was the 1.05 open Argentinus is somewhat experienced in this class as he has jumped it before but it was the first time for Creeslough and Ballycullane Dundee, all three horses took on the challenge well Creeslough just having one down and the others jumping a brilliant double clear and Ballycullane Dundee finishing 7th.

It was the first time out show jumping for Chilean boy since his last event in 2009, He jumped fantastically and feels on great form, he jumped double clear also.

In the bigger class of the Newcomers I had Chilean Boy, Pembrey Perzaz and Rising Midnight, All 3 horses jumped well and seem fit and ready for the weekend and following weeks eventing at Isleham and Tweseldown.