26th and 27th June - Milton Keynes

Thankfully a rather more local event that Longleat we were at Milton Keynes with Argentinus in the BYEH also All 4 Fun having her first officially party as well as Rising Midnight in the Novice.

All 4 fun behaved beautifully and took everything in which was a whole new experience for her. In the odd format of the BYEH classes she jumped her few practise jumps then went to do her short dressage test followed by a round of 1m show jumps with plenty of spooky fillers. Taking it all in and managing to stay in the dressage arena and having only 1 show jump down every one was pleased.

Argentinus "Now the grown up Boy" as this was also his first party last year. did a lovely test but was rather uptight in his walk which he lost many marks then jumping well and had just one fence down. This not really effecting the result all that much as he was through to the top 10. his gallop was much better this year and he extended well although there were a couple of little bucks! He finished 3rd in the class and sadly just missed out of qualifying for Burghley.

Rising Midnight in the Novice class did a lovely test an although rather a high mark of 38 in the section this was good lying in the top 3.

He kept up the good form to jump ad lovely double clear inside the time to finish 2nd in the section.

A fantastic result from all the horses today.

Sunday rather a change to original plan due to Tell me about it II having to withdraw this meant that Laura Haywards other young horse All 4 Fun could take up a place in the pre novice section on this day. Rather an intense weekend of learning for the mare but she took it all in her stride. He dressage was rather excitable and extremely babyish needing rather alot more work. followed by a brilliant show jumping round having just 2 down on the tough first time track. XC i was so impressed with her.. Having been XC schooling just twice she took on the course like a pro. jumping clear and just taking the one long route . I couldn't have been more pleased- next for her is 5yo class at Shipton Moyne.

Also out today was the rather cheeky Creeslough soon to be stepped up to novice - getting rather too big for his boots and thinking he knows best! and in fact he doesn't!!

He did a much improved test on Great Tew scoring 35 followed by a clear Show jumping. XC he was flying quite literally until fence 7 which he locked on to then took a jix out to the left. Rather unexpected on my part but he was just feeling well and rather cheeky - he then jumped well around the rest of the course.

Well i think that is about it as far as eventing goes! next stop the new event at Glanusk! with Bonne Amie hoping to add to her impressive points collection and creeslough hoping to gain his first point in his first novice! maybe maybe!

Over and out!

21st June - Puppies puppies puppies!

After a very exciting and tiring weekend to add to even more excitment on monday morning around 3am - Lilly my yellow Labrador started to have her puppies! 5 days early!

After 3 hours she had 6 little pups, 5 boys and 1 girl!

It was very exciting although i had serious lack of sleep!!

Off to bed for an hour!

19th and 20th June - Monkeys- tigers and sealions!

Back to Longleat for the 3rd consecutive year a lovely event and really well run.

Divilabit, Bonne Amie and Pembrey Perzaz taking on the 2* and the intermediate.

Saturday was just the dressage for Divilabit - He did a nice accurate test and behaved well despite not having a run since Hambleden! He was in the top half after the dressage it was not the most exciting test of his but better that way than him exploding right next to the sea lions!

An early start on Sunday morning for us and not ideal when you have such a grey horse!!

The Show jumping was up to height for the CIC** and caused plenty of problems particularly down the triple but this went well and Divilabit was on top form and could not have jumped any better.

The XC has plenty of technical questions particularly Early on in the course at fence 4 also in the Intermediate but slightly more complicated for the 2*. a double of palisades to a brush skinner. Horses needed to be bold and brave here as each palisade had a slight drop and the distance needed to be made.

The first water a double of sea lions rather spooking for the first time 2* horses, Even Divilabit gave them plenty of room when jumping the rather different fence.

Flying round the rest of the course over all the direct routes and finishing with just 8 time faults left us in 15th place and in the money!

Next out was Bonne Amie after being rather excitable on Saturday when just working her a was not too sure how she was going to be for her test. thrilled to be out at a party again and longing for the jumping! but first things first! Dressage - She just about managed to keep a lid on her excitement with a few mistakes, showing off at every possible moment she scored 35. Which i was very pleased with as it certainly wasn't one of her best!

Now to her favourite part - Show jumping or just jumping in general. the course like the 2* was up to height and caused its problems. Bonne Amie started the course and was giving the fences 3 foot more than she needed but then soon settled into a nice rhythm to jump and nice clear. XC she was flying again going all the direct ways she was up on the clock. Finding the track very easy and bouncing round clear with just 0.8 to add - one of the fastest rounds of the day! Not bad for a pure warmblood! She finished 2nd in her section which was exciting in its self but even more so the fact she is now an Advanced eventer having a total of 61 points! pretty impressive for the little mare.

Pembrey Perzaz did one of her nicest tests to day scoring 36. But sadly i felt she wasn't quite right in the show jumping so pulled up. She had the first couple of rails down which is very unlike her and i felt her back was wrong - and i was right Ellen came to check her just a few days later a found she was rather sore.

16th June- Failing my HGV test and a road trip to West Wilts

A very early start for me as i drive over to Buckingham to take my last practise before my HGV test. For the past 5 afternoons i had been having a crash course in driving a very big truck!! 18 tonnes to be exact!
I dont think i could have been any more nervous - my left leg was shaking i could hardly put the clutch down! the questions went well but sadly the manover not so great! it wasn't meant to be! never the less i obviously didn't scare the instructor that much as he still took me out on the road for good practise! oops!

Back to the yard i went feeling a little annoyed as it was something i had been practising and had managed to do it perfectly each time untill then!

At West Wilts we arrived with just the one horse today - Rising Midnight having his first run for a while round the Novice. He did a lovely test and was in the top 3 after the dressage- then sadly had 2 Show jumps down but then a great clear XC with just a couple time faults to finish 9th in the section.

Weddings and 21st Birthday party's - Two weekends and no eventing! Now i am back with the last months going's on!

I cant believe how time had flown by since i last wrote on my blog! apologies to everyone who has been waiting for the latest updates! Been rather a hectic few weeks and i have been a little slack on my posts! So here goes the low down of the last month!!

After a busy half term packed full of teaching, followed by a friends wedding at the weekend i was back on the event circuit at Great Tew - 12th and 13th June.
As well as it being my sisters birthday that Sunday i had an action packed few days at our very local event Great Tew, just a few miles down the road.
Coming out to play on the Saturday was Argentinus and Creeslough.
Argentinus did a nice test but still plenty to work on, followed by a disappointing 2 down in the show jumping - He felt just a little flat and was not really trying over the smaller fences on the course. He then jumped a brilliant round xc and took on all the direct routes. To finish outside the placings.

Creeslough didn't do his best test although at home we have been changing a few things in the way that he goes - My trainer has been helping me alot with his elevation and he is just going through a stage of being a little insecure. He then jumped well show jumping although a little spooky and had 1 down. Followed by a speedy XC.

Archetype did day before Novice dressage as well and has really improved scoring just 28, the owner Jordann Daniells and i were very pleased.

An early start on Sunday morning Archetype jumped a rather keen show jumping round showing just how happy he was to be at a party again and had 1 down, followed by a just as keen XC round taking on all the direct routes and giving me a brilliant round.

Ballycullane Dundee of Taelor Daniells was also out on Sunday,so the sisterly rivalry was high, of whos horse would do best!
He did a nice accurate test but sadly the judge didn't think as highly of it to what we did which was a little disappointing although full made up for with a brilliant double clear.

Tell Me about it II was on good form for the dressage and did one of his best tests yet, so everyone was happy. In the Showjumping we are still making adjustments with our breaks and finding a good rhythm aswell as making him realise that novice is just a bit bigger than Pre novice - He had the first 3 fences down then jumped fantastically. And did another speedy round XC around just his 2nd novice.