Permission to feel old(ish!) and super proud please!

So today is my birthday it has a ‘0’ on the end so is a big one and thinking back to my 11yo self I would now be calling myself ‘old’ haha! It doesn’t really feel like my birthday as not made much of a fuss about it with hubby away but was lovely to have friends round last night for far too much food (we fell victim to ordering take out whilst super hungry) including cake and a good natter 🙂

Looking back the last few weeks with Fleur haven’t been ideal. After Pontispool I took her xc schooling at Boomerang and she just wasn’t right lacking her normal spark and although jumping round the PN fences fine was feeling to struggle or say no over anything larger. I immediately withdrew after that from both West Wilts and Nunney which both thankfully had waitlists still (thank you very helpful secretaries) as I needed to find out what was going on and make sure our next event was a confidence filling run not a novice.

So I started banding round various theories but there didn’t seem to be anything physically wrong and in my mind I kept coming back to the only thing I had changed prior to Pontispool namely tightening up notably (but not too tight for a normal horse) her breastplate wondering if it was now restricting her. The only physical thing at all is still a lingering mud fever scab on one heel.

Before I rode her again I got her massage therapist Sarah Curtis out who confirmed other than a few minor things there was nothing she could find wrong with her and infact she looked the best she has ever seen her.

So the last few weeks I have just taken a step back and allowed her to chill. I’m working her hacking wise and riding her whilst leading Oki but no schooling and no jumping. She has managed to split open the scab on her heel in the field as well so monitoring that as some days it is more sore than others (i.e. when she manages to disturb the scab!). I’m in no rush to get her back eventing at the moment so haven’t entered up elsewhere mainly as work is going to be manic the next month or so between my full time job and my photography so I’m making sure things are right. There is more to life than rosettes and it is very important to me that I ensure she is 100% happy and healthy.

On to today’s outing and my reason to be super duper proud. 😀 I took Oki to my Riding Club’s (Bourne Valley) combined training competition at Larkhill. For those that know it they ran both the dressage and showjumping up where the BE dressage takes place which is one of the most open exposed areas going. I was unfortunately groomless as everyone I knew very inconsiderately had already made plans so had to do all myself which although happy to do try to avoid with a baby. She was rather awestruck at first at all the excitement but nothing worse than a bit of jogging with the occasional giraffe (or Stagiraffe as Louise would say 😉 ) impression.

I was running late (very normal for me) so only had a 20minute work in which wasn’t ideal but she settled quickly and started going really nicely which is just as well as a convoy of about 8 tanks and armoured vehicles came thundering past which she didn’t even acknowledge! Just as the horse before me was in I watched a small amount to go ‘oh that doesn’t look like prelim 1!’ quick check with the steward and no it was prelim 7 ARRRRRGH *insert various swear words here* I had learnt my tests in the wrong order, or more due to being quick remembering tests (a saving grace many a time!) I hadn’t actually even read Prelim 7 yet! I had literally 30secs to learn it so quick read and then over to the arena hoping I remembered where to go. All was going nicely excusing a few baby moments till half way through the test when I got beeped for going wrong. Whoops!! Quick check with judge worked out where I should be going and continued on, thankfully the mid test pause didn’t unsettle her.

Next we went over to the showjumping arena for the 2ft3 clear round jumping. I have only been able to do a small selection of fences at home and without fillers (excluding using plastic jump blocks!) and nothing like a course so was going to be interesting to see her reaction. We did two rounds straight after each other. The first one she had a couple of genuine baby moments and two poles but got better and better as she went on and 2nd time went round clear feeling like she had been doing it for years 😀 😀 so officially her first rosette. 😀

Not to stop there we were now back across to the dressage for our second test and this time we were definitely riding prelim 1! We were trotting around the arena prior to our test to then be sabotaged (unintentionally) by the judge who’s windscreen wipers went off just as we rode directly in front of the car causing her to understandably spook. Judge looked mortified and was very apologetic but these things happen and ultimately it’s all good for Oki’s education. The test was slightly on the tense side to what I wanted because of that and having just come back from showjumping but she is progressing well and it was a solid test leaving me really thrilled with her but we still weren’t finished yet!

So last but not least the showjumping section of the combined training which was a decent 2ft6 over a track designed by a BSJA course builder. I literally only popped one practice fence, as by now she was understandably a little tired, before going in the ring. She was just so grown up and made me really smile. She just tipped one pole through babyness but jumped incredibly well. She didn’t spook at the judges box or tannoy nor the empty fence trailers which many older horses did!

So lastly the important bit the results and wow they weren’t what I was expecting in a brilliantly good way. Imagine my shock and surprise to learn we had come 2nd in out first test with 66.5% despite me going wrong (the test reads almost all 7s with a few 8s and 6s) and 6th in the second with 63.7% out of 18 horses and 7th for the combined training (The club gives separate rosettes for the dressage test on it’s own then an extra for the overall combined training 😉 ). 😀 😀 😀 So not only did we get one rosette we actually left with 5 as we got a best club member one for our first test AND prize money actual real money for the 2nd place.

Sadly no photos of Oki as I was groomless but you can have a photo of her rosette instead and up top you had her buddying up with her best friend Fleur both looking ultra cute 😉 😀 Hopefully though we will get some photos in a couple of weeks when Oki where we are on the Prelim RC area dressage team.

So yes my birthday has been a good one even if not feeling like one. I’m now enjoying an afternoon on the sofa which I soooooo need and hoping the Afghan internet plays ball so that I can have a skype call from my husband later on!