Life gets manic that's why.
Okay so when we started cantering again, the mare was still bucking. Bucking O plenty. So Auntie Cara (Cara Hayward, chef d'Equipe of the British Junior and Young riders team that is) got on a few times and Madam realised maybe this wasn't the best idea. Cara just literally held her in place between her hand and leg she literally couldn't do it. We resolved the issue very quickly after that.
We entered west wilts. Then I decided to do a tough mudder. Or rather I'd foolishly entered shortly after completing it the year before and I hoped my sister would forget. But she didn't. It was gruelling as I hadn't trained at all. The second to last obstacle was Everist (google it if you want to see), it was a very wet day so so slippery. I slipped and landed on my shoulder. It was a bit sore but I waved away the paramedics. A few minute later I had to scuttle up to them. My shoulder hurt. It hurt a LOT.
A trip to a&e later and I had a grade 2/3 'Sprung shoulder'. Basically I'd torn two ligaments and widened the AC joint within the shoulder. I managed 5 days not riding before I was back on board (just needed someone to put the saddle on for me) and all of a week off work. In hindsight I should of taken much much longer as now, 5 months on its still sore and I'm waiting for physiotherapy. Nevermind.
With Lexi still putting in the odd buck, I asked Cara to school her twice a week for me because I didn't want the issue to become worse whilst I was weak and I just hacked. We had to withdraw from West Wilts, but ended up with an entry to Munstead unaffiliated the following week.
She was awesome, 32 in the dressage and a double clear to win! She did go green SJ, spooking and it was perhaps more luck than judgement to go clear. One hesitation across country on an angled double but she had a slap on the shoulder and pinged it anyway.
Our next outing was Calmsden BE90 which was to be out last before stepping up to BE100. Cara came to help me warm up for the dressage which was great and she went beautifully, until I got eliminated for going wrong three times. WHO DOES THAT?! I didn't memorise the test properly and forgot to do across the diagonal. Then I figured I probably needed to go across the diagonal again but didn't. Then for good measure, I did a circle in the wrong place. Worst thing was our sheet was full of 7s and 8s so we were on target for an excellent score. As it were, perhaps an elimination in the dressage was best as it saved her record from being sullied with a stop and a fence down SJ and a retirement across country after two stops at fence two. I called out my physio and she was very sore, and was back to normal within a few days.
We were then off to Tweseldown 90. On the way there the rain came and it poured and poured. There must of been a good inch of water on the roads. The course was underwater, and three hours before I was due to SJ, the ground was tearing up. I decided to withdraw and headed to Merristwood to SJ instead. We had a double clear in the 80-90 and just one down in the 90-100.
From there we headed to Aston le Walls 100 for the last event of the season. She was fresh fresh fresh and tense in the dressage to score 32 with a very kind judge.
The show jumping warm up was a nightmare; rain was splashing on the sides of the indoor causing horses to spook, some riders were being insane and it was just manic. I felt pleased with 8 faults; 1 stop and 1 down in our round.
There were a couple of combinations cross country I was concerned about; the water was early and we had to go up the mound, over a tiny log, down the mound into the water and out over a skinny triple brush. We very almost had a run out but I gave one last kick and over she went.
My other concern was two steps down to a skinny box brush at maximum height. She was as straight as a die, understood the question and it was like clockwork. One of the nicest rounds I've ridden all season.
We were unplaced but I was thrilled.
Winter has involved lots of show jumping, dressage and a tonne of training.
Most notable achievements were jumping our first 1.10m in which she was super and didn't care at all, and starting debuting at Novice in dressage. Our last outing had both tests in the 70%s although it was a kind judge!
My aims for this year are;
- Keep her fit and healthy
- Become confident at BE100 then move up to Novice
- 1* (pref three day!) by the end of the season
- Jump a foxhunter BSJA class (1.20)
- Elementary dressage
