But I'm going to enjoy it whilst it lasts.
As expected, Tweseldown BE was cancelled. We rerouted and went BS instead.
We went to Wellington - a venue I have neglected over the years and I must go there more often. Unaffiliated its quite pricey which is partly why I havn't been there often, but affiliated it doesn't make much difference.
We went for the British Novice and the 95cm dengie qualifier.
They didn't have a 1m and I didn't feel brave enough for a 1.05m BS class.
I figured it would be a nice quiet day, first two classes, home for lunch right?
Well I didn't consider that EVERYONE would be going there. 60 in both my first classes.
It was a well built course with a good jump off, and we were going for it.
Lexi was superb. She didn't miss a beat and I even rode well. We took a turn no one else did; angled an oxer and inside fence 2. She turned quicker than I expected and I lost a stirrup and had to jump the last two jump off fences without a pedal (guess those no stirrup dressage lessons paid off!) and she won by 4 seconds!
This class was split into BN and Open; turned out there were 45 in the BN and 15 in the open so I'm very proud she won!
The 95cm was 1 class and it was fierce. We went out there and I was in lala land until after the second fence of the jump off when I remembered where I was and kicked on. She pinged this fence on a hell of an angle (photo doesn't do it justice!)
weee! Isn't she ADORABLE?!
We went into the lead but with 40 more to jump after me, sadly we didn't keep it. We finished in 3rd though which out of 60 sure isn't shabby! Being BS we actually won some prize money and Lexi paid for her entries with £4 profit. We won't talk about the diesel costs haha but it meant we could have a cheeky indian takeaway thanks to her!
Lexi had different plans for her dinner treat...
me :O
I've been walking on cloud 9 since. It suddenly feels like everything I've worked for in the last 4.5 years has come together. The sweat (buckets), tears (swimming pools), blood (marginal) and A&E trips (Okay, 1 thanks to her) have given me this fab little horse who will generally go out and do her job and do it well. Apart from when she's sore or mad at me.
I'm just feeling proud. Proud that I've managed to make her into this great all rounder. Proud I've made a horse who does half pass and a medium trot that feels like floating. Proud that my dressage instructor says advanced medium is our 2018 aim. Proud that she can win big, competitive BS classes. Proud that she will hack out on the buckle yet only needs a click of my tongue to speed up. Proud that as long as I ride her right, she will do literally anything. Hopefully I'm just cynical and nothing will go wrong and we're about to enter our prime; where I've put the work in and now we can reap the rewards and go out and enjoy ourselves.
I won't count my chickens. It never stays this good for long but I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts.
I've managed to squeeze in 1 more BD entry before my membership ends. I'm almost sad about that in a way but equally feeling that way is good as when I'm an officer next year, weekends off will be less regular than now so continuing with BS and BD means I can compete more weekdays.
We're next meant to be eventing on the 25th and that's my birthday so I will be PISSED if it is also rained off. It needs to stop raining. Lexi's legs are rotting off and she's too much of a hypochondriac to let me treat them.
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