RACHAEL'S DIARY

JULY 2010

22nd July - Weston Lawns BSJA - I took Posh and Flo today, Flo was a little superstar and jumped her best round todate, she was foot perfect and finished 2nd, Posh thought it was all quite exciting to be out and was a bit keen over the first couple of fences but settled the more she went round but unfortunately just had one down in the jump off.

20th July - Vale View Training Show - We took Niel and Toffee out for thier first proper outing today, they were both little stars. Toffee just had a little look at the first fence, Cherise bourght in slowly to give her time and have a look and they just ground to a halt!! They came round the next time and went on to jump two clear rounds. I think Niel must have done all this before in a former life as he was like an old pro he jumped two super rounds. We were so impressed with them both as the course was really spooky but they both answered every question that was asked of them.

8th July - Weston Lawns BSJA - Mum took Shadow today as they have not been out for a while he jumped a really good double clear to finish 2nd in the unaffiliated class, I took Flo and jumped her in the 1.05m open she jumped really well just having one down but we had different ideas to which side of the timing equipment we were going and ended up knocking it over which meant we were eliminated, at least having had a fence down we wouldn't have been placed anyway.

4th July - Purston Manor BE - This has always been one of my favourite events, the orgainsers are always very friendly and helpful and it is in a lovely setting. We had Posh, Flo and Paris all doing the novice today, this was Flo's first time at Novice and she was a little star, she did a good test with just a couple of errors which scored a fair mark of 40.5 and she jumped a super double clear to gain her first point, she added a few time penalties as I made sure I set her up and presented her with lots of time to all of the more difficult fences, she took it all in her stride, I was especially pleased as a lot of horses with a more experience were making both jumping disciplines look very testing. Posh was a very good girl in all three phases today and finished on her dressage score of 36 to pick up 3rd place in her section, Paris did some of her best work this year in her dressage test but we still had to many errors, she was a little cocky in the show jumping and had two down but made nothing of the cross country, I think we will go back to intermediate next time to give her something to think about.

JUNE 2010

26th June - Salperton BE - We just had Paris today as unfortunately Dane has managed to cut him self in the field, nothing serious but enough to keep him away from competing for a couple of weeks. This was Paris 1st Intermediate, when we walked to the cross country we only got as far as fence two before Caroline who owns Paris went very quiet, which is something she does if she thinks something looks big!!, it was a very nice course but was definitely full up to height with lots of technical questions. Paris managed to control herself in the dressage but was even more twitchy than normal as it was very hot and the flies were terrible, she was a good girl in the show jumping just having one down, and she flew round the cross country making it feel a lot easier than it looked when we walked it. She is going to go back to novice next time out just to check we haven't dented her confidence but I am pretty sure we haven't as she made it all feel so easy. Although our dressage score wasn't the most competitive, both jumping disciplines cause a lot of trouble so we finished a very respectable 14th in our first intermediate. This was my first time at Salperton but it is a super event and I am already looking forward to coming again.

24th June - Weston Lawns BSJA - We took Paris, Posh and Flo today, all jumped really well, Posh and Flo both just had one down in the jump off of the 1.05m Open. I did the 1.15m open on Paris as she goes Intermediate next time out, she jumped a super double clear and finished just outside the places.

13th June - Great Tew BE - This is the first time we have been to Great Tew and we will definitely be coming back it was a lovely event, we had a really good day today with Posh, Paris and Dane, Paris has had a really good run up to this event and she was a very good girl in the dressage doing a very accurate and obedient test, she does lack the movement of a lot of the warmbloods doing eventing now but she definitely did her best today so I was very shocked to hear her dressage mark of 49 as I came to the first fence of the show jumping, this is the worst mark she has ever got, it is very disappointing as I know we will be a little off the leaders but considering at Chatsworth where she was very naughty bucking in both canter transitions she got a 41 to get 8 marks worse today is very demoralising, she went on to jump a fantastic double clear and be one of only 3 horses to finish on her dressage score, the mark was still only good enough for 12th and we all felt she had been robbed of a place. Posh also did a good test and jumped a super double clear to finish 8th again she normally gets good marks in dressage but got a disappointing 44 which is her worst ever mark. I spoke to a couple of other competitors at the event and they have had the same problems that the judging does seem very inconsistent, but anyway that's my rant over. Dane was doing the Novice regional final which is run as and intermediate novice where you do intermediate dressage and show jumping and novice cross country the first few places qualify for Gatcombe a lot of the horses in this section are regularly doing intermediates now and the out of the top four placing's the least points the horses had was 40 so we were up against it, unfortunately Dane still thought the dressage was exciting so scored 48.3 but he also jumped a fab double clear. So all in all a really good day with all three horses gaining another point and although the finishing places are a little disappointing we were thrilled with all the horses in all three phases and its always good coming home with a clean jumping sheet.

12th June - Solihull Riding Club One Day Event - Mum and I had a lovely day out today with Shadow and Flo. Flo and I did the Pre Novice class, I was really pleased with her dressage today it was the best test she has done and did the 3rd best mark of 33.9, we had fence two down in the show jumping due to rider error!! and flew cross country, even with our pole down our score was good enough to win the class. Mum and Shadow also had a really good day, mum was pleased with her dressage scoring 38.2 which was in the top half and they jumped a super double clear, we left before the class had finished as had been a long day and we were out the next day as well but we think they will have finished just out of the placing's.

10th June - Ashby and Orton Riding Club Dressage - I took Dane and Paris tonight, Paris was a really good girl tonight and did a good test to finish 2nd just beating Dane into 3rd. Paris just did the one test, Dane won his second test, we are definitely getting somewhere with coming out to all these dressage shows and just proving to the horses that its not always life in the fast lane!!

We have a couple of new additions to Little Garendon, Toffee who is a 4yr old 14hh Welsh Section D who is with us to bring on over the summer and sell, she is a super pony, she has just started jumping and went on her first outing the other day when I took her to teach on at a pony club rally, she was a little star and the other new addition is Neil another 4yr old 14.1hh, welsh cross, I have bought him to bring on and sell. I will take some pictures this week and put them on the horses page. Also I would like to say well done to Jo Payne and Tiffany who she bought off us, they finished 3rd in their first Pre Novice last week, I also saw Basil's new owners who said he is going very well and had jumped double clear in pony club show jumping and qualified for Hickstead, Dee is very settled at her new home and jumped really well at their first time out at a tetrathlon last week and Scarlet who we sold a few years ago and has been sold on since then is going really well for her new owner and is helping someone else find out what fun eventing can be. It is always good to catch up with how all the horses are going.

3rd June - Newbold Verdon Dressage - I took Dane and Paris tonight, I am still trying to convince them that dressage is not that exciting!! We had only managed to get Dane's shoe back on today so he was more excited than normal and his first test was one to be forgotten, but he came off the lorry a different horse for the second test and did his best test to date and scored and impressive 69% to win the class, Paris's first test wasn't bad but we had little bucks in the canter transitions, she also did a lot better second test finishing third on 67%. They both have another dressage show next week before their event at the weekend, hopefully we are going in the right direction!

MAY 2010

31st May - Aston Le Walls - Mum and I had a long day today as her and Shadow were competing in the intro class in the morning and Flo and i doing the Pre Novice in the afternoon. We both had a good day and as always Aston had done everything to make the event a success, the ground was brilliant and a lot of hard work must have gone in to making it that way. Shadow did and average test but jumped a super double clear to finish 17th and Flo did a lovely test to score a good mark of 34.5, she also jumped a super double clear to finish on her dressage score, but unfortunately we were in a very competitive section so only finished 13th even though we only finished 4.5 marks behind the leader, but I was thrilled with flo as you can't ask for more than to be pleased with your dressage and finish on that score

30th May - Weston Lawns BSJA - I took Posh and Paris today, Dane was meant to be coming to but had pulled a shoe off overnight (bl***y horse!!). I jumped Paris in the first class of the day in the big ring which was a 1.20m open, the biggest track she has ever done, she had a couple down at the start of the course and then her brain seemed to click in to gear that the jumps were bigger than normal, and from fence four to the finish she was faultless and made the big jumps feel easy, I cant wait to take her again. Posh just did the clear round in the small ring so we could have a discussion about manners and having to do as she is told while in the ring after her disappointing round at Brigstock, I am trying a new bit which she felt happy in and seemed to listen to so we will see if she is still thinking this way next time out!!

23rd May- Eland Lodge One Day Event - Mum and Cherise took Shadow and Echo today to do the Intro class. Echo did a competitive test and jumped a super double clear to finish 5th, which is really good and Mum and Shadow weren't quite on song for the dressage so were a little off the pace but she just had one down show jumping and a lovely clear cross country.

Flo going well cross country at Brigstock

Photo by kind permission of Image Point Photography

21st May - Brigstock International Horse Trials - we had another nearly good day today with Flo and Posh. Flo was a good girl in the BE100, she did a really nice dressage scoring a competitive mark of 36, she jumped a good show jump round but just had the planks down and then flew round the cross country making it feel very easy, so hopefully after a couple more at this level she will be ready to move up to novice. I was very pleased with Posh's test her trot work was very good and her canter work is improving all the time, she scored 35, warming up for the show jumping she was brilliant but really let me down in the ring being very cocky and wouldn't listen which resulted in two down which is very irritating when riding a horse with such talent, more practicing!!! She also jumped a good clear cross country, so two out of three bits right this week, maybe next time I can do all three on the same day!

Flo jumping brilliantly at Hargate

16th May - Hargate BSJA - Posh and Flo went out today to have a bit of a practice before Brigstock next week. Both were very good girls. I didn't want to be there all day so I decided to jump flo in the 1.05 open which is the biggest class she has done and she was brill, it was one round against the clock and she just missed out on a place by two hundredth of a second which was disappointing as she deserved a place as she had been such a good girl. Posh also jumped a really good clear but a bit slower.

Dane cross country at Chatsworth

Photo by kind permission of John Britter Photography

15th May - Chatsworth Event - We had a bit of a annoying day today, Dane was better in his dressage than at Belton but still tense, he got a fair mark of 40.5 then jumped a brilliant show jump round but had one down which was just lazy so very annoying then was amazing cross country giving me the best ride I have ever had on him, he was so straight and I finally seemed to have the breaks sorted so he just ate up the ground came straight back to me when ever asked it was really a foot perfect round, which was matched by Paris who was also amazing cross country but again had let us down in the first two phases, she was very naughty in the warm up for the dressage and carried on that way through her test bucking in both of her canter transitions which led to the remarks at the bottom saying "naturally athletic horse, but does not always share riders agenda!", and then in she show jumping warmed up clearing everything by at least a foot, went in there jumped the first two lovely then had fence three down then jumped the rest of the course fab, till the last double where we on a perfect stride and just on take off they let the next horse in to the arena and Paris decided that was a lot more interesting and had both parts of the double down. All in all I finished the day with a big smile as the cross country was fantastic, but now I need them to do as well in the first two phases, I feel more dressage and show jump shows coming on!!!

2nd May - Vale View Dressage - Out again practicing dressage with Dane and Posh, Dane warmed up brilliantly but unfortunately it all went out the window when we went in to the arena to do our test he was convinced there were monsters hiding in the hedge not helped by the wind rattling the indoor school doors, never mind its all experience!! Posh was a good girl and did a good test with just one tense moment.

APRIL 2010

29th April - Ashby and Orton Riding Club - I felt very proud of myself going to and evening dressage in the sideways rain tonight, I took Dane and Posh both thought it was very exciting and their first tests were not very good but both settled and I was very pleased with their second tests.

25th April - Rearsby Lodge Riding Club Huntertrial - Dee was excellant again today, she gave a lovely lead to Alix Davis with Misty who I sold to them a couple of years ago and they have had a bit of a confidence crisis, today we both jumped lovely clear rounds. Dee was a busy girl as I did the intermediate class later in the day again she jumped a lovely clear. Jo very kindly gave us a lift again and her and Tiffany also jumped a good clear in intermediate.

Me and Dee enjoying ourselves cross country at Aston Le Walls

Photo by kind permission of Shawshot Photography

17th April - No early start this morning this time we had a late finish!! We went to Aston le Walls unaffiliated event today with Mum and Shadow, Cherise and Echo and Jo and Tiff very kindly gave me and Dee a lift. We all had a good day, Dee was excellent in the dressage but unfortunately the judge did not agree sometimes I wonder what they are looking for at this level, She just had one down in the show jumping and was foot perfect cross country. Cherise and Echo did a good dressage of 36.5 and clear show jumping, unfortunately it all got a little to much for Echo at the start of the cross country and took him a while to calm down and go in the start box so unfortunately he picked up lots of time faults but once going he jumped a super clear round. Mum did a really good dressage and a lovely clear show jumping but then had a bit of a detour on the cross country, I think all the pressure of being in a good position going in to the cross country got to her and made her have a senior moment. Jo and Tiff did a 38 dressage and a super double clear and finished 9th so that was another very good result for them.

16th April - We had a very early start this morning but was easy getting up when the alarm went off at 3.30am as we were off to Belton Horse Trials with Dane, Paris and Posh for our first BE event on 2010. Dane had managed to pull off a shoe when I was hacking him the night before which was a bit of a nightmare as he had a 8.14am dressage and ideally he needs riding twice before his test, so we bandaged up his foot and when we got there at 6am I decided to take him for a bit of a hack round, it all started well he came off the lorry as quiet as he ever has and was very chilled as I walked up the box park towards where the dressage would be and carried on being very quiet until about 12 deer appeared out of the wood!!! this was the end of him being very chilled as he couldn't run away as we were stuck between the deer and the fence, poor Dane, eventually managed to escape when they had had enough of run around, then only managed to get his shoe on about fifteen minutes before we had to go in, needless to say our dressage was a little tense, but I was still pleased with him as he managed to just contain himself and did walk, trot and canter where he was told when he was told, he just had one down show jumping in an otherwise very good round and flew round the cross country clear. Paris has been a little under the weather recently due to an allergic reaction to something in her field, so this time last week were umming and erring whether to take her but due to the no refund on entry fees policy we thought we would take her along and play it by ear as she seems to be good at home now, she definitely was back to her usual self as we bucked very sedately from the box all the way to the dressage warm up area!! but I was really thrilled with her test she was very accurate and obedient and scored a good mark of 37.7, she also had an annoying one down in an otherwise very good round, she jumped a brilliant round cross country. Posh did a good test but I think I was a little reserved and did not ask enough of her but I was still a little disappointed with our mark of 40, I was probably the happiest person at the event after she jumped a super clear show jumping, it makes all the work we have done since last year worth while, this is also a good time to thank Adam Botham for his help in the show jumping and Kim Sleath for her help with the dressage. Posh also jumped a faultless cross country round which means she gained her second BE point. All three finished just out of the top ten, but I was very proud of them all as most other horses have already run at least a couple of times this season.

Echo and Flo going well at the Quorn Hunt Pony Club Huntertrials

Photographs by kind permission of Colbeck Photography

11TH April - We had a long but very enjoyable day today at the Quorn Hunt Pony Club hunter trials held at Ayleford cross country course, the going was perfect and both courses asked the perfect questions for this time in the year, I think everyone in Leicestershire and the surrounding counties were there making the most of the nice weather, there were over a hundred in the novice, I rode Dee, Mum on Shadow and Cherise on Echo, Jo also took Tiff she has moved house now so now keeps Tiffany at home but very kindly gave us a lift. Dee was excellent this was her first proper outing since being kicked last autumn, she jumped a super clear in a lovely rhythm not looking at anything, Tiff was a bit fresh in the warm up but went on to jump a super clear as did Mum and Shadow, Cherise and Echo also jumped a really good round apart from Cherise being jumped off coming up over the two steps out of the water which she says was totally her fault!! I had a busy time in open with Flo, Posh and Dane, all three jumped super clears, I was especially pleased with Flo as there were a few questions she has not met before and she just took them all in her stride. All in all a very good day!

MARCH 2010

25th March - After a late night preparing and polishing and a early morning getting ready we set off with Posh and Flo for our first event of 2010 only to find as we got there it had just been cancelled due the amount of rain overnight, I was very disappointed as been looking forward to this all winter, but there you go. So I phoned the sheffield's who were coming later with Dane and Paris and we rerouted to Markfield for their jumping show, we were not the only ones with this plan as there were lots of other very smart plaited horses there! Flo just had one down in the british novice due to lack of concentration, so I took her and Posh in the discovery, both jumped very good clears in the first round, Posh went on to jump the only double clear of the class and flo jumped the fastest four faults so finishing 1st and 2nd. Paris was not quite herself today she sounded a bit thick in her wind and just had one down, Dane thought it was all very exciting as was very hectic in the warm up and we nearly got landed on by a rather out of control rearing horse which upset him a bit! he jumped a lot better than he did at the weekend but was still a bit tight, he just had one down in the 1.05m open, so I took him in the Newcomers he jumped really well round an up to height, technical course but still had one down which was annoying as there didn't seem any reason just one of those things.

Posh and Paris both jumping really well at Weston Lawns

Photo by kind permission of David Sellars Photography

21st March - Off to Weston Lawns today for their first out door BSJA show of the summer season. I took Posh, Paris and Dane, I jumped Posh in the 1.05m she jumped a super double clear with just a couple of time faults, definitely a fault in the right direction!! In the Newcomers Dane was a little disappointing as he was a bit strong and on his forehand and hit fence three quite hard, which seemed to wake him up and bit and jumped a lot better after that, Paris was a star she jumped a super clear in the first round and just had the last fence down in the jump off which was a real shame as she didn't even feel like she had touched it and had jumped a really super round up until then.

14th March - Mum and Jo were both out today, Mum at Weston Lawns doing the arena eventing on Shadow they had a good day, Shadow did a really lovely test and in the jumping Mum just got going in to the double down and had it down but her score was still good enough for her to finish 4th. Jo went to Oasby for her first affiliated one day event, she was in the last intro section of the day but it was well worth the wait as she did a competitive dressage of 37 and then jumped a really super double clear which was good enough to win the class, what brilliant start to the season!

FEBRUARY 2010

Mum and Shadow on their way to jumping a double clear

Photo by kind permission of David Sellars Photography

28th February - We had a really good outing today, In the pre novice class Mum and Shadow did a 39.5 dressage and a really good double clear with just a couple of time faults to finish just out of the ribbons, Jo and Tiff did a good dressage and double clear to finish fourth in a very competitive class, Flo got a little tight in the dressage she thought the ponies in the next door field that kept poking there heads over the fence were far more interesting and exciting than doing a dressage test but jumped a lovely double clear, Cherise took Dee just to do the dressage as it was her first outing out since being kicked in field at the beginning of the winter, her trot work was very good and just got a little tense in the canter. Dane and Paris both did the Intermediate class as I thought this would be a good chance to ride at test at this level with out the pressure of an event, both did lovely tests scoring 34.5 every one who knows Paris was very impressed by the obedient horse remark at the bottom of the test!! They both jumped brilliant double clears, bring on the event season!!

25th February - Back at Markfield again this time with Posh to do the 1.05m open, she got a bit tense in the arena again today I think because not been to a show jump show for a while, she just had one down but wasn't a very good round so took her in again and she was a lot better and jumped a good double clear.

18th February - I took Dane and Paris to Markfield today to do the 1.05m open, both jumped really well, Paris just had the first fence down due to slight lack of concentration but then went on to jump the best round she has ever jumped so I was very pleased with her, and Dane also just had one down he just got a little strong and on his forehand round the corner to the fence but otherwise jumped a really good round.

14th February - We went to Rearsby Riding Club's dressage show today, Mum took Shadow who did a good test although he is not always appreciating the new disciplined Margaret in the arena and just argued a couple of time but still scored 65.5%, Cherise and Echo did a very nice test gaining 68.6% good enough for 3rd, I took Posh she did a lovely test just ruined a little by resisting in both canter transitions but still scored a very good mark of 72.2% and came equal 1st, and Jo took Tiffany who thought the whole thing was very exciting and scary all at the same time and was a real madam, Jo rode her really well and scored a mark of 61%.

7th February - Off to Weston Lawns again today for the arena eventing, Cherise took Echo for the intro class and I took Dane and Paris for the Novice. Cherise did a nice accurate test followed by a super double clear in the jumping to finish 8th, Dane was a little exuberant in the dressage but jumped brilliantly and Paris was very good in the dressage apart from bucking in one of her canter transitions, she jumped a lot better this week which was helped by the lesson I had on the Monday with both horses with Adam Botham who is helping me with my jumping, checking that I am helping the horses progress in the best way.

4th February - We went to Markfield today I took Flo, Mum on Shadow, Cherise with Echo and Jo with Tiff. Cherise had four faults in the first round of the class and the round wasn't quite a fluent as it could have been so went in again HC and just had the last fence of the jump off down in an other wise lovely round, Mum had one down in the first class so took Shadow in the British Novice, they jumped a much nicer round but just had one annoying fence down, Jo and Tiff jumped two really good clear rounds, definitely the best rounds they have done together. Flo was a little fresh, she still jumped well just had one down in the jump off of the British novice.

JANUARY 2010

31st January - A very belated happy new year to everyone, finally we have got the horses out to a show in 2010 it feels ages since we last did anything, hopefully the snow has now gone for this winter!! We had a really good if very cold day today at Weston Lawns doing the arena eventing, Mum and Jo did the Intro class, Jo and Tiffany had good and bad moments in the dressage as Tiffany every now and then decided it was a very scary arena! and carried this thought forward to the jumping where she just picked up four faults. Mum and Shadow on the other hand did their best ever test and jumped a super double clear in the jumping to win their section. I took Flo and Dane in the Pre Novice section both went well in the dressage and jumped really well, flo finished 5th and Dane just out the places, Paris was very well behaved in the novice section I was very pleased with her test unfortunately she just had one mistake in the jumping as she was a little over excited having not been out for a while. Already looking forward to our next outing.