“As Easter had finished, we thought we would make the most of the bank holiday weekend and take Bracks (Headmore Boadicia) and Dream (Headmore Dream On) to Fair Oak Grange on Friday 29 April. As it was the day of the Royal Wedding, we managed to hold off leaving until we had seen the bride’s dress... And we still managed to arrive on time!

A Dream competition

Dream was on first in the elementary and we had only had her back for schooling for about ten days, but we thought that as we were taking Bracks we might as well put Dream on the lorry as well and take her out too! She was a bit cheeky to start off with in the warm up but, once she settled, she started to go beautifully and she really relaxed into her work. I wasn’t sure what she would do when I took her in the competition arena as the warm up is outside and very open and the indoor school is a small arena so I thought she may back off as there was quite a big difference. Much to my delight, however, she was super in the test and didn’t even mind when a rather stupid blackbird kept flying into the mirrors rather than out of the open side of the arena! She scored a very pleasing 71.6% and won, and the nicest part of it was that there is still much more to come from her in a test!

Bracks completes qualification

It was then Bracks’ turn doing her second advanced medium. She had been being a bit naughty at the beginning of the week, which is very unlike her, so, thankfully, Jenny Hadland (my equine physio and one of my sponsors) had been able to come and treat her for me as she had been sore. I also gave her some of my trusty Nupafeed as I didn’t want her to get wound up if she was still a bit sore. She warmed up very well and was doing some very expressive work and I was pleased with how she was going. She was quite hot off my leg but she stayed rideable. I was very pleased with the test, there were just a couple of little mistakes, and she scored 72.3% and won, completing her advanced medium qualification. She has only done two advanced medium tests and scored over 72% both times, so roll on the higher levels!

It was a very good day all round and my chestnut mares both proved the stereotype wrong!

Horses Help Heroes

Finally, we have been approached by the BHS to see if we can help the charity 'Horses Help Heroes' in their quest to raise £1million for our wounded British service men and women. They will be driving a replica World War I horse drawn ambulance from John O'Groats to Lands End in just ten days this summer. We will be helping one of the participants (an injured service person) who lives in our region with some riding and training to improve his or her fitness before this amazing feat. The website is www.horseshelpheroes.org.uk, please give whatever you can to this very worthwhile cause.”