"After Badminton, we had a couple of quiet weeks which were well received by all but it was soon back to it and a busy weekend at Hambledon suddenly loomed.

Billy on Air 

On the Friday, I had my newest arrival Billy on Air in the BE100 for our first event together. It's always a bit difficult when you first compete on a new horse as although they may have been eventing before and you have been riding them for a while you never know quite what to expect.

Fortunately, she was lovely. We made a couple of little errors in the dressage, mostly just miscommunications as we are still getting to know each other, but it was a good test. The show jumping was great, she is really careful and loves jumping and we had a nice clear round. Then off we went around the xc and again she was great, feeling as though she was smiling all the way round and coming home with a good clear. We finished in fifth place, which was a great result for our first outing and now she just needs to get fit, ready for stepping up to Novice in a few weeks.

Additional movements in the dressage

On the same day, I had three dressage tests in the CIC*. My little advanced horse Ollie Artois has been out on loan but his new mummy had a fall from her other horse, so I have got him back for a bit. He was already entered so we took him but as I had only ridden him for the first time the day before his test was a bit wild. Next was Chico Bella who was very naughty. She is just beginning to realise that eventing is great fun and was keen to get to the xc phase so went through her dressage test at high speed and with a few additional movements.

As she was so lovely in the good bits, she managed to get a reasonable score of 56 but possibly a discussion required before our next event! 

My mum's horse Wolfgang Penelope was very good and brightened up the day, producing a nice test for a score of 47.5

Placing’s in the CIC*

Saturday morning and off we go again, this time with just the three in the CIC* to do their show jumping and cross country. Little Ollie Artois made it feel easy and jumped a super clear in the show jumping. Chico Bella also made me smile with a classy clear round and Wolfgang Penelope jumped a super round until we turned to the last combination. It was a bit of an eyeful and she made a mistake jumping in and rolled two poles; such a shame as the rest of it was super.

On to cross country and just as I got on Ollie the heavens opened and the rain began. Luckily it was an easy track for him and we just cantered round despite the torrential downpour. It was still chucking it down when I got on Chico Bella and with her being less experienced it was a bit trickier with the added complication of rain but she was super and jumped a lovely clear, just collecting a handful of time faults.

By the time I got on Wolfgang Penelope, the rain had stopped and everything was drying out so I was able to push her on a bit and we were one of only a few combinations to be inside the time.

It turned out that the track had caused a few problems throughout the day, so I was really pleased with my three. Chico Bella finished sixth despite her less than perfect dressage and Wolfgang Penelope was third - a great result.

Tropique finds his brakes

Sunday dawned and off we set again, this time with Tropique in the Intermediate. I also took a couple of youngsters to work as it is a great opportunity to get them out to events when the lorry isn't full!

Tropique was a bit fresh and the sight of some cyclists whizzing past his dressage arena was too much for him to handle early on a Sunday, leaving us with a disappointing score of 40.  He redeemed himself in style though with a really lovely double clear. It was only his third outing at this level and I had been struggling a bit with a lack of brakes, so I was really pleased that he went so well.

Next week, Wolfgang Penelope and Chico Bella tackle their first Intermediates at Aston le Walls, come on girls!