A nice trip out to SHHT but it didn't end as I had hoped.....

With Berkshire College Horse Trials cancelled I was incredibly lucky to get a late entry into Stratford Hills Horse Trials so we headed off just north of Colchster on Sunday 17th June.
 

Roxie was working very well in the warm up and I began to notice a huge improvement in Roxie's attitude and concentration after giving her some Global Herbs SuperCalm Instant sachets. She continued to remain relaxed and calm, perhaps to calm throughout her test and scored 34.5 putting us in the top 15. I was very pleased with this mark and changing her dressage bit has really helped her accept the contact better. Now I can continue to work on her impulsion but at this stage I would prefer her to be too cal than getting too tense!

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With a quick change of tack we headed over to the SJ and the track was causing problem after problem with most peoplr coming out with 8 / 12 faults! I hadn't got chance to walk the distaces but they looked like they were ridig on a slightly forward stride! She warmed up really well and ou round was flowed really well. Unfortunately we did pick up 4 faults at fence 8, a fence many many others had too! With just 4 added to our dressage score we moved right up the leaderboard so it was all to play for out on the XC.....

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5, 4, 3, 2, 1....Good luck! And of we went. The course was quite challenging with lots of combinations on very acute angels so it was going to be a great test for the new 'magic' bit! We set of brilliantly and took all the direct routes. She jumped brilliantly through the water and after I pushed her on up the hill to fence 15. She didn't really listen when I asked her to steady but jumped 15 well but after that she began fighting slightly and threw her head up as I turned the corner and went up the gravel slope to fence 16.....because of this she didn't see the slope and tripped! Thankfully she was very lucky and got back to her feet in no time but grazed her knee and bit her top lip so I decided to retire her there. She had jumped all the complex cobinations with her eyes closed and I didn't want to risk further injuries before Barbury International!

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Thankfully Roxie is fighting fit and was completely fine this morning, no swelling or lameness :) She enjoyed a day relaxing in the field, in what we haven't seen much of.....SUNSHINE!!!

I am now starting to get incredibly excited for Barbury International as I've never been there and everyone I speak to says what a great event it is even if the XC course is HUGE!!

Pictures and video of Roxie at SHHT are now 'live' so please feel free to check them out....

All the other horses are going brilliantly as well, Dizzy is walking and trotting on the lunge with me on her now and is great when picking out all her feet....she has such a great attitude :) Tiffany is continuing to improve and is going beautifully on the flat now working towards elementary level at home. We are hoping to get her out a.s.a.p to some competitions but we are so busy eventing with Roxie and Milli at the moment! There is a video of Tiffany schooling coming soon so keep an eye open!

So, until next time,

Keep Calm & Canter On

SGEventing
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