We have been quite busy recently with two competitions last week, first was show jumping at Blue Barn Equestrian Centre last Wednesday and both horses jumped really well! You can tell they have started their fittening work with some more canters out as they are both incredibly fresh at the moment and although they both behaved they did find it very exciting being out for the first competition of 2014! 

Milli jumped a super round in the 1.05m class with just a very unlucky 4 faults at the first fence. I don't think she was really concentrating on what was being asked of her, instead she seemed more interested in showing the people watching how good her bucks and squeaks were..... strange horse! However the rest of her round was super and she made it feel easy.

Roxie was next and she was even fresher than Milli! It was only my third time jumping Roxie in a WOW saddle and she certainly felt much more free through her back as she put in some big bucks in the warm up on landing through excitement that she felt more free to jump! She was much more adjustable and controllable to the fences which was really nice as I don't normally get much say in the speed matter! Haha. We did get 8 faults unfortunately but that didn't reflect the round at all as it was by far the best SJ round we have ever jumped with just unlucky poles, one where she came back to me much quicker and more politely than expected so we just got a tad close. With more practice in these saddles so we can both get used to it and the clear rounds should be fine :)

With two days of hacking and light schooling we were back out with both to Blue Barn Equestrian Centre on Saturday for some dressage and they again both went really well with placings in all classes.  

First to go was Milli in Novice 38 and she did a cracking test and her medium trot is really coming on nicely :) Milli scored 69.9% and won the class! Good start to the afternoon! Milli then had a small break before her next test which was Elementary 44. It was Milli's first attempt at this level however she did a lovely test, obviously there was plenty to improve on but she scored a sound 62.8% to finish in 3rd place! 

Roxie was next and her first test time was only 35 mins after Milli did Elementary 44! I did the same class on Roxie as a bit of a warm up and she did a reasonably nice test but due to short warm up she remained a bit tense throughout and because of this she scored 61.8% and was beaten into 4th place by Milli! Roxie's next test was much more up her street as we did Medium 61 so with more advanced movements she had plenty to keep her occupied! She performed a lovely test to score 65.8% and finishing in 3rd place! She got some lovely comments and scored lots of 7's and even got some 8's for her half pass in trot and canter as well as her extended trot, not bag for our first attempt together at that level :)

Check out both Roxie's and Milli's Gallery Pages to see more pictures and videos from the two competitions at Blue Barn.....

With both horses going so well we are all getting very excited about what the season has to offer..... roll on March! Next on the competition calendar is combined training at Felbridge at the end of the month.

SG Eventing
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***Keep Calm & Canter On***
***Eventing2014**

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and new year break despite the rather damp weather we’ve  been having recently! The horses have been feeling great recently although due to the weather they haven’t been doing masses of work so I have just kept them 'ticking over' but as we approach the start of the 2014 event season everything has now stepped up a gear as the horses begin their fitness work 😊

Even though the weather has been wet and windy we set off to Sandwich Bay on the 2nd January which was very nice as the sun was out for a bit! Roxie loves going to the beach to do canter work but the tide was quite strong so she wasn’t too keen to go in to the water too deep, can't blame her to be honest.....it did look rather chilly or should I say, feel, as I later found out......! She did a few stretches of the beach in canter and felt great, quite strong as always when she’s doing fitness work but it’s great to have her back to full work.

Milli was next and she had no idea what we were doing bless her. She wasn’t very keen at all on the water but once she saw the others go in she braved it and followed my mum in. The tide was still quite strong with the odd wave hitting the shore line which she wasn’t too keen on that’s for sure but she got better and went in up to fetlock depth behind Charley on Todd and stretched her nose down to sniff the water just as the tide came in and a small wave hit her back legs making her jump up into the air at great speed with me on a long contact hanging on for dear life! She continued to jump about as the water approached the shore and started going left then right and just as we were approaching the edge of the water she went left and I went right!!!! It was rather chilly in the water that’s for sure, but after leading her around in the water for a bit I got back on and she was a lot better! I then did a few stretches of the beach in canter on Milli too and she also felt great. Whilst I was walking her off to cool her down I could start to feel myself stiffening up as I involuntarily dismounted from a great height apparently! I do remember looking down and thinking…..this is going to hurt! With a few days of just light work and hacking the horses I'm feeling much better now and at least I got the first fall of 2014 out the way pretty early on! On a positive note I didn’t hurt or ache as much as I thought I might do so my body must be continuing to repair itself from my accident a few years ago! 

We are going to continue to battle with the wind and rain in the hope that it will stop soon as spring is nearly here, right? We have quite a few competitions coming up with the horses……we are off to Blue Barn on Wednesday for their BS jumping show where both Roxie and Milli will be jumping. Then we are back at Blue Barn of Saturday for some dressage with both of them and then the following weekend we are hoping to head over to Merrist Wood for the BE JAS classes 😊


The weather is doing it’s best to dampen spirits but as we get closer and closer to March the more excited we are all getting as to what the season has ahead for us.....

SG Eventing
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***Keep Calm & Canter On***
***Eventing2014***