Sparklet
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the good wishes and I though the least you guys deserved was an update on the day.
There I was parked in the car park after an interesting journey - lorry bouncing about in the wind. Declared and pulled horsey off the lorry.
Removed travel boots which promptly flew across the yard chased by husband. The saddle cloth needed two of us to hold it down until a firmly girthed up saddle did the job.
We all had our heads tucked under during the walk to the arena as by now rain had joined the wind and was falling sideways.
The ambient music playing in both the warm up and test arena was completely drowned out by the hammering rain and gusting wind rattling the panels, windows and shutters in the arenas, but I was thankful that all was indoors. By now my lovely black shiney horse looked like a wet labrador!
....my test, marks?.....well I went for a safe test and walked too early so my marks were a disappointing 64.17% and I ended up about 12th. My girl was an absolute star and in retropect I know I could have asked for a bit more.
There were some very flashy horses there and the competition, even at prelim is incredible. Some looked so sat on their hocks their back legs looked shorter than their front ones by several feet! There were riders who were apprenticed to olympic level dressage riders who were born on horseback
I'm in my mid 40's, didnt start riding till I was 33 - I work full time and ride when I can. My horse is an ordinary riding horse - not bred for dressage so I am not going to beat myself up.
Anyway onwards and upwards..I have half qualfied for the summer regionals and am entered for another qualifer next week.
Good luck to anyone else qualified
There I was parked in the car park after an interesting journey - lorry bouncing about in the wind. Declared and pulled horsey off the lorry.
Removed travel boots which promptly flew across the yard chased by husband. The saddle cloth needed two of us to hold it down until a firmly girthed up saddle did the job.
We all had our heads tucked under during the walk to the arena as by now rain had joined the wind and was falling sideways.
The ambient music playing in both the warm up and test arena was completely drowned out by the hammering rain and gusting wind rattling the panels, windows and shutters in the arenas, but I was thankful that all was indoors. By now my lovely black shiney horse looked like a wet labrador!
....my test, marks?.....well I went for a safe test and walked too early so my marks were a disappointing 64.17% and I ended up about 12th. My girl was an absolute star and in retropect I know I could have asked for a bit more.
There were some very flashy horses there and the competition, even at prelim is incredible. Some looked so sat on their hocks their back legs looked shorter than their front ones by several feet! There were riders who were apprenticed to olympic level dressage riders who were born on horseback
I'm in my mid 40's, didnt start riding till I was 33 - I work full time and ride when I can. My horse is an ordinary riding horse - not bred for dressage so I am not going to beat myself up.
Anyway onwards and upwards..I have half qualfied for the summer regionals and am entered for another qualifer next week.
Good luck to anyone else qualified
