Chiltern and Thames Dressage Champs - Saturday 29th October

Everything was now focused on the forthcoming Chiltern and Thames Dressage Championships looming just a week away.

My lesson with Sue Edwards this week was brilliant. She quickly identified the area where I was likely to loose a few marks is when Guinness drifts slightly through the shoulder when I make a turn away from the track. So we practised my serpentines (which were in my novice test) and began by using a little outside flexion to control the outside shoulder through the turn. Guinness drifts more on the right rein than the left as he tends to fall onto his left shoulder more so than the right. Gradually we reduced the outside flexion until I could control the shoulder correctly, by having Guinness more in my outside rein. It was a small change that made a massive difference and I will continue working on this through the week. Also my left hand has a bad habit of getting weak and dropping down to his withers when I’m not paying attention so this is something else I need to remember. Considering we only started working on a more consistent contact 6 weeks ago, Guinness has improved greatly in this area and this has helped so many areas of our flatwork.

This week I have been taking it easy as not only does Guinness come out better when we haven’t overdone the flatwork in the week before a test, but my son Joshua has been staying through half term week which was thoroughly enjoyable. Guinness had a massage from Ros (www.horseandhand.co.uk) on Sunday and we’ve been on a couple of nice hacks as well as longing to help prevent Guinness getting bored.

His winter coat has finally come through but I decided against clipping the week before the champs so he is going to have to stay fluffy until next week! My friend Charlotte from my yard has also qualified for the Prelim at the Champs so she will coming with us which I’m really pleased about. There are 56 competitors in the prelim and 36 in the novice so I knew it was definitely going to be a tough competition.

Guinness was still very over sensitive about having his mane touched after we tried to pull it 2 weeks ago. Although I’ve made a point of brushing/combing it most evenings to try to get him to relax, when I tried to platt up on Friday evening, every time I took a strand in between my fingers I think he thought I was going to pull it and reared up. Eventually as I was getting no where and he was getting more and more stressed, I gave him a dose of sedation and I managed to start platting up. By the time I finished he was very sleepy and I think he went straight to sleep after I left!

We had a brief panic when the lorry wouldn’t start in the morning (the isolator hadn’t been put on after it’s last use so the battery had gone flat) but thankfully we’d allowed plenty of extra time and after 15mins charging up on the battery booster pack and we were on out way.

I walked Guinness around the warm up arena in hand whilst Charlotte and Mimi were warming up for their test. Guinness doesn’t like being left on the lorry on his own and he is always more settled when he has a chance to absorb the atmosphere and surroundings at a show.

Charlotte did a great job, especially as I know how nervous she was. Mimi did a lovely test but was just a little inconsistent in the contact at times and finished on 62%. A great job for only their 2^nd dressage test together!  Then it was my turn.

Guinness was relaxed and supple in the warm up and I didn’t push him too much or overdo it. The first test was in the smaller of the two indoor arenas and Guinness didn’t bat an eyelid at the flower pots, spectators or mirrors. Overall it was a nice, flowing test with no glaring mistakes. I was so pleased that Ros was able to film the test for me to watch back (videos coming shortly!). When I watched it I realised it was very similar to the test I did back in March when I qualified, and I knew I could add a bit more.

So I decided in the Novice I had nothing to loose by going all out and really asking for more impulsion, more contact and greater connection. I’m not really competitive at this level yet so this was my chance to see if I could be.

I did a shorter warm up for the 2^nd test, as I had no idea how Guinness would cope with the added pressure, whether he would understand and cope or blow up in confusion/frustration.

The Novice was in the bigger indoor arena and once again, Guinness didn’t even look at the flowers, banners, or people watching. I powered round the arena and made sure I started as I meant to go on. I was so pleased with Guinness. He tried his little heart out, he stayed focused and responsive and did me proud. We broke a little early in one of the counter canters and in the second half of the test he felt a little tired but he was amazing and finished with a cracking halt (even if he did rest one leg half way through my salute).

I finished 7^th in the Prelim (out of 28 in my section) with 65.83% and 6^th in the Novice (out of 18) with 61.66%. I was over the moon with Guinness and had two lovely rosettes to show for it. I also have learned a very valuable lesson, in that I can now ask Guinness for as much at shows as I do of him at home, and that he is now grown up enough to cope with this. 

Onwards and upwards! In 2 weeks time I’m off to Oaklands College to do my first British Dressage competition!