Caroline Harris

BSJA time!

The snow has finally disappeared, so the lorry has been started and loaded with horses. We have been to West Wilts a record of 3 times this week, impressive! Monday was clear round jumping for the two younger ones, it was Sammy’s first time out and Dingo’s first time out since his last event, two clear rounds so that was a success. Friday was some exciting eventers showjumping with a green Sammy, which to my horror involved a skinny and other exciting obstacles. Sammy was ace, proving to be very bold. Then back again on Saturday for a bit BSJA, this time with Herbie and Dingo. Dingo jumping another classy clear in the massive 95cm! Herbie and I we’re slightly rusty in our first round, but in the newcomers we found our feet to jump a nice double clear and finish 2nd.
All in all a good week at West Wilts. I will fill you in on our next adventures.

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Happy New Year

Happy new year everyone, I hope you all have a fantastic year! We are now really starting to prepare for the new season, which is only 2 and a half months away now, exciting stuff!

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From sun to snow!

I have been lucky enough to run off for a few days in the sun with my family, in Dubai! It was a fantastic holiday and was really nice to be able to switch off for 4 days. I am now back and its Christmas Eve and there is the slight hint of snow on the ground, which was very very exciting. It will all be work work work now with the season inching ever closer, so MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

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The end

Hi,

Aldon, the last event of the season went really well. I had dressage on the Friday, which was the second day of dressage for my section of 105 people.

Herbie did a lovely test, which was only let down by two little rider errors. He scored a fantastic 48 and the fact that I know it could be at least 5 marks better is very exciting. We were lying a very creditable 13th place after the two days of dressage.

The Saturday was cross country day, it was a tough enough course for a CCI*, with a lot of skinny fences that you could easily make a silly mistake at. I had a long wait because I wasn't on until 3 45, but at least it gave me time to watch a few horses go, so I could see how it was riding.

Herbie absolutely flew around the course, never questioning a single thing, he finished well inside the time, meaning we added nothing to our dressage mark, which moved us up to over night 5th place. The last day, Sunday, is the show jumping. Herbie was definitely looking exhausted, and being his first three day he didn't really get what the hell was going on when I got on him again. The showjumping runs in reverse order of merit, meaning again I had a long old wait till it was my turn to jump.

Herbie felt knackered and where he is still a little weak he struggled. Unfortunately I rode like a donkey to have 2 fences down. I was completely gutted at the time, but we still finished 14th out of 105 and I fulfilled my goal of getting inside the top 20. It is also very reassuring to know that it could have easily been Herbie and I in second or first place. I could not be more pleased with the way that he has come on this year, his dressage has improved more than I could really have hoped for and his jumping is getting better and better with this. Herbie has gone from having 1 British eventing point when I took him on at the beginning of the year, to 22 points, he is now ranked as an Intermediate eventer. He is now having a well deserved rest for 2 months in the field and I strongly beleive he is going to come out fighting next season, so bring on 2010!!!!!!

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On flying form

Well what a weekend! I'll start with Dingo, he was doing his last event of the season (a pre- novice). If I say he was feeling slightly well when I got on him to warm up for the dressage, it would be an understatement. A bit of expressive trot work and bolting off with me around the warm up field was exciting to say the least. Anyway I managed to keep his excitement under control during his test to score a very reasonable 35, considering the circumstances. The show jumping definitely gave the youngsters enough to look at, with spooky fillers under each fence. He was jumping brilliantly outside, but went very green in the ring to have two fences down. The cross country was also a lot for a young horse, Dingo was raring to go, he flew round, he had a few green moments but kept jumping well. I was very pleased to find he finished 8th, a lovely way to finish his season.

Herbie was doing one last novice before his three day at Aldon next week! I had worked him hard all week because he was feeling a little full of himself, luckily it all payed off and he managed to do a nice test to score 34.5. The show jumping was causing many a problem, but not for Herbie who jumped a nice clear. He flew around the cross country inside the time to finish on his dressage score, WE WON! This was so exciting and Herbie so deserved it, hopefully the good form will carry on for next week, fingers crossed!

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