Sorry it's taken me such a long time to write a post! Last weekend Georgie and I went to Keysoe for the Riding Club Arena Eventing competition and all was well. Then Sunday I woke up feeling unwell, I (stupidly) still attended my RoR Club Night in Norfolk and turns out I felt super ill cause I had the flu!
I then spent all of last week confined to my home with a fever, aches and pains and generally feeling like I was dying a little bit!
Anyway, I am now well enough to be back at work and writing! So... back to arena eventing!
Georgie and I started the day pretty early as the class was due to start at 9am but got moved back an hour for the temperatures to warm up to 10am but wanted to still leave in plenty of time not to have to rush. We were the first to arrive but parked out the way in order for Georgie to figure out where everything was while B and I wondered round for him to see everything and take it all in. He settles much better when he's had a good nose around!
I stood minding B while he snacked on grass while Georgie when and walked the course. It turned out to be really quite twisty and turnie but the course was well up to height and looked like it would be an interesting course.
While Georgie walked the course she realised, much to her dismay, that she had forgotten her back protector and it wasn't like we were close to home! That'll teach me not to do a role call before we leave like I always do!
Luckily our wonderful friend Rachel had hers with her and being the same size as Georgie, luckily it fit! Phew, crisis averted.
It didn't take too long for Georgie to warm up and be ready in the collecting ring for her number to be called. I got in position with my camera and hoped I wouldn't be too rusty and I got some nice photos.
B was on fine form and in a much better space than he was the weekend before for the show jumping, there was no tense atmosphere just a nice friendly fun vibe!
They made their way in to the ring and off they went. B flew over the show jumping fences which came first, they were by all means up to height but he had a big spring in his step! Wasn't long before a twist and they were at the cross country fences, again really nice jumps and well up to height (and turns out they're made by our brand ambassador company's son, small world hey!).
B was absolutely flying, and it came to jumping the penultimate fence, a smart 90 degree turn back on yourself and over the 110cm joker show jump fence to finish. Really frustratingly B had it down; darn it!
It wasn't about the result though and Georgie and B finished really happy to have got round and that he had jumped out of his skin. We finished the day with a bacon roll while sitting in the trailer out of the cold! It really was very cold after having snow all week!
I am really pleased with how my photos came out, it's always lovely to have the sun come out as the camera can pick up some really nice natural effects!
Cross Country Colours by GGGear, Storm Chase Gloves, Rose Gold Spurs from Eclat Equestrian.
After a busy couple of weekends I am not quite sure what competitions Georgie has lined up for herself and I am on the hunt for my own horse so I am sure there won't be a dull moment!
Oh and we're very excited, Georgie and I, as we have been picked up continue to represent Smart Grooming as brand Ambassdor's for 2019 making that 4 years on the trot! We absolutely love Smart Grooming, so do click on the link to see what lovely products they do!
What have you all been up to?
Sophie x
It's been an odd and rather quiet few weeks for Georgie and I as it's January, it's a long month and after being rather accustomed to the mild start to the winter, it has been freezing!
I had mixed feelings about this weekend far various reasons but had been looking forward to grooming for Georgie at the Riding Club Show Jumping at Keysoe EQ centre.
It was an early start to the morning as the 100cm classes started at 9.30 but not only was it started slightly early they were flying through the rounds with letting the next competitor in while the current rider was still jumping the final 2 fences which caught a lot of people, including us, and there was a distinct tense atmosphere in the indoor arena warm up area, plus it was absolutely rammed with people!
Georgie was able to warm up a little outside in the 80cm warm up arena as it was definitely less busy and chaotic so at least that was a nice start!
Unfortunately not having room to really jump enough fences and the indoor class arena being absolutely rammed full of fences (personally I felt the 80cm should have been in the smaller indoor arena and the 100cm in the outdoor, more spacious arena but that's just my opinion) and the course being really tight G did sadly did roll a few poles out of their cups. This is really uncharacteristic for B as he's usually very careful but we summarised that he was going much to fast and feeling very keen and enjoying himself that he just wasn't fully focused.
Now me, being a total newbie to anything riding club figured it was just like normal show jumping right? If you aren't a clear round you don't do a jump off etc. Well, no, no-one had told us anything and I proceeded to untack me and get us bacon sarnies ready to have an early end to the day and drive home but alas no, even if you have poles down (and even get eliminated) you still have to go back in for another round and they'll be bigger than the round before. Does that make sense to me..... no, but there we go.
Good old B, I had to tack him up in lightning speed, put boots back on and get back in the arena for Georgie to warm him back up! He proceeded to take it all in his stride and perhaps the first round and time to chill meant he went back in the arena much more steady but still, with a very tight course and a horse with a giant stride such as B has they sadly still rolled a pole but came out more positive than before.
Not the start we'd obviously wanted to 2019 but Georgie and B hadn't done any show jumping comps since October and B was obviously excited to be out and about!
I am certainly looking forward to this coming weekend when we're back at Keysoe for Arena Eventing, which is much more fun and will be outdoor so we won't be lacking space!
I took my camera and some of the photos came out okay considering my camera struggles a bit in low light and the arena and warm up's being so cramped!
I really liked Georgie's House of Montar jacket even if I wasn't sure of it when Georgie bought it at Olympia. Plus I am so pleased I offered her my rose gold spurs from Eclat Equestrian
