However the biggest influence was the time pushing us to all ride at speed which then leads to errors. The time was impossible to get, I don’t think I’ve ever ridden faster and I still came home with 8.00 and 9.00 time penalties on Coco and Hipp respectively. I couldn’t have been more pleased with both horses, both of them went fantastically, answering every question – and they both were fit enough and came home well. So really pleased.

It’s now all about the show jumping tomorrow, so I need to focus on that and do my best and what will be will be.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 19th May

The scores are pretty tight as Hipp is only on 49.2 and yet he’s in 16th place, so it’s all to play for.

I’m disappointed with where I’ve ended up at this point after the dressage but there is nothing I can do about it now. So I am now focussed on the cross country. Hipp goes at about 2.30pm and Coco at 5.30pm ish. There are thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow, I hope they don’t materialise.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 18th May

Yesterday was a sunny day here in France but today is a lot colder with drizzle. I worked both the horses with help from Brett Parberry who has arrived to help us with the dressage. I like working with him as he seems to give me confidence and we think along the same lines.

On to Coco tomorrow. I hope that goes well and I do my best riding wise and get a bit of luck.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 17th May

The course is not dissimilar to last year, tough enough with plenty of combinations that will require accurate forward riding. I certainly don’t predict it being a dressage competition.

Hipp is up first in the dressage of my two, he does his dressage tomorrow afternoon at around 1500pm and Coco is on Friday afternoon at around 1400pm.

Off to school the horses on the flat.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 16th May

We arrived to light drizzle, Saumur is definitely greener than it often is but so far the ground feels good under foot.

After getting organised and some rest I gave the horses a good hack this evening ahead of the trot up tomorrow afternoon.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 15th May

Womble had a good day, second after dressage and then clear show jumping. I decided to take him steady cross country as Aston is not his main goal and I also think it’s good for horses to be able to run without pressure/pace sometimes. So we got a few time and ended up 4th.

Lala was doing her first Intermediate and went better in the dressage and then jumped a good show jump round but strangely ended up having a couple of poles. Never mind, she will jump her fair share of clear rounds. She then stepped up to the plate cross country, going very well which I was very pleased about. She had a green run out at the exit to the water. She just didn’t understand the question and it took her by surprise. She had to go up a steep ramp out of the water and over a log and then down the side of a steep bank on landing to a skinny brush. She came down the bank a bit scrappily and was off the skinny brush but came round and jumped it very nicely second time around.

Alex was up last in the NRF and I was aiming for a Gatcombe qualification which we secured. He did a 34 dressage and double clear so job done.

As is often the way things were running late by the time it came to the NRF cross country so it was a mad dash to get home, jump in the shower, load up the horses and head off to catch the ferry at Portsmouth to travel overnight to Caen.

Anyway we made it by the skin of our teeth. All a bit stressful but job done on all counts, so now time for a few hours sleep on the ferry before heading on down to Saumur tomorrow morning.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 14th May

The young horses were very excited to be out and despite them progressing at home on the flat things went a little astray today – nothing to worry about longer term as they are all good horses and just excited to be out. Also, given the ground was still very wet, we didn’t lunge any of them as we didn’t want to chew up the Taylor’s ground.

Timmy came 7th and they all went well with double clears although I collected a few time on most of them as they were off the pace in the dressage.

My most exciting moment was on Robbie in the show jumping when in the midst of jumping a lovely clear he and I had a disagreement about getting to a fence and I managed to step off the side!

Never a dull moment. Tomorrow is a busy day at home riding the Aston horses for Monday and then the Saumur and Houghton horses. I’m back at Aston on Monday with Lala, Womble and Alex before heading to Saumur with Hipp and Coco on Monday night.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 12th May

The sun has shone all day and so Aston is on tomorrow! We will be off bright and early as I’m on at 8.00am in the BE100 with Dotty first up. At least I’ll get the best of the ground!

I’m riding Dotty, JJ, Timmy, Robbie and Crunchie and Issy is riding Bertie.

Will report back tomorrow.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 11th May

Sadly Aston on Wednesday and Friday for us have fallen victims to the weather and Chatsworth this weekend. I’m feeling very glad that I made the decision to hot foot it to Jardy last weekend to run Hipp and Coco.

I’m praying the rain eases and Aston can run on Saturday where I have the younger horses. We’ve then also entered a couple on Monday trying to get Alex’s NRF qualification and Lala and Womble hopefully doing the intermediate.

We then leave for Saumur on Monday night, all being well.

Our builders at home have done a stirling job to not let things fall further behind and the timber frame arrives on Monday which will cause much excitement. By the time I get back from Saumur I’m hoping our house will look more like a house again and less like a ducks mud bath!

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 10th May

I have my fingers firmly crossed for Friday and Saturday at Aston and Chatsworth on Sunday but I’m not optimistic, looking at the weather forecast this evening.

Time will tell.

Cheers,

Bill

Posted 8th May