PULBOROUGH

After last weeks’ 430 mile round trip to Osberton it was nice to remain close to home for the 15 minute drive to Pulborough. Although the weather was significantly less lovely! Having not managed to get into Osberton, we were fortunate to get a late entry for Gloris Flight in the Novice here instead. I was pleased with his test, especially after remembering that at this event last year I was hard pressed to stay on board with his acrobatics! 33 was a fair mark, he is quite impressive in his movement but as yet lacks the strength to really use it to best advantage but this can only improve as he gets older and stronger. The showjumping for us was a little disappointing with fence down, but to put things in perspective, it is the first fence he has had down this season! So I can’t be too cross with him. He was again super xc, in what is only his 3^rd Novice run. I’m not yet pushing him to go any faster as I know there will be more than enough pace there when I require it and as yet he just needs to learn to settle and jump out of his stride, so we collected 7.2 time faults, but this was still good enough for 6^th place.

They say the sun shines on the righteous and this was certainly true today as the sun came out in time for Burntwood Sorrel to do his dressage. Ginger is proving to be a really consistent campaigner as with the exception of his first run at Rackham (his first event in 3 years) he has not had a dressage mark worse than 27. Today was no exception with 26.5 to which he added nothing to win his second BE100 in two weeks.

Day 2 was slightly better from a weather point of view and having 8am dressage was not so bad being so close to home, especially having already ridden the BE100 course the previous day. Jamesson got the day off to a good start with a 26.5 dressage. He was unfortunate to have the last fence down sj, but he set of around only his second run at this level full of confidence. Unfortunately we met a couple of combinations that were more technical than he has yet dealt with and picked up 40 penalties. The first, at the house before the water was a little bit naughty and he did get his bottom smacked. Jumping through well at the second attempt. His second whoopsie was more rider error, he didn’t jump too boldly up the step so rather than pushing for the (quite long) 2 strides to a log I waited and allowed him to make 3 and pop the log. But he didn’t! Stronger riding on the second take ensured that we made it home without further issue. A disappointment but not one I can be too cross with him for as he is turning out to be such a super little horse who just still has much to learn.

Last of all was Northern Territory who was having his last run of the season. Since starting the season very promisingly he hasn’t really delivered, although some of this has been down to a lack of form since his fall at BCA in June. He started the day here in total disgrace, having been shod on Thursday, pulled a shoe on Friday and acting like a raging bull whilst a very lovely farrier tried to put one back on him before dressage on Saturday morning and Anna Gorringe did incredibly well not to let go! We have always known that NT loves the mud but I think he has also heard the threats that he may lose his ‘Man-Bits’ if he doesn’t get his act together, but whatever the reason, he pulled it together today. Finishing on his dressage mark of 30 to earn his first ever win. But more importantly he felt really good doing it. Really using himself over fences and really picking up the bridle and taking me around the xc. So he has earned himself a reprieve and will now have a bit of a holiday and we shall see how he gets on in 2015.

Well the season is nearly over. Winter is definitely nearly here but we have one event left, in two weeks it’s a trip down to Cider Country for Aldon with James, Ginger and Flight before we pack up and go into hibernation for the winter months. ;-)