Poplar Park

Our third outing in 8 days gave us another trip around the M25, this time to Poplar Park, an event I have not visited in several years but with the fantastic ground and lovely courses and the best toasties I have ever had (Cheese, Mushroom and Marmite) it is one to which I will definitely be returning despite the bitterly cold wind. It was a real shame to see so few entries in the Intermediate sections.

Bruce moved up to an Intermediate section this time and gave a much better account of himself in the dressage phase earning a 27.1 which is much more what we expect from him! He followed this up with a lovely clear showjumping. His lack of experience at this level (it’s only his second time in this class) caught him out at the difficult combination at fence 5/6, a downhill double of logs curving to a brush arrowhead. He was fine at the second attempt and he benefitted hugely from the run, I felt him learning and improving all the way around. Bruce has always been a bit slow each time he steps up a level but once he gets into his groove he is flying and has so much scope to go on up the levels that we can allow him a few mistake whilst he is learning.

Squidge also moved back up to the intermediate class this week but he did completely the opposite of Bruce and knowing exactly what was coming after he got thoroughly overexcited in his dressage, clamped his tail down and did a super impression of an angry pig in his test. At least that’s how it felt, the judge disagreed and obviously rather liked it, giving us a thoroughly reasonable 31.8. The jumping bits are Squids forte though and the photos prove just how much he loves it, his little ears are so far forward that they are almost touching in the middle. He is so much fun to ride and is like a little pony therefore wastes almost no time in setting up for his fences. This allowed us to get a fast double clear and finish up in 2^nd place! Achieving a qualification to the Intermediate Championship at Gatcombe in August and at the same time upgrading him to be an Advanced pony. At least on points, he is not ready to run at Advanced quite yet, maybe later in the year…….

Flight is going to have another few runs at Novice before he steps but again his gave a really solid performance in the dressage for 25.5. After our issues last week I showjumped him in a different bit to which he took great exception and had a most uncharacteristic fence down. I decided to put him back into his normal 2-ring gag for the xc, after having proved a point to him in the sj and he rewarded me with one of the best rides he has ever given me xc. For the first time I was really able to open him out and bring him back without argument and he is naturally so bold and straight that he was a joy to ride. Once he learns to respond just a little bit quicker and I can start to push him rather than just allow him to move on he will become a really competitive horse who also has a big future. Once again he came home with a ribbon to his name with a 6^th place.

Our next trip is again a local one with Burntwood Sorrel having a short trip to Munstead before its another trip up the M11 to one of my favourite events at Burnham Market.