BD Winter Regionals
19 February 2014
The weather is still fore front in most people’s minds (and in conversation) with probably the worst winter I have known, people have had awful flooding and storm damage across the UK. We are very fortunate and although we had a few power cuts at the yard our fields are on hills so have stayed relatively mud free still.
I do ride in all weathers, as you can’t chose your weather when competing! Although the other day it was so windy I had to stop and wait for the gusts to die down as we literally couldn’t move forwards!!
Super cob Bloss competed at the British Dressage Winter Regionals yesterday in the Elementary Open Freestyle class, she qualified last year before she was injured. Considering she was still in semi-retirement 5 weeks ago I was very pleased with her. I had managed to get her out to a couple of tests where she scored nearly 70% in both, and a lesson with Matt over the last month. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be at the Regionals, she came 8th which is in itself a very good result, but I felt my test was worthy of a higher mark than I was given. One judge had us 3rd, the other last!! I do find with Bloss that judges either love or hate her, shes not big and flashy but is very rhythmical and workman like in her way of going – at the Regionals where you have 3 judges if one takes a dislike to her then it brings the score right down.
On another note, poor Jupiter has been on/off lame for over a month with no real answers, I took him to the vet last week for an x ray and he has fractured his pedal bone. Luckily it’s not as bad as it sounds, he has another 3 weeks box rest to go, and can then start walking in hand and in 5 weeks time we can start turnout and riding again. The fracture was just at the edge of the bone so he has a special shoe on to support the hoof and hopefully when we re- x ray at the end of March the chipped bone will have settled. It does mean he will always have to wear shoes to support that foot now, but as long as he is sound and comes back in to work I don’t mind!