Badminton Preparations

01 May 2018

This year has flown by so far. I have been out pony showjumping this winter with Toddy which has really helped me get my eye in and we have ended up winning two junior foxhunter classes and jumping a members cup successfully. Toddy and I also went arena eventing at Tweseldown and Aston Le Walls in January which we both really enjoyed.Toddy and Libby also have done some Combined Training at Felbridge with Libby coming 2nd in the 100 class and some cross country schooling at Attington and Littleton. Most weeks the ponies have one day off, three days hacking, one day schooling and one day lungeing and the other jumping or cantering. Our priority is to keep them as physically and mentally well as possible so they go out in the day in winter and at night in summer. They have regular physio from my aunt Gill Maybury and also go on our vibrating/PEMF plate and wear a PEMF rug . Prior to our first event they had their saddles adjusted and their teeth rasped and we were ready to go. Unfortunately the weather was not too kind and event after event has fallen foul of the rain and snow. Eventually we took Toddy to Great Witchingham, Norfolk to take part in the ON Under 18 class. As always he was a star performing beautifully in all 3 phases with just an unlucky pole down and some deliberate time faults as it was his first outing for a while.After more cancellations both ponies had a run at the rearranged Moreton. Libby was in at the deep end in only her 2nd 100 but she rose to the occasion with a lovely dressage and double clear on the optimum time to take home first place,what a star. Toddy also went very well , loving the xc and would have been highly placed but he was HC as the class was novice and he has too many points. We were then aiming for Withington pony* but yet again the weather intervened and it was cancelled so we luckily managed to reroute to Chilham Castle ON Under 18. Chilham is always a beautiful venue and though it was very wet and cold that didn’t bother Toddy who shone in the dressage and jumped superbly for a fantastic double clear inside the time and a well deserved first place. Tomorrow we are of to Badminton grassroots and I will let you know next week how that all went.