2021

One of my resolutions at New Year was to be better at updating this news page....that it wouldn't take me 8mnths to next update. Sadly life had other plans & it is now the start of August.

Snow fell on Boxing Day & the temperature dropped significantly. We had had quite a 'friendly' winter until then & it seemed that we had been lulled into a false sense of security. Covid had reared its ugly head again with lockdown being reinstated & so with that & the snow it felt like we were treading water walking the horses on a cleared & salted area of the front yard.

Then the unexpected happened....on the 18th January my Dad died very suddenly. Mum & I have had to cope with the loss & try & get used to a new normal on top of everyone's new normal - easier said than done. It's true what they say, you realise what you had when it has gone....we will miss you very much Dad. Thankyou to everyone who gave Mum & I support during this difficult time; the generous help, meals, cards & flowers all meant a huge amount.

The snow & ice thawed towards the end February & so I could start to get the horses back into work. As we were still in lockdown competing was out of the question but considering what the first 8wks of the year had been like that wasn't a bad thing! Due to restrictions I wasn't able to compete till the end of April & as the Winter Regional Championships were now mid May there was a slight panic about lack of match practice!

Darcy was first out of the blocks going to Rockrose EC to do a couple of Novice tests. It was the first competition in 6mnths & so we decided to go for a confidence building day & stick to Novice especially as she had the Winter Regional Championships looming. What a girl...76.3% & 79.78% & Summer Regional qualification to boot!

Next stop in the Winter Regional preparation was SNEC with Humphrey & Goofy. Humphrey hadn't competed at Advanced Medium for 6mnths & showed a great improvement for a score of 72.16%. Goofy made a very welcome return to competition after a 15mnth break & showed the young pretender; Humphrey how it should be done & beat him with 76.08%!!

So, on to the Winter Regional Championships at Morris. They say things happen in 3's....seemed to be an awful lot of 3's happening over the 3 days of the Young Horse qualifiers & Winter Regionals.

Baby Betty, Headmore Bella Luce had her first outing in the 5yo Young Horse class & won with a score that qualified her to the Semi-Finals. We decided that the journey to Yorkshire for the Semi is a bit too much for the little lady at the moment as we felt she needed a bit more mileage before undertaking the bigger journey's & competitions.

Goofy won the Advanced Medium Regional on his dispensation qualification. Having recovered from being off during the summer last year we had planned to start competing in November to get a month of competition before the end of qualifying but a 2nd lockdown hit - competitions stopped & Goofy was stranded. Thankfully for us BD decided to offer some dispensation qualifications for the Regionals & Goofy was awarded one & with his Regional win this took him to Hartpury!

Humphrey had the task of learning Goofy's slightly modified Advanced Medium Freestyle floorplan. For someone still relatively new to Advanced Medium this was quite a task. I tried some of the movements out in early April & thought I had bitten off more than I could chew. Time to put plan B into action, if I had had one!?! Fast forwards a month, working on everything else, not the Freestyle movements & when I tried them again - Tada....celebrations, it wasn't perfect but it wasn't shocking!! So, decision was made that we would have a go!! All credit to Humphrey, we survived - scored 73% & qualified for Hartpury.

In Humphrey's other 3 tests it was a case of so close but so far away. He had good %s but made mistakes & so we were left praying for those elusive wildcards. It is hard for them to be competing at Medium & Advanced Medium - one minute you want flying changes & the next you don't. Humphrey is so willing & so desperate to please that he second guesses you...but unfortunately he doesn't always guess right! In the future this anticipation & eagerness will pay dividends but just now it's often a case of AARGH!

The biggest disappointment of the Regionals was that Darcy wasn't able to compete. She had got cast a couple of days before & what we had hoped was just cellulitis turned out to be deep seated bruising from a bang to the leg when getting herself up. Looking at the bigger picture for her we decided to let the healing process happen & so we are giving her time to recuperate fully.

Towards the end of May, Baby Betty went to Rockrose to do her first actual tests & she was such a good girl! She scored 68.33% & 69.68% in two Novice tests & despite obvious wobbles there was a huge improvement on the Young Horse class she had done 10 days before.

Betty qualified for the Novice Regional Championships & Scottish Championships at this competition but like the Young Horse Semi Finals we have decided to leave the Regionals for next year & focus on the Scottish Championships. Betty's next outing showed her greenness & in exceptional heat she switched off & said 'I can't'.

Bet's had a few weeks turned out with the girls full time while I concentrated on the Winter Championships. It was definitely holiday weather & Betty made full use of her 24/7 life....she came in unfit fatty Betty! So, new plan...in & worked during the day & out at night.

With Scottish Championships as our new target I wanted to qualify her for the Novice Freestyle. Rockrose had a competition coming up, with little preparation, a borrowed floorplan & music from Darcy that I hadn't tried we headed there. It was very unlike me who admittedly will over prepare for things!?! The music didn't fit but we managed to puff ourselves round the test the get 70+% & qualify. Job done, now a bit of homework to find music that actually fits her!

Outings are part of what Betty needs & so we took her to have her first lesson with Paul Hayler. It was yet ANOTHER hot day (yes, in Scotland!!) & despite the fuel tank draining quickly she was very good & tried hard.

During Betty's holiday I travelled down to Carl's for training....my second trip this year. Humphrey & Goofy have made both trips & we have had a needed 'pull up of our socks' with the long term goals in mind rather than short term. Goofy is still working on strengthening, the work intensity is increasing & he is steadily regaining fitness. Humphrey has made a successful transition to a double bridle & this has made my job of controlling his balance much easier.

We were home for a few days, the boys had a moment to breathe & I had time to repack the lorry in preparation for setting off back down to Hartpury for the BD National Winter Dressage Championships.

It was a Winter Championships that was during the summer & that was Covid compliant.....the best was made of the strange situation that we were all still in but thankyou BD for making it happen.

Humphrey had been awarded 3 Wildcards & so had 4 classes; the Medium straight & freestyle & the Advanced Medium straight & freestyle....Goofy just had the Advanced Medium straight.

It became apparent to me fairly quickly that through circumstance during the Covid months of lockdowns the horses & I had survived & a lot of people had really grasped the non-competition time & had trained, improved & raised the competition bar. Both horses did ok at the Championships but I know that we could have done better. Working in felt great but it was simple - for the 7 minutes that mattered, we just weren't good enough. We had some good performances, some not so good...but I know that we can't produce our best work in the working in & then leave it at 'A' when entering the arena!!

Having said that Humphrey still achieved 5th in the Medium Freestyle & 6th in the Advanced Medium Freestyle with over 70% in both with blips. By his fourth test, the Medium Gold it was just a test too far for a tired & hot boy who had stressed for most of the week. Goofy had a 'clear round' in the Advanced Medium but showed that work was still in progress...he scored 68.2% & was 12th.

Time to reflect, regroup & improve - the Summer Regionals aren't far away....AARGH!

With Summer Regional qualification finishing as the Winter Championships were in full flow, my qualification deadline had to be a few weeks early.

So, taking him out earlier than I had actually planned Goofy went to Rockrose for a PSG Silver class. Even with a mistake in the 4s he had over 67% & duly qualified for the Summer Regionals. Goofy has now got Advanced Medium Gold & PSG Silver & Humphrey Advanced Medium Gold at the Summer Regional Championships.

Last year in late autumn Goldie arrived, she is Donnabel's 10yo daughter & Humphrey's full sister. We had been given the opportunity to buy her as a foal but instead Donnabel & an unborn Humphrey arrived....Goldie & I have eventually found each other 9yrs later! The best news is that she has just been confirmed to be in foal!! Semen delivery has been a bit hit & miss this year & it was 3rd time lucky for Goldie with 'So Perfect' (Sezuan/Sir Donnerhall). Eta of 'mini me' is end May 2022 & we are already excited!!

Goldie & Vera are living out during the summer months with Betty joining them at night. Vera has grown quite a bit & has progressed from a pony head collar to a cob one!!

Back in the spring it was the start of the latest 2yr cycle of Horsescotland Performance Group applications. Both Humphrey & Darcy met the criteria & so the interview process began. For this technophobe Zoom interviews are fairly out there, but with a bit of help from the Interview panel they finally saw me as well heard me!?!

Oh how I miss good old pen & paper!?!

Thankfully the next bit was a ridden assessment with Harry Payne - face to face!! Tada.....we were selected & are once again under the wing of Horsescotland & the support team of Harry Payne, Robyn Dunn & Lauren Semple. I have already had a few sessions on Humphrey with Harry & feel more able to control his power & direct it where needed.

While we were at Hartpury at the Winter Championships, Equilibrium gave me a new massage mitt to try - it's called the Hotspot. It is similar to the old massage mitt but this one is all singing & dancing! It has 2 different types of pulse settings & also differing intensities with the added bonus of a heat setting. Humphrey especially LOVED it....I was able to use it in addition to the massage pad he already uses & focus it on areas that the pad does not reach - like the croup, shoulder & poll areas. I really felt the benefit of using the mitt & it has be added into their daily routines of massage pads & overnight magnetic pads & boots. Betty seems to have benifitted the most from the magnetic pad. Having had back issuses in the first year of ridden work Betty wears the Equilibrium Magnetic Pad for a number of hours during the day it has significantly reduced tightness & has made her more able to go more freely forwards. Thankyou Equilibrium.

Watching the Tokyo Olympics has been super & to see Team GB doing so well has been amazing. It’s hard to believe that it’s 21yrs ago this autumn that I groomed for Carl & Gullit at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Dressage has come such a long way from those days in training, riding & the quality of horses. It’s all very exciting to see & it certainly inspires all of us aspiring riders!

When Betty went to Rockrose to do her Freestyle, Humphrey tagged along for a run through of his Advanced Medium Freestyle & to start his Winter Regional qualification. He was a very good boy & is now ‘touch wood’ gaining the confidence he lacked to give a polished performance at this level. Valuable points achieved in both tests to put in the bank!

To say the run up to the Regional Championships at Cabin didn’t go smoothly was an understatement! They say to ‘control the controllables’ but it seemed that all the controllables were fast disappearing & I was on at least Plan K by the time that I cantered down the centre line in Aberdeen!
Goofy has seemed to have been on a mission of self-harm recently with a field accident resulting in 8 stitches under this tongue…..complications after this led to him actually making it to the Regionals an achievement in itself! His results of PSG Silver Regional Champion & 2nd to Humphrey in the Advanced Medium Gold with a good chance (fingers crossed) of a wild card definitely put a silver lining around his cloud!

Humphrey did his best Advanced Medium to date to win the Gold Regional Championship ahead of Goofy. I was very pleased with how hard he tried & he did seem more relaxed about the whole staying away experience this time.

Very pleased to say that Goofy has been awarded a wild card for the Advanced Medium Gold National Championship. Looking forward to our first trip to Somerford, it’ll be a first for us all!

Humphrey had a quick trip down to Gloucester to see Carl. His first lesson felt good but it was a little below par for him. Carl had spotted a few lumps along his tummy at the start of the lesson & by the time I was walking him off at the end his face had started to swell very badly under his bridle & he was developing big lumps on his body. ARGH, we all went into slight panic mode, the vet was called & a steroid injection given. Slowly but surely the lumps & his swollen face went down. The lesson the next day was a case of the lights were on but nobody was home so we made it light & cut it short. Understandably Humphrey felt under the weather & who could blame him…..?
After a few quiet days at home for Humphrey thankfully the spots stayed away & he returned to his characterful self!

Betty had a ‘chalk & cheese’ couple of competitions in September, firstly Morris where I felt I had revisited my pony club & Thelwell days as I tried to persuade her through her Novice tests - horses are great levellers!
Then…..a week later & the Scottish Championships at Rockrose she shone! I had worked hard during the week on her reactions & despite not managing Championship wins she gained very good %’s & was runner-up in both of the Novice Championships!
As a bonus the Freestyle completed her qualification in that class for the Winter Regionals 2022.

It was a busy Scottish Championships with Humphrey & Goofy joining Betty over the few days of competitions. Humphrey had the Advanced Medium Gold & the Advanced Medium Freestyle & Goofy the PSG Championship.
Both boys were great & it proved a good preparation for the BD National Championships at Somerford Park the next week. Both won their respective Championships & like Betty, Humphrey completed his Freestyle qualification at Advanced Medium.

Quick breath, turn the lorry round & start packing for the National Championships!
It was my first visit to Somerford Park & despite looking forward to visiting & the shorter journey time, I was sad to be not returning to the old friend of Stoneleigh that was so familiar & held so many great memories. Congratulations to BD for successfully running this now huge competition & controlling us (the competitors) as ‘we’ often resemble a herd of cats!!
Goofy was last to go in the PSG Silver & I have to admit the working-in didn’t go quite how I would have liked it….thankfully Harry Payne took time out of his judging schedule to calm & nudge to situation along & Goofy on going through the archway to the test decided there was a reason why I was wanting him to try his hardest.
With the anything but ideal run up to the Nationals & it being only his 4th PSG I had set our aim at 68% & top 5….so to win with 70.68% was FANTASTIC - National PSG Silver Champion 2021. Sadly his owner, Gordon Grainger wasn’t able to be there….so it was an emotional phonecall to let him know that Goofy was a National Champion again!

On the Sunday it was the Advanced Medium Gold with both Humphrey & Goofy. For Humphrey it was almost more of a personal battle than a competing one. Humphrey is a homebird & doesn’t tend to cope well when away, especially at a big competition like the Nationals. I was pleased with how he stabled, how he coped with Goofy being away competing & though not good enough to be top 10, was in the competition arena - all had improved since the Winter Championships at Hartpury. I firmly believe that once we have his nerves under control he will reach National heights as he has with Regional heights.
Goofy was certainly more ‘with me’ for the Advanced Medium but tiredness set in through the test & it felt a bit beige. In what was a high quality class the marking was strict & Goofy finished a credible 6th with 70%.

It felt a little that we returned home from Somerford & hit the ground running. I had decided to try & get as many Winter Regional qualifications done early on so that I wasn’t getting too close to the wire.
Betty & Humphrey competed at SNEC in Novice & Advanced Medium respectively & gained valuable points, then later in October they competed at Rockrose to complete their qualifications. Humphrey also braved his first PSG & despite a very green 3 & 4 due to communication malfunctions scored 66.2% - not a bad first attempt at all!!

Talking of first attempts…. Humphrey’s was a little more planned than Goofy’s at Inter 1!
10 days before a competition at Morris, Goofy made his first attempt at a full canter pirouette & a few of the Inter1 movements. I already had an entry in the PSG & with 4 days to go I felt that maybe we could survive the Inter1 - so a late entry was made!! 70% with Regional qualification in the PSG Gold was great but the real cherry on top was 69.6% in his first Inter1!!!
While on a roll I decided that we should go to Alnwick the next weekend to try & finish his Inter1 qualification….elated - another 69% & his qualification was complete! In this test I had risked more & though overall marks were higher some baby mistakes edged in.