 Lily at Felbridge Combined Training (C) Felbridge Photography Well it all seems to be improving rapidly here at Georgie Wood Eventing! It is funny how it goes with horses, that one minute nothing can go wrong, whatever you do, The next minute one thing after the other goes wrong. However that is all part of the sport and dealing with it all appropriately is what makes the good times even better. When I left off, we were just about to head to Felbridge combined training with the two horses. We made two trips as it was local and I was doing the two classes at opposite ends of the day! Drew was up first, he is such a pleasure to take out - he is so easy to deal with! I was really pleased with his dressage as it was his first test in dressage boards and he pulled out a very respectable 33. The show jumping was decent and I was slightly apprehensive we may have bitten off more than we could chew! I needn't have worried though, as he was a total pro and just popped round keeping a lovely rhythm but was unlucky just to role the in of the double for 4 faults. It was a big, competitive section so he wasn't placed but I couldn't have asked for any more. Next up was Lily, and the aim was not to let her stop in the jumping as that is the slight trend she has got into recently. Well she absolutely stole the show! She did a 29 dressage - video here (the next best was 33.5) then jumped the most amazing clear show jumping - video here - and felt back to the horse I had last season. We are feeding her Instant Linseed from the Simple System range and I think it has definitely helped boost her immune system and aid her recovery. Also focussing on feeding her before I ride her every time to help soothe her tummy. As a result, she managed to win, with the next best score to her 29 being 35! Next outing was Upton House BE100 open, with the hope of continuing the positivity from Felbridge and rebuilding her confidence after her scare at BCA. She did another really consistent test, but unfortunately got a horse fly between her front legs during the free walk so understandably was trying to get it but it meant we lost a lot of marks for a movement we normally are guaranteed a 7 for. However she still scored 31 which was 5th after the dressage. She then jumped the most beautiful, confident clear show jumping and just feeling completely back to herself which is seriously exciting. Cross country was the bit where I really needed to rebuild her confidence, and it was a perfect track to do so, lovely and flowing and the ground was great. I needn't have worried though as she was fab. She never took one hesitation the whole way round and was totally switched onto the job. She picked up 3.2 time faults as I wasn't chasing the clock but still finished 5th - and only my 2nd eventing placing this year! Drews eventing debut was on Sunday the 13th of July and I didn't really know what to expect! He continued his Mr Perfect status, with a 30.4 dressage in his first ever test on grass, which left him in fourth place after the first phase. The show jumping course was so badly built - I have never seen anything like it, and as a result it was impossible to get into any sort of rhythm, because of this we ended up jumping some of the course from trot as it was impossible for the poor pony to keep his balance otherwise. However he came out with a clear round over a decent track. I had no idea what to expect cross country as he has never been cross country in a competition before. He was a little spooky in the warm up but as soon as he left the start box he was a total pro. He just ate up the course and kept galloping. He went straight into the water and no hesitation over the ditch. So a double clear and a good dressage left him in 4th at his first event. He is such a lovely lovely pony and I am going to be very sad to see him go at the end of the summer, but he will bring somebody an amazing amount of pleasure! You can see him strutting his stuff by clicking here. I am off to Spain on Thursday with my boyfriend for five days which will be a really nice break as everything has been so busy recently. Then when I am back I have got three days teaching at Surrey Union Pony Club Camp, before going straight into two weeks back to back at Mid Surrey Pony Club Senior and Junior camps which I am sure will be fantastic, but fitting in riding 4 horses round that may be interesting - thank goodness for mum! I don't know what I would do without her! Lily is off to Smiths Lawn Novice on Tuesday 5th of August so we shall see if we have managed to put her cross country demons to bed - fingers crossed! Georgie x
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