Oh Jake!!

This morning we had a fantastic showjumping round, foot perfect, hit every single jump on the right stride, after showjumping we moved up to 3rd place!
Then it was cross country and it supposedly rode well and I was really looking forward to it because it followed the proper badminton course all the way round. First three fences he jumped well and then we came round the corner to a wall, The start of the course was quiet, nothing really prepared us for the hundreds of people that were watching and on the course, we turned the corner and there was a coffee stand with lots and lots of people, Jake dropped a shoulder and tried to nap and spin round with me but i managed to keep him straight, but Jake was so freaked by the time we got to the fence he stopped dead reared up and span round, I could do nothing about it and had to re-present to the fence, then he popped it, nothing I could of done in training could of helped this, it was the atmosphere, so many people around, it blew his brain. After this all went smoothly for a bit then half way round the course he started spooking again where there was a lot people around, few fences taken at trot as he was reluctant to go forward, he got told and finally i got him in front of my leg and then he finished the course brilliantly.
It was the most incredible experience I have ever had and one that will stay with me, especially when Dad and I were walking round cross country early in the morning, we came across Pippa Funnell, she stopped and chatted and asked me how I was doing it was just bizarre.
Jake has now retired from Eventing, he has done so much for me, I have learnt so much on him, he won at Twesledown, as Mel Breen said he has nothing to prove, he owes me nothing, I owe him so much. Enjoy your retirement Jake you deserve it.

Of course I would not have had such a good time if it wasn't for my Mum and my dad who have been there all the way and supported me and to my grandfather nickname "Gdog" who chauffeured me back and forth to the course and my amazing farrier/godfather/uncle grant, my auntie Tracey who was there at the start and saw me into the start box and then ran to meet me at the finish.Thank you so much to our friends Debs and Melissa and to Nanny for coming all that way to support me and lastly to my greatest fans George (9) and Freddie (4) my cousins who cheered me on. I got so many text messages and face book messages wishing me luck and commiserating when it all went wrong, they all meant so much, I really, really appreciate it, thank you.
Mum says the mark of a good sports person is how you deal with losing as well as the winning.What this has done has really spurred me on to get to 4* Badminton as early as I can, I really want to try and achieve it by the age of 18. Need a horse that can do it though, anyone know any owners that might be interested, I have figured out that next year when I leave school I will need a 2/3* horse, a lovely owner and then it will give me 2 years to get it to 4*, I really, really want to do this!!! In the meantime I will try and qualify Pearl to get to Badminton Grassroots next year!
I have a day off and then I am off to Felbridge Winter Dressage Championships with Estella in the Elementary class, I have not learnt the test yet! Its all go and I love it!