Brightling Horse Trials, where to start!

My first 1* turned out to be just another novice!

Top hat and tails on and off ! I go to my dressage with a pristine horse who soon turns into a muddy one! I trekked through the carpark which was a  mud bath, lorries being pulled in and out, it was just as bad as longleat!

So anyway I headed up to the dressage, 3 seconds into my warm up an official ventures over to me stops me and says "Unfortunately". As soon as I heard that I thought no no no I dont want to hear it...

Apparently we misread the rules, flu jabs need to be done every 6 months done for FEI, home and abroad. Estella's vaccinations are booked for next week, a week too late!

Anyway they were very kind and said I could go into the novice. Top hat ad tails off and Tweed and Beaguler now on, I had 15 minutes to learn the new dressage test and I went and pulled off the best dressge test I have ever done, in sitting trot as well! It was a 26.5! Finally a great dressage test!

Pre-show jumping whilst warming up, I wondered what on earth Mum was doing, it turns out she lost her footing and fell over in the deep, slushy mud. Leg still intact and holding together, she stood watching my jumping propped up on the stewards car.

Show jumping, I went into the ring and the wind blew some of the jumps over at the same time, I thought it did not bode well, but we did a good clear she just chickened out on me at the double which meant she chipped in and scrambled over it, the rest of the course I had to ride very hard, so next time I will make sure I give her a reminder that she should be doing her job as well as me!

I got ready for the xc and I was so looking forward to it, my time was 1.06, I got down there at 1 and no one was there, the jump judges had gone, flags across jump and the steward was having her lunch. Control had not told the stewards that I was running in the Novice. The steward did apologise and they refunded our money which was good of them. So back to the lorry it was, I was not able to complete, so I untacked and we went home!!

I was very pleased with my dressage and show jumping it was a very confidence giving day!!