Time is flying by here at Emile's and I can't believe we are off to Myerscough Premier League in two days! I am taking Aristo for the Inter I and Feine Dame is going to have a go at an Advanced Medium. She has been competing every week while I've been here and although starting with a range of airs above the ground, she has been getting more and more calm and confident in the ring. Since our last show at Addington we have been to Hunters, which included galloping around the warm up before going into the test (having practised no movements at all)! Then we were back to Addington with much better behaviour to brave our first Advanced Medium test which we won with 68%!
We have also been back to another World Class training session, this time with O Level judge Francis Verbeek. We showed how we warm up for a competition on the first day and then rode our chosen tests on the second. I must say I was relieved that after all the competitions we have been doing, Feine Dame felt so relaxed and on side in the test. We did an Advanced Medium and I am thrilled to say that I got a 9 for an extended trot, though this was balanced out by me getting totally over excited in the last extended canter and balls-ing it up completely! We also had some hilarious strength and conditioning sessions where we are now deemed strong enough to up the exercises and had to stand on round wobbly foam throwing a tennis ball to each other. I had difficulty just catching the tennis ball, never mind doing it when stood on the wobbly thing!!
It has been hard being away from home for so many weeks, my poor clients must think I have abandoned them, but fear not guys, I will be back soon! Emile has kept me busy and out of trouble helping to exercise some of the horses in his yard as well as mine, so this has kept me from missing my boyfriend Dave too much. However, he did earn some MAJOR brownie points when he turned up out of the blue last Thursday to visit for the weekend, and with flowers, so romantic! We had a great time relaxing, walking the dog and stuffing ourselves with gin and tonics, and chocolate!