July 2023

We had a few quiet days after Hickstead. I went to the Billy Stud Auction on the Tuesday, I was really impressed with the quality of horses, and the Billy Stud hosted a very enjoyable evening with horses selling for good, but fair prices. I took both horses for training on the Friday, they both jumped really well, although I had a strange incident with Arietta when a bird flew out of the hedge and very nearly hit her in the face. She flung her head up and whipped round, really whacking the side of my face which was terribly painful. However we recovered ourselves enough to go to Coombelands the following Thursday, both horses jumped beautiful clear rounds in the Foxhunter, and perhaps I should have quit while I was ahead, as I then jumped Arietta in the 1.30. She was jumping a lovely round for one fence down when she sort of half jumped into the double at the second last fence and rather landed on the back rail, stupidly I thought she could get out in one stride because she has such a huge stride, in fact I just managed to fall of when she sensibly declined doing the impossible. It was very irritating as she was going so well, and I felt I had a really good shot going in. Whether she just didn’t realise it was a double and landed rather quickly or slightly changed her mind I really don’t know. Luckily I was able to gather myself together and go straight to Felbridge on the Saturday where she jumped a lovely double clear in the Foxhunter. Breakdance didn’t jump quite as well as at Coombelands, but still he is improving in his ride and attitude all the time.

The following weekend we went to Pyecombe in a howling gale where both horses jumped well, Breakdance just had one in the jump-off of the Foxhunter and Arietta jumped a lovely double clear. We were back at the Billy Stud for training on the Monday, once again both horses jumping well before going back to Felbridge for the Sussex Area Show on the Saturday. A slightly less than stellar round for Breakdance, but I had forgotten his bridle and so jumped him in Khalissy’s bit which made him slightly cross, and another double clear for Arietta. We then had one last, and very good training session the following Monday before I set off to Lier in Belgium.

As always many thanks to Holly White and Steff Gibbs who have worked so hard to help me both at shows and at home. It has been invaluable having Steff back in the yard as she knows both the horses and me so well.