2 years on and we're hanging in there....just about!

OK – sheesh, a lot has happened since I last wrote! Again! I have now had Beau for over two years and from the last post I shared in May 2012, when we had done our first prelim test together, we are now preparing for our first medium level test next weekend. See, if you pray enough to baby jesus, miracles DO happen!

I’ve realised a lot about my horse. I’ve realised he needs someone to have a calm but firm hand. I’ve realised he needs patience. I’ve realised he relaxes  once his rider relaxes. I’ve realised that he will 99.9% of the time shit his pants going up the centre line in a test when he sees the judge. But I’ve also learnt a lot about myself. I’ve learnt that I’m NOT patient. I’ve learnt I’m NOT relaxed and I’ve learnt that perhaps we are not the best suited pair in the world. But we have learnt so much together and finally Beau trusts me and I trust him and I know when he’s going through a hard time.

So we’ve moved around a bit for various reasons and have found the right yard for us – it’s a nice small, quiet yard, which Beau likes, and it’s close to 2 competition yards so the crazy competitive freak girl within me is also satisfied. Due to lots of combined factors, along with the help of our great trainer, Louise Evans, we are no longer as worried about doing the bucking bronco in the middle of a test while fancy dressage types on their plump horses with shiny over reach boots and sheepskin everything look on in disgust. We are now more concerned with the amount of cadence and impulsion Beau is showing (if any) and whether or not he is shaped like a banana or a plank. He has his tantrums still and I have to admit they annoy the life out of me. I can picture myself in the future if I ever have children knocking on the door of the hospital dangling the kid by the leg to see if the hospital want it back. I have had that moment many a time with Beau but right now I’m very happy I made the decision to stick with it. We’re doing a medium test for chrissake…never did I think I’d achieve that in 2 years.

The amount of sheepskin goods has increased ten fold in the hope that the equation ‘fluffy things = amazing dressage horses’ is correct. It seems however, that it is not. 

We have also gone through a few new sharers and we now have such a great mix, I’m so lucky that I have some really great people to help me out with Beau. Trying to find the right sharer is a TOTAL nightmare. Finding the right sharer is a dream come true with cherries on top. Said new sharer has started to jump Beau. He jumps over poles as if you were ask a cat to jump into a bath of water. He is very clearly a dressage horse. And while you can almost hear him saying ‘Excuuuuuuuuuuuse me but what the DEVIL are you expecting me to do here.....tallyho…snarf’ he actually quite enjoys it. Not the cleanest jumper you’ve ever seen but it’s good for him to try a few new things from time to time.

Thankfully throughout it all, one thing Beau has been is healthy. He went through a brief stage of not being great for a month due to various external reasons but when I hear stories from friends about horses on box rest, horses with colic, horses with half a fence stuck in their faces etc, I feel very lucky that Beau has only given me a few bumps and scratches. And he is a dream to handle in the stable and around the yard. Except when you go near him with a clippers. NEVER go near him with a clippers. Sorry previous yard manager, whom he tried to kill with one swift boot to the head (that’s when I discovered the beauty of the twitch).

We have been out and about a lot and we now focus on venues where I know he will chill out – ie venues where there are other horses within sight! We’re on the way to qualifiying for the regionals at Elementary level so watch out Carl Hester and all the posho fancy pants dressage people ala paragraph 3.

Highlights from the past 2 years:

• Starting to compete in affiliated BD competitions
• Winning the overall ridden section at the Chiltern and Thames showing championships
• Beau receiving his first over 70% at elementary level (unaffiliated)
• Onboarding Lynda and Camilla to Team Beau
• Getting our highest elementary affiliated dressage score, 69%, beating the fancy pants Lucitano stallion that I was giving evils to
• Qualifying for the Petplan championships
• Seeing Lynda win her novice class at Oldencraig
• Doing our first flying change
• Competing at the south east championships in Hickstead (even if I left my mum's wedding celebrations early to get back for it)
• Finding our perfect yard and seeing Beau make friends

I promise to be a good blogger and update this much more often Amen.