WORC Sunday 27th February 2011 P-DTM N28

Weather forecast for Sunday was changing on a daily basis went from heavy rain to no rain to sunny intervals by Saturday lunchtime, come Saturday evening heavy rain was forecast for when we would be out strutting our stuff.

So Saturday early evening was spent cleaning boots/bridle washing Chorrie's tail and socks. Got home stupidly late to baked potatoes cooked by my lovely husband, didn't go to bed early as planned *doh* anyway slept well and got up with a bit of a ho hum feeling that I squashed with some positive affirmations and so to the yard.

Lovely sunshine (so forecast right so far) turned Fred out, mucked out, groomed the now dry mud off C. Faye was back from Worton and reported very muddy outside arena so skipped a second wash of his socks, started to plait and then thought better of it as not enough time.

Got lorry out and sorted went to get changed into breeches and shirt, was putting boots on Chorrie when he poohed and I wasn't quick enough so ended up with pooh all down the front of my cream shirt and lots of splashes on my breeches!

And to top it off the rain started; a year ago I'd have cancelled but today reasoned shirt would be covered by stock and jacket and tough about breeches as what's done is done and given all the effort that the RC put into organising shows it'd be pretty poor not to make a bit of an effort.

So loaded up and off we jolly well set arrived parked in the VIP area :-) and walked through the court yard, through the normal parking and round to the arena and yes Faye was dead right about the mud :-( my lovely clean boots now looked like well muddy boots.

Warm up 1

Got on only one other horse in arena that was squealing and had been bucking so stayed well away and was even more appreciative of what a good boy Chorrie is. Didn't do all of my warm up plan as avoiding squeaky horse.

Dressage to Music - Prelim - Judge: Clare Goldie

Went in said my name to the writer who knew who I was anyway :*) but tis only polite, trotted C around arena and he cantered so went with it, judge rang bell trotted to position halted and very professionally :-D a la Laura B raised hand for music to start.

Intro music is Jaws - well it amuses me. Trot music is Wanna dance with somebody which I like as it seems appropriate. Managed to go wrong assuming you can indeed go wrong in a freestyle?

Ended up doing a few moves to cover it up and luckily managed to end up on centre line facing judge for final halt.

Got a round of applause from the spectators which was lovely; C gave them a bit of a Paddington stare but then realised they were clapping him so bowed to his audience :-)

Chuffed to bits as I kept our connection and managed to think when music was going awry.

Warm up 2

The heavens opened and it p1$$ed down oh and hail too, poor old C was soaked (guess who forgot his waterproof sheet) I had rain dripping off my hat and the arms of my jacket, You can hear the rain on the video and see just how wet C was :-(

Novice 28 Judge: Carol Hogg

Again chuffed as kept connection and didn't get bothered by my not riding so he broke to trot on 15m half canter circle back to track. Just caught the error and made sure I had him balanced for second 15m half canter circle back to track.

Scores

Came 3rd in both classes

P -DTM: 72.77%

N28: 64.58%

very fair comments from both judges.

Was spectacularly chuffed when Clare said she was proud of me, that meant more than anything. Actually am proud of myself for

• going in-spite of rain/pooh
• first time out without trainer
• first time DTM
• kept the connection
• did I mention kept the connection? :-D

and the shirt and breeches took two washes to get clean! Chorrie had a Kit Kat Chunky Duo as his post competition treat. I lucked out when he came into my life, he had me at hello that day I walked into his stable and he turned around and wuffled at me and still has me and always will.

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is served with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
~Ronald Duncan, "The Horse," 1954