So over the past couple of months since going back to university for my third year it has been HETIC! I have had very little time to relax and sadly even less to ride! I have only hacked Jack out once since going back to uni which is pretty disappointing as I did so much work over the summer. However, here is the update:

1. So although I was planning to do my BHS exams and even had some training towards them I decided not to go ahead with it. It was way too much money (around £600) just for Stage 1 which is all the basics, plus I have been learning how to drive this year and so I needed to prioritise money towards that. I really disappointed Katie when I had to tell her but I hoped she would understand, alas I don’t think she did as we don’t talk anymore.
2. Since moving back I haven’t really been able to budget putting away some money for lessons at Ingestre. It is truly an amazing yard and I do want to ride there more often as they are the perfect step up for me from riding schools, however it is again a matter of time and money as I would have to find someone to drive me there and back as well which is a big favour! So in the meantime I have decided to hold back on going there but definitely plan to in the future!
3. At the start of the year I decided not to join the university’s equestrian club as the plan was that Katie and I were to regularly ride at Ingestre together. However seeing as this plan quickly revealed itself not to be happening I decided a couple of weeks ago to rejoin the club. I was really really lucky with this as even though I had not done team trials there was a free space on the C team which I could join. This was really fortunate as I am able to compete again which I love and have missed so much, so I’m glad that it was able to happen!

So last year I was on the B team – which is one below the BUCS (A) team – so this year by being on the C team it is again a step down, however I am hoping to bring confidence to my team and hopefully boost everyone’s scores! They have already had their first competition of the year which was sadly too late for me to join where they all came team fourth and one girl was one point off 6th place individually. We have our next competition next week (4th Dec) so I am really excited to get those scores up and for us as a team to do really well.

In the training session I was placed on a chestnut mare called Tess. She was around 16hh and was a nice ride. She was forward going however she did have the riding school trait of expecting to stop and go back to walk after she completed one fence, however this was simple to fix. She also tried to tug at the reins when you rested for a while and then never really seemed to want to leave to group and go, she would throw a little buck in protest but it was nothing compared to what Jack does! We practiced doing distances over some fences and I found that Tess jumps really high! From this I became a little unbalanced when approaching the second fence which means we didn’t get the correct stride, but with time I was able to work on that which was great.

Overall the team session went really well and it was also the first time I wore my new hat! I got the Charles Owen Pro II in gold – because gold is for winners!! I also treated myself to a silk from Foxy Equestrian: https://www.foxyequestrian.com/ and you actually get to chose the colour pom pom you want on the top so I was able to match it nicely with the gold. But yes overall I was super happy to be back in the saddle and to be doing something a little more exciting than hacking or dressage – although I do have to learn a new test by next week – and I am also so excited for next week’s competition as it is at home and therefore we can play to our strengths. I am going to be riding Tess in the jumping round like I did in the training and I am also being put on a 17hh horse called Jasper I think for the dressage, who is also nice and forward going.

So I better get to cleaning my boots, can’t wait for next week!