Welcome to my first entry on this new blog. We have a lot of
goals for this year and here is hoping that they we can get them achieved,
although the start of the year has not quite started as hoped!
Quick bit of background......
Dianchi (China) is a 20yo (gulp) TB chestnut Mare,
I have owned her for 14 years now and we have successfully competed in many
disciplines nationally and internationally over this time! Currently we are
competing at Novice/Elem Dressage, Showjumping 80-1m classes, Playing Horseball
and trying to cram in as many other disciplines as possible! I also own/bred
her daughter Diamore(Bridgette) who will be 3yo in May, She will be backed this
year and compete inhand to get more experience.
Planned for a lesson with John Adams at Chesfield on
Saturday, start this jumping thing off good and early! Got madam all tacked up
and ready to roll as its only 20mins up the road and might as well save a bit
of time. Needed diesel so scheduled stop off at garage on route rather than go
out early and come back. And disaster strikes L
Bertha (that’s my lorry’s name) refuses to start again, cue all the tricks I know
to get her going and nothing. So call and cancel out of lesson and book into
next one, call the yard and get one of the girls to come and give me a jump
start, go for a drive up a junction on the motorway and back home. China
however was super and didn’t move a muscle or cause a fuss happily munching her
hay without a care in the world! Was very surprised when we arrived back at
home and was untacked- I’m sure she thinks I’m going mad!
Sunday was a day for planning- China was lunged so I could
see her working and have a look how the Christmas period/ awful weather had
affected her. She is looking well but still could do with her bulking up a bit
more.
Next competition looks like some dressage at the end of the
month followed by our eventing debut in Feb at an Arena event. Lots to fit in
before then though!