Definitely felt ready to go up a level especially after our success at Chepstow BE80 in almost coming 4th but for going too fast XC . I travelled down to Norton Fitzwarren, in Somerset, on Friday afternoon – a good three and half hour journey – no stops. Raining all the way. On arrival at Pontispool I checked the list for stabling and couldn’t see my name.  I made a few enquiries and was made to feel quite unwelcome.  The same thing happened last year I seem to recall – it’s like everyone you talk to is pissed off.  There’s an immediate assumption you haven’t paid and that this really is too bad and must be sorted out with so and so in the morning. I had paid –  I checked my online statement – but ended up apologising to them. Anyway, I was directed to a spare stable only to find that Frank had a very fearsome stallion  for a neighbour. However, I needed to get Frank unloaded and offer him some water after his long journey and I knew he would be needing a pee (he doesn’t really like to pee in the lorry – unless Nathan is underneath him).  I was looking around for someone else to ask about stabling as the stallion was kicking up a fuss when some pompous teenager marched up to me and told me that I couldn’t possibly stable my horse there as it was next to a stallion (as if I didn’t I know)  and that she knew the owners of the stallion and they wouldn’t be very pleased. Welcome to the world of eventing.   We certainly don’t do it for the camaraderie do we?

Realising that there were many spare stables I moved Frank a few doors down from Mr Angry and set about unloading the lorry and moving stuff around. I needed to walk the course before it got dark but I also had to plait Frank’s mane and tail, prepare stud holes and clean tack. I made a quick cup of tea and was glad I had eaten a full English at Cariad in Penclawdd before I had set off this morning – as a results I wasn’t feeling too hungry and decided I would eat after I had walked the course. The optimum time for the BE90 was 5mins 7 secs and there were 17 fences.  As I set off there were a couple just ahead of me,  also walking the 90, so I decided I would follow them in case it got complicated and I got lost. Fence 1 was an easy 80/90 combo, 2 OK, 3 OK, Fence 4 (upright hurdle) would need some care as it was a sharp  left turn after jumping 4a to 4b. Fence 5 after a long pull up a stubble field was a chunky wide box and fence 6 was a hanging log on top of a steep mound at the top of the hill. I thought I might need to kick on here as Frank could run out of steam and stop if he couldn’t see over the log. Fence 7 was an owl hole and Fence 8 was a massive hurdle with a ditch in front which had a landing which dropped away so that it would feel like you were leaping into space.  The couple who had marched on ahead of me, hardly giving the fences more than a cursory glance, were now closely examining fence 8 taking pictures and trying to work out how big it must be by comparing the fence in relation to body parts (chin, chest, top of head). Now I know Frank has an issue with ditches especially ones trying to hide under logs or in front of fences. I knew that if I looked into this ditch on approach, we would be doomed. I needed to focus on something ahead but could see only sky.  Shit on a stick, this is a big fence.  I wasn’t expecting this. Suddenly downcast, I walked away to find fence 9 and as I did I turned to look back up at  fence 8 and saw a woman striding along with a little dog on a lead. This’ll catch a few out she said brightly. Then I felt a bit sick as i was sure I was destined to be one of the few. Trying to appear unnerved I smiled and agreed.  It’s easily 1m she continued. I introduced myself and found I was walking the course with ‘Dobbs’.  Fence 9 was a roll top, dark shiny skinny and Fence 10 was in four parts: skinny hanging log in; two steps down; one stride; two steps up; and skinny hanging log out. Dobbs was using some kind of app to calculate where the minute markers should be and after fence 11 we turned sharp left.  I noted, however, the couple who had been in front of me, were now walking in from the right so I suggested that fence 12 must be to the right, not the left. Oh, yes, you’re right she said and I felt so pleased to have contributed something to the course walk other than fear and ignorance.  Fence 13 and my chance again to be of some use as I took the phone and walked through the water between elements a and b as I was wearing wellingtons and Dobs had only shoes. Having felt initially a bit scared of Dobbs and not wanting to seem like an ignorant oik I gradually warmed to her and listened with interest to how she had bred her own horses from a neighbours failed flat racing stallion who used to escape into her mare’s fields and provide services free of charge.

We shared lorry breakdown stories and I decided that although she was terribly middle class and quite posh she was actually probably an extremely talented horsewoman and actually very nice. Dobbs complimented me on having a very handsome spotty horse  and was sure that we would do well – she would look out for me tomorrow and wished me luck.

After getting Frank ready I went back to my lorry and finally made a cup of tea.  Then I thought about fence 8 and I thought I might die.  With this mind set all thoughts of having anything to eat were gone. I climbed up in to the luton, switched R4 on to timed and fell asleep really trying very hard not to think about fence 8. Dressage time was 11.02 so it was up at crack of sparra – feed, muck out, water, haynets, groom, finish plaiting, stud up, take Frank for a bit of grass, watch a bit of showjumping, lug all the tack from lorry to stables and worry about fence 8.  Planned to be on board by 10 to ensure a good warm up for dressage. Can never decide on optimum length of stirrups for dressage as I would rather not ride with any stirrups at all. Anyway, Frank was settled, listening and in a very good mood. Asking him to canter a little too forcefully and he gave a massive buck – hoping he wouldn’t do this in the actual test I was also  hoping he would strike off on the correct canter lead on the left rein.  I watched a couple of tests and satisfied myself that I had in fact learnt the correct test.  So many things have gone wrong in my short eventing career that I know that anything can go wrong – nothing would surprise me no matter how often I  checked  and double check things. Number 31, are you ready?  Number 30 has withdrawn  (probably due to fence 8 was my first thought) so you can go in now if you are ready.  So, in we go. My judge has a bell, not a car horn I am reminded – ah for whom the bell tolls and I thought again about fence 8. I am satisfied with the test.  First, we remembered it and it was fairly accurate.  I remembered to breathe and smile. I rode Frank quietly and he was responsive, obedient and collected.  I felt we lacked some impulsion and energy but i was relieved he struck off on the correct canter lead and didn’t tank off…. he was probably a bit overbent and not coming through from behind.  I hoped for a 32 but we did drift outside the boards at one point which is never a good move and may have cost us.

Dressage over and it’s back to the stable for quick tack change and get ready for the show jumping – we had about 30 mins. Was a bit rushed but I tried to have a plan for the SJ warm-up – cross pole, straight bar, oxer. Frank was pinging and bucking but in a careful and controlled kind of way – his way of saying ‘woo hoo let’s go’. I’m feeling quite hot now after rushing about and feel a bit wobbly due to low blood sugar – having not eaten anything really since the full english apart from half a Ginsters cheese and onion pasty and two dark chocolate gingers for supper.  I have had a can of fizzy drink which has given me stitch and thinking about FENCE 8 is making my nerves bad FFS!

The round is perfect until fence 5 when Frank didn’t really take off as I dropped him right in front of the fence and he hit the pole so hard with his knees that it seemed to fly over our heads which put us in a very bad place for fence 6 which we cleared anyway and the rest until we had the last fence down – I have no idea why apart from the fact you should never approach the last fence as if it is the last fence – if you do this you can lose concentration and have the last fence down. Always try and imagine that there is another fence after the last fence – good advice from Jonathan Pett that I really need to follow!

I was disappointed to have let Frank down by achieving 8 unnecessary faults.  Oh well, no time to wallow – time to get ready for XC – the most exciting bit. I didn’t bother jumping too many warm-up fences – Frank was ready to go  – he’s been here before – he knows the score but he’s never jumped a fence 8 before. For the first time he was out of the start box absolutely on the button. Fence 1 was easy and two and three disappeared under us, the tight turns between  fence 4a and b were easier than I thought and he cleared fence five easily given the long pull up the stubble field. Fence 6 caused our first problem and Frank didn’t trust me enough to jump something he couldn’t see to the other side of.  Once he’d gone up and had a look he popped over it nicely. Fence 7 was the owl hole and again he couldn’t see the other side and stopped. Turning quickly I represented and when he ducked out again I ran him into the side of the fence. Damn it,  I thought as I could see the other rider gaining ground on us. Quickly, turning again, this time just before the fence I took one hand off the reins and whipped his ass  – he shot through the hole onto fence 8 – my nemesis. I thought if he stops here it’s game over  – so we can’t stop here, I know he can clear this but i could sense him looking for a way out, first left, then right, approaching the fence like an eel but I was on it like sonic and I had him  – kicking and screaming, ducking and diving I made him take off and we  soared into the empty space beyond –  landing half-way down the hill – me just holding on to the buckle end of the reins and feeling as if I had twisted a bit in midair. So, recovering my balance, flying down hill to fence 9, a skinny latte, he locked on to this and sailed over it. The four elements of fence 10 were gone in a blur, and fence 11 and fence 12 the hay cart. He didn’t hesitate at the water (scene of a stop here last year) and we almost overshot fence 14 as we were going so fast I had to haul him round and jump it at an angle – fence 15 was gone in  a flash, the two elements of fence 16 easy peasy as was the last fence.  We were done – and I was still alive AND we had jumped fence 8.  I was so pleased with him  – once he finds his groove he just takes me and looks after me and  it is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

BTW Dobbs won her section easily on a dressage score of 25 winning a ticket to Badminton grass roots Mitsubuishi cup – and I for one will be cheering her on.

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