I found out why we have been doing all this work. today. Another circle competition but Mum is really starting to raise her expectations and we headed off to see if we could qualify for the fluffy pony national dressage championships - yeah right Mum that might be a little optimistic. The venue was lovely, well organised and with plenty of parking. It also had a very calm atmosphere which made me chill out and relax. No kicking anything today. I stood patiently in the trailer munching hay while Mum went to suss out the layout of East Soley Equestrian Centre (can we come back here Mum I liked it). I stood between tests quietly and ate more hay and then stood for nearly two hours after my last test chilling out eating hay of course and then finally when it started to really rain Mum tucked me up in the trailer and I waited until she was ready to go home - think I have gained all my brownie points back and I'm getting the hang of all this hanging around!
It wasn't all hay eating though, Mum had entered me into the Intro A class as a warm up. I needed to focus and it was a totally new indoor arena for me to compete in. Ok focus, think dressage diva, let's go and impress. Mum felt relaxed but focused and we stonked the test. I went straight into the lead with 78.8% (even with two breaks to canter) and no one got near, I won yeah! Even better Mum hugged me to death when she read the score sheet, evidently we got five 9's. It's the highest score Mum has ever got and she has never had anything like five 9's before, let's say she was VERY happy with me. All in a day's work for a dressage diva dales pony.
You can watch my winning Intro test at http://youtu.be/8WVOZKetmXg
My work was not complete though we still had to do the fluffy (aka Native Pony Society NPS) qualifier. Well the practicing and lesson paid off, we went in and again Mum felt relaxed but full of very serious concentration. In front of a British Dressage judge we did our very best and Mum remembered to be calm and slowly and clearly ask for canter so I had enough time to organise my legs and get the correct canter lead strike off even when we were in the middle of the arena. For once we left the arena with Mum grinning from ear to ear, dead pleased with my efforts. We then had a two hour hoof biting wait for the results, I was 3rd for a long time but some good horses came in towards the end and we ended up 7th, just out of the rosettes but it was ok we were the highest placed NPS pony so we did it, we qualified, yeah Mum was soooo thrilled. I'm going to the National Championships, ohhhh that's proper serious, NPS Supreme Dressage Championships, here we come!
This is the video of Mum and I qualifying http://youtu.be/TgvJFXZVIGw
I have to say a big thank you to Polly for teaching Mum well enough that I am starting to understand what she wants and when she wants it. Another big thank you has to go to Patricia and Alison Haskins and my horsey pal Lara for our play days as this lets Mum practice but more importantly Lara for inspiring Mum to ride with a lighter touch (yet to be achieved) and for Trisha for showing her how to ride Lara and hopefully she will continue to work and improve her skills so she can ride me better too. Also to Jo and Eric who I get to chill out with and enjoy my fittening rides which are such great fun. Finally to Caroline and Iona pony who have inspired Mum and I to have a go at qualifying in the first place.
It's countdown time......7 days to go to Championships!
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