Me and my new friend Charlotte Dujardin

Cyril here, I have finally found Woody's hiding place for my iPad he stole off of me. Honestly brothers, nothing is sacred!

I've been super busy doing lots and lots of different things from learning to carry Mum sideways while she is playing in fancy dress, showjumping, cross country, endurance training, tent pegging, and of course my core skill of dressage. 

Now while humans lust after the opportunity to ride Valegro, us ponies we are more in awe of the humans who ride them. Can you just imagine how amazing it would be to be ridden by the top human professionals who actually know how to ask correctly for a right hand canter transition!

Well last weekend my most wildest dreams came true and I got to meet one of the ultimate human dressage professionals - Charlotte Dujardin. Rumours were rife when we arrived that she would be there and this was substantiated when we spotted her 'gold' lorry parked next to us. 

Well that was it I just had to meet her. Mum said if I behaved and did a good test she would ask Charlotte to come and say hello to me. Right that was it, I needed to buckle down and put my best ever performance in - well Charlotte might be watching and I wanted to impress her and show her how wonderful us Dales ponies are. 

I've just started doing Novice BD tests and to ensure a good level of impulsion Mum has taken to wearing spurs, humph. Fortunately we were at one of my favourite venues, Summerhouse, it was a long arena test and one of the things I'm really good at is a straight line, so I bagged an 8 straight away. Mum seemed to be having fun so we both relaxed and strutted our stuff, I made sure I gave Mum correct canter leads whatever she asked - couldn't be seen to be doing anything other than correct manoeuvres with Charlotte watching!  

Mission successful, my best ever Novice dressage test coming first in my section and third overall. Mum was thrilled as we had matching rosettes to Charlotte. 

Well come on then Mum, I held up my side of the bargain. So true to her word she found Charlotte out and asked if I could have my photo taken with her. I played it very cool and pretended I met my idol every day of the week.  I even got a hug. The humans were both super pleased to have their photo taken with me, look at them grinning. 

Don't tell Mum but I have put a copy of the picture up in our field shelter, so I can go sleep each night looking at Charlotte and imaging how amazing it would be to have her in the driving seat - one day maybe.  I'm sure I'll bump into my new best friend again and hopefully I can persuade her I'm worth taking for a test drive. 

Figure I need to move up the levels now, so off to practice my piaffe so I'm ready for PSG, if Mum ever develops enough skills to learn to ride me at that level that is, but need to be ready for when Charlotte asks. Take care pony friends, sorry no autographs!