January has been a nice quiet month for me and all the horses in the run up to the Regionals. I have been training with Rhett and also been on a couple of outings with Felix to try and prepare him for the Regionals, having not been out competing since last November.
Firstly we went to Bishop Burton to run through the Novice, Elementary and Music, and I am very proud to say he was a total star. Even though they had the tables out ready for the judges for the Regionals, Felix was very brave and although worried by these, he dealt with them brilliantly to come away with 73.62% in the Novice qualifier and a huge 78.72% in the Elementary and also then went on to get 76.52% in his first attempt with Cadan’s old music in the Elementary Music.
This was a nice way to settle my own nerves for the forthcoming Winter Regional Championships. I have to say, expecting our first baby has made me more aware of what I am doing rather than just cracking on with it. I can almost say I feel a little nervous for the Regionals – but rest assured my Inspiring Minds coaching techniques will be coming into play and there will be no stopping me!
The following weekend we went back to Bishop Burton, as they were offering the facilities to be hired out to have a run through of your music or tests. I went through the music tests with Felix, as it’s amazing how riding on a different surface changes where you are in the arena at the time of the changes in your music, so with a few alterations we were ready to roll.
Baby Edwards had her first experience out shooting earlier in the month and although people mentioned she may move around a lot, I can’t say I felt anything, but then I am not sure I know what the feeling would be like!
Andrea Smith very kindly ran a test riding clinic that I had organised at Cyden Dressage and this was really beneficial to give me personally a bit of a kick up the bottom, for want of a better word, ready for the competing season as although the horses were all training really well, I went into my first test with Andrea and didn’t really push for too much and sat a bit still, so after a few gentle words from Andrea I went back through the test, changing my percentages by over 8% just by riding a bit more!
So now we are ready and prepared for the Regionals. It will be lovely as two other Cyden team members are also at Bishop competing – Olivia Whitelaw and Amigo in the Elementary Music and Alex Jo Parsons and Cassie in the Novice and Elementary. In fact there will be some competition rivalry in the Novice Open Music as we are both in the same section.