This has been a busy month for the Cyden Team, starting off with a very successful time at the British Dressage Northern Winter Regional Championships winning three classes and gaining three tickets to the winter nationals on board Tracey and Laura Milners, Jazzed up (Felix) in the Novice Open, Elementary Open and a whopping 76.49% in the Elementary open freestyle.
Felix was a little tense in his first test having never been in an environment quite as large as the arena at Bishop Burton but as always, he was so rideable and trusting of me after a little encouragement and just felt better and better with every test he did. Although I will be 31 weeks pregnant at the nationals I am really hoping, I don’t grow too much between now and then and my balance isn’t affected – at the moment all is going to plan!
Unfortunately, Gary and I were up till quite late for a few nights before the regionals painting our new home and I think the fumes may have got onto my chest, as by the Saturday night I was constantly coughing. By the Monday, having taken Felix home, we were planning on turning around and heading back to Bishop Burton with Bodyguard for the Prix St Georges freestyle. I had to get Dad to the rescue to drive us home and then spend Monday to Thursday in bed after the doctor diagnosed inflammation of my breastbone and infection on my lungs, totally gutted was an understatement as Bodyguard is going so well and hasn’t been out since his international debut last year but as they say you can’t win them all. And it really is the first and last time I miss a regional or championship from being poorly!
I was also extremely proud of the younger members of the Cyden Dressage team, with Alex-Jo Parsons and Cyden Molehorns Lespirit holding their own in the Elementary Restricted Music Freestyle taking second place, joining Felix and I at the National Championships and Olivia did so well to control a rather keen Amigo in the Elementary Restricted Music.
Anna and I have had a few good outings gaining points and qualifications for the summer regionals on Amigo and Felix. Felix has had a steep learning curve doing his first Medium classes and has been improving each time with scores up to 70%.
He really is such a talented boy, and I am looking forward to training him through the levels as he is already training at Prix St Georges level at home after only 14 months under saddle, it’s amazing what a bit of time and confidence giving can do for the Jazz bred horses.
Amigo has had a good run of first placing’s with Anna at Medium level and has now qualified for the summer regionals, however Anna heads back to Germany in May, and we are all going to miss her as she goes back to gain her place on the young rider teams this summer.
I have had some brilliant training sessions with Rhett Bird this month, getting closer to my dream of Grand Prix with Bodyguard and working on my national tests with Felix, to make sure I am gaining every mark I can.
It been a busy month for me in my day job too, with lots of snagging (checking the new homes are ready for the purchasers to move in) and also doing the handover demonstrations with the new purchasers, as well as moving home ourselves. Who said moving home, getting married and having a baby were the three most stressful things to do in a relationship – I am doing them all in a space of a few months. Mad, no just super organised!