We are actually en route to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, not just to watch, but to actually compete. However excited and nervous I am, I can be sure I couldn’t be riding a better, more experienced horse than Master Monarch (Ben) round my first four-star, he is a total hero and owes me nothing. Just to be going there riding such a star is an absolute privilege.
Last week was fairly hectic and somewhat surreal. I had another lesson with Lucinda Green on Tuesday, which again was great. Then on Thursday we picked up our new horsebox! Well, it’s very new and big and smart for us, but in fact it’s Francis Whittington’s old lorry, and in writing this I can take great pleasure in saying we have just overtaken him on the motorway.
On Friday I went up to London for my sister Jo’s birthday. And while we were there, I had the great honour of visiting Bruce Oldfield’s wonderful couture dress store in Knightsbridge. The very prestigious designer has very kindly lent me a dress to wear for the drinks reception on Thursday night. Pictures to follow I hope.
On the Saturday I took Ben for a dressage lesson with Andrew Gould, who gave me some vital last-minute pointers, I now just have to put into practice.
We left home early to stop at Mark and Tanya Kyle’s for a jumping lesson
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
on the way up (pictured above), then are set to arrive later this afternoon with my mum, my friend Katie Preston who is grooming for me and the always mischievous Jack Russells.
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I would just like to thank everyone for their generosity and support, I just hope I don’t let you down. Thank you to everyone left at home to look after the other horses, and to my dad who is running the hop picking on the farm and can’t be here with us. I look forward to seeing Ben’s amazingly generous owners, Tom and Sarah Attwood and Richard Constant later in the week. Thank you for giving me this opportunity!
I will let you know how we have settled in, details of the trot-up and the state of my nerves…
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