Lauren Shannon’s blog: one of those days at Barbury Horse Trials
So I am writing to you from Barbury Horse Trials, having had “one of those days” yesterday!
Maybe it’d be best to start with Aske Horse Trials last weekend. It was an event which was a very mixed bag for me.
“Lux” (Gentel Lux) had a really silly 20 penalties on the cross-country after doing a great dressage and showjumping clear in the intermediate.
“Smartie” (Smart Lady) did a double clear in the novice and “Robbie” (Ballyengland Twilight) was so excited to be at his first novice that he kept tripping over his own feet in the dressage, but then showjumped nicely, so we called it a day with him and ended on a good note.
So back to yesterday… I rode a few horses in the morning while Jenny packed the lorry up for me to stay away for a couple nights at Barbury Horse Trials.
I took “Louie” (Zero Flight) for a canter first thing, and it felt like we had the day under control. Then it came time for me to leave at 12.30pm with Lux, Smartie and Robbie and my somewhat ancient lorry decided that it didn’t want to start!
Nearly an hour later after a visit from my saint of a mechanic I finally got on the road. Then my sat nav decided to take me the “scenic route” to Barbury, which meant I arrived with 45 minutes before my two-star dressage test on Lux.
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That wouldn’t be a problem necessarily, but I was alone so had to leg it to the secretary, then tack up and change myself before borrowing a tailcoat from fellow eventer Ginny Howe — I had forgotten mine in a blonde moment — before cantering the hack to the dressage arena! I’m sure this happens to everyone once in a while, but I absolutely hate the feeling of being pressed for time, and poor Lux did as best she could with a 10-minute warm-up.
I have Smartie in the novice today and Lux does all her jumping on Saturday. Hopefully now that I’m stabled half an hour from the event there won’t be a repeat of yesterday’s performance! Robbie is just coming for a ride round as he is competing at Buckminster novice on Sunday along with a student’s horse, so we’ll fit him in between the girls.
So I am feeling ready for a less stressful day today, hopefully! I also have a few new projects which are being finalised at the minute, so check back in next week to hear all the new things going on at the yard.
Lauren
Full report of Barbury in H&H next week, 14 July issue.
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Event rider Lauren Shannon blogged on Horseandhound.co.uk from June 2011 until September 2014. Born in Brighton, she lived in America from the age of three to 16, returning to the UK to go to university after she finished school. After university she worked for Mark and Tanya Kyle before setting up her own yard in Leicestershire. Her best result to date was finishing 9th at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials with her top horse, Zero Flight.