A mixture of highs and lows!

It’s all system go for everyone now and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s bliss to swap cold, rain and mud for sunny skies.

At only 13 years of age and in my second year of BE, its been a crazy month of highs and lows.

My first BE100 run of the season at Northallerton was lesson number one as Kayla wasn’t her usual self. A fidgety dressage test I’m guessing down to a little bit of mud fe

ver in her hind feet, competition nerves getting the better of me in the collecting ring before my show jumping round and then to top it all off, as bad luck does come in threes, we stumbled two strides before a tricky Cross Country fence resulting in one very upset pony and rider.

The following weekend we headed over to Frenchfield, near Penrith, a super new event to the BE calendar. Wow, now this was a test of fitness for both horse and rider! The show jumping was challenging and the cross country course was beefy and technical and I could tell deep down my parents were nervous for me, not that they would ever say. The going was perfect and the terrain was testing. Kayla and I rode a super double clear with a good dressage to secure, wait for it….. 5th place, we were thrilled, even more so when Nicola Wilson, my idol won the section!!

That week we also got news from BD that both my ponies and I had qualified for the Petplan Equine Area Festival in June and August later this year – woo hoo!

Our next event was the Millbry Hill Country Stores Richmond Horse Trials, no placing on this occasion but an improved dressage, a renowned full up show jumping course and a cracking clear cross country round within the time on what has to be one of the most hottest days this year.

After the event, I couldn’t wait to take Max, my other pony cross country schooling. He was awesome, coming out bolder than ever and I dare say it won’t be too long before his first BE appearance. Exciting times!

Last weekend was a very early 4.30 am start as we headed over the Scottish Borders to the Land Rover Floors Castle Horse Trials. What a setting is all I can say, truly magical like something out of a fairy tale……that is some castle. Kayla and I were competing in the U18 class in a strong field of 38 competitors and we knew we had to up our game given we were competing alongside some of Scotland’s best young riders. An improved dressage score of 31 placed us high up on the leader board, even though we lost a few marks with a break in canter not too mention falling into our finishing halt for a 5.5 mark….arrgghhh, but it was still a cracking score! So a top ten placing was in sight, all I needed to do was deliver my bit as Kayla will jump the moon providing I ride accurately, here comes lesson number two. Bad luck returned in the up to height and challenging show jumping course, when I stupidly cut a corner in error and if that wasn’t bad enough I then overrode the last fence…noooooo!. But even with 8 faults I could still be placed with a clear round cross country. We were flying around the demanding and beautifully built cross country course, Kayla being Kayla putting lots of height over the fences, we were on a roll until the second from last combination to home, I rode her into the first part of the combination too fast, yes, too fast clearing it by a mile but missing my line to the second element, the corner fence and that was lesson number three dropping right down to 28th position! 

So many of us say horses are good levellers and boy this is so true! Its all good character building says my mum when things don’t always go to plan. Whilst these weeks have been hard lessons learnt, it makes the winning so much more that special. You can train hard but its out competing where you truly gain the experience, which I hope will serve me well for the future. I’m just lucky to have such a talented and good natured pony in Kayla and a great support team behind me.

With upcoming runs at Warwick and Bishop Burton that is all from me now until next time. Wishing everyone good luck with all your upcoming training and competitions.

-Jessica Burnham

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