Scotts of Thrapston

Despite our ups and downs my love of Eventing is growing stronger

Posted on 13. May, 2011 by Julia Berrie in Alex Elliott, Rider Development Programme

Following my first lesson with Nick, these last two weeks have brought both highs and lows for me and Nix. As our training was on a roll and running quite smoothly, I decided it was time to enter us into our very first BE event. I want to use our first event to see where we would come in the running, and continue to identify our weaknesses that we need to continue to work on.

I have entered the Intro at Keysoe on the 8^th of May and was thrilled to find that the dressage test is the same it would be at Carlton, a great opportunity to start working on the test in advance! The Tuesday following my first lesson with Nick I booked a flatwork lesson with my instructor and was buzzing!  My lesson couldn’t have gone better, Nix was relaxed and really swinging through his back with big powerful strides. He was doing everything I asked of him without question which meant I finished my lesson on a real high. I was now really looking forward to heading to Keyso later in the week for some cross country training.  

On the day of my training the weather looked ominous! The horses were spooky warming up and after my stable mate had a fall at the second fence moods were dampened. I approached a ditch at a steady pace trying to think all the time about everything Nick had said “Steady, let them assess the problem.” Nix marched straight up to the ditch very confidently but continued on to not jump over the ditch, instead drop his front legs down as if he was tackling steps! Panicked by having nowhere to go Nix frantically tried to back out the way he came not only ripping his front boots but cutting his legs in the process. Both quite shaken I was worried this would have really effected both my own and Nix’s confidence. This loss of confidence was soon regained at a Jumpcross competition. After two successful rounds our confidence shot straight back up. 

I returned this Monday after having a fantastic weekend at Badminton Horse Trials. I was given the fantastic opportunity to walk the Cross Country Course with Nick to hear how the fences should be ridden. The weather was beautiful and it was lovely to get a chance to meet Henry Beasley the Scott’s Development rider from the previous year. I got a great insight into every fence on the course and the difficulties that they may bring in the cross country phase. Whilst walking around the course myself and Sarah couldn’t help but notice the Badminton Grassroots Championship fences, conversation soon turning into “that’s our fence, and that one too!” I looked at the cross country on Sunday in a completely different light, it was so interesting watching and knowing what the riders were actually doing and thinking about in order to achieve a successful jump.

I left on Badminton excited for my next training session with Nick and who knows; maybe we will be at the Grassroots Championships one day!

Tags: Badminton Horse Trials, Keysoe, Nick Turner