The aftermath

So after all the excitement what do we do between now and the olympics? The nationals are coming up in September and many of you have qualified so good luck and enjoy it! I will be concentrating on trying to record evidence that I have a good knowledge of Grand Prix. This will entail recording my lessons and riding as many advanced horses as I can beg, borrow or steal. All of this is so that I can be accepted to take my exam for list 1. One of the questions on the upgrade form asks, 'why do you want to upgrade from your level?' Giving reasons is not easy so I have contemplated long and hard. I have always loved a challenge and the fact that the goal posts keep moving has made it even more of a challenge! Perhaps I should'nt write that! I am passionate about dressage. So are thousands of other people and judges, so not that one. Maybe the most honest answer is to declare that I haven't had the horse power to do it so now I'd like to be involved by judging it! I actually think I can do it otherwise I wouldn't apply however taking exams is not my forte! I get so nervous and inarticulate. I would much rather be riding a horse and showing my evidence of GP knowledge! Ah well if any of you have ideas please write them down in comments and give me some inspiration!

Talking to a friend today we got onto the subject of happiness and what really matters in life, (very philisophical for us!) Both of us feel that it is not what you own as in material assets but how you feel within yourself. A television that works but is not a huge flat screen shows exactly the same programmes and a car that gets you from A to B is as good as a porsche or ferrari. So basically having a roof over your head, food in the fridge, a car that runs, an older lorry and horses that are lovely but not world beaters should make for a contented life. So many people spend their days envying others or covetting bigger and better things that they miss out on actually enjoying each day and what it brings. Sharing a laugh with good friends, visiting family, seeing a face light up when you are spotted, teaching someone to half halt and seeing them get it, watching your team win or just standing at the field gate and watching your horses play and relax, these are the things that matter. Remember that not everyone who appears to have everything is happy. I recently witnessed a heart warming sight. A small child was put on a pony for the first time. Her face said it all and I remembered my first time in the saddle. The excitement and incredible ecstacy of being as close as one could be to an equine was really unforgettable. How then to repeat those feelings every day after many years of taking it for granted? Perhaps every day we should remember that first ride and cherish the memory and give thanks that we are still able to repeat the experience. With all the rushing about and stress of work and family we sometimes forget to stop and appreciate our four legged friends. Make time to give them the love they deserve and attend their needs with extra care. We have a livery on the yard who turns up at 10 30 am and throws her horses out without giving them a feed or a brush. Their stables have very little bedding and at night they get very little hay. To me this is neglect but as the yard manager says not cruelty so what can you do? Why have horses if you have no time, no empathy and cannot afford them. The fact that all have been given to her for free leads me to believe that they would have been far better off being put down.

I have just been on the forum and discovered that not all is as it should be. A topic titled, 'extended trot' turns out to be criticism of some of the top combinations at the europeans! Ignorance in BD is vast but this beggars belief! I have a feeling our old foe Blue Sky is back under cover of another name! My goodness they have just summed up the whole of my blog today!!! According to them 10s for a particular extended trot should not be given as the front and hind legs do not match! I think they will find that when a horse is as through as this one was that the whole front end lifts and the shoulders are then free to extend the forelegs. 7 judges and an audience of thousands cannot be wrong! As for the person saying that judges should have ridden to experience what throughness is, well really! Most of us my dear have, the question is have you? and at what level? How patronising ! Oh by the way please enlighten me to which country you ride for and how many medals you have won!