How to Excel At Being Average

January 2017 – Thank you Mollichaff – you made 2016 special x It’s our last blog post as Mollichaff Sponsored Amateur, and what a year it’s been.  I expect I would have done some of the things I did without being involved with Mollichaff, but it has amazed me how much having a blog to fill has focussed my mind on trying to get out and have experiences that I can share.  The only downside to that is that it would be a shame to slow down with no official blog to write.  So…I am going to carry on and do it just for myself.  It will be here:  https://beaubayou.blogspot.co.uk/ You get to the end of the year and think about what you’ve achieved, where you are now compared with where you were then, and it feels as though not much has changed.  Looking back through my blogs, on my 2016 with ponies, shows me though that actually lots has changed!  I used the bursary to work with some incredibly ki...

BD National Veteran Dressage Championships The first and most important thing I have to share this month is that my little sister, Tory, and the legendary Spotty Pony only went and WON the BD National Veteran Intro Championships!  They got a prize and a sash and got to do a lap of honour.  I am not sure who cried more, me or our Mum!  Sooooooo proud of Tory.  Spotty had three months off for a fractured splint this year and qualified at Intro as part of her rehab in just two tests.  Zero to hero!  They were even in the BD magazine.  Beau and I could only manage 12th in our section (average), but I was really pleased with how he went – and more importantly with how we worked as a team and finally trusted each other enough to combat scary judges’ tables (2), people opening the door into the gallery then letting it slam shut (1), and the swags on the walls (millions).  He was a very good boy and I was a very good girl :D . BD National...

The Team Quest and BRC Quadrille results are in… Aaaaaand breeeeathe!  Team Quest Regionals and Quadrille are now over for this season.  Just BD Veterans and BD Draught Horse Champs to get through before I can start worrying about Christmas instead.  I need to decide whether to clip the furball before, between, or after these two competitions.  Before and between, I risk making a mess of it.  After and I risk him looking like a hairy yak again like last winter… Team Quest Regional Championships We did it!  We went to Championships and we did not disgrace ourselves.  Beau was aptly described afterwards as having been a ‘perky pony’ in the test, which wasn’t his greatest timing!  He went beautifully in the warm up, but I was out too early and let him stretch after twenty minutes.  When I came to pick him up again he objected – he was quite happy stretching thanks – so we had some tension in the test.   Also, the preparation phase...

September 2016 – My brain only has room for Quadrille and Team Quest It’s interesting how much I am learning just from the act of writing this blog every month.  Its effects run wider too:  Several people have told me that they are keeping a record of what they have achieved and setting goals for themselves, inspired by the blog.  Not that this blog is super-inspirational – it’s more that the act of keeping a record reminds us that although we may feel like things are just the same, actually we have moved on, improved, learned, and are hopefully now just that little bit better than we were for the sake of our horses Thank you Mollichaff for helping me, and everyone else inspired by what we’ve been up to, to be better riders and have more fun! Side saddle I have been focussing on making the costumes for quadrille, so haven’t got round to making myself a habit yet.  But – I did get a smart navy cutaw...

August 2016 - Hot hot hot It’s lovely to be able to write about how hot July was!  There were a few days mid-month when Beau was sweating in the field, so I just made sure the water was topped up and left him to it.  He owes me nothing and would not have thanked me for s schooling session in 38 degrees.  One day I did decide to bathe him and cool him down a little – it’s the only bath he has not strongly objected to Side saddle We have done a little practise, though not as much as I’d have liked because I seem to be trying to learn how to do everything all at the same time.  We did go for an early morning hack at the height of the heatwave, so I chose to go wonky as there would be few cyclists and little traffic on the roads should I experience wobbles or loss of steering.  Actually, that particular day a large cycling event was advertised on the internet, with the route going past the end of Mrs ...