Not a lot has happened since my last blog equine wise, but that’s not to say a lot of exciting things haven’t been happening.
I was blessed to be selected as the CFA representative to attend the Royal Children’s Good Friday appeal last month and much to my surprise featured in the Herald Sun on page 6. Thank goodness it wasn’t page 3! Haha! I was also selected by the CFA Regional Director to attend the very first Celebrating Women in CFA luncheon, which was a wonderful and inspiring day! I am so lucky to be able to help people and I love making a difference.
I went back to AEMI and completed another scholarship unit. Only two more to go before I finish and graduate! I don’t want it to end as I love it so much. I really enjoy the study and learning.
I also had my new novel Winter Sun published this week and two fans (one in Finland and one in Nova Scotia!) have finished it already and have written to tell me how much they love it. It’s been accepted by Amazon Kindle and is listed with my first novel Wild Winds. What an exciting week it’s been!
My two novels with a bottle of celebration!
Last weekend I had TTT CT and really wasn’t wanting to attend. I’ve kind of lost my mojo a bit since December and have found it a little tricky to get re-motivated. I love riding and spending time with BSP, but with the accident in December of someone I love and BSP’s paddock mate passing away, I’ve been feeling a bit down.
My friends from Wagga were at TTT and that’s really the only reason I went. I hadn’t ridden BSP since November (Lisa his owner has been doing some riding) and knew I wasn’t going to place well especially in the dressage. The night prior to the comp I seriously thought about not going.
I woke up at 5am and got up and packed the car and headed over to get BSP. He neighed and came straight up to me and I had a big cuddle with him and we were on the road at 8am. My dressage time was 12:49 and my SJ was at 2:02. Super times! When I arrived I found my Wagga mates and settled in with them and felt really relaxed. BSP was super chilled as always and by 10am we were ready! I went and watched a number of tests and then when Renae rode, I videoed her test which was absolutely wonderful and then I spotted my coach Dave Prior! I was able to see his impressive test and then have a chat to him which was great.
Finally, it was time to warm up and I spent time doing lots of trot and transition work on a long rein. BSP felt stiff but was very responsive and I felt happy. The ring was running over half an hour late so I was able to catch up with Dave and Durani (who rode a lovely test before me!) and finally I was the last rider to go in to ring 6. I was happy with my test considering BSP had come straight out of the paddock.
Once that was completed I looked at my watch and I had 20 minutes before I was due to show jump. Fortunately, I had already walked the course and it was easy to remember. So I headed back to the float and changed saddles and then went to warm up. The ground was really hard and as BSP had had a nice big warm up for dressage, I kept it short and simple. A jump over each warm up fence and some trot work and then we waited …. and waited … again. Everything was running late.
It's not always about getting a ribbon
Finally we were the last to go in and off we went, clearing everything! YAY! I was SO happy! A huge cheer and pat and we left the ring. I went back to the float and unplaited BSP and gave him a good brush and then went to collect my test. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t as terrible as I thought it might be (except for the negative comments. Come on dressage judges, how hard is it to write positive comments for riders to work with? Seriously!) I don’t mind being criticised, it’s a good way to learn, but I don’t like negativity. There’s no need for it.
I ended up placing 13th out of 27! I was over the moon and Dave said to me before I went in to ride my test, “Ride to express, not impress.” This is my new motto for the year!
With BSP turning 21 I am realistic to know we are never going to get great marks in dressage, but I DO know our jumping is very strong and that’s where we make up the placings and I love him so much that it’s more about being with him and out and about to keep him moving than placing. I mean it’s nice to get a ribbon but it’s not the be all and end all for me. For me it’s about the love and the bond and bettering myself and BSP each time we go somewhere.
I have since entered TTT HT and Whittlesea CT in May. I can’t wait! Let’s go BSP!
Until next time,
Ride to express, not impress!
Love Jenna and BSP xoxox
