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Friday, 29 May 2009

A Step up for Solitaire Dressage.

I am just coming back to Earth after a fabulous weekend with the Central Team at Keysoe. I think I must be part of the best squad of riders and supporters ever and to share the experience of riding for the region so soon after the excitement of the training camp has left me overwhelmed with emotion. I have been buzzing for nearly a month now!
I got to know Sebastian very well and have never know him so forward, he picked up on the team vibe too. I will post photos asap. The canter work with Sebastian on Sunday was almost a 9 in the collecting ring and I am looking forward to training over the Summer so we can develop our partnership and post top scores at Rowallan.
I enjoyed meeting riders from all over the UK and caught up with some freestyle friends from regional clinics I have run as well meeting Julie and Langarth Ruby and Alison and Langarth Delia. We met up for a family photo shoot and I hope to post those pictures here soon too. Sebastian was rather taken with Delia but as ever his affections at the weekend were claimed by another appaloosa!
I enjoyed being team captain and helping my team mates at the weekend but what moved me the most was that the whole squad supported every rider and when I rode out to arena three for my Sunday Test the veranda was lined with a sea of red - this was almost a teary moment but it was test time! The test went well and Sebastian couldn't do enough to try and help me so there was an awkward moment when he broke on our 15m circle and cantered but he was on the aids and it was a genuine mistake. A moment later I was crying as a fly crashed into my eye and it really stung. I closed my eye but that was worse than blurred vision as I tried to force myself to focus on the test. Luckily I have had plenty of practice at blocking out pain and distraction and I wanted that test to flow. It did and we produced a lovely free walk that I later learnt had scored 8. Our medium walk is still not quite there as by now Sebastian was bubbling over. My team mate Louise later said that she was willing me to get to K so the walk would be over as she could see Sebastian could hardly contain himself.
More was to come though! I had been selected to ride for England at the Amateur Home International in October and would be part of this great squad for even longer. By now I was really struggling to hold anything together as the news sunk in. I texted my friends and managed to catch Phil with the news as he prepared to go on tour with The Lions. This was an incredible moment. When the Lions toured Australia I was in New Zealand on the brink of changing nationality. I was a long way from home listening to banter about useless POMS when I announced to a room full of people that The Lions would win this match and that an easy 3 points were coming up because Northampton hero Matt Dawson was going to kick. Not a popular statement especially when as predicted there were an extra three points on the board. At that moment I knew I was English and I had to come home. I was also determined that one day I would look down at the St George rather than the Silver Fern. Now I am crying! None of this would be possible without three very very special people, My Mum who has always believed in me and spends hours with horses, Phil who rescued me from the despair of injury and Rachel who has believed in me and made it possible for me to partner two of the most wonderful horses on the planet. There are other people to thank too I am lucky to have an incredible support team and long suffering friends who understand just how special this moment is. However as Phil would say time to get my head down and make it happen.

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