It had seemed like such a good plan, but somewhere between tests two and eight, Jess Rimmer started questioning her life choices …
Hello BV! January has absolutely flown by, which is quite refreshing after the seemingly never-ending darkness that was December. The horses are getting fitter all the time, meaning we’ve been able to get a little more stuck in with the training for the 2025 event season. They have all just started jumping in the arena, as well as doing their first bits of steady canter work on the gallops. My goodness, does it feel good to be back actually doing stuff again!
Now, I think it’s become quite apparent that I would pick cross-country as my favourite discipline without a second thought.
However, until the ground dries up and the horses get fit enough for their pre-season cross-country training, it’s all about the dressage and showjumping (yawn!). Showjumping shows do make for a nice day out, and I usually get my adrenaline fix in the form of a jump-off or two.
I’ll be honest, it also helps that our most local venue, Dorset Showground, is right opposite the absolute best service station in the West Country!
Dressage, on the other hand … When I tell you I don’t know what was going through my head when I entered not two, not three, but eight (EIGHT, Jess?) dressage tests at Moreton last weekend, I mean it. On paper it seemed like such a good idea – I just thought “hey, if I’m taking one horse, I might as well take them all, it’ll be good practice.” And although I still say that it was good practice for everyone, I did slightly rethink my choices as I gazed longingly at my fellow competitors leaving with their rosettes and cheesy chips, me having completed only my second test out of eight.
Me, me, me … and also me
Moreton does a brilliant class for us eventers as part of their unaffiliated dressage show, where we can enter and pick any British Eventing dressage test we like for each horse. This is great, as British Dressage tests run a different routine from the Eventing ones, so this class enables us to practice the exact movements we’ll be doing throughout the coming event season. However … it meant there were nine entries in the class – and I was eight of them! I entered Jimmy, Max, Elsa and Henry for two tests each. Not content with competing against each other, they were also going to compete against themselves!
Four tests
First up was Max, who was incredibly pleased to be out and about. He is such a smart mover and has come out so much stronger this year, so I was excited to take him down the centre line for the first time. All in all, he was a good boy – but when he gets excited, it’s a bit like he’s put a pair of Ultra-HD goggles on – he sees literally everything in super high definition. He has definitely NEVER seen his own reflection in the judges’ box before, and who on EARTH put that flower pot there? Max quickly overcame his “fears” (as he claimed they were, with a smirk on his face), and produced some quality work to get the ball rolling.
Next up was Henry, who, as we know, often puts his head in the sand (like an ostrich) under pressure. I was so proud of him! He stayed much more confident throughout his test, and was rewarded with some great marks. Although if you ask him, the whole experience would have been much better if Jimmy could have accompanied him throughout.
Speaking of Jimmy … I think this horse was a Hollywood film star in a previous life. He just turns down that centre line, pricks his ears at the judge, and says “Everybody! Watch me! This is going to be the best test anyone has ever see-e-een!” –
entertaining, when you consider he is the youngest, least experienced and definitely the gangliest horse of the whole bunch.
Last, but certainly not least, was Princess Elsa. She thought Christmas had come early (or late?!) and was just SO pleased to be there. I do have a sneaky feeling she’s been there for the jumping shows more frequently than the pure dressage … but she completed both her tests with a happy grin on her face nonetheless. Although I did have to remind her that, unlike jumping, dressage is not supposed to be against the clock!
And so, without further ado – the final placings … drum roll please …
Nah. I’ll leave that for you to decide. The results just weren’t particularly relevant on this occasion. For a first outing, I’m really pleased with all four of them: they all demonstrated improvement in their own way, and – most importantly to me – they were SO happy to be back out competing!
As was I.
Or maybe I was just pleased to get my cheesy chips at the end of the day …
