I am glad we did it. On the way up to the college (well from about Warwick) I couldn’t get out of my mind that last time I had come up this road was in an ambulance, then when we were going down the drive over the speed bumps, I could really remember the ambulance going over those and the driver apologising to me. So by the time I got there, I was feeling OK but it was very much on my mind. Very very much. I wasn’t at all nervous of doing the stuff with Alfie, but there was this whole other THING there that I had to deal with.
We did the in hand training first which was good. Both Alfie and BB were a bit on their toes and fidgety as we had left them on the lorry til the last minute (bit of a mistake!!) and it was absolutely blowing a GALE. Fed up of this wind. It was in the covered arena which was rattling and banging, so all things considered they were very good. Anyway, we had to stand up the top end – right by where it happened. I could turn and look at the path, the hump he slipped over on, etc. It was like I had to. When I was waiting for my turn, I just took him over there and stood by the fence and looked out on to it. I went through picturing everything, worked out which bit of slope he had slipped on, where he must have moved to for me to be sat where I ended up, how it must have been, how it looked, how everyone in the covered arena had to stop their dressage etc etc. Then I talked quietly to Alfie about it and then told him it was all OK now and we would be fine together – and then I felt much better and it wasn’t the overriding thing in my head any more. Definitely felt I had needed to do that.
In fact it is a bit odd now, it is almost like I have done everything – handled Alfie, ridden alfie, ridden another horse, been back to the college........sort of feel empty (but not in a bad way) just in a weird way. Almost like it has been so much part of me for so long and that has kind of been something to hang on to – almost an excuse for things I suppose in a way – so whilst I am now hugely glad I have been there and got it over with, I feel a bit like my crutch has gone too. I don’t know if that makes any sense. I am probably over analysing again.
The other REALLY weird thing is this. When I had gone through it in my head and realised it was almost the therapy I needed and it was almost the last major hurdle I had to face, Alfie did a great big sigh and yawned. He felt very still. He definitely remembered something had happened. I am sure he won't remember what but horses can tell so much and I know him so well it was almost like I had a brief fleeting glimpse of his feelings.
Weird.
So, Margaret davenport was doing the training. She said Alfie ran out really well. Then we did the show class and Jane was judging that. It was a huge class – 12 in it. It took an hour and quarter to judge and must have been really hard. I saw Jane after and she explained more about the judging and things she was looking for. Alfie only came 10th out of 12 (!) but I knew he wouldn’t do well as all the others were a bit taller, more slender and with plenty of wither – more the ‘riding type’ they so favour now. However they all moved beautifully and Alfie was a bit more like a pony with a leg at each corner!! Bless him.
When Jane judged him, she was with Kim and she was saying outloud his good and bad points. She told me she was pulling my horse apart but it wasn’t anything she wouldn’t say to my face!!! It was the stuff I knew really – flat and very wide across the withers, fat around the shoulder (no riding!), wide ribcage, but in proportion. Nice straight legs. Not quite what she was looking for though in ‘type’ but not a bad horse at all.
I think I will stick to Western!!
It was fun going in Helen’s lorry. Felt very posh and Alfie travelled brilliantly in it considering he has never been in one before. It was cool as she has a camera so you can watch them. I was riveted!! On the way back they both dozed off with their chins resting in the tack lockers in front of them!!
A good day. Sadly photos will have to wait as I left my new show jacket, Alfie's passport and my camera in Helen's lorry!
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