Things don't always go perfectly, this is the story of our first disastrous try at British Dressage. Katrina is 11yo but she was only backed last year so in riding experience she is similar to a 4yo. We bought her in the spring for me to bring on for dressage and we’d been working hard towards our first competition at Port Royal. We were entered in P7 and P14, and I had only learnt P14 because I knew I’d struggle to keep both in my head so I had a caller for one test.
Katrina went nicely in the warm up and really felt like she was listening to me. I felt nervous going into the arena for the first time, but I shoved that down and patted Kats neck, trying to reassure myself that everything would be fine. I love her so much and it really matters to me that she goes well.
The bell rang, my caller asked me to enter at A and I sent Kat forward down the centre line, she felt fab-U-lous!!! She wasn’t spooking at the markers she was concentrating on me, we did the first couple of movements well, my nerves were going and I started to really enjoy myself, when disaster!!! I went wrong with a caller!!! It totally threw me and poor Kat was quite tense for the rest of the test. I was surprised when we managed 59%, and a big blue 2nd place rosette. Go Katrina!!! She’d still earned us decent marks despite my mistake.
Next was P14, and I had no reader this time... All was going smoothly until I missed one of the transitions to walk and when the judge rang the bell to let me know I had gone wrong. I couldn’t believe it. Not again, what a day!!! I circled and redid the movement perfectly! I also cantered in the wrong place. I tried so hard but I guess I was just having one of those days because before I went in I had recited the test aloud perfectly. We scored another 59% despite coming close to being eliminated.
My girl was a star, all faults were down to my nerves. I’m proud of Katrina and feel positive, I think she's got over her phobia of the horse eating white dressage arena markers, she only spooked once all day!!!
Thank you to my lovely sponsors The Emporium at Wentworth and Stone House for your support, you're amazing. Alanna x