Tuesday 19 May 2015

First of the season

I am still aching all over, perhaps my nose and my toes are ache-free but the rest of my body has seized up. It's stiff as I crawl out of bed in the early morning and it feels old and wobbly. There was a great relief about Monday yesterday, I got round in one piece and I don't have to do it again until August. It's supposed to be fun, and my God it is once I'm there and flying the fences, but the build up and anticipation is extraordinary, I'm not sure my 41 year old self can stand the pace. The adrenaline that floods my body before I head out across country, to jump solid fences at speed, is enough to make me cry. In fact I thought I was going to shed a few tears and throw up but I managed to keep it all together and settled for severe hand-shaking and jangling nerves instead.

Eventing. The ultimate of the equestrian sports; dressage, show jumping and cross country. Trying it for the first time last year had me excited to have another go. We did it Fletch and I, Fletch the old pro and me just old - but we did it and we learnt a lot.

And after we had flown fence 12 I had a ball, started to finally enjoy myself and kicked on into a gallop. The thrill of cross country riding is insane - I can't wait to do it all over again.

Sort of.


Dressage


Show jumping


Cross country


Finally enjoying the gallop


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