It’s that time of year, as the evenings are drawing in, to reflect on the end of season report.
This year I decided to see if I could manage a whole season of quality Eventing without affiliating.
Using the website
And the Facebook group
https://m.facebook.com/UnaffEvents/
As well as searching the local pony club, event centres and riding club websites I managed to find 8 quality unaffiliated events within a 90mile radius.
We did the riding club Horse Trials qualifier at Llanymynech- at 80 again because due to the big trip I couldn’t have committed to getting him fit enough for 90 champs had we qualified.
we had a great day but 2 of the team missed a fence in the show jumping so no road trip for us this year.
Then Eland Lodge 80
Epworth 90
Mongolia messed up the middle of the season a bit 😆
Full length film of trip by the very talented Matt now available on YouTube- cup of tea and a comfy seat required.
On return we got ready in time for Shelford Manor 80
And then finished with the Intermediate (90) class in the Delamere Forest Riding Club event at Smallwood.
Overall we had a great season. Dressage was a bit mixed- I kept forgetting Cal can be a headshaker. It’s mostly on windy days, and the neighbour’s school, that we mostly use, is quite sheltered so he rarely does it at home. I have bought him a Shakeaze nose protector but keep forgetting to take it with me. The last two events had dressage in quite exposed fields so we didn’t get the marks to reflect all the hard work we do at home.
He remains a cross country dragon though- the Intermediate class at Smallwood had plenty of technical questions ; certainly more than one would get in a BE90.
I decided to finish our season there so I could concentrate more on Rocky, our posh young warmblood. He’s been a bit tricky over the last few months. I had put it down to lack of consistent work but then something sad in his eye after an ‘episode’ at the last Patrice clinic made us decide he needed investigating.
And we found this 
So I will be mostly concentrating on rehab over the next few weeks/months. The narrow space was medicated and he is moving forward much better so hopefully it will be a straightforward journey back to health. Whether he will ever be a straightforward horse remains to be seen, although his mum and 2 sisters are all fabulous personalities so he should turn out OK.
so my winter will be about much more in hand work as well as close attention to a stretched top line when riding.
Cal might not get such an easy time after all- it’s fun ride season which is Gary’s favourite time of year
The weather people keep saying we are in for a lovely autumn- why don’t you make the most of it and bring your horses on holiday to stay with us in the fabulous Delamere Forest?
https://www.facebook.com/nelipotcottage/
