Ups & Downs of Eventing through the levels

🧡🧡🧡🧡Scottish Riding Club Championships @ Kirriemuir 🧡🧡🧡🧡

🏇🏾🥈🏇🏾 @ @

Another step, this time back up to 100cm and a good test to see how both Rachel and Joey were feeling at this level again.

Joey was super relaxed in the dressage — possibly a little too sleepy, probably thanks to the 4am alarm! 😂

They then produced a super-smooth showjumping round, probably the best I’ve seen them ride together on grass for a long time. Joey made absolutely certain he wasn’t touching a pole, giving every jump PLENTY of room! 😂

The cross-country was seriously beefy, with a few big tables that had both of us questioning our life choices on the course walk… although I kept that to myself and just prayed a little instead! 😂

Then came the BIG brush and ditch…..which Joey decided to leap from TROT! 😳

They finished on their dressage score of 30.2 with a brilliant double clear and easily inside the time. Most importantly, they crossed the finish line wearing the biggest smiles once again. 🧡

So lovely to see them enjoying being back out together and continuing to rebuild their confidence at this level.
Rachel Reid
Scottish RC Championships
Donna Reid

Slightly delayed update…. 🙈😂 It’s been a busy month…

**Brechin BE90 🐴🧡**

A long-awaited return to eventing for Rachel and Joey after two years away from competition.

After eventually discovering where Joey was sore, understanding the issues that had developed and finding a way forward, they have taken their time to gently rebuild both his strength and the trust in their partnership.

Joey felt super in the dressage warm-up, but the atmosphere got to him slightly once inside the arena and he became very tense. They still managed a respectable score, despite it not reflecting the work they had produced beforehand.

I think it’s fair to say both were a little tense going into the showjumping! Joey didn’t have stud holes, and the ground was hard and wet, resulting in a very slippery showjumping arena. Rachel rode him brilliantly, though, for a lovely clear round.

Then it was time for the fun part… and Joey absolutely cruised around the cross-country, making the 90 track feel super easy and giving them the confidence-boosting round I was hoping for, gently reigniting the fire in their bellies.

They finished in **9th place**, but the biggest result was seeing Rachel cross the finish line with a huge smile remembering just how much fun eventing is — and realising how much she has missed it.

A very special day, and hopefully the start of many more happy outings for them both. 🧡

So….. we did another thing….. 🫶🏼💚🫶🏼🍾

I took Enzo to the evening dressage ran by Ythan Riding Club, which was the perfect environment for his first time inside the white boards.
I was so proud of him. He coped with other horses, as well as being left alone in the warm up & tried his little socks off to stay with me in the tests. He’s go SOOO much power in that 🍑 butt.

Every day I get to enjoy him is a tiny miracle in itself… long may it continue 🤞🏼🥳💚💚💚

Enzo and I seem to slowly be ticking off a list I never thought would see the light of day….

Today we went on our first ever hack! Piece of cake!

We had a play about in the school, wondered around the tracks & walked over some logs, and even met some drama-llama horses. But Enzo kept his head pretty well considering!
Guess this is what normal Sundays look like for horse people... having fun with their horses.

It's been way too long since we've had that feeling... maybe this year will be the one?

Thanks Kat & Rachel for the Nannying….