4th August 2010 update
So....due to the ongoing complete lack of rain, my eventing season, as tends to be the way with horses, has not exactly gone to plan. We are fit, trained up to the nines, and raring to go; the entires are made, the lorry is packed, and yet we still aren't going anywhere! I ran Lulu in the OI at Hambleden, throwing him in at the deep end after such a long break. He went excellently, producing a good, if slightly wild dressage test, and a double clear. However, due to the lack of wet weather, and our determination to keep him firmly on the road this season, our cross counrty is currently more of a stroll in the park than a race against time, and so the time penalties were rather numerous! My season continued a couple of weeks later at Hexham OI, where our day followed much the same path, although a slight increase in speed cross country! Since then I have entered lots of events, but have withdrawn most of my horses due to the state of the ground, believing that it is more important to give Lulu an easy ride back into the eventing routine, rather than to be out getting results. I am hoping and praying that the heavens will open shortly, much to the chagrin of the rest of the population who I'm sure are greatly enjoying the hot weather! And then it will be all stations go, with another OI at Somerford Park, and then on to a CIC2*, and hopefully a couple of Advanced runs before the end of the season. My young pony continues to go well, racking up the Pre Novice runs, and hoping to upgrade to Novice at Richmond.
On another, very exciting note, we have just traded in our old HGV lorry for a smaller two horse van, meaning that I can drive myself around, which is proving a huge relief to the rest of the family, although for me it is a sad loss of driver/groom/(mother) at events.