I was expecting a lot of dragoning at our first show back after Arwen’s usual six weeks off this time of year, especially considering that she had only been back in work for two weeks. So I was extremely thankful when she got off the box looking quiet and focused.

We were good and early into the warm-up; I anticipated having to ride her down from a dizzy height but she was excited, not hot. I had a nice, settled horse when dressage coach S. arrived and roundly kicked our behinds for half an hour. Arwen, apparently, is not the only unfit one (although mercifully I have not gotten utterly obese, unlike her). We were out of puff but focused, educated and ready when S. bounced off way too energetically to get on like her third horse of the day, leaving my fat beast and I to waddle panting up to the show ring.

Arwen was great. She concentrated, she put her head down, she didn’t blow through my aids and she was as usual exceedingly obedient. We did gallop around a few corners like a motorbike but hey, who says one can’t randomly do a spot of showjumping mid dressage test?

We had 61.25% for Novice 3, where she pleasantly surprised me with some nice counter canter and I sort of forgot some of the test and added a trot-walk-trot transition. But it was a fabulous transition, so there’s that.

Novice 4 we had two very messy halts but the rest was quite solid for 62.25%. Considering my goal was to get over 60% and thus grading points in both tests, I could not have been happier. Plus dragon beast looked incredible.

Glory to the King.