Uh well where do I start.
So during this I will tell you a short version of a story of a horse called Cassi(My horse of a life time). Quick description of her: She's a 2008 16.1hh Registered AES Dark bay warmblood mare, Who has just finished her last season of Grassroot eventing and moving up to BE100 next year, Super pumped about that.
Let the story begin :)
So back in 2010 me and my parents where looking for a new yearling or a foal to train and either become a prospect or own horse to train in eventing. We did our 3 months of trying to find the right one for us until we came across "Cassadora"(Her registered name). Me being the 12 year old I was, I looked and I loved so I ran down the stairs and got my parents to contact the owners to see if we could go check her out over the next week and so we did.
So the 6th september of November came around the corner and I remember this bit very well: I ran home from school( this was two miles, I couldn't do that now xD), I got in the door, got changed and got my parents to hurry up because I was way to excited. So we took the 2 hour drive up there and finally arrived, I was the first one to get out of the car and find the owners and so I did. I think we spent around 4 hours up there, getting details etc, I remember seeing this yearling in the arena, trotting around with her head held high come over and nudge me due to having a polo in my hand. I politely asked if I could go in the arena and go and pet her but I got a warning from the owners saying, "If she bites or rears shout at her" which I was like "Okk" but very slowly, I was confused on why as throughout my life of riding I have never shouted at a horse cause im a nice bean and its not okay really.
So I opened the gate and went in and she just walked straight over with her ears forward. I instantly smiled and slowly patted her neck and she just stood there calmly and did nothing wrong which I was happy, I felt like she was the one and she could go far. Skipping forward to the 9th of November was the day we got to bring her home, I was extremely happy that she was mine. So again we took the 2hr trip and got her loaded etc and handed over the money for her and headed home, She was a dream to unload and came out no problem with her head high before snorting as she saw my mums horse in the field. Time went by and I was making sure she got used to me by doing some bits and bobs in the round pen and hand grazing her. Now being the young mare she was, she loved now I mean loved the attention from the geldings in the over field which she still does to this day.
Skipping past 2 years as nothing really happened when she turned 3 it was just training and getting her used to having a bit on etc. So 2012 rolled round and she turned 4 and it was time to begin work which I was excited for. Cassi was tricky at the beginning but that's like most horses, she would toss her head, spook and jump which was normal. It must have been mid-summer when we started competing in small shows by doing some schooling shows, jumping at 60cm which she had a tendency to leap over, I generally think she thought she was some form of kangaroo like Cassi hun your a horse not a frog xD. During a schooling show one day we had a spook at a jump which caused her to bolt from one side of the arena to the other stopping in front of the wall which caught me off guard and I fell and ended up having a broken wrist which was fine, it was nothing big. That set back training 12 weeks as it broke 2 bones, My mum was lunging her and she got field time as she wasn't fond of having anyone ride her but she was still lunged.
After those 12 weeks I was fine to ride again and training was back into progress and we started training for our first BE70 in 2013. So 2013 quickly rolled around the corner and we competed on the April that year which we didn't place but I was a proud mum as it was her first show and she went well. I didn't have pictures from that as I went with a friend and her mum wasn't keen on being out on course in the cold which I understand
So shows kept going by, training was going amazing until one day we was out on cross country and we came tight to a table and Cassi flung her-self forward and tripped. It went so quickly that I can barely remember all I can remember is looking up to see me being crowded and Cassi standing around 2 meters away, She ended up with a pulled tendon and I ended up with a fractured ankle and a dislocated shoulder as I was told she rolled over. That for me was it, I thought this is where it ends but it wasn't. I Spent the 10 weeks recovering while My mum treated Cassi by heat treatment which was amazing.
October of 2013 was when the training started again and I was doing basic light work by doing some lunging. The first ride I had back on her was just some walk and trot as I wasn't rushing anything, Weeks past and we started to do some pole work and some light jumping before waiting till November to do some xc work keeping the jumps at 70cm. So really her flat work was her dressage training as we worked on what we needed to, 2014 came around and so did some shows. We went to the same show from 2013 and placed 5th which I was very proud due to being out for so long, We carried on doing BE70 until the end of show season which was eventful but we had no falls which made Me very proud that my baby was doing well. 9th of November rolled around of that year and it was our 4 years together which went so quickly.
2015 came around and we started our BE80 training which went well with her learning how to jump into water with-out her thinking she was some form of ninja like no joke, she would go up to the bank in a trot and pounce forward before stopping which caused me to loose some of my favourite jodhpurs and poles but hey it was worth it. Cassi loved the water and would just canter straight in and out like a beast because she must have some imaginary mind where she has to be anything she thinks she can. So show season came by and this was our year, First BE80 Show and boom placed 3rd which I was like oh yeh me and my Ninja of a horse placed 3rd. Show season went by as normal and we got some good places with going to Shelford Manor horse trails which was so much fun. A year with around 2 falls but both where my mistake: Rode to a Roll top to quick and had no time to bring her back which she stopped at very instant and I fell off and the 2nd time was just on a normal hack bare back (Im a special bean) and I got her into a canter but she wanted to gallop so I went with it until forgetting we was in our xc course and again got to quick and I just let her go and I fell off.
2016 Came around and carried on doing some BE80 shows until August and went well with 2 placings a 4th and a 6th. It was time to Move up and do BE90 training which proved us both difficulty but we did it.
So the rest of 2016 was rough as I lost 2 horses and a family member but Cassi kept me happy and I got through it but it wasn't the best as I lost focus a few times and caused a refuse or a fall but again it was rider error. Soo Current year 2017 and it was time to start competing woohoo :D, I was excited to compete BE90 with her as she just had so much scope for a 9yo. Most people with 9yo would be competing 1* or 2* and then you have the world class Event riders competing their champs at 3*. But we took it slow and just had set backs and my goal for her is to finish the BE and move to CCI and CIC which would be amazing.
These 7 years have flown by and although we have had our ups and down, I cant believe on how far we have come. Bring on 2018
Hurricane ! Follow Evacuation Routes.
