EPWORTH EQUESTRIAN CENTRE SHOW CROSS 27/05/07 -

It was raining and i mean throwing it down, but it was show time and not even the weather was going to stop me from trying to win and get my hands on the money. We arrived with little time to spare, we quickly registered our arrival at the secs office leona number twenty two, and myself number 19, i was riding at 1.03pm for the show jumping phase and twenty minutes later, for the cross country i only got on at 12.55pm in a bit of a panic but i managed a fifteen minute warm up because due to the weather everything was running a little bit late. at 1.10pm i went nervously into the ring, feeling ever so slightly cautious due to the ground been a little slippy, although i was only the novice phase with jumps up to 2'6 and xc jumps up to 2'9, and i'm used to going in the 3'3 classes i was still doubtful of my performance. It started off a little unsmooth and jayde was pulling but she settled down and turned it into the dream clear round, then i walked for ten minutes before popping the practice xc fence a couple of times to get jaydes mind into the next part of the competition. We set off strong on the xc course and considering how long it was only had two stops giving forty penalties overall, This left me and Jayde in the top ten finishing line.

Leona took molly, in for sj who really wasn't going to perform well in the down pour we was having and she got 16 faults, even though mistakes set aside it was a very stylish round, and in the xc leona missed out a couple of the more challenging fences leaving her with no chance of a high position finish. But we did all enjoy our ride.

A couple of days ago Leona recieved a letter saying she had placed in the top 30 of the region in dressage and had qualified for the Stonelege dressage championships, but dressage isn't leonas favourite discipline and she decided she wasn't going to be in the finals at willerby next weekend.

As for me after i finish my A level exams in 08, i want a gap year & i have decided i wanted to do something horse related for a year, to earn some money before uni, so an apprenticeship or yard work and so i can really concentrate just on jayde, showing and horses without any school work, which would be something i've never had the chance to do. I look forward to that. Anyway its the Annual 102nd Messingham show next week and i'm in the intermediate and open jumper classes, see you there!!

Talk to you soon
Laura Salmon.

RIDING YESTERDAY...SCHOOLING AND HACKING....

Jayde is still looking a little bit under toned so i've been riding her alot to try and build up some extra muscle because i'm on study leave from school, obviously i'm working hard at home, riding and work, but this week i wanted to put some more into my riding and try and get Jayde a bit more toned for sundays show cross competiton.

So i flatted her for half an hour really concentrating on stopping her leaning habit especially in canter which made me use my leg, then i jumped concentrating on a straight approach into fences using barrels i'd layed down as a guide and then i took her onto the fields for some cantering before walking her back to cool her down.

Due to the slight obstacle of a 4 mile xc course, i took molly out for a long hack, incorporating, trot canter and gallop, i'm just trying to strengthen her a bit for leona, whos not on study leave, today me and my friend Izzy are going to ride and take both the horses out before the farrier comes at half 2.

Laura Salmon.

EPWORTH EQUESTRIAN SHOWJUMPING - 13/05/07 -

Despite drastic weather warnings we made the 1hr trip to Ep Eq anyway where soon after arriving it began to rain. We could see that there would be a long wait until the intermediate and open horse classes so we kept jayde inside and we sat in the car eating our packed lunches kindly made by our grandma.

2 hrs later it was time to go and i was number 14. Jayde went well in the intermediate and we ended up in 4th place, pleased i was ready to tackle the open which also came well and ended up against one other girl in the jumpoff unfortunately i came 2nd rather than winning but also got my hands on some money. Quite a successful day all round.

Now i'm getting ready for show cross at Ep eq on 27th May, where i take part in a sj and cross country phase, i'm really looking forward to it, and now i'm on study leave from school, and about to sit my AS level exams in Biology, Chemistry, English Lit and French, i can also spend a little extra time getting jayde ready for the shows alongside Revision for school.

I Hope all goes well for us on Sunday.
Laura Salmon.

MESSINGHAM PONY OWNERS SHOW- 06/05/07-

We arrived nice and early at the show where we were ready to win. Leona even bought some new travel boots in cerys for molly and grandma bought us each a whip, mines bright pink :-P
I rode first in the 2ft 9 having just 2 poles, seeing us out of the competition and in the 2ft 3 leona had 4 faults. Then leona took molly in her first 2ft 9 since willerby last year and molly went round with a couple down. I had to leave to go to work as i could see the open would be outside my time range but leona jumped it 3ft 3 and came 4th.

So i was really pleased with both our horses and us.

Laura Salmon xx

HILL HOUSE EQUESTRIAN SHOW JUMPING- 29/04/07-

Another boiling day in the UK and another Showjumping competition for me and my Family. We travelled down to Hill House Equestrian centre for their competition in hope of winning some prizes.

Leona firstly took molly in the 2ft 3 class in which she cleared and then in the jump off went clear again and ended in 3rd place and then in the 2ft 6 class in which she came 6th having a pole in the jump off. So for Leona it was quite a good day.

I was a little nervous but jumping 1.15m in the practice ring but it didnt really go my way and in the 3ft i had 12 faults, all careless rails down and in the 3ft 3- 3ft 6 i had two stops at fences so it wasnt really my day.

But Family wise we had 2 prizes so it ended up ok.

Laura xx