I have to start this blog with a warning - I advise you to stop reading immediately if you are anticipating reports of red rosettes, trophies or maybe even medals. Alas, it would appear the last few months of eventing for us have been more French and Saunders than Fox-Pitt and Funnell!
We started with two trips within a month to Aston Le Walls, our new favourite place apparently, the first requiring a 2am alarm call which is never pleasant. Our early departure backfired as we were so early that the A14 night closure was still in place, we were diverted round the M25 and so still arrived late, marvellous start! However it was worth it when both Mr B and Rebel did a good dressage, Mr B followed up with a double clear and Rebel having a pole but giving me a great ride across country in the Novice. "What are you complaining about?" I hear you say. Yes I too thought hurrah we are finally getting back on track, things can only improve, we're on a roll again... Next trip back to Aston, Mr B obviously got wind of his scheduled intermediate run, duly pulling a nail half out of his shoe and going hopping lame the day before and despite our best efforts of tubbing and icing, he wasn't sound enough to go. So off we trundled with just Rebel. He started the day with what should have been a very good test, just marred by a slight over reaction to kicking some sand at the judge’s box, he is quite the sensitive soul. He then had two fences down which was disappointing, he is a very capable jumper but is not the easiest in this phase to get to relax and use himself efficiently. He did then go brilliantly cross country and I think he could have gone round on his own, he got into a lovely rhythm and his ears were pricked the whole way, he was in his element. Needless to say when we got home that night and trotted Mr B up, he was perfectly sound.... Next on the agenda was Keysoe. This has never been a happy hunting ground for me and about four years ago I vowed never to return after another bad day there. However, after Mr B’s self-harming tactics and the dry ground we were getting fairly desperate for a run, so I gave in and entered them, after all it's been four years, and it can't be that bad... The day started well with Ramesses B going double clear in the 90 and coming 10th, his first run since his summer holiday which was really pleasing and he will do a 100 next time out. Next was Mr B in the intermediate who despite some slightly unnecessary antics in the warm up produced a nice test for a 35, he's improving all the time at this level and has to work hard to get good marks as he's not the most natural or flashiest mover so I was pleased. It was quite a big show jumping track and he got a bit strong and had two rails, including the first fence, which was a shame as he's generally much more careful now. I thought the cross country course was quite strong but very well built and presented. Mr B’s ideal course is a bold galloping track and Keysoe runs over a relatively small area so it's not the easiest to get going on if your horse is thinking backwards at all, it suits a nippier quick thinking type. He set off feeling backward from the start and despite my encouragement to get stuck in a bit more he was having none of it and ground to a halt at the ditch, he then threw his toys out of the pram until we got the big E! He is a very frustrating horse as when he's on form he feels just amazing, yet when he spits the dummy out I think super nanny would have her work cut out! Back to the drawing board. All was not lost though as we still had Rebel in the novice, he'd gone so well at his last two events that I was hopeful of another good run. Again he had all the makings of a good test but spookiness and tension crept in to prevent him getting a score that reflects his capabilities. He then didn't show jump terribly well having three down, which I was really disappointed with as he's appeared to be improving and very rarely touches a fence at home. The day then carried on in its dismal downhill spiral when Rebel took exception to two identical fences and a spooky corner on the cross country and I was walking home for the second time! This was a slightly surreal moment as I don't think I've ever been eliminated twice in one day, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry! He is another who loves to run and jump and the twisty track just really didn't suit him, he never got going. So after yet another appalling day at Keysoe I'm afraid to say I shall be avoiding it at all costs in the future. Oh and I almost forgot, I managed to fall off Rebel at the walk when he did a very swift 180 at first sight of an enormous champagne bottle in the door way of the indoor school, even better it was in front of about 20 people so that just topped the day off, cue a chocolate fuelled journey home with the promise of a large G and T at the end! I then had some much needed inspiration in the form of Burghley week. Things didn't go to plan for Harry sadly, after doing his best 4* test Xam then didn't feel 100% in the cross country warm up so couldn't run. I was really sad for Harry, after all the excitement and build up it was such a disappointment for him. It's so inspiring watching the top riders and this year was no exception, it would seem Michael Jung is some sort of eventing wizard, Tina Cook must have shares in Pritt stick after staying on at the Trout hatchery and maybe William Fox-Pitt is human after all, having a momentary lapse in his sense of direction. Another brilliant Burghley, definitely my favourite event of the year still. 
After a good dose of Burghley enthusiasm and a slight change of tactics, Mr B and I headed off to Gatcombe, the ground is always pretty good there and I thought the bold flowing course would suit him so I hoped it would be worth the trip as it's not exactly next door to Suffolk! Mr B is not the easiest horse to have at an event when on your own as he doesn't tie up and for some reason can't bear being tacked up on the lorry either. We didn't get off to a great start. I looped the rope through the string on the side of the lorry, but didn't tie him up, whilst I put his studs in. He duly pulled back but managed to break the head collar before the rope came free, so he's now trotting around the lorry park (or free schooling as I prefer to call it) minus his head collar and generally causing havoc. Off I trot in hot pursuit, quite tempted to turn the other way and pretend he's nothing to with me, to try and catch the feral beast. By this point he's been in the dressage warm up and said hello to somebody lunging their horse, there is now quite a crowd gathered to watch this amusing spectacle as every time I get anywhere near him he trots off again. At times like this I wonder how on earth I passed my pony club A test! Eventually he gave up and let me catch him, looking terribly pleased with himself, what fun he's had! However this is perhaps a tactic I should employ in the future as he went on to do his best test so far at intermediate and score a 32. His show jumping however was less impressive, he had a tantrum of enormous proportions in the warm up, went in the ring in a fit of rage and white lather and proceeded to boot out 5 rails. 5 RAILS!!!! 
I was tempted to take his tack off and set him free again after that performance!! Having not got very far round the course at Keysoe I think he was just stupidly fresh, finding the excitement of being at an event all too much. But it got my blood up and I set off meaning business cross country, he duly responded and gave me such a brilliant ride. When he goes like that he just feels awesome and made quite a decent intermediate feel like a pre novice. It was really cool to have had a proper run on him again and the euphoria of his cross country just about kept me going for the 6 1/2 hour journey home! 
So like I say, not quite the season we'd been hoping and dreaming of so far, after such a promising start we've had some fairly character building days but some glimmers of brilliance too and that's what we cling on to. As we head into the last part of the season it would seem some of the team are getting ready for winter already, Ramesses is a typical teenage boy and is proving very hard to get out of bed, it's a daily struggle......