Petplan Equine
Sponsored Rider - Lorna

July and August Update

Since my fall at the Golden Horseshoe, my collar bone has not healed quite as well as hoped so surgery may be required. My next follow up is at the end of September as I wanted to wait a little longer to see if it would improve.

However, that being said I have been getting back to competing. On the 18th July I competed for Findon Riding Club at the British Riding Clubs National Championships Area 22 Qualifiers with both Spangle and Marco in dressage. Taking both together meant borrowing a trailer to travel to the venue and once there, this led to separation problems even though the venue was open and Spangle and Marco could see each other, both horses seemed on edge. Marco settled for his elementary test and scored 62.75% and a 6th place so I was very pleased with that. He is now 19 years old and is 33km short of 5000km of competitive endurance and whilst we’ve always dabbled in dressage it has only really been that. Spangle had some positive marks and comments in her test and I am optimistic that one day we’ll get all the good bits together in a dressage arena!

On the 26th July I entered my first endurance ride since my injury; a 24km pleasure ride at Knock which is a lovely venue on the Aberdeenshire/Moray border. I took Marco and my friend Dawn took Spangle to show her the ropes of endurance rides. Spangle was delighted to be back doing the job she loves. It was also lovely to see Spangle be ridden and tackle her job so well, she knows the score and just gets on with it (unless she thinks we have gone the wrong way).

I helped at the Cairngorm 100 event in July– 100 miles riding over the Cairngorms in 24 hours. I wanted to see how the event went as this was its first year in running. It went very well and I am inspired to give it a go next year.

Petplan Equine continue to be a great sponsor and we are enjoying wearing their logo with pride at any outings we go to, last weekend I even helped at the Petplan Equine Area Festival in Aberdeenshire with my Petplan Equine branding on. I spent a couple of hours collecting score sheets from one arena that had three judges – not as easy a task as I had imagined! However it was great to see some of the classes and also catch some competitors and other helpers and members of the organising committee in passing. It is always lovely to turn up to these things and be made to feel so welcome and know so many folk.

As I write this I am looking forward to a two day competition locally with Spangle. 30km each day, I had entered and planned for more but decided against it due to the healing – 30km is probably enough just now! Marco also was meant to be out one day but I decided it wasn’t the best event for him at the minute. The trailer wheels have seized as it hasn’t moved since May but thankfully a friend has kindly stepped in to take us to the ride.

Exciting plans are taking place for a Scottish Horseshoe event in 2016 near Loch Ness, an event I very much will be supporting, both in the lead up with some organisational elements as well as hoping to compete in the 2 day 160km. More to follow on this exciting event.