Charlie Pickman

It's too wet - roll on Spring!

With the 2007 eventing season just around the corner the rain continues and the ground seems wetter than ever. I want to take some horses cross country schooling but we need some dry weather. Nanny and Meg will start the season at Aldon in March, and although both are experienced at cross country it would be nice to practice over a few accuracy fences. The other 3 horses (Dazzler, Squiggle and Beau) won't do any events until later in the season so it is not quite so desperate for them. This year, I also have Irish Gift (Paddy) and Vladimir to event. They are owned by Tim Warren. Neither of them have any experience cross country yet so we need to take them schooling and desperately want that dry weather!

We plan to compete Nanny at Intermediate level this year and if that is as successful as last year we will give her a crack at an Advanced class, but she is always a challenging ride. We decided to enter Meg for the Advanced Intermediate at Aldon as she now needs to get used to Advanced dressage tests. Since then I have seen that the standard of entries in this class is very high, and includes William Fox-Pitt with Tamarillo and Ballincoola! Oh dear....!

Dazzler has been on walking exercise for nearly a month to harden up her legs after a long holiday and will soon be trotting. We are planning to take it slowly with her and will only enter her for a competition when we feel she is 100% ready. However, she is galloping the fields with her new playmate so seems to be intent on keeping herself fit. After Squiggle's troubles with water last year we plan to take her cross country schooling and maybe do some hunter trials to try and overcome her worries. Beau seems to have made a full recovery after straining his check ligament last year. He won't do any events early on, but hopefully will compete at Pre-Novice and Novice level later on in the season.

I have been brushing up on my show jumping over the last few weeks with some success. Paddy came 2nd in a 1.10m open class, Meg was 4th in a Newcomers and Squiggle 2nd in a Discovery. My jumping is certainly improving with Tim's help, and now I just need to keep the consistency at competitions that I have been achieving at home.

I have also had the pleasure of a riding a "proper" dressage horse - Nico (Uniek VDL). He is a youngster owned by Corrie Hart and has the potential to go a long way. Corrie unfortunately was bucked off and injured her wrist, so I am keeping him going whilst she recovers. We have had some success getting scores of 66.9% and 70% and winning the Open Novice section at Burrows Court.

I am praying for a dry spell and can't wait for the start of the eventing season - here's hoping that once again it will be onwards and upwards!

Charlie