Thought I'd add to the reports rather than bury this in the weekend plans thread :DJust back from what I believe was a mini break on the Sun. The Sat Nav said we were at Mount Ballan, but I'm pretty sure it was the sun. Or perhaps Mars. Everything was pretty red and dusty. That's Mars, right?It was a multipurpose weekend, firstly to support the new Dressage organisers at Broomes because they had stopped running BD shows for a while and I want them to continue ;) there are precious few venues in S Wales that run long arena tests with decent surfaces at a high level etc etc so the temporary loss of MB from the show calendar was a real shame.Secondly, we are back for 2 days in a few weeks time for regionals, and I wanted to know whether Kira would benefit from an overnight stay or do trips back to back for each class separately.Thirdly, to support a friend doing her first stay away, and fourthly.. well, a good excuse for a party :DThere was one complication, which was that Kira is really keen on friend's pony who is her field neighbour, so it was a military operation to keep them entirely separated for the whole weekend :DSettled in on Friday night, my test ride was cancelled so I had hired the test arena for 10 mins which was really worth it. Last time we went there, Kira had a BIG fright when someone was getting stuff in and out of a car on the bank above the main ring, and this time they had added flappy plastic bunting for extra spook-value. :o We made the most of the good surface to run through the PSG canterwork, that got her to concentrate rather than look around and she can do better piris on the firmer sand than our rather loose arena at home ;)Clip clopping back to her stableImage: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...859070464_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=0075f76471e8afcc89b179c7f9875879&oe =5BCB7031 There followed pizza for tea in the pavilion and *quite a lot* of alcohol - OH came to join us with the caravan and had been busy haymaking before the rain came (no evidence where we were but lots of videos of flash flooding 30 mins away :eek3:)Base campImage: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...162967552_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=cbabb6c981895a149fe27517e6a125d2&oe =5BD3CF4A Up with the larks on Saturday for the arena walk. Packed OH off to go and sort Salty out for me ;) and then we had a bit of time to kill, which, according to the step counter on my phone we filled with mainly ambling around the show ground incessantly :DPlaited up Image: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...316468736_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=255a068832e60c5b4b2bddffd0134635&oe =5BD7FCA5 Kira was not on until mid afternoon, by which time it really was very hot but she tried hard in Medium 73 despite having a rather wobbly warm up - she's still being a bit of a tit about other horses coming near her which will be tricky to manage at regionals when it gets SOO busy... hmm.Anyway, a decent effort, little mistake in a 10m circle when she broke to canter (that's a new one!) but enough for 63% in a low scoring class which left her 6th. Back later for AM96, vile, vile test to remember but we didn't go wrong.. just getting a bit hot and bothered but pulled it off for 64% and 4th. Image: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...932862464_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=ded8fa902ebc298f99488522f75201f0&oe =5BDEFE3D https://youtu.be/8XgR-a3uJx4Prosecco and indian takeaway for tea ;) after watching the demo evening presented by Sue McMahon.Onto Sunday, and this time I had to whizz home to see to Salty. She was coping well on her own, followed me round the field like a lamb while I poo picked but settled to her hay in the stable - phew!Another morning of aimless wandering, looking for some greenery to eatImage: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...983429120_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=a2bc04597b5a824bc62de98deac7664c&oe =5B9DBE9A and then it was time for M75. Kira was starting to feel weary by this time as staying away takes it out of her a bit, but she tried her socks off again for an obedient test that was just a little flat, so things like the rein back and extended trot were not the smartest she's done. A consistent 64% gave a 7th place finish in the Champs - the usual for Kira, mid table, mid 60s ;) https://youtu.be/zfUAs8RIMbsA late time for AM98 meant that the full heat of the day had baked the sand arenas and it was ridiculously hot. We did a very short warm up , just some half pass right and a few changes because I couldn't afford to drain any more energy than necessary. She picked up as we went into the arena and actually the video doesn't look anywhere near as sluggish as she felt ;) but I was SOOO so chuffed that at the end of 2.5 long days she still picked up and did the changes, the steep canter half passes etc as best as she could. A few little tiredness-related mistakes brought the score down to 61 but she couldn't have done any more, so there's no way I could be disappointed with her 5th place :) Lots of jolly frilliesImage: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...340955136_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=6b434b129fe6a5275fc35f97c973d882&oe =5B9EFF0C When we got back to the stables I really felt like I never wanted to ride a horse ever again :o :p just too much sun and too much hanging around. Friend and I managed to get everything packed up fairly quickly though and then got the horses home and out in the fields for a well earned rollImage: https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.n...334951936_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=aad33392d3a88e6f5de90e2fcfb8b9aa&oe =5BEA2EDA So, altogether a good weekend. Kira will have a few more stayaways this year for Area festival 2nd rounds and the Native Champs later in the autumn, so it was good to get this in when the result is a nice-to-have rather than something I really wanted, if that makes sense. She ate and drank well, she just stews a bit and gets a little anxious about being away. Based on that we'll make 2 trips for regionals next month so she can go out with Salty in the evenings as normal :)Pro picshttps://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/37215465_2029774897034010_5341145201010278400_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=939b59e789e3da82ae51919c68419a8f&oe =5B9DEF75https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/37226453_2029775027033997_471662459359330304_n.jpg ?_nc_cat=0&oh=19452b4119ed721838591e37aee71436&oe= 5BE50A27https://scontent.flhr2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/37111408_2029775103700656_6072059076131422208_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=a2f0261bfd0665e3497e22ef5dc15e31&oe =5BE4A5B8

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Kira on tour>>>> Welsh Dressage Champs report