Nicki Strong’s blog: On a high!

Read our Horslyx Ambassador, Nicki Strong’s latest blog to find out how she is still on a high after a successful August…

“The 2014 season has, so far, been full of highs, and August didn’t disappoint. With much trepidation Blue and I went for our first attempt at a BE100 at the beautiful Wellington Horse Trials. Last year, I went to Wellington as a spectator and owner, watching my other horse Monty with his loan mum. I loved it so much I said there and then – next year, I’m doing this! I’m not going to lie – there were nerves. I didn’t know how he’d cope with a big SJ track, in an open arena flanked by spectators and shops. BUT we’d done our homework, so we were ready as we would ever be.”

“Our dressage was a 41 – we knocked a few marks off our recent tests which was fab. The test suited him better with more to think about than a 90 test, but still needed to be more forward and consistent, and if we can strip out a few silly mistakes we can achieve that sub 40 which is eluding us at the minute. The showjumping I was absolutely thrilled with – a big track with so much to look at and he really rose to the occasion, with just an unfortunate one pole down. I needn’t have worried about how he’d cope though, I think he enjoyed the bigger track!”

“Onto the cross country. A few questions to be answered, and everyone had said I was mad doing this as a first 100! Again – he just ate it all up and enjoyed every second. We even went the direct route at the water which had caused lots of problems. I couldn’t have been happier with how he handled it, towing me to every fence and I finished grinning from ear to ear! What a boy! Super proud that at the start of the season we tackled our first 90, and now we have completed a 100 with a very respectable performance on a tough track.”

“Since then we’ve also done a bit of showjumping at Larkhill. I’m keen that we now get some bigger SJ rounds under our belt so he becomes very comfortable at that height. He once again did me proud around a tricky, twisty track that didn’t really suit him at all. He posted 2 fast rounds with just a pole, placing him third in both his classes the 3’ and 3’3”.”

“In other news – the famous Monty has returned from his loan home of two years so I now have three horses, yikes! Delighted to have Monty home though, huge character that he is and one of the family. He’s currently having a little holiday before coming back into work in October.”

“Speaking of holidays – I’m taking a much needed trip to Spain for two weeks, yippee! We have a few events planned when I’m back though, so fingers crossed we can finish the season on a high. October – you have a lot to live up to because August and September have been fab! From a Happy Horslyx Ambassador.”