Cara Shardlow’s blog: Going in the right direction

It is wonderful to hear from Horslyx Ambassador Cara Shardlow that things have all been going in the right direction for her, despite an unscheduled dismount..

“I am writing this after a brilliant week at the regionals followed by the Area Festival. These regionals are what I work for all year, I had two horses qualified but decided just to take Detonator and aim Rhythmic Times at the Area Festival instead.”

“As usual just before the regionals I managed to injure myself, it has happened every year now for the last 4 years either the horse or I sustain some sort of injury just days before, this time I was bronked of my 4yr old and ended up with a suspected broken hip, fortunately it was not but I could not walk for a few days and riding was painful, anyway I made it.

Detonators results had been improving on the run up to the regionals and he was getting a lot calmer, gaining a personal best at advanced medium level the Saturday before, so I was starting to feel more confident. Becky Moody gave me a lesson at the regionals on the Tuesday which went really well and got my mind focused.”

“We competed on the Thursday first in the medium open which had some very good combinations in it so I was not expecting anything, he was a little tense which spoiled our simple changes but we managed a 9th place so I was pleased.
Then we did the advanced medium restricted again just hoping for a top ten placing but when he exploded just before the bell went my heart was in my mouth, he calmed down fairly well but I could not ride the trot work as forwards as I would have liked, but all his flying changes were good and we did not make any huge mistakes. I was over the moon when I gained 3rd place, just quarter of a percent off qualifying for the nationals unfortunately but still a brilliant result at the regionals the highest place I have been at the summers.”

“So we were back at Frys on the Sunday with Rhythmic Times for the Area Festival just as hurricane Bertha came over! I have never had to compete in conditions like it before, I think my eventing skill came back into play as the arenas were so flooded it was like doing a dressage test in a water jump! He coped so well as he can be funny about shadows and even little bits of water on the floor but he produced brilliant tests and won both classes one by 8% to take the advanced medium restricted title and qualify for the finals at Hartpury next April. To think I had semi retired this horse a year ago, I’m so pleased for him and think his Mobility Horslyx have helped a lot! There should even be a report in Horse and Hound!”

“My youngster Regal Lilly has been out doing some show crosses and has been brilliant, the rider on the other hand was a little rusty and preformed an unintentional dismount at the first fence of our first XC after Lilly had a spook at some flowers, she then jumped the fence without me, someone watching commented that it was nice of me to give her a lead over the fence ha ha!!! I jumped back on and she did a lovely clear and then the same at her next event over an affiliated course, I may even get her registered to do some BE in the autumn.”

“My next aim is to try and get on the Northern/England team for the Home International in October with Detonator, we won there last year so it would be brilliant to go and defend our title, I just hope our results have been good enough to be selected, I should find out mid September.”

“All the horses have been enjoying their Horslyx, the garlic ones have been brilliant as the flies have been so bad recently. They are also looking super smart in their new saddle cloths and rug, which have been out to lots of events now promoting Horslyx. That’s about all for the moment with one more camp to teach at autumn is just round the corner. We have a few dressage competitions coming up at Beckside Livery to look forwards to running and hopefully seeing some new faces having a go a dressage, all our championship winners have been out and about wearing their lovely polo shirts and their horses have enjoyed their licks!”