Cara Shardlow’s blog: Wedding bells and the Winter Champs

We catch up with Horslyx Ambassador Cara Shardlow to find out how the British Dressage Winter Championships went and see how Horslyx even got a presence at her wedding…

“Well a lot has happened since my last blog, with one of my best results and one of my worst results all in a week! The best was when Rhythmic Times competed at Frys dressage in his 3rd Advanced class, he was rather silly and tense in his first test with a lot of squealing in the warm up so as expected the score was not great. He then redeemed himself in the Advanced 102 with a calm attentive test, gaining mine and his highest ever score at that level just under 68% and qualifying us both to compete at Prix St George level, I am thrilled to bits to do this on a homebred horse.”

“Then 7 days later I went to my first British Dressage Nationals with Detonator. He had unfortunately been suffering with an infection in his hoof for most of the week before so I had not been able to get much work into him and as his name suggests he can be a bit of a hot head. This did not bode well for competing in an electric atmosphere and he came down the centre line at the start like a bull, grinding to halt with his head in the air and never really relaxed the whole time, if I had let go I think he would have bolted out of the arena! I was so disappointed as I had being trying to qualify for some years now, but we will try again at the Summer regionals, horses are great levellers!”

“I have now qualified both the above horses for the summer regionals at advanced medium restricted level this will be their next big competition. I have also had some new music and floor plan made by Equivisions for Detonator so will be going out as soon as possible to try and qualify for the freestyle regionals. I have only had a few goes at freestyle but really enjoy it.”

“One of my homebred youngsters has been to her first aff dressage and also a show jumping competition. She was incredibly well behaved at both gaining a 2nd in the prelim dressage and a clear round show jumping, she acts like she has been here before, I will continue aiming her at some ODE’s. I have also received some fantastic goodies from Horslyx, the horses are loving their Mobility Horslyx. Rhythmic Times is a very fussy eater and would frequently leave his joint supplement on the floor but he is loving the lick and I’m much happier that he is now getting the support he needs. I also got some lovely clothing just in time for the nationals which I love and am wearing as much as I can.”

“In among all of this I also got married to Brian Reed on 26th April. We had the most fantastic weekend with family and friends who made us feel very special and I can truly say it was the best day of my life, I am sat now in a hotel before we fly of to Italy for our honeymoon I can’t wait!!!!”