After the highest ever recorded rainfall for April, The Eventing season has come to a halt. With nearly every event being cancelled due to the weather conditions! I was supposed to be doing the 1* at Hambleden International, but was unfortunately abandoned. The week later I was taking all horses to event at Nurstead Court, but after more rainfall this was also cancelled (not to mention the other many many events that have been unable to run!)

All these cancellations have been a massive blow to British Eventing, including the notorious Badminton horse trials. Riders looking for Olympic selection are having to look abroad, lets hope events start running again soon.

All my horses are raring to go. Topper, Will and Kraka, who have been showjumping beautifully would love a run. Aston Le Walls is my next run, hoping it all goes ahead!…

Dressed Accordingly

Posy x

Finally Topper seems to have settled into the Ash household!?.. It’s taken him longer than we thought, he’s quite a sensitive/quirky chap and has only ever had 2 previous owners, so needed extra time to adjust.

At Poplar Park P.C ODE over the ON course, scoring a 25.1 dressage, one unlucky pole and possibly the most amazing cross country ride I have ever had! - A good win/start for Tops, looking forward to the the future!

Topper cutie!

Posy x

Burnham Market International is a great event for riders and spectators alike. After a 4am start we arrived at Burnham Market, the courses are always well presented and beautifully maintained,  making it one of my favourite (localish!) events.

Krakatau was entered in the ON, and did a beautiful dressage, sadly I was to be disappointed with the mark .. but that’s how it goes!

Usually the ground at Burnham Market is perfect… if not on the hard side, therefore the showjumping arena had been watered in preparation. Unfortunately the organisers weren’t to know there was going to be heavy rain!- This lead to very deep, muddy showjumping conditions, with many poles, refusals and general chaos!

Many horses were finding the going particularly difficult, by the end of the novice classes the ground was truly cut up!… The event could have been mistaken for a polo match when the commentator proceeded to encourage all spectators to “tred in the divots” ! After a huge, much appreciated effort from the organisers the ground was improved for later classes.

Kraka jumped a lovely round, having one unlucky pole down in the last double, then going on to complete a great, clear cross country inside the time ending up 12th (He’s a lovely chap).

Treading in the divots

Kraka baby

Posy x

Great Witchingham horse trials was a great success, with a win for krakatau in his second event of the season in the competitive ON section, finishing on his dressage score (which I felt was below Parr on his side..but mainly mine!) luckily the double clear soon made up for the initial dressage blues.

Gran Torino (Willy) notched up a 3rd place in the BE100, which  was surprising considering it was his first event of the season. I was preparing myself for spontaneous bucking of glee and excitement, bar one mini tantrum on the lorry, “Willy horse” was a cool customer. He was brilliant in the sj and xc, lets hope this is a sign of things to come!!(has he finally grown up… just maybe!!?)

Over all it was a great weekend with much to be pleased about, the only downer was that I had to retire my new horse Portersize Top Dollar. Lying 3rd after dressage I had all to play for, unfortunately I retired in the showjumping phase. After a slip into a jump we both lacked confidence – in hind sight maybe this first event was too soon for a quirky horse and new rider!

Great Witchingham is one of my favorite events, everyone is always so helpful and friendly. There is always a great atmosphere and ground conditions were perfect. It is very well run and all courses are beautifully maintained. I would recommend!

Posy x

I have had the great news that I have been selected for the Young Riders SupaStuds Scholarship Shortlist! This is such a lovely reward for lots of determination and hard work. It’s also a great opportunity for me to show selectors what I am capable of and meet all these other talented like minded young riders;

“The YOUNG RIDERS section of the SupaStuds Scholarships has been incredibly hotly contested – the standard of applications honestly took our breath away! So commiserations to those who didn’t make it. But… Invitations to the Viewing Day are on their way to: Posy Ash; Arabella Clegg; Laura Cocking; Sara Horrell; Amy Jones; Ciara McKibbin; Dannie Morgan; Daniel Scott and Eliza Stoddart”