Pumbaa, The A Level Eventer : Part 4

Since exams are now upon us, it seems that every opportunity I get I should be doing some sort of intelligent revision…so let this blog post begin:

Bonjour tout le monde, comment ça va?

Good right? French A Level is going to be a walk in the park.

At school we are currently in the stage that has been aptly dubbed the ‘hugging and drugging’ phase. Yes, really. It’s not diamonds that are a girl’s best friend, no. It’s Rescue Remedy. I’m presuming very few of you have ever lived in a house with fifty eighteen-year-old girls, who, by the way, just happen to be going through one of the most stressful times of their short lifetime. So, trust me when I say this; insanity rapidly becomes normality.

But me? Well I am, of course, handling the whole thing extremely well. So no, I have not recently sat down in the middle of the corridor and burst in to tears…who an earth would do something like that?!

Thankfully, the ponios are on hand to keep me well and truly grounded. Though admittedly it seems that at times they take this role a little too literally. At Belton, I made a rather brutal (and seeing as we’re British, one might say a rather ‘over familiar’) acquaintance with the ground.

Credit: Clare Stringer

Poor Kenny, did a very sweet test for a respectable mark of 35 in OIu21, followed by an awesome show jumping round lowering just one rail around a very decent track. But then he had an extremely unlucky cross country round, unfortunately clipping a rail in front and coming down. However, I have been told that if you’re going to do something, then you’ve got to do it properly, so we did.

As for Dell, I think something in the Lincolnshire air got to him a little? To say he was feeling bright would be a colossal understatement. I feel I should apologise to the poor cadets he cheerfully flattened on his way into the dressage. Naughty pony. He did perform well nonetheless, for a dressage of 35, followed by a frustrating 2 poles show jumping (sack the jockey) and a flying clear cross country. SEE VIDEO BELOW OF OUR BELTON HIGHLIGHTS

I also have to mention what I’m told is the most exciting new piece of equipment our team will have the pleasure of using this season. Dad’s new camera stick. I know, I’ve learnt to just nod and agree. He is now convinced he is the David Attenborough of the event circuit…

Overall, it was very nearly a very good weekend – it can never all go to plan though can it? Those ponios wouldn’t want us to think that we’ve got the drop of them completely. What would be the fun in that? 

However, the main disappointment of the weekend was the fact that I had nothing to show for my acrobatics.

Catapulted into the ground at 30 mph and I come away with the world’s most pathetic bruise…how is that a) fair and b) even possible!?

Having said that, on going back to school on Sunday evening I soon discovered I had a little delayed concussion. I didn’t even know there was such a thing, but I was so spaced out that I might as well have been on a different planet entirely. I may or may not have walked into a door… hmm. I made a case saying that since my last remaining brain cells had finally been well and truly bashed out my taking A Levels would be pointless…unfortunately neither my teachers, nor my parents, were convinced. Must try harder next time.

After Belton I had a 2 week break, a bit of time to crack on with revision. As I’ve already mentioned we’re in a rather ‘fragile’ state – imagine your archetypal hysterical female and we are it. If we get through the day without tears, or just general hysteria, it has been a good day. We have found a secret to get us through the ordeal though…Muller Corner Yogurts. You might laugh, but to all of the aspiring investment bankers out there I suggest you get on the case of buying shares. At the rate we’re going, school is going to have to take out a loan to keep us in stock…

Next up I had the wonderful Withington Manor for the OIu21. After growing up hunting, cross country has always been my favourite phase, and Mr. Winter never fails to deliver the goods at Withington. Dell, as ever, was on cracking form, however he took the liberty of adding a little ‘spice’ to our dressage test with a couple of flying changes. I’ve said in the past that he’s channeled his inner-Valegro – I think perhaps that in his old age it’s going to his head a little.

Jumping wise he well and truly pulled it out the bag for me with a stunning double clear. That being said I do have a rather embarrassing confession. On approach to our first practice fence warming up the show jumping, which I might add was an entire foot off the ground, I did the definition of a ‘miss’. If I do say so myself though, it was pretty spectacular. Dell stumbled on landing, skimmed merrily across the ground (on his nose) and in the process took his reins over his ears. So after he recovered himself I was left a little helpless…I went for a tug on his breast plate which, unsurprisingly, came to no avail. Thankfully Dell, having been trained well by my mother for the last 5 years, went in search of polos so on seeing some poor unsuspecting arena steward he happily trotted up to them and stopped – and I was then able to breath again. I think I may have gone a little blue.

Credit: Alex Holman

I am now in the midst of exams. I’d say ‘Let the madness begin’ but I fear we are long (long!) past that point. Fingers crossed all goes well, after all this work I’d really, REALLY like to actually get into University. If not, I’ve recently watched ‘Wild’ and been inspired – I figure that if all 5 foot of Reece Witherspoon can venture into the Forest and live off the land then so can I. I’ll just become a bush baby (of course The Wonder Dun will come with me so transport will be sorted).

Next up we are hopping across the Irish Channel for Tattersalls; back to the motherland for The Wonder Dun – I am extremely over excited! Working out the logistics, however, has been a little manic. With 2 others joining us on the lorry we initially worked out a total of 27 bales of hay. That being the case I think we’ll have to strap Dell Boy to the roof – I’m sure he’ll appreciate the breeze?

For those doing exams, I send you both my luck and my condolences. For those that aren’t, well quite frankly you’re all jammy sods, so you can just go on enjoying your lives without a thing.

Until next time,

Pumbaa x