Pontispool

The team turned around the lorry brilliantly last night, and we left at 5am for Pontispool, which felt very early indeed.
 
The forecast was fairly bad but we got lucky and in the end the sun even shone.
 
Secret Night finished third in his Intermediate section having a very good outing.  He did a lovely dressage and scored 25, went clear show jumping, and gave me an excellent ride cross country for 10 time faults.  Giving him the ideal preparation for his Autumn three day which will either be Osberton or Weston Park.  The Intermediate course rode really well and the going was perfect which was great for him as he seems to either run on hard ground or mud.
 
Little Fire was brilliant today, winning his Novice section.  He did a good test to score 23, but he was a little exuberant so there is room for improvement.  In the show jumping he got a clear round, just added 2.4 time faults on the cross country going really confidently.  I was particularly pleased with him as last time out he had a big run in the mud at Wellington.
 
I also had three of the more ‘grown-ups’ all running HC in the Novice;

Dynasty was out for the first time since his tumble at Gatcombe, and I was very happy to have him feeling so good, he got 34 in the dressage one down show jumping and went clear cross country.
 
Ramdam De Mons did a good test to score 30, and then jumped an excellent double clear.
 
Topaze du Plain was having his first outing for a while, and I was very pleased with how good he felt and how well behaved he was.  He did a good test, scoring 30.5.  He just touched the last show jump and then went really well cross country.  Understandably he was fairly excitable but I was very impressed with how well he contained himself.
 
The courses at Pontispool were excellent and rode well, and as I said it was very enjoyable to run the horses on such good going.