We arrived on Thursday night at 9PM slightly different to the original plan which was to be around 4PM, due to being held in traffic for over an hour and half- making the journey 4 hours instead of 2 and half.
When we get there we find out that I stupidly entered the gold tour instead of the bronze tour! Luckily they changed it for us, but this meant that I had to go 1st at 8.30am. Great! Nice early morning following a stressful/disorganised late night!
We had to unload the horses in the dark, find their stables and get them settled for the night before having dinner and getting to bed about 11pm.
Having never been indoors at Towerlands before it was quite a shock to walk in at 7am to find a funnel/walkway into the arena just like Olympia and brightly coloured fences and wings at each fence.

Early start to arrive for the first class which was the Katherine James 1m Scope Qualifier. Brook went really well, clear all the way in the jump off to the last fence where I had a sigh of relief thinking yes she’s clear, just as I sit back and relax to jump the last fence, she catches me out putting in a cheeky stop. But then came round and jumped it lovely! Such a sham as it was a really nice round.
In the 1.05 scope qualifier it was just an unlucky 4 faults in the jump off. So it was a good outing setting us upo for Towerlands Internations next week.

I had been working hard throughout the year preparing my self for the Pony Club AH test. This is the highest standard horse care/management exam in the pony club & takes a lot of hard work and dedication in order to achieve. There are not many people who pass the exam on their first attempt, so it really is a prestigious test. Most of 2010 I spent my time researching through my old notes that I had made for previous exams, and refreshing the basics. I left it rather late to get professional training, which is definitely needed for this exam. I started weekly training in January with Roseanne Liversidge who also trains me as a rider and has done for many years. I also had a couple of sessions with Alex Hudson & spent the day with Vet Vicki Edmondson & gained experience with Farrier Ricky Gache.
When I arrived at the centre on the day everybody was talking about the exam and most of the girls had taken it before and this was at least their 2nd or 3rd time of taking it. So they were all telling me what to expect, which made me rather nervous, as well as knowing that I was at least 2 years younger than all the others who had taken equine degrees and were at Veterinary Uni.
The first section I went totally mind blank & forgot the most basic and simple things that I do everyday. But, as the day went on I relaxed and became more confident.
After a very long and tiring day I had to wait about an hour for my results, as each candidate went in one by one.
Only 3 out of the 8 candidates that took part passed, sadly I wasn’t one of them but I was pleased to know that I only failed two out of the 8 sections whereas other candidates who had a lot more experience than me failed 3 or more sections at least. The day gave me great experience and I now know what to expect for next time.

Up next is Pyecombe- 10th April- Brook jumping the 1m & 1.05 scope qualifers.
Towerlands- 15th,16th & 17th April- Brook & Murphy- Inter Nations. Silver & Bronze Tour. 

In the morning we went to Willow farm where I rode lily- the 5 year old, who jumped 3 lovely rounds with just a pole in each. She was really good which proves promising as Windsor is just around the corner!
I also rode another pony for somebody else, which was a very fun little cob type, but also cheeky. Having never sat on her before I thought we clicked quite quickly and she went really well, just a couple of testing stops in the first class, then a really nice round in the next class and just an unlucky pole in the jump off.

We then went do Duckhurst in the afternoon to ride the horses. Murphy jumped the 1.10 which was going really well in the jump off, I was well up on time, coming to the last fence and he just pecked coming off the corner and fell over. Luckily he was fine & so was I, so we jumped the 1.15 just to get his confidence back which he went clear and ended up third, after a nice steady round.

After a very long and busy weekend away at Sands Farm I then had to travel back up that way at 4AM the next morning, to spend the day with Vicki Edmondson (VET) as training for my AH test. It was a really good day, Vicki helped me with lots & added to my list of experiences, which is brilliant. I took my first ever shoe off, which wasn’t easy and was done on the hardest horse possible. A hind shoe, off a 15hh show cob! Never the less the day was a great help, so thank you Vicki & Team, and lets hope it all pays off at the exam!