Hello again!
I'm kicking off my New Years resolution off early and starting this blog back up again. 2014 has been a difficult year for Jasper and I and we have faced many setbacks (mostly my degree getting in the way!).
After well over a year off from the carriage driving scene Jasper and I were back on Sunday for our first competition in what felt like forever.
Despite not knowing my test very well and feeling like I was just driving about randomly we were 4th after the dressage. Jasper then ...
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Today was obstacle day and also the final day of the competition. Jasper flew round the obstacles but we always find Indoor obstacles challenging as they are often tight which doesn't suit Jasper and the scoring places greater importance on this phase. We were delighted to come 3rd overall and it was a great end to a fantastic season. Now we have got a 4 hour drive to Pembrokeshire as I am supposed to be on a field course in wales!

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Today I am not competing myself (which is very strange!) as I am trying to watch the pennies and only compete in really necessary events. But I have instead gone along anyway to cheer Ann on with Socks and to backstep for Vicky in the obstacles (see pictures).
I always find it a weird experience being at a competition with the atmosphere that I associate with having myself in a particular mental state in order to maximize my performance (see all this sports psychology is paying off!), which i...
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We should have been at an Indoor event at BCA today but it has been called off due to the snow, despite the fact that it has nearly all melted here. It was decided that it was too dangerous and it has been cancelled due to Health and Safety. While its a shame we can't compete today there is a small bit of me that is glad as it is very cold and I  did not have to get up at some unearthly hour this morning.
Instead we drove Jasper this morning, and then met up with Ann, Hester and Julie at the R...
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Finally my exams are over! As they have stretched over nearly three weeks so far the return to uni has not been much fun. To be honest quite sick of being locked up in my bedroom staring at notes so finally freedom! Refreshers starts next week and we have been reliving the fun of our Freshers week today when I found my camera with loads of pictures on it that I had forgotten about.
Can't say my exams have gone brilliantly but I have done my best and worked hard so there's not much more I can ...
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Today we headed back to Sparsholt to compete at in the Wessex Regions January event.
After being in second place after dressage, we then had a clear round in the cones with several time penalties to be 2nd place in the phase and then remain in second place after dressage and cones. Knowing we had to make up ten penalties to win (and the person in front of us is renowned for being speedy) we were hoping to hang onto our second place. However, Jasper thought otherwise and we had the fastest obst...
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Jasper and I scored a hat trick today without third consecutive win in Novice Pony in the Thames Valley Region.
After an early start we arrived and did a nice dressage test to put us in 2nd place. I was particularly pleased with Jasper's attempt at lengthening today, as I thought he really tried. We then had an easy clear in what looked like a very challenging cones course but it actually drove fine. Jasper was then amazing in the obstacles and we had the fastest times in our class to win the...
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I can hardly believe my first term at uni is over! I have enjoyed it so much but I am definitely ready to come home to recharge my batteries. My holidays look set to be busy as usual with competitions and work to do to as well as the usual commitments of family and uni work.
In truth right now I am very tired and just looking forward to a nice lie in as well as to driving Jasper.

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It only seems like a few minutes ago we were last at Berkshire College of Agriculture but we are back again today to defend our win in Novice Pony with our usual team firmly back in place. After a dressage of 30 we were in joint 4th but then had the worlds luckiest clear in the cones to move us up to 2nd place. My Mum confessed as she thought Jasper was looking a bit 'lethargic' she had been oating him up all week. Yes I know, clearly Jasper thought this was brilliant and decided to do an alm...
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YAY!!!! Jasper and I won our first indoors of the season! We also had the best score of the whole event and he was an absolute star all day (none of his usual nonsense about loading either). We were joint 3rd after dressage with 24 (leader on 23) and it was all pretty close fought. After a clear in the cones and just a few time penalties we moved up to second. Today we also had a switch around in Team O'Neill with my Mum being in Crete to see my Grandad with my other two sisters my Dad was ch...
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We came 5th!!! After 4 nail biting obstacles we held our position to come 5th!!! This is brilliant as I wanted to come in the top 10 but I never thought we would be placed! Jasper really stepped up the pace today and although we weren't the fastest we still had good times. A video of obstacle 2 can be seen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2psHfsKscrg huge thanks to Fiona Powell of Inharness magazine for that!
I am so proud of him and how he coped with the event this time. Last year he had only ...
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Today we were up at the crack of dawn as we were the fast class on for our paces and precision (dressage) and cones. Our wonderful friend Elanor plaited Jasper up for me as she is a pro so big thanks to her :)
I am so proud of how Jasper went today to score 21.0 in P&P which is a personal best for both of us! So many people complemented me on his test and I don't think he could have tried any harder. He coped with the crowd much better this year although we did have a slight moment when every...
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Today we are off to The College EC, Keysoe Bedfordshire for the IHDT National Championships. After a whole winter of Indoor Driving from I was the higest placed junior in the Wessex points league we are finally off to the championships which is so exciting! We are travelling up there today as its a three hour drive and settling Jasper in as we are the first class on tomorrow morning. As usual we left about 2 hours after we were supposed to and met up with our brilliant friends Julie and Ann B...
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The weather is horrid here in Wiltshire today, its really damp and miserable and seriously misty despite the fact its way past noon and showing no sign of going anywhere soon. Luckily this has happened on a day where we have decided that both ponies are having a day off as Jasper has worked hard over the past week. Nothing is more frustrating on a day when the weather is lovely and you cant drive! Paid for out entry to the Indoor Championships and booked our stable so thats all sorted. Jasper...
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Woke up this morning to non stop rain, so when Sam from Hooves-n-Woofers arrived to do Jasper we decided to move the party to inside his stable. Today was the day where Jasper officially enters 'Boot Camp' in preparation for our trip to Keysoe. Stage one was this morning where he had a full clip and his mane pulled, so big thanks to Sam, he looks lovely and smart now. After a quick cup of tea and some lunch it was time to commence with Stage two of the plan, dropping Jasper off at my dressage...
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Eeeek so excited! My letter telling me I have qualified for the IDHT National Championships arrived this morning, after being the highest placed Senior Junior in the Wesses Region. Stabling is now booked so we will be heading off at the end of March for an exciting long weekend of Indoor driving at The College EC in Keysoe, Bedfordshire. This is one of my favourite events of the year so I am really looking forward to it. Now all that remains is to convince my school to let me go as I will hav...

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We woke up this morning to find that we had had four inches of snow overnight! However as Sparsholt College had not cancelled the WHHC had to go ahead with the event planned. We loaded up and braved the icy roads to compete Jasper in the snow! Despite being freezing cold we had our best ever dressage test of 22.5. This was the joint best score and we had the best paces mark of the whole event! The judge also commented on how much he had improved. I just couldnt believe it. Obviously Jasper th...
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