Heading for Wandin

Recently I grabbed whereis.com plus a list of HRCAV events, and started checking which events are closest to the farm. Wandin came up, being a mere 60 something minutes away. That will be 1h 20mins with horse. The event is the TTT Horse Trials on May 30 and 31st. Bingo. I started preparations to do Grade 4.

Being a TTT event, there are all sorts of associated rules with it. One is to either show evidence of three horse trials within 12 months at the required level, or to get level assessed. The level assessor comes out today and I show her my best moves in dressage, showjumping and cross country. Sabina runs around the paddock after me with a handful of mandarin pieces. At the end, the assessor looks at the beautiful undulating paddock I school in and says "Please canter up the hill, and then canter back down". Gulp. I do as told, and to my amazement, the horse doesn't just go for a mad downhill dash. "Now walk". That's tougher, but we get there.

The assessor signs off my cards and I'm ready to enter the event.