C+ test:
On the 14th of July my friend Charlotte and I were tested by Nicola Greenwood for the C+ test. We were really nervous but we had had training and we had revised.

The first thing we had to do was riding. We had to warm up and tell Nicola how responsive and supple our horses were then we did a few lateral movements like leg-yielding and turn on the forehand.

After the schooling we had to jump a Showjumping then a cross country course. We started with showjumping and both the horses went clear then they both went clear in the cross country! The pair of them were amazing and were really forward-going.

Next we had to say which jumps we jumped best and why then it was riding theory! In riding theory you answer questions such as: what are the scales of training and what are the footfalls. We answered a few questions then put our horses away and met Nicola in her main barn to do the stable management section. We met a pony called Bramble and did a few practical's like putting on a stable bandage or grooming Bramble.

After the practical’s we sat down and went over farriers tools, feeds, stable/ grass kept ponies and quite a lot more! Overall Charlotte and I felt it had gone well but we weren’t sure...

We went to the ‘office’ and waited and then Nicola told us we had passed! I was really pleased and proud because I was the recommended minimum age to take the C+ test! We got our pink felts and certificates and talked to Nicola about what we could improve on and what we were good at already. So, B test next! But not for a few years.

I really enjoyed the day and am so glad I got my C+ test and I can’t wait for camp.

Bye for now, Georgina

Added 17th July 2012