Little Downham – Novice
Photo Credits: @MaceMaclean
We had a brilliant Sunday morning at Little Downham Horse Trials with Centre of Attention (Atty) and some of his lovely syndicate owners. It’s always a treat spending time with the team behind the horse, and Atty certainly gave us all something to talk about.
Dressage
Atty was feeling a bit baby-brained in the dressage – a few little mistakes crept in, and he ended on a score of 33.0. Not his best day, but also far from a disaster. He’s a smart horse, and we know he’ll only get sharper with more mileage.
Show Jumping
In the warm-up, Atty was absolutely flying. Confident, keen, and jumping beautifully. But once he got into the ring, it was clear he wasn’t particularly impressed – the jumps weren’t quite big enough for his liking! He’s a horse that thrives off a challenge, and he definitely let us know he’s ready for more.
Cross Country
After show jumping, Alex and Atty dusted themselves off and headed out cross country with a positive attitude – despite knowing this wasn’t an easy track. There were plenty of retirements and eliminations throughout the day, and for Atty, this was only his second novice. But once again, he rose to the occasion. He attacked the course with ears pricked, full of confidence, and came home clear with a big smile from Alex.
All in all, it was a great outing. We came, we learnt, and we had a brilliant time with a seriously exciting young horse. Atty is already showing us he’s got what it takes – he just needs the right challenge in front of him!