Kelly Dickson updates us on her progress from February and March

February was a very quite month for me. The only outing was on the 13th where I set of for Onley. It was a disaster of a day and Charlie just didn't want to play and I think he would have been happier asleep in his stable. Nothing seemed to feel wrong just that the pair of us must have been having a bad day.

So with house hunting, and hopefully we have found a house and it is currently all going through, and the weather still being a bit horrid, February seemed to go pass very quickly without me getting much done.

Start of March was much better. Feeling that spring has finally arrived and the juggling of lots of things at once had started to slow down slightly. On the 7th I decided to go to Yateley, which would be our first show on grass this year but Charlie still didn't have any stud holes in yet so had to take it a bit easy. In the 1m Open he seemed to relish the grass under his feet and did a lovely clear. It was one round against the clock but the lack of stud holes meant that I couldn't push too fast. I think I ended up 3rd but only 2 prizes were awarded. In the Newcomers I just had an unlucky fence down. It was an upright going downhill and I held a little too much so completely rider error.

Our next outing was Hartpury on the 13th. I entered the 1.05m Scope Qualifier. He jumped great and was quite forward going, I was again unlucky to have a fence down in the jump off as he just hung in the air slightly and had a back rail. As there were 55 entered, I still came 10th. Charlie was getting a little tired now as still not to top fitness but entered the Newcomers to see how he would go. Had 2 fences down but was please that he was thinking more for himself. One of the fences was the water tray and we have been working on this since last year. He still wouldn't jump it at Only back in February but I was so pleased that he actually took off over it this time even though he had it down. So a big improvement but still a long way to go.

I am now preparing for the Blue Chip Championships in April, so hopefully I will have this water tray phobia sorted by then.