Ali16
Well-Known Member
Since I last posted, Morris has had a busy old time - lessons, JAS Finals, Isleham, more lessons and Goring.
I'll start where I left off - JAS Finals... We qualified for the Novice and the Open. Was a wee bit nervous about being judged by Yogi himself, so we went for a last minute tune up with Taperz the night before. He's used to me forgetting the course now, hence the despairing face in the video below...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152222506054061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
But I was feeling very happy with how the black boy was jumping and much more positive about my riding by the end. So we headed off to the finals, just wanting a couple of nice rounds. The course really did suit ponies more than 16.3hh tarantula look-alikes with a maHOOsive stride, but we produced two lovely rounds to come 8th in the Novice and 6th in the Open. Good Spider Horse!
Videos:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152225744279061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152231085954061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
And a photo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1052065514061.453248.502469060&type=1&theater
The following weekend we made the 4 hour journey up to Isleham for the Novice. To say I was excited about getting my boy out eventing again is the understatement of the century.
I was happy with the dressage - only a couple of little mistakes - and thought 31.5 was spot on. The SJ looked OK, short distances but a simple enough course. Morris jumped his little socks off, but sadly the sun was in my eyes coming over fence 7 and... I missed, really rather badly! Poor Mr Morris. But as ever, he was not remotely fazed and carried on regardless. So, 4 faults - could be worse, but still plenty of room for improvement.
Then, I did something TOTALLY FRIGGIN CRAZY. I went XC in.... a snaffle. Don't faint. I have to say, my mother and friend's faces were a picture as I headed into the start box armed only with my little Myler loose ring and a drop noseband. Yes, we had a cheeky moment at fence 3, where we had a disagreement on stride, but after that, he really knuckled down and skipped round with 12 time. He was epic. And yes, there may have been a few tears as we galloped across the finish line, maybe more of relief than anything..
So, why the snaffle? We were in an elevator last year, but I never felt like Morris was totally happy in it. We've used the time away from eventing (after my back injury) to address underlying issues that have been contributing to making him strong. And so far, its working. Its a lovely feeling coming back from XC and not having cramping arms and an aching back.
A lovely picture of a very keen Morris taken by MDR Photo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...599.1073741876.167363089990522&type=1&theater
We have been very lucky to receive sponsorship from the lovely Lottie Stanyon Photography - she's now following us all over the place taking pictures of our ponies. Considering she's still really learning about how to photograph horses in competition, I think she's doing a pretty good job. Take a look at her FB site:
https://www.facebook.com/ClickOnceSmileForever
So, with Lottie in tow, we headed off to Goring last Saturday. I decided to stick to Novice until I can really ride Morris properly XC in the snaffle - there is definitely still some work to do. Apparently we are very consistent in our dressage - 31.5 again, still with a couple of little mistakes.
Then we had a loooong old wait to SJ and we were getting a bit nervous about the fading light - it was 5.45pm by the time we went into the ring. Morris jumped a good round, just having the one rail, which I'm sure was mostly to do with him being a wee bit wound up after such a long wait. Never mind... We literally did the fastest turn around ever to get to XC, did one practice fence and we were off!
No cheeky moments, just a lovely, polite pony loving doing his job. It genuinely feels like I'm riding a different horse. I had a massive brain fart after fence 14 and managed to take a 20 second de-tour before I got back on track to get to fence 15.... I'm not sure how, it was a straight bloody line between the two. Turns out, this scenic route cost us a top ten place
RUBBISH RIDER!! I need sat nav.
Anyway, Lottie took some fabulous pictures in the album here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.603789636372019.1073741832.109315089152812&type=1
And we made a fun little video here:
http://youtu.be/foh4pFOl_V0
So, we've got one more Novice planned (Withington) and then if that goes as well as our first two events, it will be back up to Intermediate at Rockingham! I love, love, love my black boy so very much - I really do hope we continue to have fun together this season. He's just such a superstar (and rather photogenic!)
Oh, and I have the small matter of the London Marathon next week... if anyone fancies sponsoring me it would be greatly appreciated - all in aid of Spinal Research after my scare last year. Its such a great charity and I need all the help I can get!
https://www.justgiving.com/Ali-Dane
I'll start where I left off - JAS Finals... We qualified for the Novice and the Open. Was a wee bit nervous about being judged by Yogi himself, so we went for a last minute tune up with Taperz the night before. He's used to me forgetting the course now, hence the despairing face in the video below...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152222506054061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
But I was feeling very happy with how the black boy was jumping and much more positive about my riding by the end. So we headed off to the finals, just wanting a couple of nice rounds. The course really did suit ponies more than 16.3hh tarantula look-alikes with a maHOOsive stride, but we produced two lovely rounds to come 8th in the Novice and 6th in the Open. Good Spider Horse!
Videos:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152225744279061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152231085954061&set=vb.502469060&type=2&theater
And a photo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1052065514061.453248.502469060&type=1&theater
The following weekend we made the 4 hour journey up to Isleham for the Novice. To say I was excited about getting my boy out eventing again is the understatement of the century.
I was happy with the dressage - only a couple of little mistakes - and thought 31.5 was spot on. The SJ looked OK, short distances but a simple enough course. Morris jumped his little socks off, but sadly the sun was in my eyes coming over fence 7 and... I missed, really rather badly! Poor Mr Morris. But as ever, he was not remotely fazed and carried on regardless. So, 4 faults - could be worse, but still plenty of room for improvement.
Then, I did something TOTALLY FRIGGIN CRAZY. I went XC in.... a snaffle. Don't faint. I have to say, my mother and friend's faces were a picture as I headed into the start box armed only with my little Myler loose ring and a drop noseband. Yes, we had a cheeky moment at fence 3, where we had a disagreement on stride, but after that, he really knuckled down and skipped round with 12 time. He was epic. And yes, there may have been a few tears as we galloped across the finish line, maybe more of relief than anything..
So, why the snaffle? We were in an elevator last year, but I never felt like Morris was totally happy in it. We've used the time away from eventing (after my back injury) to address underlying issues that have been contributing to making him strong. And so far, its working. Its a lovely feeling coming back from XC and not having cramping arms and an aching back.
A lovely picture of a very keen Morris taken by MDR Photo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...599.1073741876.167363089990522&type=1&theater
We have been very lucky to receive sponsorship from the lovely Lottie Stanyon Photography - she's now following us all over the place taking pictures of our ponies. Considering she's still really learning about how to photograph horses in competition, I think she's doing a pretty good job. Take a look at her FB site:
https://www.facebook.com/ClickOnceSmileForever
So, with Lottie in tow, we headed off to Goring last Saturday. I decided to stick to Novice until I can really ride Morris properly XC in the snaffle - there is definitely still some work to do. Apparently we are very consistent in our dressage - 31.5 again, still with a couple of little mistakes.
Then we had a loooong old wait to SJ and we were getting a bit nervous about the fading light - it was 5.45pm by the time we went into the ring. Morris jumped a good round, just having the one rail, which I'm sure was mostly to do with him being a wee bit wound up after such a long wait. Never mind... We literally did the fastest turn around ever to get to XC, did one practice fence and we were off!
No cheeky moments, just a lovely, polite pony loving doing his job. It genuinely feels like I'm riding a different horse. I had a massive brain fart after fence 14 and managed to take a 20 second de-tour before I got back on track to get to fence 15.... I'm not sure how, it was a straight bloody line between the two. Turns out, this scenic route cost us a top ten place
RUBBISH RIDER!! I need sat nav. Anyway, Lottie took some fabulous pictures in the album here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.603789636372019.1073741832.109315089152812&type=1
And we made a fun little video here:
http://youtu.be/foh4pFOl_V0
So, we've got one more Novice planned (Withington) and then if that goes as well as our first two events, it will be back up to Intermediate at Rockingham! I love, love, love my black boy so very much - I really do hope we continue to have fun together this season. He's just such a superstar (and rather photogenic!)
Oh, and I have the small matter of the London Marathon next week... if anyone fancies sponsoring me it would be greatly appreciated - all in aid of Spinal Research after my scare last year. Its such a great charity and I need all the help I can get!
https://www.justgiving.com/Ali-Dane
