Befney3
Well-Known Member
Took Chilli to Aintree today for their BSJA on the grass. I still get a bit aprehensive about jumping on grass as Chilli has the occasional 'ex-racer moment' where he forgets everything he's learnt about showjumping & thinks grass = gallop. Also we've been BSJAing a fair bit recently but seem to be a bit stuck on 4 & 8 fault first rounds.
Anyway I set off in a positive mood with all the car windows open & the top doors open in the trailer in the hope that we wouldn't get too hot on the journey.
When we got there they were just jumping off the Foxhunter so I watched that then walked for the BN, which looked lovely & small after the Fox fences.
Once I'd walked I hopped on work Chilli in. Unfortunatley I only had my Dad with me & he isn't very good at building fences so I ended up with a fairly strange warm up as I just had to jump what was up. Started with the oxer
& Chilli jumped it fab. I then jumped the vertical & he got dangly legs & hit it a couple of times but it was my turn to go in so I just thought I'd have to cross my fingers & hope for the best.
Anyway, went in & spooked at the shed on the far side of the arena then set off at racehorse pace. Cleared no.1 then I sat there like a lemon as we raced at no.2 but we cleared it fine. After no.2 I decided to ride my horse rather than just sit on him & he popped 3 nicely, was a bit messy over the double at no.4 but got over it, popped 5 & 6 well then just tapped 7 as I'd had to take a pull & we hadn't really got the canter sorted but it stayed up.
No.8 was another double & the last part of the first phase. We cleared that & flew onto the second phase where we just tapped no.10 & it fell for 4 faults.
It's the first time we've gone clear in the first round of a BN & although I'd have loved a double clear I'm very happy with how Chilli went today. I feel like we're getting somewhere now. One thing that seemed to make a difference today was that I felt I rode the canter more forward than usual. I've had a few lessons recently & I'm constantly told I need more canter so I think today I got it & it helped Chilli find his stride better.
So after a good afternoon we set off home & were all happy until I reached the end of the M58 where we join the M6 & I put my foot on my clutch to change gear & nothing happened, my clutch pedal was stuck down.
Luckily I had slowed for the junction which was only 100 yards away & was only doing about 5mph but I had to stop on the motorway with my hazards on & wait for rescue.
The very nice Highway Patrol men very quickly found us on their routine patrol but the police (who I'd phoned as I was in the outside lane of a two lane motorway junction) never arrived.
The car & trailer had to be towed to the hard shoulder by the Highway Patrol men & I had to ring my friends Mum to come & get the trailer with Chilli in whilst my Dad waited with my car for the AA.
I didn't know the AA won't recover a trailer with a horse in it. So I now need to go & find myself a breakdown company that will 'cos I never want a repeat of today. Luckily Chilli was a star & stood in the trailer wondering what the fuss was about but happily eating his haynet. I've never been happier to get back to the yard tho.
Well, thanks for reading, sorry it's so long & ice cream (Ben & Jerrys Phish Food) & cider if you got this far.
When we got there they were just jumping off the Foxhunter so I watched that then walked for the BN, which looked lovely & small after the Fox fences.
Anyway, went in & spooked at the shed on the far side of the arena then set off at racehorse pace. Cleared no.1 then I sat there like a lemon as we raced at no.2 but we cleared it fine. After no.2 I decided to ride my horse rather than just sit on him & he popped 3 nicely, was a bit messy over the double at no.4 but got over it, popped 5 & 6 well then just tapped 7 as I'd had to take a pull & we hadn't really got the canter sorted but it stayed up.
It's the first time we've gone clear in the first round of a BN & although I'd have loved a double clear I'm very happy with how Chilli went today. I feel like we're getting somewhere now. One thing that seemed to make a difference today was that I felt I rode the canter more forward than usual. I've had a few lessons recently & I'm constantly told I need more canter so I think today I got it & it helped Chilli find his stride better.
So after a good afternoon we set off home & were all happy until I reached the end of the M58 where we join the M6 & I put my foot on my clutch to change gear & nothing happened, my clutch pedal was stuck down.
I didn't know the AA won't recover a trailer with a horse in it. So I now need to go & find myself a breakdown company that will 'cos I never want a repeat of today. Luckily Chilli was a star & stood in the trailer wondering what the fuss was about but happily eating his haynet. I've never been happier to get back to the yard tho.
Well, thanks for reading, sorry it's so long & ice cream (Ben & Jerrys Phish Food) & cider if you got this far.
