SpottedCat
Well-Known Member
Well, having a handy helper, she was tasked with a 15 min lunge whilst I ran the XC, I then got on 35 mins before my test and discovered you have to hack about a mile to the flipping dressage and cross a road. Thankfully I tagged alog with someone!
B was being v polite in the warm-up - nothing that was going to win any prizes, but considering the week I've had with him I decided not to wind him up and to just go for a safe test which was going to lack sparkle. I was of the frame of mine anything sub-50 was good enough given that he has reared every time I asked for left canter on and off all week following his back tweak.
So he did a nice test - nothing special but not far off our tests from last year - was VERY pleased to get 37.6 which for us is a superb mark!
SJ he warmed up well, jumped the first 3 rather forward, then I cocked up into the triple, lost a stirrup, took a flier through it and bless he left them all up but no thanks to me. Then was unbalanced to 5 and just couldn't make the distance to 6 so knocked the planks out. He then finished and just rolled the last (a lot were having it) because I forgot to ride and didn't ask him to wait so he was a bit flat. At this point the pony got much praise for helping me so much and I kicked myself for riding like a fool!
Then XC - 5,4,3,2,1 STOP - poor B was very confused! There was a hold on course somewhere and the red light came on literally as they would have said go, so I kicked, got one stride and then had to pull up and come off course. Had a chat to the starters until I could go for real, but then B did not believe me so came out of the box in a half-hearted canter. Soon picked up though, flew 1-4, 5 I came back to trot as it was through a spinny and the ground down the hill was horrible, trotted down the hill, on over another couple to the water, sailed through that, then the triple of brushes, neatly through all 3, up the hill and over a hanging log, down through the hollow and drop, gather reins for the corner which he got a bit close to as he rather barreled down the hill, through the next water neatly but in trot as he's never seen a fence in the water before, over a wagon and roll top, nicely through the angled brushes, a house then home.
Got a hatful of time penalties, partly me being cautious on the ground and partly me not thinking my dressage score would be any good - if we'd gone within the time we'd have been in with a shout at a minor placing I think, though only by the skin of our teeth (my section was won by Andrew Nicholson on 24).
So on to Belmont where I will see if I can shift him up a gear XC as he felt v grown up today. Pro photographer got some super shots which go online on Weds, I'll link when they are up.
B was being v polite in the warm-up - nothing that was going to win any prizes, but considering the week I've had with him I decided not to wind him up and to just go for a safe test which was going to lack sparkle. I was of the frame of mine anything sub-50 was good enough given that he has reared every time I asked for left canter on and off all week following his back tweak.
So he did a nice test - nothing special but not far off our tests from last year - was VERY pleased to get 37.6 which for us is a superb mark!
SJ he warmed up well, jumped the first 3 rather forward, then I cocked up into the triple, lost a stirrup, took a flier through it and bless he left them all up but no thanks to me. Then was unbalanced to 5 and just couldn't make the distance to 6 so knocked the planks out. He then finished and just rolled the last (a lot were having it) because I forgot to ride and didn't ask him to wait so he was a bit flat. At this point the pony got much praise for helping me so much and I kicked myself for riding like a fool!
Then XC - 5,4,3,2,1 STOP - poor B was very confused! There was a hold on course somewhere and the red light came on literally as they would have said go, so I kicked, got one stride and then had to pull up and come off course. Had a chat to the starters until I could go for real, but then B did not believe me so came out of the box in a half-hearted canter. Soon picked up though, flew 1-4, 5 I came back to trot as it was through a spinny and the ground down the hill was horrible, trotted down the hill, on over another couple to the water, sailed through that, then the triple of brushes, neatly through all 3, up the hill and over a hanging log, down through the hollow and drop, gather reins for the corner which he got a bit close to as he rather barreled down the hill, through the next water neatly but in trot as he's never seen a fence in the water before, over a wagon and roll top, nicely through the angled brushes, a house then home.
Got a hatful of time penalties, partly me being cautious on the ground and partly me not thinking my dressage score would be any good - if we'd gone within the time we'd have been in with a shout at a minor placing I think, though only by the skin of our teeth (my section was won by Andrew Nicholson on 24).
So on to Belmont where I will see if I can shift him up a gear XC as he felt v grown up today. Pro photographer got some super shots which go online on Weds, I'll link when they are up.
