Hattikins
Well-Known Member
Well as you all may or may not know had a mediocre to poor dressage test yesterday, scored 36.2 so nothing spectacular - it took us 2 and 1/2 hours to get there and it usually only take 1hour 3/4!! She was just not going to play ball, which i understand - she was tired!
This morning got up at 5am and left at 5.45am to get to Mattingley and the sun was shining!!
Walked the XC again, and then got tacked up for the SJ. She SJ absolutely beautifully
really nice clear round and felt lovely- so really pleased.
Off to the XC and one poor girl was unable to get her hat tagged because the stewards couldnt see the kite mark so Lucinda Green let her borrow her hat - must have made the girl's day
Lucinda was lovely
Anyway Hattie gave me an absolutely awesome ride XC all the way round to the corner just 5 fences from home, i didnt see a stride at all and bless her she jumped regardless but wacked the fence with both her knees and nose dived over it and i flew off underneath her! she managed to just about stay on her feet (i think!) and nearly missed treading on me - she studded the back of my hat instead and later i looked and found she'd cracked it - in need of a new hat now! Anyway i rolled over and got up straight away and began to trapse after her as she trotted smartly towards the next fence with no intention of stopping! Never been winded before but i was definitely winded - very strange feeling not being able to control your breathing and the rasping sound was just wierd!
a kind lady who i think was walking the course at the time walked down to the next fence with me and about half way there turned and said "oh btw are you alright" to which i replied that i was fine
and that the fall had been all my fault
(still kicking myself now for it)
Anyway Hattie was sound so i hopped back on (well clambered very ungracefully actually!
) and she finished the course beautifully, i took it slowly but positively - obviously her little breather had made her full of running again because she was keen to go full pelt!!!! (plus we were both running high on adrenaline!) So i was absolutely chuffed with her, ok we had a fall which was not particularly nice, but it didnt phase her, we both live to fight another day and she gave me such a great feel - she really didnt deserve to fall. Makes me realise just how inexperienced i am having never had a school master, im learning on the job as it were! But we'll put this down to experience and she'll have a little break and her next run is intro anyway so we can build her confidence back up there if need be - so all is not lost (apart from my hat
)
So we left little mattingley and joined the traffic jams on the M3 and M25!!! Fiddler was at the vet in Kent (poor boy had been there for 3 days instead of 1 because we were at Mattingley yesterday so couldnt pick him up!) and we needed to get him this afternoon so instead of taking Hattie home and then driving the 3 hour round trip later to get Fiddly we drove from Hampshire to Kent and then picked Tiddly up and took them both back from Kent to Sussex! My poor Mum is knackered as is Hattie who had a 4 hour trip home
She has a puffy knee now so lots of cold hosing i think for my ginger girlie
and for those of you who wanted a second report on the ground: it is absolutely perfect
holding up beautifully and couldnt be any better really
here are some pics my mum took from today and yesterday:
warming up:
Trotting in test:
Trotting round the outside
Trotting
Halting in test
SJ over fence 4
SJ over first part of double
SJ over second part of double
This morning got up at 5am and left at 5.45am to get to Mattingley and the sun was shining!!
Off to the XC and one poor girl was unable to get her hat tagged because the stewards couldnt see the kite mark so Lucinda Green let her borrow her hat - must have made the girl's day
Anyway Hattie was sound so i hopped back on (well clambered very ungracefully actually!
So we left little mattingley and joined the traffic jams on the M3 and M25!!! Fiddler was at the vet in Kent (poor boy had been there for 3 days instead of 1 because we were at Mattingley yesterday so couldnt pick him up!) and we needed to get him this afternoon so instead of taking Hattie home and then driving the 3 hour round trip later to get Fiddly we drove from Hampshire to Kent and then picked Tiddly up and took them both back from Kent to Sussex! My poor Mum is knackered as is Hattie who had a 4 hour trip home
and for those of you who wanted a second report on the ground: it is absolutely perfect
here are some pics my mum took from today and yesterday:
warming up:
Trotting in test:
Trotting round the outside
Trotting
Halting in test
SJ over fence 4
SJ over first part of double
SJ over second part of double
