Nickymac
Well-Known Member
Got there early o'clock, having walked the course the evening before and was on Fraser (OH's hunter) at 7.30, trying to get his dressage head on. He warmed up nicely but was horrid when I got in there (plank-like), so I think he may need be ready for a holiday. He was much the same showjumping; normally he's really perky when he gets the dressage over with, and whilst he jumped ok, he didn't feel as bright and sharp as usual, and wasn't particularly responsive so had one down. Off to cross country and I had to kick him out of the start box. He was so busy gawping at another horse when we were at fence 4 that he nearly forgot to take off (couldn't crash and burn two weeks running.....
), but then he was overjumping and spending what felt like an hour and a half in the air over the next few. He wanted to trot through the water but popped the skinny brush out ok, so I didn't chase him round; he was clear but felt a bit lacklustre about the whole thing. I got 5.6 time to add to my 38.1 + 4, so nothing to write home about and was 13th. Oh well, last one for him and a well-earned month off before OH hunts him.
Onto Humungahorse Ross, who I thought might have the same kind of head on as Fraser did (having rolled his eyes at me every time I approached his stable with tack for about the last fortnight!) I couldn't decide whether it might all go horribly wrong, this being his first novice, him being only 5, having had a crap attitude for the last week if not two, etc etc, but I thought I'd get on with it and see how it all panned out. Over to dressage and he was soooooo lovely warming up, got a few "what a lovely horse" comments, and then "what a lovely test" comments when I came out.
So really chuffed with him, particularly as he's a big lad to be waggoning round a 20 x 40, but he made it feel so effortless. Off to showjump, dreading it, despite having had a really good lesson on Thursday, I wasn't convinced it was established enough to go well in the ring, but he was pretty good and I think we might be back on track. He just had the oxer down (related distance after the double), so forgave him that, big pats for trying hard to get the messages from the brain to his feet a bit quicker than normal.
Quick check of the scoreboard and my lovely test only merited a 38.1, so gutted about that (particularly as I have been a dressage queen of late, and his last three outings have been 30 or sub-30). My friend in the same section was also gutted as she got 39 and normally gets sub-30, so that made me feel a bit better. Even on the video I don't see where he got the "could get his hindquarters underneath more" when he was tracking-up or overtracking all the time?!
Cross country he was just fantastic, I must have been grinning from ear to ear the whole way round. I just got in a rhythm and kept going and he never had a backward thought (I wish he had done at the biggish parallel at 6, because taking off a stride early nearly gave me a heart attack!). He jumped beautifully, he was bold and straight and didn't bat an eyelid at anything, so I was delighted with my big baby.
I got 10 time but there will be plenty of time next year to put my foot down (when I've got a better dressage mark!)
And then there was Marlene, ginger mare who didn't like doing it 6 weeks ago, and has now turned into a machine. She did a 31.5 dressage, clear showjumping (had to anchor her a bit as she was racing round), and set off cross country like something was chasing her! I gave her a smack on the first long stretch as she'd got eliminated before at the bank complex we were heading for, and she bucked as if to say "don't tell me what to do". She was on and off the bank, over the pipes and galloping on again before I knew it. At the water (another problem area) she saw it and if anything went faster, cantered through, pinged the fence out and galloped off again. I honestly thought I was on a different horse, and a very feisty one at that! She bounced down the steps, handbrake turned in the quarry, galloped up the hill out and finished really well. Ended up 7th, and hopefully Annie (her owner) is going to get a late entry for Holdenby there next weekend so she can feel the new improved version of Marlene.
Sorry it's so long again, but it was a long day (went to the gallops with Hector on the way home, last blast before Weston, so I had legs like jelly by the time I got home - any excuse for a stiff G&T).
Onto Humungahorse Ross, who I thought might have the same kind of head on as Fraser did (having rolled his eyes at me every time I approached his stable with tack for about the last fortnight!) I couldn't decide whether it might all go horribly wrong, this being his first novice, him being only 5, having had a crap attitude for the last week if not two, etc etc, but I thought I'd get on with it and see how it all panned out. Over to dressage and he was soooooo lovely warming up, got a few "what a lovely horse" comments, and then "what a lovely test" comments when I came out.
Quick check of the scoreboard and my lovely test only merited a 38.1, so gutted about that (particularly as I have been a dressage queen of late, and his last three outings have been 30 or sub-30). My friend in the same section was also gutted as she got 39 and normally gets sub-30, so that made me feel a bit better. Even on the video I don't see where he got the "could get his hindquarters underneath more" when he was tracking-up or overtracking all the time?!
Cross country he was just fantastic, I must have been grinning from ear to ear the whole way round. I just got in a rhythm and kept going and he never had a backward thought (I wish he had done at the biggish parallel at 6, because taking off a stride early nearly gave me a heart attack!). He jumped beautifully, he was bold and straight and didn't bat an eyelid at anything, so I was delighted with my big baby.
And then there was Marlene, ginger mare who didn't like doing it 6 weeks ago, and has now turned into a machine. She did a 31.5 dressage, clear showjumping (had to anchor her a bit as she was racing round), and set off cross country like something was chasing her! I gave her a smack on the first long stretch as she'd got eliminated before at the bank complex we were heading for, and she bucked as if to say "don't tell me what to do". She was on and off the bank, over the pipes and galloping on again before I knew it. At the water (another problem area) she saw it and if anything went faster, cantered through, pinged the fence out and galloped off again. I honestly thought I was on a different horse, and a very feisty one at that! She bounced down the steps, handbrake turned in the quarry, galloped up the hill out and finished really well. Ended up 7th, and hopefully Annie (her owner) is going to get a late entry for Holdenby there next weekend so she can feel the new improved version of Marlene.
Sorry it's so long again, but it was a long day (went to the gallops with Hector on the way home, last blast before Weston, so I had legs like jelly by the time I got home - any excuse for a stiff G&T).
