SteveGG
Well-Known Member
I have to say that I went to the SoE with mixed thoughts. Since Ede in June we haven't managed to get back going & my last couple of runs have been spoilt by stops in both the SJ and XC at Novice.
In the SJ I normally ride without spurs as they tend to wind Bina up but if you are not 100% focussed she can switch off. At Goring we had a stop XC but that was 100% rider error as I put her in to a combination too fast. At Gatcombe she seemed disinterested & also had a stop. With hindsight travelling there and back in a day was too much !
So here I was at SoE moving up to intermediate on the back of 2 bad runs at Novice.
My dressage is never particularly good althou I have been working on it this year. She warmed up ok but I have to say she seemed a bit bored with it all. The test went as expected but OH's comment at the end was that it was c**p. Was given a 40 which wasn't as bad as it could have been.
On to the SJ my weakest phase, but had already decided to put the spurs on. I have been working on trying to keep a rhythm and it felt quite good but managed to knock down 1, 3a, 3b, 4 & 8 for 20 faults. At least it got slightly better in the 2nd half at I would get to go XC.
In the warm up for the XC she felt fine and dispelled any fears that she might be under the weather.
She felt great over the early jumps giving me a great ride but was slightly green at the half coffin but then flew the next jump a large pallisade. I had some doubts about the next combination which was a step up bounce off over a log drop 2 strides to a filled pallisade. On the step up and drop I felt that she had drifted a little left so after the drop I pulled her out & circled for 20 pen. I should have just trusted her as she was locked on to the final element. The water came next and I think that pulling her off the previous jump made her question what I was asking so she refused at the barrels going in. After this she got back into her stride & was great at the 2nd water and the quarry.
I felt really pleased at the end as despite the 40 pen I felt that these were caused by me and that over most of the course she was in her element.
The other downer was that she had managed to stud herself quite badly and had to have some staples put in. I now have to hope that it hasn't gone through to the joint capsule.
In the SJ I normally ride without spurs as they tend to wind Bina up but if you are not 100% focussed she can switch off. At Goring we had a stop XC but that was 100% rider error as I put her in to a combination too fast. At Gatcombe she seemed disinterested & also had a stop. With hindsight travelling there and back in a day was too much !
So here I was at SoE moving up to intermediate on the back of 2 bad runs at Novice.
My dressage is never particularly good althou I have been working on it this year. She warmed up ok but I have to say she seemed a bit bored with it all. The test went as expected but OH's comment at the end was that it was c**p. Was given a 40 which wasn't as bad as it could have been.
On to the SJ my weakest phase, but had already decided to put the spurs on. I have been working on trying to keep a rhythm and it felt quite good but managed to knock down 1, 3a, 3b, 4 & 8 for 20 faults. At least it got slightly better in the 2nd half at I would get to go XC.
In the warm up for the XC she felt fine and dispelled any fears that she might be under the weather.
She felt great over the early jumps giving me a great ride but was slightly green at the half coffin but then flew the next jump a large pallisade. I had some doubts about the next combination which was a step up bounce off over a log drop 2 strides to a filled pallisade. On the step up and drop I felt that she had drifted a little left so after the drop I pulled her out & circled for 20 pen. I should have just trusted her as she was locked on to the final element. The water came next and I think that pulling her off the previous jump made her question what I was asking so she refused at the barrels going in. After this she got back into her stride & was great at the 2nd water and the quarry.
I felt really pleased at the end as despite the 40 pen I felt that these were caused by me and that over most of the course she was in her element.
The other downer was that she had managed to stud herself quite badly and had to have some staples put in. I now have to hope that it hasn't gone through to the joint capsule.
) I hope her injury isn't too bad, how didshe manage to stud herself in a joint?
