ljohnsonsj
Well-Known Member
Good morning everyone!
So Gracie & I was away jumping from Wednesday- Saturday at arena UK for their second rounds show (Which I only jumped first rounds because SOMEBODY (me) got my qualifying dates wrong
)
So we rolled up on Wednesday night and got her settled in, all fine! Her very gorgeous but very cheeky neighbour was set on eating his way through to her I think but Gracie didn't seem to mind.
Thursday it rained. It rained and rained. ALL DAY. We jumped the newcomers as our first class which wasn't a great round, we was both absolutely wet through. I had my show shirt, a jumper, my show jacket & a coat on and the rain went through the lot. It wasn't her best round but in the weather conditions I couldn't expect much more!
The afternoon we jumped the discovery, the rain had politely stopped by this time and she jumped a sweet DC for 7th place
So Friday brought slightly better weather. The classes were big and the courses was technical but very ride-able I found. We had the newcomers again this day which she absolutely flew around for a DC and 4th place, which I was over the moon with in a class of such size. She really gave me a perfect round and I found the jump off part of the two phase worked really well for her.
[video=youtube;Lm_XPvx5NAA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm_XPvx5NAA[/video]
That was all we had for Friday, so Gracie had some grass and a little leg stretch in the evening and I did a bit of retail therapy!
Saturday brought us another newcomers, and once again she gave me another DC. I feel this one was a bit more twisty and found it didn't suit her as well but obviously horses for courses, she's a 6yo so it's not important that she has speed and turns yet. I was very pleasantly surprised when we also finished 13th in this!
[video=youtube;mt0paRqRIzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt0paRqRIzA[/video]
So I put her away for an hour or so, she had a little break and some haylage. Our last class was a foxhunter, and both of ours first one. I was worried after the newcomers she felt a little tired but when I got her back out to warm up she felt good to go, I think during the time we was out for the first class it was very muggy but a nice breeze had come back just in time for the second class, She flew round the fox too- unfortunately two daft mistakes from me (Turned the wrong way in the JO then took the penultimate fence out with my foot- only me!) meant we finished on 4flts, but I was amazed by how well she jumped! I was so set on trying to give her a good ride to every fence I clearly forgot about riding basics! It's all good experience though and It puts us in good stead for our next one
The fox video is here, please don't judge my sat nav error nor my lack of riding ability to 13. I've already beat myself up about it
[video=youtube;wEIDJ7xktII]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEIDJ7xktII[/video]
So we now have 6 newcomer DCs, but 4 within the qualifying period, and moving up to foxhunter was incredibly easy for her. I know I say it all the time but I really count my blessings every single day that I have owned her since she was 2.5yrs old, and we have grown and worked together every day since. She is my absolute hero,my best friend and my whole entire world!
Hope you've all had an incredible weekend! Thanks for reading xx
So Gracie & I was away jumping from Wednesday- Saturday at arena UK for their second rounds show (Which I only jumped first rounds because SOMEBODY (me) got my qualifying dates wrong
)So we rolled up on Wednesday night and got her settled in, all fine! Her very gorgeous but very cheeky neighbour was set on eating his way through to her I think but Gracie didn't seem to mind.
Thursday it rained. It rained and rained. ALL DAY. We jumped the newcomers as our first class which wasn't a great round, we was both absolutely wet through. I had my show shirt, a jumper, my show jacket & a coat on and the rain went through the lot. It wasn't her best round but in the weather conditions I couldn't expect much more!
The afternoon we jumped the discovery, the rain had politely stopped by this time and she jumped a sweet DC for 7th place
So Friday brought slightly better weather. The classes were big and the courses was technical but very ride-able I found. We had the newcomers again this day which she absolutely flew around for a DC and 4th place, which I was over the moon with in a class of such size. She really gave me a perfect round and I found the jump off part of the two phase worked really well for her.
[video=youtube;Lm_XPvx5NAA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm_XPvx5NAA[/video]
That was all we had for Friday, so Gracie had some grass and a little leg stretch in the evening and I did a bit of retail therapy!
Saturday brought us another newcomers, and once again she gave me another DC. I feel this one was a bit more twisty and found it didn't suit her as well but obviously horses for courses, she's a 6yo so it's not important that she has speed and turns yet. I was very pleasantly surprised when we also finished 13th in this!
[video=youtube;mt0paRqRIzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt0paRqRIzA[/video]
So I put her away for an hour or so, she had a little break and some haylage. Our last class was a foxhunter, and both of ours first one. I was worried after the newcomers she felt a little tired but when I got her back out to warm up she felt good to go, I think during the time we was out for the first class it was very muggy but a nice breeze had come back just in time for the second class, She flew round the fox too- unfortunately two daft mistakes from me (Turned the wrong way in the JO then took the penultimate fence out with my foot- only me!) meant we finished on 4flts, but I was amazed by how well she jumped! I was so set on trying to give her a good ride to every fence I clearly forgot about riding basics! It's all good experience though and It puts us in good stead for our next one
The fox video is here, please don't judge my sat nav error nor my lack of riding ability to 13. I've already beat myself up about it
[video=youtube;wEIDJ7xktII]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEIDJ7xktII[/video]
So we now have 6 newcomer DCs, but 4 within the qualifying period, and moving up to foxhunter was incredibly easy for her. I know I say it all the time but I really count my blessings every single day that I have owned her since she was 2.5yrs old, and we have grown and worked together every day since. She is my absolute hero,my best friend and my whole entire world!
Hope you've all had an incredible weekend! Thanks for reading xx
