Michen
Well-Known Member
Not exactly a smooth ride! Have been round here before on wonderful Basil so to go back with young Boggle was lovely.
Extremely excitable in the dressage warm up meant most was spent in canter, but white with foam when we went in however he did a respectable test with some lovely moments for a 34.3 despite cantering on the wrong leg.
SJ warm up... awful. Clattered three x poles which was unlike him and I was about to withdraw. Had left a single stud in the outside of each hind from dressage, decided maybe they were a little big and to take them out then try again. Jumped a few x poles nicely so left it at that, crossed my fingers, felt sick at the carnage the SJ was causing everyone and went in. He went green, very green. I was nieve as at the Elmwood 70 he really carried me around, he has done several 80s and a BE90 (for a double clear and placing) with his talented jockey who made it look effortless. Perhaps it was my riding, perhaps it was an off day, perhaps just the big atmosphere compared to little unaff a few weeks before, but we jumped every filler (which there was a lot of!) like it was five foot, landed on a pole where we went up but not forward and ten time faults where we spent some time thinking about what had just happened. He was just looky and green, never considered stopping but it wasnt fluid.
So not in a happy place for XC and sensibly I had changed my bit from a roller fulmer to a French link fulmer for dressage but not bought the other bit for xc or tested it out cantering. Didnt think anything of it until I left the start box. He went out like a rocket, I had absolutely no control he was looking for the flags and flying around ears pricked, taking strides out left right and centre and generally loving life. Id also not tightened my girth enough so saddle slippage after every fence meant I was very close to pulling up. Down a drop into some woods and Boggle saw the flagged BE100 fence to the right and there was nothing I could do. He was locked on, flying and I just managed to emergency handbrake right, taking us way off piste into the woods and flowers before eventually regaining control and getting back on the correct track for the 80/90 fence.
All in all ended up with a pole SJ, clear XC but a bunch of time faults for both phases, XC being for our little detour. I am delighted he is such a pocket rocket and clearly loving his XC, there was not a single fence he questioned but with that has come a total lack of respect for instructions and I found myself wishing there was something to back him off a little. I forgot how hard it is to ride an extremely strong horse when your legs are like jelly with nerves and you are physically tired at the end of a long hot day (wet wipe!).
A little sad to have blemished his affiliated record somewhat after his placing at Millfield BE, but unsurprising really given he was in experienced hands and I am more than rusty at the moment.
Couple of pics, with use for social media added.
Adore the little dude though, he has a big heart and a kind one at that, if a little humorous...
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Extremely excitable in the dressage warm up meant most was spent in canter, but white with foam when we went in however he did a respectable test with some lovely moments for a 34.3 despite cantering on the wrong leg.
SJ warm up... awful. Clattered three x poles which was unlike him and I was about to withdraw. Had left a single stud in the outside of each hind from dressage, decided maybe they were a little big and to take them out then try again. Jumped a few x poles nicely so left it at that, crossed my fingers, felt sick at the carnage the SJ was causing everyone and went in. He went green, very green. I was nieve as at the Elmwood 70 he really carried me around, he has done several 80s and a BE90 (for a double clear and placing) with his talented jockey who made it look effortless. Perhaps it was my riding, perhaps it was an off day, perhaps just the big atmosphere compared to little unaff a few weeks before, but we jumped every filler (which there was a lot of!) like it was five foot, landed on a pole where we went up but not forward and ten time faults where we spent some time thinking about what had just happened. He was just looky and green, never considered stopping but it wasnt fluid.
So not in a happy place for XC and sensibly I had changed my bit from a roller fulmer to a French link fulmer for dressage but not bought the other bit for xc or tested it out cantering. Didnt think anything of it until I left the start box. He went out like a rocket, I had absolutely no control he was looking for the flags and flying around ears pricked, taking strides out left right and centre and generally loving life. Id also not tightened my girth enough so saddle slippage after every fence meant I was very close to pulling up. Down a drop into some woods and Boggle saw the flagged BE100 fence to the right and there was nothing I could do. He was locked on, flying and I just managed to emergency handbrake right, taking us way off piste into the woods and flowers before eventually regaining control and getting back on the correct track for the 80/90 fence.
All in all ended up with a pole SJ, clear XC but a bunch of time faults for both phases, XC being for our little detour. I am delighted he is such a pocket rocket and clearly loving his XC, there was not a single fence he questioned but with that has come a total lack of respect for instructions and I found myself wishing there was something to back him off a little. I forgot how hard it is to ride an extremely strong horse when your legs are like jelly with nerves and you are physically tired at the end of a long hot day (wet wipe!).
A little sad to have blemished his affiliated record somewhat after his placing at Millfield BE, but unsurprising really given he was in experienced hands and I am more than rusty at the moment.
Couple of pics, with use for social media added.
Adore the little dude though, he has a big heart and a kind one at that, if a little humorous...
Although as a rider it temporarily makes you feel completely hopeless, I actually quite like that moment when a youngster suddenly thinks they know it all xc
