rara007
Well-Known Member
Thankfully the rain stopped about 2 weeks ago, allowing Ashfields national to go ahead. It's been a bit of a scrappy start to the season- initially I was planning on running a pair this year, but the training camp and event (at the same venue) was rained off, so the younger of the pair really was too green/unknown to risk entering for a full national. At the close of entries changed to Cheeri as a single who I had still been producing on but with the aim of using him in the pair so not quite so intensively as if he was heading for a singles event. Managed to squeeze in a dressage lesson up in newmarket and a solid XC practice the week before so only slightly underprepared we headed off for his first 'proper' big event.
Arrived not the thursday and had a mooch about before going to inspect his stable- we were lucky to get a 'proper' stable as I don't have side stabling this season.
A quick school (typically at the same time as all the horse 4-in-hands it seemed) that afternoon to check the buttons were still in place. Turns out we've been chancing getting canter transitions on the correct lead as we've not been able to school in the field yet we've been in a 40x20 where it's quite obvious what lead you'll go on, or ridden where again it's clear. Tried to put that behind us and concentrate on the trot as there is only one canter (one on each lead) in the test so even if wrong lead it really wouldn't be too much of a problem on the score. Here is the test if anyones interested:
http://www.britishcarriagedriving.co.uk/reference/dressage_tests/BC_Test_Open_Singles.pdf
Good nights sleep then dressage morning was upon us,
With our test not until lunch time we had another leg stretch drive and also did some more XC walking much to the dogs enjoyment. The test is really quite long for him (100m of extended trot is when your stride length is that of a 13hh pony!) so I knew he would tired. Walked about as our technical warm up:
before heading into the arena. We followed a fab, big moving, much bigger pony but not put out we tried our best. We secured a 65pen (appox 60%- it's done with coefficients like old school FEI eventing) for middle of the class, but still within touch of the leading scores. The poorer marks were for not enough change of pace shown, which is more than fair enough and also to be expected considering it was his first test on grass and a big step up in level from his previous indoor events. All 3 judges were similar marking and scores so clear things to improve on.
Right canter:
Phew we made it round the dressage:
More XC walking for us and Ester thankfully arrived so we were no longer billy no mates.
A rather more noisy night as the horses next to Cheeris stable turned out to be some very vocal and door bangy foreign horse pair. Whilst it disturbed us humans Cheeri didn't seem too fussed and woke up suitably rested....
Onto the fun bit- we still have roads and tracks but it's condensed into overall 3 phases. The first of which was 5.4km at 13km/hr, then an 800m walk, then a vet check and 10min halt before the final 7.1km obstacles phase at 12km/hr.
Here we are starting- the poor boy had no idea what was in store for him!
Had to canter a fair chunk of section A as he is that much shorter striding than my previous ponies who would do it easily in a forwards trot but still made it nicely in the middle of the time bracket. Through the vet check with a HR at 60 and onto the fun bit.
Photos thanks to esters videos:
Obstacle 1- including bridge which he didn't hesitate at:
Number 2- the 'hut':
Number 3 he quite enjoyed:
(Working how to post a video here!)
Number 4 the mound he was starting to tire:
Obedient but admittedly slow through the water (His first water!), including under the 'shower' (a wall of 'rain' across the middle of the third time you had to cross the water).
He was really quite tired for the last 2, and we had to make the decision not to push to make the section time as it really wouldn't have been fair. This added the best part of 30time pens to his score putting us firmly in the supporting position (even if we hadn't been super slow through the last 3) but we made it and he recovered very well.
Onto day 3 where we were the first in the class round the course (reverse order) and he was again obedient and correct, no pictures but you can imagine!
Phew- all done! Pretty sure he put on weight over the weekend...
Home to tell his friend all about it:
and time for a big roll:
Really pleased with him
First his first try he gave it his all. Onto training up in the cotswolds next week followed by a little unnaff ODE at the weekend in kent. A few scurry events to bring more forwards and sharp to the equation ready for Sandringham 2* at the end of June
Arrived not the thursday and had a mooch about before going to inspect his stable- we were lucky to get a 'proper' stable as I don't have side stabling this season.
A quick school (typically at the same time as all the horse 4-in-hands it seemed) that afternoon to check the buttons were still in place. Turns out we've been chancing getting canter transitions on the correct lead as we've not been able to school in the field yet we've been in a 40x20 where it's quite obvious what lead you'll go on, or ridden where again it's clear. Tried to put that behind us and concentrate on the trot as there is only one canter (one on each lead) in the test so even if wrong lead it really wouldn't be too much of a problem on the score. Here is the test if anyones interested:
http://www.britishcarriagedriving.co.uk/reference/dressage_tests/BC_Test_Open_Singles.pdf
Good nights sleep then dressage morning was upon us,
With our test not until lunch time we had another leg stretch drive and also did some more XC walking much to the dogs enjoyment. The test is really quite long for him (100m of extended trot is when your stride length is that of a 13hh pony!) so I knew he would tired. Walked about as our technical warm up:
before heading into the arena. We followed a fab, big moving, much bigger pony but not put out we tried our best. We secured a 65pen (appox 60%- it's done with coefficients like old school FEI eventing) for middle of the class, but still within touch of the leading scores. The poorer marks were for not enough change of pace shown, which is more than fair enough and also to be expected considering it was his first test on grass and a big step up in level from his previous indoor events. All 3 judges were similar marking and scores so clear things to improve on.
Right canter:
Phew we made it round the dressage:
More XC walking for us and Ester thankfully arrived so we were no longer billy no mates.
A rather more noisy night as the horses next to Cheeris stable turned out to be some very vocal and door bangy foreign horse pair. Whilst it disturbed us humans Cheeri didn't seem too fussed and woke up suitably rested....
Onto the fun bit- we still have roads and tracks but it's condensed into overall 3 phases. The first of which was 5.4km at 13km/hr, then an 800m walk, then a vet check and 10min halt before the final 7.1km obstacles phase at 12km/hr.
Here we are starting- the poor boy had no idea what was in store for him!
Had to canter a fair chunk of section A as he is that much shorter striding than my previous ponies who would do it easily in a forwards trot but still made it nicely in the middle of the time bracket. Through the vet check with a HR at 60 and onto the fun bit.
Photos thanks to esters videos:
Obstacle 1- including bridge which he didn't hesitate at:
Number 2- the 'hut':
Number 3 he quite enjoyed:
(Working how to post a video here!)
Number 4 the mound he was starting to tire:
Obedient but admittedly slow through the water (His first water!), including under the 'shower' (a wall of 'rain' across the middle of the third time you had to cross the water).
He was really quite tired for the last 2, and we had to make the decision not to push to make the section time as it really wouldn't have been fair. This added the best part of 30time pens to his score putting us firmly in the supporting position (even if we hadn't been super slow through the last 3) but we made it and he recovered very well.
Onto day 3 where we were the first in the class round the course (reverse order) and he was again obedient and correct, no pictures but you can imagine!
Phew- all done! Pretty sure he put on weight over the weekend...
Home to tell his friend all about it:
and time for a big roll:
Really pleased with him
First his first try he gave it his all. Onto training up in the cotswolds next week followed by a little unnaff ODE at the weekend in kent. A few scurry events to bring more forwards and sharp to the equation ready for Sandringham 2* at the end of June 
