Aston Report

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DollyPentreath

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So, the first intermediate didn't quite go to plan..
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We stabled over at Tom's to avoid the long journey and had a lovely pub meal.. (Lets start with the good bits!) Walked the course, it had been beefed up since last time, but I was looking forward to it as I thought it would suit Ferd. I'd decided to take 1 alternative at the second water to avoid the nasty toothbrush arrowhead. But I wasn't too worried.

The dressage was miles away, but I was feeling happy because he's been schooling so well in the double at home. When we got there and started warming up he promptly put his tongue over the bit and reared.. Oh dear. He then did it again.. and again.. Gah. This is something he used to do in the snaffle but only in competition, I guess it's the same with the double! I started to ride really tentatively and he settled down. My trainer came back from the xc having just gone double clear and told me get after him a bit.. Anyway, he actually did a nice test, (although it could've been better!) and I was shocked and pleased to score 36.7.
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Our best score this season.. (I love my double bridle.)

So the sj..
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Warmed up well and after my trainer had gone double clear I wasn't overly worried. Although, I should've watched a few more go round. Over fences 1, 2 and 3 absolutely flew and my grin got bigger and bigger, he really does make a better shape over larger fences. Just tapped the second part of a double of uprights for (start counting) 1 rail down. Number 6 was a triple, got a little deep to the first upright and muppet rider sat there like a sack of spuds waiting for Ferd to make the (long) one stride for the second oxer, well, he didn't.. Cue crashing and demolishing of oxer.
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Ferd then gets very tense behind and we come again to get a little deep to the first part then have parts 2 and 3 down. Now he's pee'd off and very tense behind, 7 was enormous and he snatched his hinds through it, slammed the breaks on; have absolutely no stride for the Jacob's ladder and have it down, rushed and flattened to the planks to have them down too..

So a stop and 6 rails = 28 faults and a big fat E! Oh..
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Gutted I didn't get to xc but never mind, will be practising some low really wide sj fences to hopefully improve his hindleg. At least someone noticed our dressage improvement!
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I'm not as disappointed as I think I should be!?
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Onto Brock Park novice for a boost, then will hopefully get into Spring Hill Int, but have been wait listed.
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If I don't get in I think it will have to be SofE Int (Any thoughts?) or Tweseldown Int. With a novice run at Gatcombe.
 
Well done on the dressage, doubles are great
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I know exactly how you feel at the SJ, at Upton my mare jumped so well for the first half of the course, had a silly stop and I hit her and that was it the cricket score added up she went mad at me
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and the big CR / E.
I'm sure you will sort it, good luck at Brockenhurst, I have had to WD as in the protection zone
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Well done on the dressage and hard luck SJing but that is something you can easily work on. I always think the Intermediate at Gatcombe is nice and not over the top.
 
Thanks guys, guess it just happens sometimes.. Will be a bit peeved if I don't make Aldon though..
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Kat, the ground was hard! Nigel's done a great job though and the grass cover also improves the going. The dr warm up was the only bit that was really hard though.

Saf, glad it's not just me! Poor you, being in the protection zone, I suppose we have no idea when restrictions will be lifted? Thank you for the luck too.
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Thanks S_J, do you mean Gatcombe Int? Trainer thought it was big, but could try an Int run there rather than SofE? I'm not sure which course would be nicer?!

Really hope I get in to Spring Hill!
 
Not been to SoE. Yes Gatcombe is big but not overly complicated or tricky. I find it a really positive forward thinking course and providing you kick on rides great. It is my favorite.
 
Sounds all too familiar - although I have completed a few intermediates my trip to Aston earlier in the year resulted in a retirement in the SJ although they gave me an E as I think that I had 28 pens. I gave the excuse that my mare doesn't like deep going. It seems amazing that the ground has died up so quick.
Anyway the dressage mark was good & hopefully the SJ will be better next time.
SoE is local to me although I haven't done the intermediate there. I don't think that it is too technical & there are a few alternatives. I always thought that the SJ caused a few problems but looking at the 3 (SoE, Tweseldown & Gatcombe) SoE had mre clears & less high faults etc than the other 2. Tweseldown seems to be the worst.
I am thinking of entering both Gatcombe & SoE intermediate but I may chicken out.
 
Thanks SteveGG, actually Ferd doesn't like the ground too hard so I could stick to that excuse instead! He just tenses behind if something goes wrong and never has a rail in front; frustrating.

My trainer did SoE Int at the start of the season, although I baulked at the second water, it didn't seem too tricky. If I don't get into Spring Hill I might enter Int for all of them and just work really hard at home, it would be useful to have a BSJA venue closer to home but I can't use that excuse forever! Maybe see you at one of them?
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What a shame it didnt go to plan, as long as you are both ok though and arent to disapointed thats the main things.

Well done on the dressage score
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I love SOE I will be there, and I personally think they are quite easy tracks im sure you will be fine there and the SJing at SOE (2) is in the big main arena its lovely
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One further comment regarding the second water at the SoE.
The direct route is normally over a large log with quite a drop into water but normally there is a black flag alternative which means going in the direct out and then you exit up a step to the side of the direct in (ie you ride it the other way round). I hope that that makes sense.
 
That's a shame, but at least you know why it happened. I use an exercise with William to get him to open up over oxers at home, might help: build small parallel to start, put a placing pole at a nice distance for your particular horse. I usually start off with it at about 80cm, then leave the back pole at that height and keep moving it out. Gradually raise the front pole. I usually end with the front pole at about 110, 115, and with it very wide, around 150 I should think, but not so good at estimating widths. Thwe lower back pole makes them look at what they are doing and makes them stretch their whole frame over the fence, whilst the placing pole means that I avoid burying them or asking them to stand off. I used to have to move W forwards a lot into spreads to make the width, he thought he should just go higher and hold his breath, and then we'd be in trouble if it was on a related to something else, but now he realises how he should jump them! Might help.....
 
Thanks t_e, I think that's why I'm not too disappointed, I know what happened and we didn't have any major problems at IN sj, so I'll put it down to a silly error. Hopefully his confidence will be re-gained at Brock. We're hiring an SJ course on Tues, so will have a practise over a big course then too, as we can only fit about 4 jumps in the arena at home. Will have a go at the exercise you suggested, we also tend to need to move on into spreads to make the width, although this has got better; it's just when we mess up the whole round goes to pot!
 
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You were in good company, Zara Philips was also E

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lol Carthorse, at least she made it xc! I saw a bit of her round on the way to the dressage, looked very tricky over a double of hedges. (But then, she did miss!
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