Bad, Bad and Terrible, Aston Report, still Smiling (Vids)

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Holidays_are_coming

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Off to Aston today havent been eventing for 18 months due to horse injury, we have only been back jumping since Novemeber and have had lots of lessons, but only done 1 CR and x-c school session. I didnt feel confident on monday as she kept having silly stops but it turns out she had lost weight and her saddle no longer fitted, so a trip to the saddler and fantastic service ment by thurs am I had it back in time for a last min lesson, which did wonders for my confidence as she was pinging and really wanting to get to the other side of the fence.

We spent most of last yr practicing our dressage, and she has really come on however the judges seem to disagree, she warmed up so nicely and went in and did a really relaxed test, turns out we got out worst mark ever 49 even though she went nicely (i have video proof, but dad turned the camera up on its side so its hard to see on a computer), I expected about a 35 so was annoyed but never mind.

On to the SJ, she warmed up nicely and was really trying and over jumping, went in the ring feeling sick but she started off nicely, then this happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVnEMAhM0Cg

Got back on and Im sure she only roled one pole (can you see any more? What faults do you get for falling off? as I got 12 faults and mega time faults)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK9nqrXxPX0

Then off to find the Dr, he said I was fine to carry on, felt a little apprehensive after SJ, but she warmed up nicely and off we went as you will see it wasnt the best round, however Ive got my nerve back and remembered how to ride her, if you do it right she will jump!! Finished with a big smile, the stop at 15 Im sure was as she felt tired and it was a lot for her to take in!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrwoEr5Xitg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JsrmCPxtRA

Off to Swalcliffe in 2 weeks it cant get ant worse!
CC Welcome but feeling fragile so dont be too harsh

Pizza and magners all round!!!
 
Pizza please but keep the magners. I like your show jumping style ,you keep a deep seat and drive the horse forward.Means you also ride quite long in the stirrup so when he is a git ,well the dismount wasnt your fault IMHO. He isnt :rolleyes::rolleyes:the easyest ,bless him. But you did well so dont be too down .I hope Swalcliffe park has more luck with the weather this year ,because it is a lovely free running course on the x country. Might just get your boy motoring on . Wot no anchovies on my pizza.
 
Its a girl!!! Thoses Stirups are as short as they go, she tries to teach me to ride properly, she wont do anything unless I ask properly!!!

U can indeed have anchovies, ive got chicken and peppers!!!
 
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Well done for carrying on, everything else in the vids look fab!! Just try and stay positive for the next outing and hope you are not too sore tomorrow!! :)
 
well done for picking yourself up and carrying on. I think there's a lot to like about your mare, but maybe trying to ride her more forwards would help?... I don't mean faster I mean just allow her fwd more. I think because you are conscious you don't want her to stop you are being a bit too defensive, and not fully allowing her to freely jump, some times you are behind the movement and it makes her jump a little cat like and stiff with the back end rather than making an arching jump. does that make sense?...

I think a good exercise might be a little grid that you can just keep coming through nice and calmly and really work on your position in the air, the aim is to get to the point where you can go through with no reins, but having your hands and position move as if you are holding the reins, it's harder than you think!

Good luck for the rest of the season I'm sure after a few more runs under your belt you will feel much more confident :) well done
 
She looks lovely, and a completion is better than many! (Including my first BE with my current girl). She looks very capable, if a bit spooky looky! I think you'll find next time is a hundred times easier on both of you, the first after a long break is always very hard :)
 
Well done!! I went XC schooling in the schooling field at Swalcliffe and the ground is fab at the mo, and the course is looking gorgeous, so I hope it brings you more luck!! I've heard from a few people that Aston is unlucky anyway, mainly because one person I know was airlifted from it in a near dead state, and the other got E'd for technical reasons! xxx
 
Thankyou all!!! The landing was very soft!!!

Chloe, I struggle as we usually go to fast, we had 4 stops and only got 13.6 time faults, which is still fast, but I was trying to keep her steady, if I let her run on Im going to get told off by the TA!!! But I take your point about being defensive!!! Got some hunt jumps nearby going to have a practice as my Van has gone to be serviced and MOTed!!!
 
Golden Match, thats just what I wanted to hear, really looking forward to Swalcliffe as its hilly I love more challenging ground!!! Hope now my mare has remembered what x-c is she will be a little more buzy!!!
 
I have to say that although the ground isn't too bad at Aston and they do look after it I felt it was very 'sticky' yesterday so it could have only got worse today.

I think you did a fab job and well done - hope your not too stiff today ;) I could be wrong but the mare looks like she knows what she's doing but might just be lacking a little bit of confidence which, having a period of time off can do.
I know that when one of mine puts a stop in or taps a fence then I ride better afterwards, could it be possible that she feels your a little bit behind her so her confidence drops which is why she put wasn't going forward. Afterwards you ride a bit stronger and your off :D

Good luck for your next event :)
 
Thankyou Moo Wills, I have very little x-c experience (all with her and about 6 rounds) so she does need me to be confident, and I wasnt at the start!! Feel much more confident now, cant wait till the next one!!!
 
Well done! Good on you for completing it. FWIW your mare just looks like she's missing a bit of "match practice" I'm sure you will both be more confident next time out. Looking forward to hearing how you go :)
 
Well done, I think your fall was unfortunate you rode the SJ round really well. Aston is tricky in the arena, lots of fences off a turn and as others have said your mare just looked like she hadn't been out for a while. Ours was the same today when schooling over proper SJs and first time XC since June due to injury and last years summer ground.

We are at Swalcliffe too, if your times are near enough to us I'll try and video you as well as MiniNR.

Good luck, it's great that you are looking forward to it. :D
 
try to stay positive and ride your horse the fences where you had stops look a little as though you let your guard down and let it happen rather than being positive and riding forward good on you for keeping going and good luck for future outings:D:D
 
Bad luck on the fall and well done for being so determined with everything else. I bet you'll go all the better next time for that run - let us know how it goes at Swalcliffe.
 
Well on done on carrying on! Eventing is such a long day if things are not going right (I remember once sitting in the lorry and crying between phases because it was all going to pot!). Bad luck about the fall, you seemed to be doing a super job until then!
 
Thankyou all u have made me feel much better, booboos I was on a high after dressage as she did such a nice test, calm and not spooky at all until I got the result at the end, I'm going to send the vid to my instructor to see what he thinks but I know it didn't deserve 49!

I felt I learnt a lot, I'm never going to win on her as dressage is never going to be amazing but id love done double clears!
 
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