Baydale
Well-Known Member
They're not prefixed Baydale, just honorary members of the club, but today I took Tino and Marty to Arena UK for a bit of a training show.
Tino (rising 5, cute, ginger, green as grass but bold as brass
) managed to fumble his way round PN 110 (or whatever they call it now), managing to stay in the arena with his huge stride and persuade the judge to give him 6s and 7s. Her comments were "lots to like", so I was really chuffed that he did everything and was chilled about going to a party. His first ODE in 10 days' time doesn't seem so daunting now.
Marty (rising 6, rude boy hunter, looks like he's eaten all the pies
was doing ok in the same test until he tripped going into canter, clumsy beggar, blamed me, had a paddy, then did the rest of the test with a bit of a face on.
Shame really as he got plenty of 8s but then got a 1 for that movement. Oh well, plenty to work on in the next 10 days.
Onto the jumping: Tino saw his first filler two weeks ago and whilst he's bold, our steering is a bit iffy. Thankfully in the huge arena I managed to wagon him round in canter (shock horror) and he jumped way better than he has at home out of trot. He did all the fillers no probs, water tray, treble etc, and was surprisingly careful considering how weak his canter is. Am secretly a little bit excited about our first xc schooling next week.
Marty has jumped plenty of times at home over our fillers etc, but I've never taken him anywhere to do a course. So, bravely, we had the track at a decent PN height and I was just about to start when the lights went out. Eek.
When they eventually went back on he pinged round in a slightly rough and ready way, head up, not looking most of the time, often not straight (he has attitude, bless him, so if he wants to be ar*ey and go into them sideways, I leave him alone to sort it out
), and just had one down when we did a dog leg disunited. I was shocked at what he could do to leave a fence up when it seemed to me he hadn't even clocked it on his radar, but there's still lots to do with him.
Here's Tino at home on Sunday, photos courtesy of GT_02 (his mum). Will get some of Marty when he's been to WeightWatchers otherwise FMM might steal him for a show horse.
Lacking in style maybe, but getting to the other side of the fence is a big bonus in my books, especially when you've only just learnt to jump.
Tino (rising 5, cute, ginger, green as grass but bold as brass
Marty (rising 6, rude boy hunter, looks like he's eaten all the pies
Onto the jumping: Tino saw his first filler two weeks ago and whilst he's bold, our steering is a bit iffy. Thankfully in the huge arena I managed to wagon him round in canter (shock horror) and he jumped way better than he has at home out of trot. He did all the fillers no probs, water tray, treble etc, and was surprisingly careful considering how weak his canter is. Am secretly a little bit excited about our first xc schooling next week.
Marty has jumped plenty of times at home over our fillers etc, but I've never taken him anywhere to do a course. So, bravely, we had the track at a decent PN height and I was just about to start when the lights went out. Eek.
Here's Tino at home on Sunday, photos courtesy of GT_02 (his mum). Will get some of Marty when he's been to WeightWatchers otherwise FMM might steal him for a show horse.
Lacking in style maybe, but getting to the other side of the fence is a big bonus in my books, especially when you've only just learnt to jump.
