Baydale, BCA and Bloomin Horses

Baydale

Baydale

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I'll keep this short and sweet (not!), as I'm tired, grumpy and not looking forward to my 2hr drive home.

I was so looking forward to HumungaHorse's last novice outing, but it seemed that he'd either got out of bed the wrong side or was just not up for it yesterday.

He came out with his "I hate dressage" face, and as anyone who saw me warm up will testify, I had one hell of a job to get his lazy a**e underneath him and get him off his head. There was much hissing, growling, abrupt transitions and the odd Pony Club kick thrown in for good measure. So how typical that he then goes in, does his "butter-wouldn't-melt-in-my-mouth" look to charm the judge and gets 27.1.
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She even overlooked his kick out at my spur when I asked for medium canter on the circle, and put "a bit unbalanced" (I shall actively seek her out in future, lovely lady that she is.
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) The nearest mark to him was 30.3, so almost a showjump in the lead.

It was a bit of a bunfight warming up for the showjumping, not helped by someone breaking a wing of the oxer which created a backlog of irate riders desperate to jump it. Not much camaraderie between us all at that point.
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He felt flat and uninspired, but I went in with my "How to jump the Huge Horse" method clear in my mind. The first three were fine, but then he had number 4 down - small upright downhill - fab through the double, fab to the big yellow oxer but then had the upright down (on a related distance after the oxer), both he just rolled behind. And to really finish me off he was bone bl***y idle going into the spooky orange double and had the first part down behind. I could have cried, as after Purston when he tried so hard I thought we were getting there, but it felt like I was driving a car with four flat tyres.
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I did my quick post-performance analysis - when I put my leg on he didn't get more active and lighter on his forehand, he got flatter and longer - then put it to bed in my mind and decided to run him cross country anyway. That at least would cheer me up.

Well it almost did, but he just wasn't himself. This is the horse that you normally hear before you see him, squeaking and bucking and generally having a huge amount of fun playing with the course. All I got was the big, flat, dull version of that horse; the other version took off with me after each fence at Purston, going "wheeeeeee" with a face like this
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The one I got at BCA had none of that, and was just a bit
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. He did everything really efficiently and made it feel intro-sized, but there was no joy in him. I guessed there was something wrong when he wouldn't take a polo - unheard of for him - so I may well get some bloods taken, although he's only got the British Breeding Champs and that's it for the season.

HH would like to apologise to his fans for not being very entertaining, but says if you need a fix the photos are here:

http://www.nickhayesphotography.co.uk/preview.asp?pid=1199

http://www.nickhayesphotography.co.uk/preview.asp?pid=1200

Not giving the fence the normal amount of space:
http://www.nickhayesphotography.co.uk/preview.asp?pid=1750

Doesn't he look fed up in this one?
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http://www.nickhayesphotography.co.uk/preview.asp?pid=1751

He was 11th btw, but if you have a look at the results and see what could have been, even if he'd just had one fence down.
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Hugs for R & you! Chin up, Maybe his brain has just taken in everything he has done this year (Not that he has been over cooked) as you pick & choose for them.
Maybe he was just having a CB day! & they say a crap dress rehersal means a great performance for his BBC!
LOooks good in the pics but totally see what you mean. Not taking a polo that is so unheard of
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!
 
Naw, dont beat yourself up about it.
Does sound likes hes not his usual self. Maybe he was looking forward to being sent to auntie BBs? and that hes heard that Polos are so last season
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Good luck for Twesledown. Im going to try and get the day off and come and help - shall bring the sugar lumps lol
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Oh dear, I really hope there is nothing wrong with him
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It's just a thought and I don't know if it's a thing with larger horses or just me
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but Zeb has to have red cell (i think!) as he gets an odd blood count and his white and red cells start fighting each other, this makes him even more slower than he is, if that is at all possible
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HH still looks totally stunning in all but the last one, that one just makes him look odd
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I hope you get to the bottom of things.
 
I bet it's coat change. I'm sure he's fine, just feeling all back to front with the change in seasons, and he may even be doing a bit more growing
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. Still - looks like even when he feels cr*p he doesn't do that badly! Chin up, hopefully full winter woolies and mindset will be sorted for Tweseldown.
 
What a shame certainly sounds like some blood tests might be an idea. On a positive note you should be in for a sub 20 mark if you meet the judge on a good day!
 
Oh poo but this wasn't the HH we know and love so there's no need to be sad about one bad day and anyway the test sounds fab.

I've said it before but I repeat - not sure why but it seems to have been a particularly long hard season for horses and riders alike - perhaps all the cancellations have created an unreal on/off situation which has been very draining.

Hope you find out what was bugging him
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Glum Baydale has just got home, read this and become Chirpy Baydale again
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. So thanks everyone for being so positive and cheering me up; oh, and to OH for getting my arena lights up and working: it looked like I was landing at Heathrow when I came down the drive tonight!
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I will stuff HH full of Propell, keep my fingers crossed that he's not growing, and go and buy him some sugar lumps instead.
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So glad to have met you and the lovely HUGE boy, shame he is not a man for Saf
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would make a stunning couple

Shame you finished the dredded 11th your dressage was WOW
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Photos are still fab. I think it's the time of year my girl is exactly the same at the moment, she couldn't show much enthusiasm in her jumpinh lesson. I have now given her a skin head and some Propell Plus as I can't be doing with Pony Club kicking.
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Blimey another one losing their spark! This has happened to a few horses on HHO so u r not alone!
Nice dressage mark (i did exactly the same at Bricky even thuogh my test was also dead and lethargic and uninteresting!) so maybe dressage judges are just something else!
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Well done though, I hope u r still pleased with him, where are you out next?
 
Shame about him not having much spark, but I 100% identify with what you said as my horse turned into the same laid back...no buzz sort of horse too, at this event.
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But still thats a fab dressage score and you managed to come 11th so its not all that bad.

I had Wookies bloods taken today, should get the results tomorrow, it was just such a marked difference between yesterdays sluggish round and Draycott where he was a total machine and ate up the ground.....I don't quite understand the huge contrast, but hopefully I will find out.....hope your horse is back on form soon, lovely pics!!
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Would he like some of Monty's spark? - we've got enough for at least two horses!
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Or a morning squealing at hounds?
 
Wow, hadn't really been on here since BCA as too busy yesterday but gob-smacked to find everyone seems to have had same problem as me: my normally whizzy, pingy pony lost his springs: dressage was not too bad (should have know there was a problem
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), slightly harshly marked I felt for 33, then SJ - he is an ex-SJ and I am annoyed when we have one down (which we often do
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), we had FIVE down!!!
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He still felt pretty lively but it's almost as though his springs were not working like they normally do. THen I realised he's been very quiet, standing on the lrry when he normally kicks h*ll out of it etc. So didn't bother to go xc, no point really. Now wondering whether to take him to Dauntsey on Sunday where he has an entry. He has no real symptoms. Matt reckons I should take him and see how he feels on the day (assuming nothing develops between now and then), then if he still feels wrong get bloods done on Monday. All very frustrating!! But interesting that several of us are having a similar experience... Nice to meet you for a nano-second Baydale although have drawn the inevitable conclusion regarding your reliability and trustworthiness as you failed to provide me with the promised energy drink
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Wow - lots of people with the same issue. TD - cannot believe your pony had 5 down!!
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Wonder if it's the ground or coat change or something?

Baydale - I have said it before and I will say it again - please may I have one of your 'bad' days as one of my good ones? I'd kill to come 11th!!
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So if you could just wing some 'Baydale bad day' vibes my way for sunday, I would very much appreciate it!
 
He looks fab in the photos, but it just shows doesn't it!
Sorry you had a bad day (prob good by anyone elses standards though).
Hope he feels better soon.

FIona
 
jules89 we're at the British Breeding Champs on 14th so I'm a bit
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about that after such an average run.

Gamebird he normally has enough spark for all the horses on our yard, so maybe I'll take him cubbing and see if that cheers him up.

TD I'm surprised yours lost his springs too as he looked v perky to me (I saw a bit of your test). Sorry I'm such a huge disappointment re the
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"energy drink", but we haven't got the new lorry fully stocked yet. I'll pull my finger out before next season.
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SC Baydale bad day vibes are winging their way to you now.
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