Baydale
Well-Known Member
Apologies if I lack my usual zest and this post is self-obsessed, self-pitying and generally irritating, but better out than in, I say, and if you could all just kick my butt and say "there there", it would be much appreciated.
Firstly, Baby Baydale doing the 4yo class at Stafford:
Dressage: yep, v funny to develop a phobia about big silver trucks when that's what the dressage judge is sitting in
, and especially when you've lulled your already wishywashy rider into a false sense of security by warming up as your alter-ego, Perfect Pony. A generous mark of 38.5 I thought, as the best in the section was 10 marks better than that.
Showjumping: torrential rain was not in the plan for my ideal warm-up, so I got a bit windy about whether he'd lose his bottle or not if it was slippery. However, he's from Yorkshire therefore should be used to it, and surprisingly jumped really cutely, so the fence that video evidence says he didn't touch and that fell down when I was three strides the other side of it doesn't really count, does it?
Cross Country: more rain, more windiness and more motivational chat from my friend - who's done all the courses on Neuro Linguistic Programming - finally got me and Jupiter out of the trailer to go xc, just as they were calling me, the last one of the day to go.
Jup didn't know what it was all about having only been xc schooling twice, but wasn't averse to the suggestion of cantering from one fence to another, checking for monsters inbetween. The sunken road was full of puddles by then so he stepped daintily down into it and then hooned out the other side, but we came to the brush at 9, on the brow of a hill, and - as IceStationZebra will testify - the Intro fence looked bigger than the PN one.
I felt him back off and dry up until we ground to a halt, he peeked over the other side, decided it wasn't a precipice after all and popped over the second time, so all good, gutting but good that he didn't down tools completely. Onto the scary bug fence, bit of a hill (much puffing from him and me by now
) to the toadstools, then to the double of skinny logs, which he popped through straight as a die. Then down to the water, quick check for water-borne monsters, then through, out over the log and beautifully through the offset houses and roll top to finish.
I was really chuffed with him for his first one, as it's a big ask in that weather and going, and he coped really well. I'm sure if the hedge had been on flat ground he'd have popped it fine, but as he's only 4 I'll forgive that major blip on his record (tongue firmly in cheek there btw).
Saturday: busy day riding, teaching and going to the Game Fair with my parents (shopping is SO tiring, and I now know what a jarred up horse feels like as the ground was so hard
). I'd been feeling rubbish all week - something between Swine Flu and Sleeping Sickness, I reckon - and by Saturday night I was about fit to drop so even the thought of the Chunky Monkey Marty at Aston the next day didn't enthuse me.
Sunday: I was expecting mud at Aston but it had obviously dried out a lot, and was quite firm by the time I got on.
Dressage: my first attempt at N111 and I felt so spaced out that the dressage warm-up was scary, like everyone else was riding at me in medium paces. Weird.
Chunky managed to keep his cool and do what for him was a pretty good test, considering his self-carriage is non-existent and he found me really irritating when I asked for rein back. I was pleased anyway, so 38.5 and some encouraging comments was well-received and negated the need to burst into tears at any moment.
Showjumping: feeling more rubbish by the minute I decided that any input by me was either going to be too much/too little, too strong/too weak or any combination of the above and badly timed too, so I tried my "less is more" mantra. I did maybe four fences as it seemed everyone warming up had gone supersonic by then
, and went in. Suffice to say that Marty needed some help, but the limp dishcloth of a rider had nothing useful to contribute so we had three down: pretty shocking, as he's not a careless horse, just a bit green, and I knew things were bad as I wanted to cry when I came out Melodramatic? moi? Nope, just feeling utterly pants.
After much navel-gazing and discussion as to whether I should run him xc I got on to warm-up and, after a couple of wobbly moments when I nearly went back to the trailer, I decided if we hit anything hard I'd pull up.
Off we set, slow as a boat but to me it was Grand National speed, all good at the doubles at 4 and 5, fab over the corner, bit of an eek at the trakehner: he backed off and I thought he was going to chip another one in, but then he took off and we gave it about 3ft of clearance
. Obviously it didn't rattle him as he was fab into the first water, 3 rolltops on a turn, owl hole (he's not done one before and you just know they're going to duck, don't you?
), really good into the second water, on and off the bank etc and finished really well with me limply blobbing around on top of him.
I was really pleased that he was so brave for only his second novice and there were lots of fences there that he'll have learnt from, so all good for his learning curve and our long-term goals ie. to do a very subtle swap that OH might not spot: HH for Marty....I mean a hunter's a hunter isn't it? If it gallops and jumps and doesn't move when he's got his hipflask out he's not really going to notice, is he?
Tea and Fox's Golden Crunch Creams if you've made it this far, and if anyone can think of anything to get me back to normal, other than Pimms and a rocket up my a**e, I would welcome your suggestions.
Firstly, Baby Baydale doing the 4yo class at Stafford:
Dressage: yep, v funny to develop a phobia about big silver trucks when that's what the dressage judge is sitting in
Showjumping: torrential rain was not in the plan for my ideal warm-up, so I got a bit windy about whether he'd lose his bottle or not if it was slippery. However, he's from Yorkshire therefore should be used to it, and surprisingly jumped really cutely, so the fence that video evidence says he didn't touch and that fell down when I was three strides the other side of it doesn't really count, does it?
Cross Country: more rain, more windiness and more motivational chat from my friend - who's done all the courses on Neuro Linguistic Programming - finally got me and Jupiter out of the trailer to go xc, just as they were calling me, the last one of the day to go.
I was really chuffed with him for his first one, as it's a big ask in that weather and going, and he coped really well. I'm sure if the hedge had been on flat ground he'd have popped it fine, but as he's only 4 I'll forgive that major blip on his record (tongue firmly in cheek there btw).
Saturday: busy day riding, teaching and going to the Game Fair with my parents (shopping is SO tiring, and I now know what a jarred up horse feels like as the ground was so hard
Sunday: I was expecting mud at Aston but it had obviously dried out a lot, and was quite firm by the time I got on.
Dressage: my first attempt at N111 and I felt so spaced out that the dressage warm-up was scary, like everyone else was riding at me in medium paces. Weird.
Showjumping: feeling more rubbish by the minute I decided that any input by me was either going to be too much/too little, too strong/too weak or any combination of the above and badly timed too, so I tried my "less is more" mantra. I did maybe four fences as it seemed everyone warming up had gone supersonic by then
After much navel-gazing and discussion as to whether I should run him xc I got on to warm-up and, after a couple of wobbly moments when I nearly went back to the trailer, I decided if we hit anything hard I'd pull up.
I was really pleased that he was so brave for only his second novice and there were lots of fences there that he'll have learnt from, so all good for his learning curve and our long-term goals ie. to do a very subtle swap that OH might not spot: HH for Marty....I mean a hunter's a hunter isn't it? If it gallops and jumps and doesn't move when he's got his hipflask out he's not really going to notice, is he?
Tea and Fox's Golden Crunch Creams if you've made it this far, and if anyone can think of anything to get me back to normal, other than Pimms and a rocket up my a**e, I would welcome your suggestions.
) to follow.
