Baydale
Well-Known Member
An uneventful day for a change, no colic, falls or breakdowns thankfully, the most stressful part of the day being the 4.20am alarm call.
I'd persuaded KatB to come with me and not been too specific about the "early start", so big thanks to her for not turning round and going home when I told her that last night - I had plied her with wine in an attempt to make it less offensive though.
After Jupiter's colic on Thursday the vet said he'd recovered ok to go to Hambleton Show for the BYEH class, and we took Arthur, the ginger Cleveland Bay, along for the working hunter too.
Jupiter was feeling sooooo much better than at Houghton, and spent a lot of time screaming to anyone who'd listen, mainly Arthur who couldn't be trusted to stay in the lorry without trashing it, so was ringside, watching. He was perky in his dressage but rideable, and other than a huge coughing/sneezing/spluttering fit in the middle - going for the sympathy vote methinks
- he was fairly good.
The beginning:
Mid-splutter:
Cantering ok:
Canter getting "onward":
The jumping was a mixture of showjumps and xc fences - great, just what I needed, my first xc school in public
- I couldn't get him past the brush fence on my way to the first fence, so that didn't bode well for when I actually had to jump it.
First fence:
Second fence, desperately trying to stay with him
:
He clouted the first part of the double and then nearly pinged me out of the saddle at the second part:
We made it over the chair and brush xc fences, jumped the next couple of showjumps fine and then came round to the last xc fence, blue barrels encased in poles/logs. I'd love to say he was so transfixed on the double next to it that he lost attention, but actually he did a last minute "ha ha" and shot past it, cheeky little beggar
, then jumped it really cutely the next time.
He trotted up better for the conformation judge this time, and definitely better than me as the dead-legged knee from falling off him last Friday is still bloomin sore.
He got 29 for his stressage, 23 for his jumping (the judge used the full range of marks
) then 11 for conformation, so not a great score but he got through to the final ten equal 4th on 63. He was bright as a button in the gallop and was pulled in second to get 9 marks to add, so finished 2nd and qualified, yay.
I'm so chuffed with him, as that's one of the things on my Jupiter's 2009 To Do List ticked off.
No time to enjoy that though as I had the dubious task of waggoning Arthur, the not-yet-5yo hunter, round his first working hunter course. I got v confused about which class I was eligible for so entered the restricted - 3ft 6in (1.07m) - then found out the day before that I could have done the novice - 3ft, much wiser - but they couldn't swap me.
Oh well, I decided I'd retire if it wasn't going well. He warmed up ok:
Our best side
:
When I went into the ring I explained to the judge that I might retire as I'd accidentally entered the wrong class, and then we set sail. Bless him the course was meaty enough but he was committed to getting to the other side:
First fence:
Second fence:
It wasn't stylish, and he had fences down, so as I rode past the judges I said "I'll jump one more and then retire thanks", but he jumped that ok-ish so I cracked on to the double (huge jump out
), then the bullfinch (not wispy enough for my liking
but he jumped it great), then the water tray, planks, big oxer in front of the judges
, then two uprights to finish. I have to say he was getting the hang of it by then last four or five, so I'm really glad I carried out. I think my "motivational" style
worked and he just seemed to take confidence from it and go, just what he needs to learn when OH is going to be hunting him this season.
Last fence:
It wasn't stylish, that's for sure, but some days you've just got to crack on and get them between the wings and worry about the fine detail later. Yes, it was a big ask for him but he coped and I found out more about him, all good. I do love him, he just wants to do stuff for you. The judge was really sweet too, although I'm sure they were having a giggle about it once I'd gone.
So an uneventful Baydale day by my normal standards, cocoa and mum's chocolate crispie cake if you've got this far, I'll join you once I've finished the pink wine.
After Jupiter's colic on Thursday the vet said he'd recovered ok to go to Hambleton Show for the BYEH class, and we took Arthur, the ginger Cleveland Bay, along for the working hunter too.
Jupiter was feeling sooooo much better than at Houghton, and spent a lot of time screaming to anyone who'd listen, mainly Arthur who couldn't be trusted to stay in the lorry without trashing it, so was ringside, watching. He was perky in his dressage but rideable, and other than a huge coughing/sneezing/spluttering fit in the middle - going for the sympathy vote methinks
The beginning:
Mid-splutter:
Cantering ok:
Canter getting "onward":
The jumping was a mixture of showjumps and xc fences - great, just what I needed, my first xc school in public
First fence:
Second fence, desperately trying to stay with him
He clouted the first part of the double and then nearly pinged me out of the saddle at the second part:
We made it over the chair and brush xc fences, jumped the next couple of showjumps fine and then came round to the last xc fence, blue barrels encased in poles/logs. I'd love to say he was so transfixed on the double next to it that he lost attention, but actually he did a last minute "ha ha" and shot past it, cheeky little beggar
He trotted up better for the conformation judge this time, and definitely better than me as the dead-legged knee from falling off him last Friday is still bloomin sore.
No time to enjoy that though as I had the dubious task of waggoning Arthur, the not-yet-5yo hunter, round his first working hunter course. I got v confused about which class I was eligible for so entered the restricted - 3ft 6in (1.07m) - then found out the day before that I could have done the novice - 3ft, much wiser - but they couldn't swap me.
Our best side
When I went into the ring I explained to the judge that I might retire as I'd accidentally entered the wrong class, and then we set sail. Bless him the course was meaty enough but he was committed to getting to the other side:
First fence:
Second fence:
It wasn't stylish, and he had fences down, so as I rode past the judges I said "I'll jump one more and then retire thanks", but he jumped that ok-ish so I cracked on to the double (huge jump out
Last fence:
It wasn't stylish, that's for sure, but some days you've just got to crack on and get them between the wings and worry about the fine detail later. Yes, it was a big ask for him but he coped and I found out more about him, all good. I do love him, he just wants to do stuff for you. The judge was really sweet too, although I'm sure they were having a giggle about it once I'd gone.
So an uneventful Baydale day by my normal standards, cocoa and mum's chocolate crispie cake if you've got this far, I'll join you once I've finished the pink wine.
