j1ffy
Well-Known Member
I haven't posted a report in almost two years so I hope there are still some people interested in reading them 
Since my last report I have relocated from Hong Kong back to UK and brought over Indio, the PRE who was supposed to be my husband's, but we seem to have swapped... I've always loved riding him even when he was a just-backed 3yo; he then had a sick note year at 5 - nothing major just lots of niggles - and various wonkiness issues that meant he spent 2 years only hacking. I brought him over one year ago (almost to the day) with the aim of getting him back in the arena, teaching him how to be a dressage horse and having a go at affiliated dressage.
A few months ago BD announced a new championship for PREs (purebred Spanish horses). At that point we hadn't been out to a competition so qualifying seemed like a good stretch target for us. We made it to a couple of unaffiliated competitions in June, then life got in the way so I didn't make it to an affiliated competition until the last weekend in September...and qualifications closed on the 30th. Indio absolutely pulled it out of the bag with a 63% and 65% despite me being so nervous that my legs wouldn't work, so we were all set for Keysoe on Saturday
The champs were only his fifth competition, we found a wolf tooth two weeks before which the vet pulled out (luckily it came easily and was tiny, so he didn't miss any work) and it was our first away show so I my only plan was to (a) not forget anything and (b) enjoy ourselves! The drive over took almost four hours thanks to Friday traffic and the weather was hideous but we got their safely.
I was first in the stables on Saturday morning - the joy of being second on! I had entered the warm-up class so we could get our final Area Festival sheet. Apart from a spook at seeing flower pots for the first time, Indio felt good. The warm-up class was in the outdoor arena and we had to deal with strong wind, sloppy footing and sideways rein, I was glad of Indio's home arena which is on the side of an open hillside so we are used to dealing with the elements! He was very nervous when we first trotted around then he took a deep breath, relaxed into the contact and seemed to say "Ok mum, I can cope as long as you look after me". It felt like one of the better tests we'd done as he stayed in front of my leg with just a couple of mistakes when I wasn't clear enough in my aids for the canter transitions. We came third with 64.3% - just half a percent behind the winner and one the same mark as 2nd but one collective point behind. Area festival sheet in the bag!
I hopped off for 15 minutes then did a quick ten minute warm-up for the Championship test, Prelim 17. Indio felt more tense (which brings back his wonkiness) and slightly nappy towards the exit - canters were either 'yeehaa!' or sticky depending on which direction we were going. I also had a comedy moment when I turned a corner and saw my mum and my friend videoing the test on their phones, squished together in two seats in the K corner looking like two of the three monkeys. Totally distracted I almost stopped to laugh at them before remembering where I was! The test was mostly ok apart from breaking early in the left canter (away from home, funnily enough...), but I didn't think it was anything special due to the tension and wonky head tilting.
We put Indio away and I finally got to eat something (I loved the canteen at Keysoe!!), then headed over to check the results. I was amazed to see I was lying in second with 67.7%! As we were standing there four more results went up and I was still in second. It dawned on my that we could do no worse than fourth so off we ran to tack up for the prize giving. As I rode back into the arena I asked the steward where we had come, and she said the last two tests hadn't changed the places - we were second!!!!
Indio was deeply unimpressed at being dragged out for the prize giving and kept twitching with sleepiness, bless him. I was still in shock as most of the others are already out competing at novice while my little boy was only at his fifth comp. I'm still on cloud nine!
Photos are below (all either taken by friends or bought for sharing from Hoof Prints):
A glass of fino and some jamon iberico for anyone who got through all that!
Since my last report I have relocated from Hong Kong back to UK and brought over Indio, the PRE who was supposed to be my husband's, but we seem to have swapped... I've always loved riding him even when he was a just-backed 3yo; he then had a sick note year at 5 - nothing major just lots of niggles - and various wonkiness issues that meant he spent 2 years only hacking. I brought him over one year ago (almost to the day) with the aim of getting him back in the arena, teaching him how to be a dressage horse and having a go at affiliated dressage.A few months ago BD announced a new championship for PREs (purebred Spanish horses). At that point we hadn't been out to a competition so qualifying seemed like a good stretch target for us. We made it to a couple of unaffiliated competitions in June, then life got in the way so I didn't make it to an affiliated competition until the last weekend in September...and qualifications closed on the 30th. Indio absolutely pulled it out of the bag with a 63% and 65% despite me being so nervous that my legs wouldn't work, so we were all set for Keysoe on Saturday
The champs were only his fifth competition, we found a wolf tooth two weeks before which the vet pulled out (luckily it came easily and was tiny, so he didn't miss any work) and it was our first away show so I my only plan was to (a) not forget anything and (b) enjoy ourselves! The drive over took almost four hours thanks to Friday traffic and the weather was hideous but we got their safely.
I was first in the stables on Saturday morning - the joy of being second on! I had entered the warm-up class so we could get our final Area Festival sheet. Apart from a spook at seeing flower pots for the first time, Indio felt good. The warm-up class was in the outdoor arena and we had to deal with strong wind, sloppy footing and sideways rein, I was glad of Indio's home arena which is on the side of an open hillside so we are used to dealing with the elements! He was very nervous when we first trotted around then he took a deep breath, relaxed into the contact and seemed to say "Ok mum, I can cope as long as you look after me". It felt like one of the better tests we'd done as he stayed in front of my leg with just a couple of mistakes when I wasn't clear enough in my aids for the canter transitions. We came third with 64.3% - just half a percent behind the winner and one the same mark as 2nd but one collective point behind. Area festival sheet in the bag!
I hopped off for 15 minutes then did a quick ten minute warm-up for the Championship test, Prelim 17. Indio felt more tense (which brings back his wonkiness) and slightly nappy towards the exit - canters were either 'yeehaa!' or sticky depending on which direction we were going. I also had a comedy moment when I turned a corner and saw my mum and my friend videoing the test on their phones, squished together in two seats in the K corner looking like two of the three monkeys. Totally distracted I almost stopped to laugh at them before remembering where I was! The test was mostly ok apart from breaking early in the left canter (away from home, funnily enough...), but I didn't think it was anything special due to the tension and wonky head tilting.
We put Indio away and I finally got to eat something (I loved the canteen at Keysoe!!), then headed over to check the results. I was amazed to see I was lying in second with 67.7%! As we were standing there four more results went up and I was still in second. It dawned on my that we could do no worse than fourth so off we ran to tack up for the prize giving. As I rode back into the arena I asked the steward where we had come, and she said the last two tests hadn't changed the places - we were second!!!!
Indio was deeply unimpressed at being dragged out for the prize giving and kept twitching with sleepiness, bless him. I was still in shock as most of the others are already out competing at novice while my little boy was only at his fifth comp. I'm still on cloud nine!
Photos are below (all either taken by friends or bought for sharing from Hoof Prints):
A glass of fino and some jamon iberico for anyone who got through all that!
Looks like it was a great day! Was it well supported?