Bestest hoss just got betterer. Ltl Downham BE100 . Headcam xc

Carefreegirl

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Following on from out BE100 debut last Tuesday at BCA we decided to hit the ground running (rather than my normal way - arse first) and had entered Little Downham today.

Start times came through on Thursday and we kicked off with an 8.54 Dressage. Nice early start, except we had a two hour drive to get there :frown3: Alarm went off at 4.30am which isn't much earlier than normal but even so..... Hubby said surely the organisers should take into account how far people have to travel - donut :rolleyes3:

Even Bracken didn't raise her head

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But could be more to do with the fact she's over 15 and selectively deaf ?


Now my only previous visit there before was about 100 years ago and from what I could remember it was a lovely straight forward xc, obviously things have changed............Quite a few technical fences and combinations and a few big meaty fences. Cue a visit to a very wobbly Porta loo with no loo roll..... a couple of times (prepared after the first time :wink3:)


Went over to warm up for Dressage and she started off working well but then decided that bouncing up and down on the spot was more exciting. She hasn't done this before so I immediately panicked incase her back was out, she'd twisted a shoe, her saddle suddenly didn't fit, her bridle doesn't fit. Just the usual irrational non sensical panic :biggrin3:

I told her to grow up and stop being a chav to which she promptly went up to the arena and spooked at the boards, tripped over the M marker and threw her head up just in front of the judge :rolleyes3: luckily before the judge rang the bell.

Anyway, I thought the test went well all things considered, I came out pleased. Couple of silly errors on my behalf but nothing to beat myself up over. I found myself blocking her in the warm up so to make sure I softened my hands throughout the test I kept saying for some bizarre reason 'milk the goat' :redface3:
Try saying it some time - it's the perfect tempo for opening and closing fingers..........


Test here if you want to lose 3 minutes of your life you'll never get back....

http://youtu.be/J-B7OzP6z0g


Watched a few Show jump. Quite a few poles rolling as a bit undulating. Didn't walk the course, my new tactic (discussed with Nick) Went in and got to number 7 and thought 'blimey I'm clear so far only two more to go'. So of course I just abandoned her and had the last two down :mad3: I was cross with myself for letting her down. But on the plus side that's the first course she's done on grass and coped very well. It didn't help that just as I started the announcer said I had a Dressage score of 39 ! Felt better than that but that's life.

Round here, watch through half closed eyes after fence 7. It looks better that way :wink3:

http://youtu.be/3pxlF14LXhs


Now the good bit.

Decided that we'd push on a bit more for the time to see how she responded and boy did she respond.
She was flippin awesome. I let her down a few times and she got me out the doo-doo.
Fence 14 was an open ditch to a palisade with a black flag so we did the black flag. We've not done that type of fence before and have all winter to practice. I certainly wasn't going to scare her as I was more scared of it than she would of been.
Had a stop at the last but one, the first part going into the water. I know she stopped because I didn't use my leg. I was to busy thinking don't over jump as it's down into water that had the sun glaring off it as I was more concerned about riding forward into the water. It was the smallest fence on the course - typical :rolleyes3: so apart from the lack of my leg maybe the shadows over the fence ? Maybe the change of surface before the fence as loads of sand to cover the road ? She doesn't like a loose surface that moves. But it's all a process of learning from my mistakes.

We've done 4 BE's this year, 2 90's and 2 100's and an unaffiliated 90 at Aston le Walls and had only two stops xc - both my fault so can't grumble. We've got the winter to sort out our inability to leave every pole up in the SJ arena then next year we'll register as been on tickets this year :biggrin3:


Headcam of XC here. You'll hear a couple of screams from where she jumped big or I got left behind but I managed to speak less - probably because we were going so fast :biggrin3:

http://youtu.be/EeqM9tLqtfw



Sorted J out and went for a mooch and had a quick peek at the score board. We had 11.4 time penalties for the xc so with both a stop and a black flag alternative our time was pretty good and shows she can certainly make the time. Then started looking a bit closer. My eyes were like saucers by the time we'd counted, recounted, double recounted - we ended up 11th :biggrin3: :biggrin3:


Myrtle nearly had to drive home as we were in shock :smile3:


D46EDFBA-F43D-4097-82AF-1C9616E6AB31-886-0000005651095891_zps70fc2036.jpg
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So lots of positives and who knows, this time next year I could be reporting on our first Novice ?
Well done if you got this far. I'm off to bed zzzzzzzz
 
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Copperpot

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About time woman! I've been waiting for head cam video all evening! Conker says can he come and keep Myrtle company next time ??? And yay well done!!!!!!!!
 

Thistle

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Well done, I FJ the ditch pallisade for the PC areas. it caused quite a few rider frights, but surprisingly most horses got over it. At least 50% of riders squeaked over the fence. SJ at LD is always up to height, not sure of where the undulations are though as it's dead flat fenland?
 

Lolo

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I love her happy, listening ears in the XC video! Made me a little bit pale as you flew past what Tina used for the PC areas 1m... Looks like it was nearly all recommissioned for the Novice o_O Al was gutted not to be there today.

She looked like she loved that, and that fence into the water caused lots of issues at the areas too, lots of horses not sure where they were jumping into. Next year you'll be a force to be reckoned with!
 

Rosiefan

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That was brilliant CFG - loved the headcam vid - and very well done on 11th place. She was just raring to go wasn't she :). I know you've had fun this year but I think next year you'll be having fun and winning too!
 

Carefreegirl

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About time woman! I've been waiting for head cam video all evening! Conker says can he come and keep Myrtle company next time ??? And yay well done!!!!!!!!

Conker dog is more than welcome minus the dead rat - no room for you though :wink3:


Well done everyone I know who was there said the BE100 course was seriously tough!

Obviously I'm going to agree with that :biggrin3: Thankyou.


Super! Naughty thing in the DR warm up.

I think she wanted to show the people in the big lorries how clever she was. 20 odd years ago I'd of loved a pony that bounced on the spot....


Well done, I FJ the ditch pallisade for the PC areas. it caused quite a few rider frights, but surprisingly most horses got over it. At least 50% of riders squeaked over the fence. SJ at LD is always up to height, not sure of where the undulations are though as it's dead flat fenland?

It suddenly appears through the trees, all nice new and shiny :eek3: Yesterday it seemed to ride ok then there would be a glut of 2 or 3 riders in a row stopping. Undulations - ok just showing I knew how to spell a big word :smile3: ! 1 to 2 was a very slight downhill as was 4 to 5 and a lot of the forward going horses took these out. I just chose to take the last two out - yes two nice straight forward jumps.....


I love her happy, listening ears in the XC video! Made me a little bit pale as you flew past what Tina used for the PC areas 1m... Looks like it was nearly all recommissioned for the Novice o_O Al was gutted not to be there today.

She looked like she loved that, and that fence into the water caused lots of issues at the areas too, lots of horses not sure where they were jumping into. Next year you'll be a force to be reckoned with!


I love the way I'm chatting away (normally) and her ears just stay pricked forward, totally ignoring me :frown3: I did make her owner walk the course after as well so she could see how big my brave pants were. Shame you weren't there.
We were parked right in front of the water fence and she spent most of the time transfixed on watching the horses come through it. I now realise she was planning where the best place was to stop :biggrin3:

The biggest problem seemed to be fence 3 which was a palisade with a big pink pipe thingy across the top.


Love all your head cam videos ! Shame about the stop XC but it looks like you had a great round !

Best thing I ever bought was that headcam. I love it. As I go through the finish and pull up you can see her owner on the right and I'm saying I don't care - that was about the stop. I'm still not bothered about it as she was bloody brilliant. :smile3:


That was brilliant CFG - loved the headcam vid - and very well done on 11th place. She was just raring to go wasn't she :). I know you've had fun this year but I think next year you'll be having fun and winning too!


Very kind of you to say but having seen Rosie's results for the weekend I doubt she'll be worried if she see's me in her section next year :biggrin3: Looking forward to next year already. Well done to Rosie as well :smile3:


She looked brilliant! I loved your hatcam video as always. Well done :)

See you've got yours back :biggrin3:


I'm really enjoying your xc headcam videos :) Well done!

Be the last one for a while after next Sunday. Taking Preshush to MK to do the 2ft 6 xc. Providing she manages to stay upright this week - she's the most accident prone horse I've ever known :rolleyes3:
 
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Rosiefan

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Rosie had an awesome weekend but riding is her job and everybody starts equal - it's what happens on the day that matters and I think it's quite likely you'll beat her. It's about having fun though and feeling you're making progress, rosettes don't really matter, they're just the icing on the cake ;) :)
 

Carefreegirl

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Oh so true :smile3: Having a ball and making progress. 6 months ago I was on the verge of bailing out and crying at the thought of jumping a 90cm SJ course.
Thanks to Nick and J's owner who is also very good (don't tell her that :wink3:) I'm getting more confident. I'm so looking forward to next season :smile3:
 

humblepie

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Late to this thread as not been online but very well done. The headcam made the low level sun look very difficult so I can understand why J needed to have a look. Didn't watch all the dressage (it is over 3 minutes after all) but the bit I saw looked really good and I would have though a better mark. Looks like you are having great fun and good luck with P next time out.
 

Carefreegirl

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Thankyou. Bracken's dad was a JRT and her mum was the village bike. She'd of been on Jeremy Kyle if they did a Canine version. Myrtle belongs to J's owner and she's a Border terrier, just over 4 months old :smile3:
 
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