Santa_Claus
Well-Known Member
Today off to Bicton we went for our first PN of the season and only second ever. I went and walked the course and will admit to turning a bit green at that point. Had I known it was going to be as big and technical as it was I would have entered the intro, but hey ho decided to carry on and play it by ear.
Firstly the dressage, last time I was in the ring they had my arena was when she was 5 and involved getting eliminated SJ as she refused to jump a single fence, thankfully she has grown up since then. First half of test was bit iffy and made a few little mistakes (half halted on centre line which Fleur thought meant halting, jogged in 3-5 walk trans type things) but second half of test was a lot better and more settled and she went the best yet in a test and in my opinion far better than our Bickenhall 22.5 test!! I guessed a 35 due to the mistakes so was pleased with 32.5 which had us in 4th with the best on 28.5.
Next was the SJ, hmmm well she was doing her very best to jump me out the saddle (and nearly succeeding) and we win absolutely zero marks for style. BUT we did go clear unlike the vast majority of competitors. It was a very up to height course with a few dog legs and related distances and poles AND people were falling all over the place. So very pleased with pony
but slapped wrists for my riding 
Lastly to XC, we were parked right next to the collecting ring so went straight over to find there was a hold on course. A horse had fallen and broken its leg and was PTS
my heart goes out to poor rider
So after the hold got going again for the second rider back on course to fall and for there to be another hold. Then got going again before yet another hold, basically 3 holds within about 7 horses putting them about a good hour behind time.
Eventually rounds started to flow again and it was my turn. No danger of having switched off she bounced down to the start and out the box.
So 1 flower box, 2 a log and three a brush going up a steep hill she jumped nicely.
4 was down through the woods at the bottom which she popped over nicely before reaching 5 the first question a double of portables (dressed with carrots and painted rabbits!) with open bottoms down hill on a curving right hand turn. Got a bit close to the second after balloning the first but jumped it nicely and on. 6 was a nice table let up fence on the brow of the hill which jumped over nicely and down to the first water. We teetered in slowly and then popped out over a decent size boat up a slope, next a nice let up fence followed by a quick turn to the trakhener which was shared with the novice, thankfully ditches never been an issue with her and she flew over that and then the following haycart at 10.
Next was the sunken road, decent step in short stride to decent step out one stride to roll top. This was causing problems as the stride in the bottom was short and if jumped in rather than step down you wouldn't have room for second step. Brought her right back and she popped through nicely although my riding was best ignored. Next a brush with open ditch infront which again popped over before up a fairly long hill to the half coffin at 13 which was a semi roll top/pheasent feeder type fence a very short stride to ditch. I again brought her right back but she jumped fairly big over the fence in and was very clever with her legs almost bouncing out. Very thankful for a clever horse. After this I could feel her starting to tire (don't blame her with hills) so intended to 'nurse' her home but kept her forward. 14 was a large corner which saw a longish but good stride for and she kept true, next a nice let up fence before 16 the second water. Here you had a house in down steepish slope into water left turn and up step out and then a stride to a skinny house. Now here is where our copybook got blotted. She came in well and about 1 or 2 strides out she spotted the water/slope and could just feel her doubt herself, kept leg on but it was as if she forgot fence was there and she landed in a heap on fence. Had it been at the beginning of the course when she was fresh she would have jumped but being a bit tired and having a fairly big question for her (water is our weak point) it was just a bit too much. Came back round though and she popped it nicely and jumped out well, again my position was prob best ignored! Continued on past 17 (which had been removed although not sure why!) and then over the 'book' to finish. Although she was tired I was pleased that she recovered quickly.
DOH!!!!
Better!
So yes we have finally blotted our copybook but it was going to happen eventually and overall I am still very pleased with her. It wasn't an ungenuine stop it was a 'im not quite sure' one which given the course and everything else I think she is more than allowed. We also picked up 8.8 time but as I did spend time setting her up for the big questions and with the stop it was no more than expected.
We actually finished 13th in the end as we were in a smallish section (25ish) as there were 7 eliminations (SJ and XC) and 2 withdrawals before XC. We are going to Stockland Lovell PN in 2 weeks but I think after that will step her down to another run at Intro at Moreton to give her a confidence boost.
Was also lovely to meet Shrek and we had a good chat whilst hanging around the XC collecting ring
Dominoes pizza and cookies to those that read it all!
Firstly the dressage, last time I was in the ring they had my arena was when she was 5 and involved getting eliminated SJ as she refused to jump a single fence, thankfully she has grown up since then. First half of test was bit iffy and made a few little mistakes (half halted on centre line which Fleur thought meant halting, jogged in 3-5 walk trans type things) but second half of test was a lot better and more settled and she went the best yet in a test and in my opinion far better than our Bickenhall 22.5 test!! I guessed a 35 due to the mistakes so was pleased with 32.5 which had us in 4th with the best on 28.5.
Next was the SJ, hmmm well she was doing her very best to jump me out the saddle (and nearly succeeding) and we win absolutely zero marks for style. BUT we did go clear unlike the vast majority of competitors. It was a very up to height course with a few dog legs and related distances and poles AND people were falling all over the place. So very pleased with pony
but slapped wrists for my riding
Lastly to XC, we were parked right next to the collecting ring so went straight over to find there was a hold on course. A horse had fallen and broken its leg and was PTS
my heart goes out to poor rider So after the hold got going again for the second rider back on course to fall and for there to be another hold. Then got going again before yet another hold, basically 3 holds within about 7 horses putting them about a good hour behind time.
Eventually rounds started to flow again and it was my turn. No danger of having switched off she bounced down to the start and out the box.
So 1 flower box, 2 a log and three a brush going up a steep hill she jumped nicely.
4 was down through the woods at the bottom which she popped over nicely before reaching 5 the first question a double of portables (dressed with carrots and painted rabbits!) with open bottoms down hill on a curving right hand turn. Got a bit close to the second after balloning the first but jumped it nicely and on. 6 was a nice table let up fence on the brow of the hill which jumped over nicely and down to the first water. We teetered in slowly and then popped out over a decent size boat up a slope, next a nice let up fence followed by a quick turn to the trakhener which was shared with the novice, thankfully ditches never been an issue with her and she flew over that and then the following haycart at 10.
Next was the sunken road, decent step in short stride to decent step out one stride to roll top. This was causing problems as the stride in the bottom was short and if jumped in rather than step down you wouldn't have room for second step. Brought her right back and she popped through nicely although my riding was best ignored. Next a brush with open ditch infront which again popped over before up a fairly long hill to the half coffin at 13 which was a semi roll top/pheasent feeder type fence a very short stride to ditch. I again brought her right back but she jumped fairly big over the fence in and was very clever with her legs almost bouncing out. Very thankful for a clever horse. After this I could feel her starting to tire (don't blame her with hills) so intended to 'nurse' her home but kept her forward. 14 was a large corner which saw a longish but good stride for and she kept true, next a nice let up fence before 16 the second water. Here you had a house in down steepish slope into water left turn and up step out and then a stride to a skinny house. Now here is where our copybook got blotted. She came in well and about 1 or 2 strides out she spotted the water/slope and could just feel her doubt herself, kept leg on but it was as if she forgot fence was there and she landed in a heap on fence. Had it been at the beginning of the course when she was fresh she would have jumped but being a bit tired and having a fairly big question for her (water is our weak point) it was just a bit too much. Came back round though and she popped it nicely and jumped out well, again my position was prob best ignored! Continued on past 17 (which had been removed although not sure why!) and then over the 'book' to finish. Although she was tired I was pleased that she recovered quickly.
DOH!!!!
Better!
So yes we have finally blotted our copybook but it was going to happen eventually and overall I am still very pleased with her. It wasn't an ungenuine stop it was a 'im not quite sure' one which given the course and everything else I think she is more than allowed. We also picked up 8.8 time but as I did spend time setting her up for the big questions and with the stop it was no more than expected.
We actually finished 13th in the end as we were in a smallish section (25ish) as there were 7 eliminations (SJ and XC) and 2 withdrawals before XC. We are going to Stockland Lovell PN in 2 weeks but I think after that will step her down to another run at Intro at Moreton to give her a confidence boost.
Was also lovely to meet Shrek and we had a good chat whilst hanging around the XC collecting ring
Dominoes pizza and cookies to those that read it all!
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