Boggle pleading for competent new owner.. eventing return post fall

Michen

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Thanks to everyone for the help and encouragement after our horrendous day at Calmsden.



Bog had a couple of weeks of physio and chiro, then went for an SJ lesson and it was as if it never happened. No confidence lost there, and I was sort of OK.. straight after I was going to just enter 90's again but as the doubt set in I decided to just stick to 80's until I was completely bored of them.

Anyway, we toddled off to Broadway and jumped an easy double clear on a (as is now the norm) crap dressage but a good confidence giving run. Not much to say about it really, I felt a bit flat afterwards, I think just from the lack of progression from 90's.

On to today, decided to do the 80cm at Elmwood for one more easy run then move back up. Boggle was super relaxed, he felt nice in warm up and then did a big spook during the test at some walkers behind a hedge...turd. I actually had thought the good bits of the test would have made up for it but we sat 3rd way down the section. I'm getting pretty despondent about the dressage, as his schooling has improved so much and I'm having regular dressage lessons, yet last year with no effort, no warm up and no focus from me he always sat comfortably mid way through the section (unless a disaster happened). I'm not sure what's going wrong and have to say it left me a little frustrated today.

Not to worry though, the crap dressage didn't matter as I then went on to manage to mess up the SJ. By going wrong. Again. Who knows how I function in daily life, it must be a miracle. Proudly patting my pony joyfully after a nice round (bit wonky in places again which I have figured out is 100% me most of the time having consulted with my human physio about it, but sometimes us when we get slightly wrong), oh wait... the last fence. 10 time faults and sack the idiot jockey. Video below for your amusement.

XC was fun, Boggle was overly relaxed in the warm up... weird. A slap down the shoulder with the whip out of the start box to gee him up a bit he took great offence to and then made the most of his snaffle, no martingale and no neckstrap by rocketing all the way around the xc, jumping everything with gusto in particular the brush fence after which this particularly attractive photo was snapped, I was turning to laugh with the fence judges who were giggling at his over enthusiastic jump and my shout of "holy sh**).

So not sure where to next, ground is hardening. Offchurch Bury always has super ground but the 90 there is not an easy one (for my benefit not Boggle)… I am really frustrated by the dressage as to actually be putting effort in and getting worse marks seems ridiculous. But hey, my jump riding is a lot better and at least I am out there doing it despite broken ankle and horse fall in the last 6 months. I am annoyed at myself for still being wimpy though, especially having watched this pony fly around a BE100 with such ease, and I can't even get us competitive at 80...


Any feedback re the sj always appreciated, I dare not post the dressage its just too depressing! I'm not getting the same sense of achievements after doing 80's, because it's well within my comfort zone. Equally I don't really want to do anything other than a super easy 90. Oh and it would be nice to actually be even vaguely competitive in the dressage like we were last year!


JVP_0253.JPGELW_8890.JPG



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Red-1

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I don't know about your dressage, but that is the most comfortable and together I have seen you in jumping, and that is progress. The last fence is just a blip. Well done!

FAB XC photos too :)
 

Michen

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I don't know about your dressage, but that is the most comfortable and together I have seen you in jumping, and that is progress. The last fence is just a blip. Well done!

FAB XC photos too :)


Thanks Red-1, much appreciated :) I'm actually going to post this because its highly embarrassing and shows just how different things are. Plus its not a bad thing to show the really ugly... Tweseldown a year ago.

My riding is nothing short of absolutely appalling here, it was a massive wake up when I saw the video. That video doesn't reflect how my riding was at home even at that time thankfully, but it made me realise that I had to find a way to ride better even if I was nervous. Poor Boggle does his best and shows how genuine he is that despite being green himself, he always does his best to jump. Most green horses would have said no to half those fences given how he was presented at them.

I am really happy that I no longer a) ride my horse to fences like that and b) am so scared that I end up riding my horse to fences like that.

I will try to remember that when feeling annoyed about current situ ;)

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ycbm

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I don't know about your dressage, but that is the most comfortable and together I have seen you in jumping, and that is progress. The last fence is just a blip. Well done!

FAB XC photos too :)


Ditto this! Looking good 😀


Ignore this if it's not welcome, but it's clear from your photos and your video that your saddle is lifting off his back at the back in a way which I wouldn't be happy with myself. Doesn't seem to bother him, though, he's looking fab!
..
 

Michen

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Ditto this! Looking good 😀


Ignore this if it's not welcome, but it's clear from your photos and your video that your saddle is lifting off his back at the back in a way which I wouldn't be happy with myself. Doesn't seem to bother him, though.

..

No, it is welcome and I hadn't noticed! I had this problem over winter, had saddler out who narrowed it (he was lean) and then it stopped... but clearly now doing it again though I can't fathom it seems to be a problem when the saddle is too wide, but he's currently got more weight on? Not sure how I hadn't noticed given it's glaringly obvious in the pic since you've pointed it out.

Strange that neither dressage or jump instructor has mentioned it..?

Argh... second opinion needed perhaps.
 

Ambers Echo

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Well done Michen. O am totally in the same situation with dressage. I am getting worse scores every outing! Really have no idea why. And my whole last season was one 'sack the jockey' incident after another. But you are both looking great and one day it will all come together at the right time.
 

splashgirl45

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well for a start, stop beating yourself up, the showjumping was lovely to watch and we all go wrong sometimes. the cc pics look good. i have friends who are competing at be100 and novice and they are also having problems with their dressage so you are not alone....i can tell that one of them is very tense in the dressage and her mare, who can do a cracking test, is picking up on it.. i think that as she is doing clear sj and xc regularly she is putting herself under too much pressure for the dressage...maybe you are doing the same? if you feel really brave why not put up your dressage and maybe we could give you some tips, i dont think anyone on here will be horrible as we would all like you to progress...and i am now too old and wobbly to even jump a twig and really admire you for how far you have come...well done
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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Mitchen, as others have said, the last fence sj was you being a muppet, otherwise a good round and a monster improvement from last years video!
Loving the face xc 😄
Ref the stressage, worth going out a couple of times to just go pure dressage, maybe get a couple of tests in unaff? Remove some pressure, hope you can move forward xx
Edited to add, a lot of my local venues are going weekday evening stressage unaff comps, worth looking around?
 
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ycbm

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No, it is welcome and I hadn't noticed! I had this problem over winter, had saddler out who narrowed it (he was lean) and then it stopped... but clearly now doing it again though I can't fathom it seems to be a problem when the saddle is too wide, but he's currently got more weight on? Not sure how I hadn't noticed given it's glaringly obvious in the pic since you've pointed it out.

Strange that neither dressage or jump instructor has mentioned it..?

Argh... second opinion needed perhaps.


He has changed in shape so much since you bought him, it's possible that you now have either too curved or too straight a tree. I feel for you, I have a friend with a Connie almost identical in shape and up to the age of eleven, he's had a new saddle about once a year 😳
 

DabDab

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You guys are looking great! Echo above, if you want to concentrate on the dressage for a bit then the hard ground might be the perfect time to do some pure dressage - it can be hard to reflect on areas for improvement in eventing dressage, because by the time you have the headspace to think about it you've forgotten it.
Oh and stop being so hard on yourself you noodle x
 

SpringArising

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Like others have said, you need to stop being so hard on yourself. I'm the same as you (I think) in that I am SO critical and aware of my riding. I'll watch clips second by second analysing EVERYTHING I do.

But there is such a huge improvement in you and him. And regardless of scores, despite your nerves you're out there doing it which is the #1 thing you should be proud of.
 

Fiona

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Can you go and do some pure dressage somewhere michen? Preferably with your dressage instructor or trusted friend present....

Well done XC 😚😚

FIONA
 

Palindrome

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When you widen a saddle at the gullet it makes the tree more curved. I had the same problem with my mare, when she put on weight the saddle started lifting at the back.
 

G&T

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If it’s any consolation I always consider it a good result if I’m not last after dressage!

The SJ vid looks great and I LOVE the XC pictures 😊
 

ihatework

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There is so much improvement happening here, well done.

Might be worth backing off the Eventing and focusing on dressage & sj if you want to get to the point of being confidently competitive at the decent 90’s?

You’ll get there because he is a cracking pony.
 

Ambers Echo

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Echo everyone who is saying you are far too harsh on yourself. You've had injury time out and a horrid near miss but are still out there jumping beautifully and Boggle is looking great. The SJ round was rhythmic, balanced and you made it look easy. Have you shown your instructor the dressage video? She may be able to see where you are dropping marks. Xx
 

Michen

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Thanks all, appreciate the comments and advice. I wouldn't care about the dressage if I wasn't making an effort, but if I'm spending money on lessons and bothering to go in the school it would be nice not to at least be getting worse!

I've shown the videos to my instructor and also another instructor who I used to use but was more expensive. She is coming out on Thursday to have a look. I think the different is that last year he was fiery and forward in the dressage but at least vaguely engaged his arse even if he was too quick, whereas now I've tried to slow him right down and get him to sit but in fact this may work at home when schooling and having a lesson, but in the ring it's meant he's just totally dropped off behind and resulted in him dribbling along and it all looking a bit useless, even if technically it's "prettier".

So yes, time to do some SJ and DR, I am about to move house and need to spend some money on grown up things rather than extremely expensive events anyway!

I need to get out and do some 90 SJ, but does anyone really think I'm capable of remembering a full SJ course? :D
 
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