BeckyD
Well-Known Member
The weekend before last we went to Wittering Grange for the Area 7 dressage qualifiers for the riding club - us representing Keysoe RC 
We were entered for the Open team, riding Elementary 42 for our team test (the important one), and also Novice 28 (the unimportant one - can you see where this is going?) as an individual purely because it seems a long way to go to only ride one test!
I won't bore you all with the details, but in a typical run of luck, we somehow managed to get 70% and win Novice 28 with the most hopeless, behind-the-leg, lazy test, but only got 59.4% and came 6th, in Ele 42 with a test that was mostly nice but Bill swung his quarters in every halt...and there were 3 of them. Ho hum! So I have ended up qualifying as an individual, even though I can't actually compete at the Nationals as I am going to Burghley and already have my tickets (never crossed my mind I'd win). Anyway it was jolly nice to get another red rosette for dressage (shame it's only dressage we ever get red frillies for but beggars can't be choosers...).
The videos are on my YouTube page but they are a bit rubbish, so instead you can have a selection of dressage warmup pics over the last month
Next up was Buckminster BE100 - our first ever BE100 - and boy was it hot!!
Kept dressage warmup short (15 mins) and worked purely on getting Bill reactive and in front of my leg. Well you could have knocked me down with a feather duster - even though I didn't have my whip as it was BE, Bill did a lovely, forwards and flowing test. We had a couple of blips - he hollowed in first walk to trot transition, and I lost inside bend during the give and retake (3 strides on a horse on a 20m circle, is a long time to not have an inside rein in use?!). Really chuffed with Bill and how hard he tried for me. Bit disappointed with score of 37, and completely hammered in the comments for Bill lacking energy. Heaven forbid the judge see my test from last Sunday
That would have redefined his idea of "lacking energy"!
Test here:
[youtube]W7kxG7Ix5b0[/youtube]
We then both parked ourselves in some shade to cool down, and I had to feed my OH as he was mumbling something about it being lunch time and he'd been up since 6.30am on a weekend.
A ham and tomato baguette for him and a can of coke for me later and he declared he was now capable of keeping an eye on Bill whilst I walked the XC course. 
What a lovely XC course!! The ground had been spiked and had cut up well from the previous horses. There were a few questions but those had alternatives, such as the corner and the separately-numbered steps down to slightly skinny arrowhead. I knew Bill would be unimpressed with the white beehives - especially as the sun was glinting off the angled rooves! Glad to say that even though it was my first BE100 there was nothing I was worried about, and I thought I'd play it by ear and see how Bill is feeling before deciding to go direct or not.
Time was now upon us to get ready for SJ and I was very glad to see Baydale ready to warm us up Warmup was a bit so-so; on the one hand Bill was travelling forwards (hurray) and the other hand, he backed off the oxer and virtually landed in it (?!) first time round. The course was nice and short and only had one worrying fence - the ladybird one which was really gappy but with enormous bright red ladybirds all over it Any of you who remember Bill's regular 4f for a refusal at numerous SJ rounds over the first year that I had him, will understand my concern 
I needn't have worried, as with Baydale's words to ride him forwards and springy, ringing in my ears, I tried to follow her instructions and Bill did exactly what he was told We had a moment approaching the ladybird fence where I felt his shoulders drift away, so I gave him a kick and a bit of a grab on the rein to say "Oi you! Keep moving straight" and although it looks like I'm knitting on the approach, at least he jumped it...but knocked it down. Doh! Pleased though that Bill gave me such a super ride! Not impressed with someone who should know better taking the p*ss out of me before and during my round though! I am tempted to name and shame but thought better of it.
Video here:
[youtube]1T04E94A0Eg[/youtube]
And some pro pics (I bought the top one)
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2892j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0005_es&ss=5&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2891j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0004_es&ss=4&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2889j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0003_es&ss=3&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
And finally time for the XC! I was so excited!! (I thought I'd be nervous but I wasn't). Bill warmed up pinging so as they were waiting for starters I thought "there's no time like the present" and off we went! Bill started positively and neatly popped over the first fence, cantered on to the second fence, jumped that lovely and went onto fence 3 a sort of fan, which again he popped nicely. He then got into his stride and we were away...in the wrong direction! Bill had seen a jump that he thought was ours, but wasn't, and he was taking me to it by hook or by crook! With a handbrake turn I persuaded him to turn right and jump fence 4, the big timber wagon which he boinged over, and started up the steep hill, and then found that a bit hard work so tried to trot! (Yes, he does hill work twice a week...) I managed to keep him cantering up to the top but then let him trot the turn to fence 5a &b, a double of logs as they were small and he could easily pop them without speed. We jumped those neatly and then set off down the hill, over the big brush rolltop and launched down the hill! So much fun ! Bill was squeaking away to himself like he does when he's over excited and I was almost caught by an attack of giggles but realised that was a bad idea, so got a grip and focussed on the next fence.
I can't remember what it was - a sheep feeder perhaps - but Bill jumped it out of his stride and we were off towards fence 8 the trakehner which I jumped on quite an attacking pace and he was awesome!! Eeven when I go at jumps with a bit more pace he's still so neat in front:
We were entered for the Open team, riding Elementary 42 for our team test (the important one), and also Novice 28 (the unimportant one - can you see where this is going?) as an individual purely because it seems a long way to go to only ride one test! I won't bore you all with the details, but in a typical run of luck, we somehow managed to get 70% and win Novice 28 with the most hopeless, behind-the-leg, lazy test, but only got 59.4% and came 6th, in Ele 42 with a test that was mostly nice but Bill swung his quarters in every halt...and there were 3 of them. Ho hum! So I have ended up qualifying as an individual, even though I can't actually compete at the Nationals as I am going to Burghley and already have my tickets (never crossed my mind I'd win). Anyway it was jolly nice to get another red rosette for dressage (shame it's only dressage we ever get red frillies for but beggars can't be choosers...).
The videos are on my YouTube page but they are a bit rubbish, so instead you can have a selection of dressage warmup pics over the last month
Next up was Buckminster BE100 - our first ever BE100 - and boy was it hot!!
Kept dressage warmup short (15 mins) and worked purely on getting Bill reactive and in front of my leg. Well you could have knocked me down with a feather duster - even though I didn't have my whip as it was BE, Bill did a lovely, forwards and flowing test. We had a couple of blips - he hollowed in first walk to trot transition, and I lost inside bend during the give and retake (3 strides on a horse on a 20m circle, is a long time to not have an inside rein in use?!). Really chuffed with Bill and how hard he tried for me. Bit disappointed with score of 37, and completely hammered in the comments for Bill lacking energy. Heaven forbid the judge see my test from last Sunday
That would have redefined his idea of "lacking energy"!Test here:
[youtube]W7kxG7Ix5b0[/youtube]
We then both parked ourselves in some shade to cool down, and I had to feed my OH as he was mumbling something about it being lunch time and he'd been up since 6.30am on a weekend.
A ham and tomato baguette for him and a can of coke for me later and he declared he was now capable of keeping an eye on Bill whilst I walked the XC course. What a lovely XC course!! The ground had been spiked and had cut up well from the previous horses. There were a few questions but those had alternatives, such as the corner and the separately-numbered steps down to slightly skinny arrowhead. I knew Bill would be unimpressed with the white beehives - especially as the sun was glinting off the angled rooves! Glad to say that even though it was my first BE100 there was nothing I was worried about, and I thought I'd play it by ear and see how Bill is feeling before deciding to go direct or not.
Time was now upon us to get ready for SJ and I was very glad to see Baydale ready to warm us up
Warmup was a bit so-so; on the one hand Bill was travelling forwards (hurray) and the other hand, he backed off the oxer and virtually landed in it (?!) first time round. The course was nice and short and only had one worrying fence - the ladybird one which was really gappy but with enormous bright red ladybirds all over it Any of you who remember Bill's regular 4f for a refusal at numerous SJ rounds over the first year that I had him, will understand my concern I needn't have worried, as with Baydale's words to ride him forwards and springy, ringing in my ears, I tried to follow her instructions and Bill did exactly what he was told We had a moment approaching the ladybird fence where I felt his shoulders drift away, so I gave him a kick and a bit of a grab on the rein to say "Oi you! Keep moving straight" and although it looks like I'm knitting on the approach, at least he jumped it...but knocked it down. Doh! Pleased though that Bill gave me such a super ride! Not impressed with someone who should know better taking the p*ss out of me before and during my round though! I am tempted to name and shame but thought better of it.Video here:
[youtube]1T04E94A0Eg[/youtube]
And some pro pics (I bought the top one)
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2892j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0005_es&ss=5&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2891j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0004_es&ss=4&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-bin/public.cgi?form_status=order_image&event_id=183334&img=mr0o2889j{610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca.jpg&anc=p156_0003_es&ss=3&imgcat=610-BALLYDUFF BILL Kilby Rebecca
And finally time for the XC! I was so excited!! (I thought I'd be nervous but I wasn't
). Bill warmed up pinging so as they were waiting for starters I thought "there's no time like the present" and off we went! Bill started positively and neatly popped over the first fence, cantered on to the second fence, jumped that lovely and went onto fence 3 a sort of fan, which again he popped nicely. He then got into his stride and we were away...in the wrong direction! Bill had seen a jump that he thought was ours, but wasn't, and he was taking me to it by hook or by crook! With a handbrake turn I persuaded him to turn right and jump fence 4, the big timber wagon which he boinged over, and started up the steep hill, and then found that a bit hard work so tried to trot! (Yes, he does hill work twice a week...) I managed to keep him cantering up to the top but then let him trot the turn to fence 5a &b, a double of logs as they were small and he could easily pop them without speed. We jumped those neatly and then set off down the hill, over the big brush rolltop and launched down the hill! So much fun ! Bill was squeaking away to himself like he does when he's over excited and I was almost caught by an attack of giggles but realised that was a bad idea, so got a grip and focussed on the next fence. I can't remember what it was - a sheep feeder perhaps - but Bill jumped it out of his stride and we were off towards fence 8 the trakehner which I jumped on quite an attacking pace and he was awesome!! Eeven when I go at jumps with a bit more pace he's still so neat in front:
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I'm still absolutely thrilled with him