Chatsworth IN - useless, awful, horrible day

Gamebird

Gamebird

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Disclaimer - none of the below is to be in any way considered an excuse. No excuses are being offered, just a statement of circumstances, most of which were the same for everyone else as me.

Dressage was, I thought, reasonable. The first medium trot wasn't from marker to marker, the second was, the left shoulder-in was fairly bad, the right one was half-decent. The canter work was all rather nice. He was above the bit in the last halt. All these comments came from an independent witness. All transitions came in the right places and the test in general was fairly accurate, if a little uninspired. Why, then did it merit a 48???
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. A new personal low for me. Even the racehorse I took once that blew up in all the walk and trot work and did all of the canter work on one leg got a 47. I am dumbfounded. Sadly didn't get my sheet due to the rest of the day's events making me pack up and leave Chatsworth behind in a cloud of exhaust smoke so I will never know. However Olivia Haddow was in before me and did a foot perfect test for 36
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We had a 4 hour wait for SJing so walked the XC which was a true Scotty course - big, bold and rewarded forward riding. The first water had been softened, the second was rather meaty - angled hanging log, brush/drop fence in, canter round moat to step out, three curving strides to skinny triple brush which caused a lot of run-outs (including 2 for our new Badminton champion
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). WFP jumped through this on the most gorgeous grey 6yo (Kilcoltrim I think?. It came 2nd in its section) and gave a demonstration of flawless XC riding.

By this time the rain had started. Proper torrential, p!ss-wet-through-in-seconds rain. We hid in the trade stands then decided to tack up and warm-up so as to be ready to walk the SJing as soon as it was changed.

Mistake. First of all they had problems rounding up the final Nov SJers, then they altered the course, we all jumped off to walk it and we were stopped from going into the ring by a 20min falconry demo
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Finally went in to walk it. Got to the treble in the company of Nicola Wilson and Ruth Edge and Ruth started to pace out the first distance when a freak wind blew up and flattened the final 2 elements, wings and all. Priceless moment!
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. We told Ruth that those two fences were going on her scorecard!
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. Yup, haha, funny until a second freak wind flattened every single other fence bar one. They then took 15mins to rebuild the course and re-measure all the distances. Was slowly losing the will to live just as another torrential shower started
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To get to the point (eventually) I went into the ring, gave Carthorse a good canter round to take in the sights, waited for the bell.... and waited.... and waited. Got paranoid that it had gone so asked the spectators who all said to go
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. Cantered into the frist fence and saw at the last moment that the back rail was still on the floor from the previous competitor. Pulled out at the last mo, got the course-builder to put it back up and waited for the bell again.... and waited... and waited. Asked the course-builder who said just to start
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. Jumped the first two very strongly, got to the third and Carthorse spooked at the horse-eating wall under it and slammed on the brakes. Re-presented - same
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. Walked out and gave him a pop in the warm-up which he gave feet to spare.

It's a bit grainy - horse-eating fence:
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Thus endeth Chatsworth 2009
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Off to beat myself over the head with a large breezeblock now before sacking the jockey and taking up crochet instead
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Considering staying in bed next time
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No sympathy please but large b*llockings gratefully accepted.
 
What a shame. It looks like the shadow of your horse is in front of him which might have caused him to mis read his take off.
Don't be too despondent, although I know that is easier said than done.
 
ohhh dear sorry to hear it didnt go to plan but conditions didnt sound great

xc schooling at richmond on mon (no dressage or sj) to cheer you up if your interested???
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How frustrating - not easy I know but don't beat yourself up about it he is more than capable of doing it and so are you just today it didn't happen for some reason.
 
L, have your round on video, and it seems M was looking behind the fence rather than at it, maybe spooking at the flags behind? I did feel so so sorry for you
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It was just one thing after another
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But M will be awesome next time just to prove that he can!
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I'm really sorry you had a horrible day but there is definately a troll under that bridge. Sometimes the judge seems to just not like you IMO. Don't think the wind helped today either
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A large b*llocking for what?

You did what felt like an accurate and reasonable test, which was your first Int. test this season - when you reflect on things tomorrow don't focus upon the marks, focus upon how it felt. You cannot determine the marks awarded by any one judge, but you can determine how it feels and work from that.

Some days the judge just gets on a negative about one horse, or about one particular horse but you have to put the marks aside, glean anything from her comments that you can, and then keep focussed on the positives, of which there were plenty.

Onto the SJ, what could you have done to prevent him from stopping? Not a lot! Do you think you may have been unfocussed from the bell confusion? Your rhythm was disrupted by both the bell and the first fence, so I'm not suprised things didn't go smoothly - it's not possible to plan for crap, sometimes thee mighty gods are against us
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Things will seem less crap tomorrow, promise
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I'm afraid Carthorse, if you want an arse-kicking then you have to provide sufficient reasons
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What a pity Carthorse didn't like the horse eating wall
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It does look rather white and spooky. Those dressage photos don't look anything like a 48 to me
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My sister's horse got a 41 in his at Aston and he was bloody awful. Hope he goes better at your next run.
 
Put your dressage test in context - if foot perfect merited 36 then 48 isn't half as bad as it you think.

How bloody annoying when events conspire against you though, sometimes it's just not meant to be
 
Oh how frustrating. I would put the dressage down to a judges off-day - if she only gave 36 for a foot-perfect test what more can you do?!
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Sounds like the frustration got through to Carthorse in the SJ - you know what these bloomin' horses are like, give them an inch and they take at least 10 miles (I've got one that does it too!).
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Just put it down to one of those days and move on.

Where next?
 
Just mark it up as one of those days, I'm sure the hanging around and weather played a huge part, good luck on the next one and a few (((hugs))) for you
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What a horrid day for you, happens to us all though. Where and what next? I am sure next time will be much more like your normal repots.
 
Megan2006 - thanks, that's pretty much what I needed. Yes, I probably was rather distraced. I clearly remember worrying about all the time faults occurred since the bell had gone - if indeed it had gone, which I still don't know? And if it had gone the first time then surely they should have re-rung it after they put the fence back up??
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Thanks to the rest of you.

SC - will be mostly spending this week jumping spooky horse-eating fences before Floors IN next Sunday. I know we're not really up to scratch with Int dressage but last season we were getting around 40ish and this really didn't seem any worse a test - if fact I'd had said improved but I suppose the opposition was top class as you'd expect.

Talavera - thanks for videoing it, It'll be a short film! Well done on yours.
 
There is no such thing as a useless day
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think of it as "experience"
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But well done for even competing at IN!

and you and carthorse look lovely
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Hey, Carthorse looks really rather nice in your dressage pics. Sounds like 'one of those days'. I have never seen any walls at Floors so you'll be fine. Poor lad just wanted home quick in that weather.

We will both be on a mission to improve on our last runs next weekend...........

Chin up xxx
ps can recommend Baileys Mint - just drank 1/2 a bottle
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Was just thinking that Carthorse looks very smart in your dressage pics! Doesn't sound like conditions were exactly optimal so here's hoping for better luck next time.
 
Some days are just like that, and you said you had the feeling when you got up it was going to be one of those.
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Burgie it is then, will pick you up on the way.
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I very very very rarely blame the horse (in fact, what drives me nuts is posts where the rider keeps saying the horse got it wrong, implying that they were riding like WFP at the time... well, durr, if they had been, horse wouldn't have got it bloody wrong then. sorry. rant over)
BUT
that looked like a bloody-naughty-pony moment. so, you need sympathy, and he needs a kick and a smack next time he thinks a naughty thought. he's not a raw youngster, so he shouldn't behave like one. naughty carty.
dressage - who knows what the hell some of the judges are looking for. if you were happy with it, and know it could have been much worse, then that's a result.
sj - some you win, some you lose.
cold comfort i know, but at least that didn't happen the day you'd done a stunning dressage of 20 and led the section... get all your bad luck out of the way on one day!
gin and sympathy. oh, and choc chip cookies of course. x
 
Sounds like a horrible windy day and I am really sorry but by the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like it was your fault.
 
I was watching you round, I cannot believe what happened with all the confusion at the beginning it must have really thrown you. I would have been the same! Everyone standing by me was saying the same. No way your fault. Your pony seemed to take advantage of the situation which didn't help.... naughty boy, but you didn't miss out- the XC was a mud pit!!!
As for dressage, well I know how you feel..... mine did a foot perfect test and we only got 6's and a few 7's with no comments. Very rude! Sometimes it seems to me at novice/int level the dressage judges mark the horse rather than the individual movements, the horse I was riding is a tiny pony like thing so no big paces like some of the others that got in the 20's.

At least it all happened in one horrible soggy day, your saving your perfect three phases for the the next event!!
 
It hurts me to say it as I hate to blame the horse too but I really think he did take advantage a bit. He's not a baby, he jumped well in the same arena last year, he has a decent jump (was going to be sold to BSJA when I bought him). I'm not great in the SJing phase but having slept on it I think he should have jumped.

He has jumped all over and seen plenty of different fences. I know he can be a bit spooky but he's getting worse and worse. I tried a sheepskin noseband on him during the week round a BSJA track but it made him worse (I think he was worried about what he couldn't see). Obviously I shall have him jumping every bit of spooky junk I can find around the yard this week and I have a lesson on Tuesday. Heidi has a course set up on grass with fillers etc. so I shall see if I can jump round that blind and get her opinion.

Still feel like jumping off a cliff but now taking him with me.....

ElleJS - thanks for the sympathy, saw you had a good result!
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He jumped clear round the XC a year ago so I'm really not too worried that I didn't get to go, although conditions like that are when we do best as it puts the precious ponies off a bit whereas Carthorse is quite at home in mud.

Baydale - Burgie it is I suspect, don't think Lucinda will have been over impressed. Sorry, gutted really. Will have to swap thoughts of a tan and wine for waterproofs and whisky... Will PM you later.
 
I don't see why you need a b*llocking TBH? I think you were thoroughly NOT enjoying the day due to the weather and them pissing about with delaying the SJ course walk, the fences blowing down, not ringing the bell and not putting up the fence!! That is enough to throw any person! Also, pulling your horse out of the first fence may well have got him in a bit of a panic for the 3rd fence? Does he sometimes refuse? If not, then Id put it down to that.

Dont stress about the dressage - we did what I felt was our absolute personal best last month and we ended up getting a 48 also, our worst score ever!!
 
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As for dressage, well I know how you feel..... mine did a foot perfect test and we only got 6's and a few 7's with no comments. Very rude!

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That happened to me at Chatsworth a few years ago, got a 5 for the 1st c line (deserved!
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) above bit and hollow, and then 5s all the way down with ditto's in the remarks!!
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I had to stop my mum from throttling the judge!
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Well I managed to get a 52.5 at rodbaston last wednesday at the dressage, I did everything in the right place,horse was obediant but I rode the horse too backward, the canter was unbalenced and he was tossing his head, but not to merit 52.5!

I know I can do a lot better, I also know the canter needs work so I am not cutting my self up too much about it, and I shall ride more forward next test.

Some days things are not meant to be and it sounds to me for you that was yestday.
Look and see if there are any lessons to be learnt, focus on any postives and good luck at your next outing where hopefully all this will be forgotton.
 
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Much better to fit all the cr*p into one day (marks, weather, judges, etc) and get the bad luck out the way! Have you stuck french blinkers on him for sj?

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No, tried a sheepskin noseband, which he hated and made him spookier - I guess he couldn't see the lower bit of the fence as well? Will definitely try the French blinkers next time thanks.
 
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