Chilli was... Silly!

rosiesowner

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Chilli and I headed out for our first competition outdoors in quite some time yesterday. We headed to Port Royal for some unaffiliated dressage. Chilli decided that loading alone was over rated on the way there :eek: She loads perfectly if someone else goes on first to test that there are so sharks in the box. She doesn't even really protest, just plants. A lunge line round her bottom soon convinced her to hop on! Once on she travelled like an absolute angel which was a real win for me as I have taken her on trips in the past where she's just kicked the doo dah out of the box.

On the way there I totally blanked on my tests. I have no idea why but I found myself reading it and recognising absolutely NONE of it. Oh no!

We arrived and I left her on the box for a few minutes and went for a look round. Bumped into some lovely friends I haven't seen in a while which was nice. Then took her off the box and tacked her up on my own, which was incredible as last time we went out I could barely hold onto her to tack her up as she was just spinning... And spinning... And spinning...

Took a moment to read my tests again and headed off to the warm up. She was, in all honesty, ridiculous. Took off with me in canter several times :D:eek: I was having a real crisis of confidence and looking at everyone else on their lovely horses trotting around sedately, looking nice and relaxed and 100x better than us. It was hard to convince myself, but I told myself to stop looking at everyone else and comparing us to them. We're on a totally different set of train tracks and just to be out and about doing our thing is achievement enough! Yes, they are lovely horses and riders but my horse is just as lovely, just a little out of practise away from home...

Into the first test, a prelim. Trotting around the arena I feel ill, but then smile at the judge who smiles back before she rings the bell. Round once more, then enter at A. Chilli knows her job and has an opinion on how she should go about it! Hence the ridiculous big trot that I had NO control over down the centre line! In the past this would have unnerved me and had me thinking "oh God this is horrendous" which it obviously was; but yesterday I just started laughing and realised that I didn't really care what anyone thought of me, I was just happy to be doing it. She continued in this ridiculous manner throughout the test and at my last salute I just grinned and laughed with the judge who shrugged at me as I shrugged back. Almost to say "What can ya do?". :D

Some very fair judge's comments!
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Got off her for a few minutes and went back to the box for a drink and some hay for her. Then back on to warm up for the second test. This one was so much more relaxed but still carried some tension and didn't show the quality of work that she gives at home at all. A real shame that I wasn't able to put the connection and uphill power we've been working on at home in but really I was just trying to nurse her round. Idiot jockey forgot to walk for a marker and so lost marks on that, oops! But by my last salute I was, again, smiling from ear to ear and just so happy to have gotten through both tests.

Some more fair and encouraging comments!
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And now some photos from throughout the day.

Butter wouldn't melt:
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Happy:
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Being a little erm... Strong!! In the trot work:
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Much happier to canter, think she would have cantered the whole test if she could have!:
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You can see a lot of the tension here:
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Glamour shot of her Christmas saddle which I am eternally thankful for and don't take for granted for a second!:
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And one last photo, at a good point in a test! Where she started to show a tiny fraction of what she can give...:
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If you made it this far, tea and biscuits ;):eek:
 

timbobs

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She really is so beautiful!

Sounds like there were some big positives from the day with the travelling and standing calmly by the box. She obviously used up all her calm before you got on!

Obviously lots to work on, but sounds like a useful outing :)

Oh, and I absolutely LOVE your saddle!
 

j1ffy

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Ah bless her, clearly she was happy to be out!! She still looks stunning and I'm sure she'll settle and be more rideable with more outings :D
 

DabDab

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Actually sounds like a really positive outing - judges obviously approved of her way of going and could see she was just a little too full of the joys to give the most polished example of a test on the day. She looks absolutely super in the pics - even the one where she's tense looks a massive improvement on the pics you were posting 9 or so months ago so you should be really proud :D

My big idiot always hesitates at the bottom of the ramp, just to give a quick visual inspection that the transport is up to the required standard you understand! Was trying my three donkeys on my new box this weekend and by far the best is my midget mare who waltzed up as if she was a seasoned competition horse (she's travelled 4 times in her life) - oh if only they were all like her
 

Embo

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Well done for getting out, the judges clearly liked her regardless of her antics! It can only get better! Loads of positives to take away, even if it wasn't perfect in your head.

Mine can be a prat to tack up when you take him off the box/trailer, so new tactic is to leave him on, tack up on board & only take him off when you're ready to get on. It works! We went to SJ hire on Sat, not been out since last outing at beginning of Nov. I took him already tacked up, even jump boots under travel boots. Worked a treat. No time to get stressed off the box.

Looking at your saddle, is it quite a flat seat? I'm looking for a new DR, I definitely want one with a flatter seat but most seem to be really deep with a massive block which really doesn't suit me!

Sorry for derailing :) super well done on your outing!
 

rosiesowner

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She really is so beautiful!

Sounds like there were some big positives from the day with the travelling and standing calmly by the box. She obviously used up all her calm before you got on!

Obviously lots to work on, but sounds like a useful outing :)

Oh, and I absolutely LOVE your saddle!

Thank you! She was amazing in that respect, so I was really pleased with that!

Ah bless her, clearly she was happy to be out!! She still looks stunning and I'm sure she'll settle and be more rideable with more outings :D

Hahaha, at least she has her good looks!! I hope so too...


Well it is the time of year for sillies apparently ;), well done and lots of positives to take!
Clearly! Why just be sensible when you're a 17yo horse with a life of competing under their belt...

Actually sounds like a really positive outing - judges obviously approved of her way of going and could see she was just a little too full of the joys to give the most polished example of a test on the day. She looks absolutely super in the pics - even the one where she's tense looks a massive improvement on the pics you were posting 9 or so months ago so you should be really proud :D

My big idiot always hesitates at the bottom of the ramp, just to give a quick visual inspection that the transport is up to the required standard you understand! Was trying my three donkeys on my new box this weekend and by far the best is my midget mare who waltzed up as if she was a seasoned competition horse (she's travelled 4 times in her life) - oh if only they were all like her

The judge's comments left me feeling really happy to be honest, she could so easily have been mean about the two tests... Chilli's improvement and change has been mad. We're finally a team...

Well done for getting out, the judges clearly liked her regardless of her antics! It can only get better! Loads of positives to take away, even if it wasn't perfect in your head.

Mine can be a prat to tack up when you take him off the box/trailer, so new tactic is to leave him on, tack up on board & only take him off when you're ready to get on. It works! We went to SJ hire on Sat, not been out since last outing at beginning of Nov. I took him already tacked up, even jump boots under travel boots. Worked a treat. No time to get stressed off the box.

Looking at your saddle, is it quite a flat seat? I'm looking for a new DR, I definitely want one with a flatter seat but most seem to be really deep with a massive block which really doesn't suit me!

Sorry for derailing :) super well done on your outing!
Thank you! I find that whether my test goes well or not, she usually gets a comment on her good looks. She is gorgeous I suppose... I am afraid to say that my saddle has a lovely deep seat! It has big knee blocks too though you can take them out. It's a junior saddle for young teens and for once I'm thankful for my flat bum as I can fit in it as it comes no longer than 17"!!
 
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