alexomahony
Well-Known Member
Last year my friend entered this with her old eventer, and I went along as groom and was so impressed by the course I made a note to enter the next year.
Sky has been pretty sticky on recent outings and being a bit naughty and nappy out SJ'ing so I thought he'd enjoy a change and he LOVES jumping on grass so I decided this would be a great change for him, even though he can worry about new things.
Saturday morning came round and I had a nice time of 13:39, so a nice 10:30am set off would get us there with plenty time to find a toilet, register, get something to eat and walk the course. Sky is always happy to chill on the trailer so of me and mum went. We set off a bit earlier due to the weather (about 10:10am) and the drive wasn't too bad considering the weather, it was POURING down, but luckily there wasn't too much standing water on the roads and it was a steady and easy journey.
We arrived about 11:50, checked Sky and headed off to the tents. Hat tagged, horse registered, sandwich eaten and toilets toileted we headed back to the trailer to get ready - I wanted Sky to be ready and walking around with Mum in hand whilst I walked the course so he could have a good look around. He can often be quite a handful at shows, but he stood quietly in the trailer to be tacked up and didn't squash me or our snazzy new saddle (thank god!)
Had a slight blip in calmness when Mum showed up holding her huge brolly and Sky flipped out breaking the pin in the bum bar and nearly jumping the breach bar!! Took a few moments to calm down but we got him off and after a walk around he started to calm down a bit. Sky when fresh can sometimes be a bit cold backed, so I'm glad I stuck to my plan of him being walked in hand for a while before I got on - the ground was wet and I did not want to come flying back off again within the first stride of walk!!
Walking the course I began to worry a little as some of the fences were quite concerning and spooky - and some going away from the warm up arena where I thought 'I won't get him anywhere near that!!' Anyway, negative thoughts pushed out my head, I went to warm up and he was FAB, light in the hand, forward, sharp off the leg and listening. Jumped the fences super and a few people hadn't turned up so I could go in early. Fine with me - there was a gap in the rain
Headed in and he had a little spook at the photographer and I made a point to go near the first XC fence. Headed to fence one, perfect, two - a spread with a little brush under it, no problem - the whole SJ course caused no issues at all... I went a bit steady as I didn't have studs in. On to fence one in the XC, he was up to the bridle and feeling bold, I gave him a little tap behind the saddle just to remind him to stay that way - sailed it, into the woods which we trotted through, to XC fence 2, a barrel with flowers along the bottom, he had a look but I clicked and he went, then a sharp right angle to a full up brush fence back into the woods, which was dark... he wanted an extra look and got too close, so he got a pat and we came round again, sailed it, and then jumped back out great over a matching fence, swooping curved round to fence 4 - jumping away from the warm up and the fence was a house with a white roof and flowers along the bottom (the first I thought he wouldn't go near!) I gave him another little tap behind the saddle just to keep him up to the bridle and HE FLEW IT! AMAZING! I was BUZZING! Round to 5, a hanging log back into the wood which caused no issue and out over a wide and solid arrowhead, which he flew as well! I was SO happy we got round I forgot to steady up in time for the vertical joker fence and we had it down (gutted!) but that didn't concern me at all, I was so pleased we had a non sticky XC round <3 And I didn't even have to work all the hard, he was enjoying himself and I was having a ball! Which is what it's all about. To top it off we got a lovely frilly for 9th which is fantastic!!!!!
Thanks for reading - sorry about the essay! Got carried away
Sky has been pretty sticky on recent outings and being a bit naughty and nappy out SJ'ing so I thought he'd enjoy a change and he LOVES jumping on grass so I decided this would be a great change for him, even though he can worry about new things.
Saturday morning came round and I had a nice time of 13:39, so a nice 10:30am set off would get us there with plenty time to find a toilet, register, get something to eat and walk the course. Sky is always happy to chill on the trailer so of me and mum went. We set off a bit earlier due to the weather (about 10:10am) and the drive wasn't too bad considering the weather, it was POURING down, but luckily there wasn't too much standing water on the roads and it was a steady and easy journey.
We arrived about 11:50, checked Sky and headed off to the tents. Hat tagged, horse registered, sandwich eaten and toilets toileted we headed back to the trailer to get ready - I wanted Sky to be ready and walking around with Mum in hand whilst I walked the course so he could have a good look around. He can often be quite a handful at shows, but he stood quietly in the trailer to be tacked up and didn't squash me or our snazzy new saddle (thank god!)
Had a slight blip in calmness when Mum showed up holding her huge brolly and Sky flipped out breaking the pin in the bum bar and nearly jumping the breach bar!! Took a few moments to calm down but we got him off and after a walk around he started to calm down a bit. Sky when fresh can sometimes be a bit cold backed, so I'm glad I stuck to my plan of him being walked in hand for a while before I got on - the ground was wet and I did not want to come flying back off again within the first stride of walk!!
Walking the course I began to worry a little as some of the fences were quite concerning and spooky - and some going away from the warm up arena where I thought 'I won't get him anywhere near that!!' Anyway, negative thoughts pushed out my head, I went to warm up and he was FAB, light in the hand, forward, sharp off the leg and listening. Jumped the fences super and a few people hadn't turned up so I could go in early. Fine with me - there was a gap in the rain
Headed in and he had a little spook at the photographer and I made a point to go near the first XC fence. Headed to fence one, perfect, two - a spread with a little brush under it, no problem - the whole SJ course caused no issues at all... I went a bit steady as I didn't have studs in. On to fence one in the XC, he was up to the bridle and feeling bold, I gave him a little tap behind the saddle just to remind him to stay that way - sailed it, into the woods which we trotted through, to XC fence 2, a barrel with flowers along the bottom, he had a look but I clicked and he went, then a sharp right angle to a full up brush fence back into the woods, which was dark... he wanted an extra look and got too close, so he got a pat and we came round again, sailed it, and then jumped back out great over a matching fence, swooping curved round to fence 4 - jumping away from the warm up and the fence was a house with a white roof and flowers along the bottom (the first I thought he wouldn't go near!) I gave him another little tap behind the saddle just to keep him up to the bridle and HE FLEW IT! AMAZING! I was BUZZING! Round to 5, a hanging log back into the wood which caused no issue and out over a wide and solid arrowhead, which he flew as well! I was SO happy we got round I forgot to steady up in time for the vertical joker fence and we had it down (gutted!) but that didn't concern me at all, I was so pleased we had a non sticky XC round <3 And I didn't even have to work all the hard, he was enjoying himself and I was having a ball! Which is what it's all about. To top it off we got a lovely frilly for 9th which is fantastic!!!!!
Thanks for reading - sorry about the essay! Got carried away