Stormy123456
Well-Known Member
So we trundled off to Eland Lodge on Sunday, after an educational first run for Doyle at the 80cm at Solihull last week - tried to get a few events in before Uni exams! 
So on Sunday I set my alarm for 3.45am and we set off at 6! Madness!
I'd walked the course the day before and thought it was tough for an 80cm (or maybe just tough for Doyle), and pondered whether we'd actually make it around at all!
We arrived in time for our 8.30am dressage, tacked up and headed over, where we had a good wander around, Doyle was very calm and kept his lid on. My instructor and I had decided that I should do his warm up first canters out of the saddle, as it loosens him up a bit and we get a better canter afterwards. Considering he was so quiet I was not expecting him to bronc across the warm up and nearly came off! Came back to a very quiet trot and worked really nicely before going in, so I thought I might have a decent dressage in the bag..
Well, we spooked at every board, the judges car, jogged through every single walk, his trot work was so stilted and he felt like a ticking time bomb! I couldn't put my leg on for fear of him exploding.
His canter work was the calmest on the 20m circles, but he totally ruined it by doing full flying changes constantly down both long sides. 
Came out laughing as it really was laughable, I have never ridden a dressage test that was so bad I could barely rise to the trot!
Came out to hear that Ballet had foaled back at Louella Stud, and had had a gorgeous bay colt foal. Very exciting!
Onto the SJ, I was slightly apprehensive about this, as Doyle has only really jumped 1 proper course before and this had some really short related distances and funny turns in it. Needn't have worried as he was really up for it and not so spooky like last time. In fact he was quite adjustable (for him!) and I felt he listened a lot better than before. We just had 1 down as I rode a line completely pants!
Video is here, Not sure what I'm doing in some of it.. I saw some interesting strides.
[youtube]DON-53AA7SI[/youtube]
As for XC, I would have been happy if we made it around. Well he started off very green, and I had to really ride 1 and 2, got a bit onward bound for 3 and then the water at 4 shocked him a bit and he sort of ground to a halt, took my hand of the rein to give him a smack and he ducked out through that rein - V frustrating!
Did it fine 2nd time, and we were fine over the skinny at 5, after which he thought he have a bit of a nap to the horse going the other way, sort of just cantered sideways to the left. Really had to get after him and struggled with straightness to the next few, but through the water and up the big steps at 10, then the sunken road and over the carrot fence (which I thought we wouldn't even get near!).
Brakes started to fail towards the end and he was much more 'on the ball' - seems to enjoy it once he's got going.
Just a fence:
[youtube]rTHm8obgduQ[/youtube]
So finished with just the stop at the water, but it was a lot more forward than Solihull the week before and I felt he came away having learnt from it. Found out I got 40 for my dressage - which I think was blooming generous, as it was just terrible! Was in last place when we left, but a really educational day for Doyle and he makes me so excited for the future! Considering this time last yeah he wasn't broken, I am chuffed with him.
Onto Balletttttt!
She had a gorgeous colt foal by Denouce at 2am on Sunday morning - we've called him 'Squires'.
Sorry for the overload and the size of them!
10 hours old:
So we had a lovely weekend! (Also meant I have got absolutely zero revision done! )
Tea and biscuits if you got this far!
So on Sunday I set my alarm for 3.45am and we set off at 6! Madness!
I'd walked the course the day before and thought it was tough for an 80cm (or maybe just tough for Doyle), and pondered whether we'd actually make it around at all!
We arrived in time for our 8.30am dressage, tacked up and headed over, where we had a good wander around, Doyle was very calm and kept his lid on. My instructor and I had decided that I should do his warm up first canters out of the saddle, as it loosens him up a bit and we get a better canter afterwards. Considering he was so quiet I was not expecting him to bronc across the warm up and nearly came off! Came back to a very quiet trot and worked really nicely before going in, so I thought I might have a decent dressage in the bag..
Well, we spooked at every board, the judges car, jogged through every single walk, his trot work was so stilted and he felt like a ticking time bomb! I couldn't put my leg on for fear of him exploding.
His canter work was the calmest on the 20m circles, but he totally ruined it by doing full flying changes constantly down both long sides. Came out laughing as it really was laughable, I have never ridden a dressage test that was so bad I could barely rise to the trot! 
Came out to hear that Ballet had foaled back at Louella Stud, and had had a gorgeous bay colt foal. Very exciting!
Onto the SJ, I was slightly apprehensive about this, as Doyle has only really jumped 1 proper course before and this had some really short related distances and funny turns in it. Needn't have worried as he was really up for it and not so spooky like last time. In fact he was quite adjustable (for him!) and I felt he listened a lot better than before. We just had 1 down as I rode a line completely pants!
Video is here, Not sure what I'm doing in some of it.. I saw some interesting strides.
[youtube]DON-53AA7SI[/youtube]
As for XC, I would have been happy if we made it around. Well he started off very green, and I had to really ride 1 and 2, got a bit onward bound for 3 and then the water at 4 shocked him a bit and he sort of ground to a halt, took my hand of the rein to give him a smack and he ducked out through that rein - V frustrating!
Did it fine 2nd time, and we were fine over the skinny at 5, after which he thought he have a bit of a nap to the horse going the other way, sort of just cantered sideways to the left. Really had to get after him and struggled with straightness to the next few, but through the water and up the big steps at 10, then the sunken road and over the carrot fence (which I thought we wouldn't even get near!).
Brakes started to fail towards the end and he was much more 'on the ball' - seems to enjoy it once he's got going.
Just a fence:
[youtube]rTHm8obgduQ[/youtube]
So finished with just the stop at the water, but it was a lot more forward than Solihull the week before and I felt he came away having learnt from it. Found out I got 40 for my dressage - which I think was blooming generous, as it was just terrible! Was in last place when we left, but a really educational day for Doyle and he makes me so excited for the future! Considering this time last yeah he wasn't broken, I am chuffed with him.
Onto Balletttttt!
She had a gorgeous colt foal by Denouce at 2am on Sunday morning - we've called him 'Squires'.
Sorry for the overload and the size of them!10 hours old:
So we had a lovely weekend! (Also meant I have got absolutely zero revision done!
)Tea and biscuits if you got this far!
