Mickeymoo
Well-Known Member
Time was 2.32pm, so went to the yard to put the boys out early as I wasn't leaving till 12 and Mick would be wild by then if I left him in the stable and put Shiney out, and Shiney had to go out as he is 22 and needs to roam.. So then went home to eat and build up my supply of carbs as I wouldn't be eating around lunchtime.
So, got to Eland and got my number. Tacked up in good time and left myself half an hour to get over to the warm up and warm up.. Checked in and found out they were running late due to a lot of fallers. I had asked for a late time as husband is still post op and couldn't hang around for long - so in the warm up with me was the next class which was pairs - so twice as many horses in there... mmm.. Anyway,. John told me to just walk Mick round as he doesn't like waiting so best to keep him moving. The warm up arena was a nightmare, everyone was bombing about even though they were going nowhere.. which really switched Mick on. He was foamed up in walk and started to nap towards the gate as after nearly an hour of waiting - he was well fed up poor lad. He had gone from the 'wanting to run' stage to the 'I just want to go home stage'.
Anyway, finally got going.. Jumped no1 brill, I asked him to take off for no2 and he put half a stride in and threw himself over it - which I wasn't happy about. Then that un-nerved me and I'm going towards no3 which was pallasaide to ditch (although you couldn't see the ditch - that word just does it for me) so hey ho we refuse.. I turned round and pony club kicked all the way back up to it and he flew. jumped no4, then onto no5 - the island. I rode to it, Mick looked down and jumped on it then popped off the other side.
I rode strongly round the rest of the course and powered home up the hill. Came in 30 seconds over time, but guess what - the fence judge at the island gave me a stop.. Not happy, but with my stop at no3 I wouldn't have been in the ribbons anyway. Then we were chatting on the way home, and decided that if I had stopped I would have been more than 30 seconds over the time as Mick isn't a speed king and after the stop at no3 i just rode round at a good pace. but hey ho.
Anyway.. The upshot of it all is.. we decided, everything was wrong, the warm up situation - (I should have bought him out for half an hour), and my mindset - I get too complacent when I think he is going to jump and leave him to it - then he stops. The good results I have had is when I ride every fence... So why am I such a numpty every now and again.. But its all a learning curve, and we are having a ball really doing it.
Mick was a star all day yet again, and we are really pleased with him - he just tries so hard every time out. - oh and I'm in this months Equestrian Life for this area from coming 2nd in the ODE - so can't be all bad.
Was good to meet Pidgeon and Deefa, your horseys are lovely. And thanks to our friends Dave and Tracey - Dave washed Mick down when we got to the trailer. Am quite getting into having a groom...
So, got to Eland and got my number. Tacked up in good time and left myself half an hour to get over to the warm up and warm up.. Checked in and found out they were running late due to a lot of fallers. I had asked for a late time as husband is still post op and couldn't hang around for long - so in the warm up with me was the next class which was pairs - so twice as many horses in there... mmm.. Anyway,. John told me to just walk Mick round as he doesn't like waiting so best to keep him moving. The warm up arena was a nightmare, everyone was bombing about even though they were going nowhere.. which really switched Mick on. He was foamed up in walk and started to nap towards the gate as after nearly an hour of waiting - he was well fed up poor lad. He had gone from the 'wanting to run' stage to the 'I just want to go home stage'.
Anyway, finally got going.. Jumped no1 brill, I asked him to take off for no2 and he put half a stride in and threw himself over it - which I wasn't happy about. Then that un-nerved me and I'm going towards no3 which was pallasaide to ditch (although you couldn't see the ditch - that word just does it for me) so hey ho we refuse.. I turned round and pony club kicked all the way back up to it and he flew. jumped no4, then onto no5 - the island. I rode to it, Mick looked down and jumped on it then popped off the other side.
I rode strongly round the rest of the course and powered home up the hill. Came in 30 seconds over time, but guess what - the fence judge at the island gave me a stop.. Not happy, but with my stop at no3 I wouldn't have been in the ribbons anyway. Then we were chatting on the way home, and decided that if I had stopped I would have been more than 30 seconds over the time as Mick isn't a speed king and after the stop at no3 i just rode round at a good pace. but hey ho.
Anyway.. The upshot of it all is.. we decided, everything was wrong, the warm up situation - (I should have bought him out for half an hour), and my mindset - I get too complacent when I think he is going to jump and leave him to it - then he stops. The good results I have had is when I ride every fence... So why am I such a numpty every now and again.. But its all a learning curve, and we are having a ball really doing it.
Mick was a star all day yet again, and we are really pleased with him - he just tries so hard every time out. - oh and I'm in this months Equestrian Life for this area from coming 2nd in the ODE - so can't be all bad.
Was good to meet Pidgeon and Deefa, your horseys are lovely. And thanks to our friends Dave and Tracey - Dave washed Mick down when we got to the trailer. Am quite getting into having a groom...
