Ely EHOA Report (for Thistle mainly!)

N

Nickymac

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 August 2005
Messages
840
Location
Lincolnshire
Visit site
HumungaHorse and I packed our truck and made our way to Little Downham in time for the lunchtime session with Nick Turner (on planning, qualifications, rules, care of the horse etc - v interesting if only for picking his brains as to how often he runs his horses, gets them fit etc). Then we were in the last group of the day, all intermediate (or thereabouts) horses (Steve GG being one of them - where's your report then?!) HH has been really annoying at home, grumpy as hell etc, and turned into Mr Angelic, keeping up with those twice his age. We did a grid on angles, figure of eight over parts of that grid, curving lines, then finished doing arrowhead, water tray, corner, all on a curving line, and reversed all that. Nothing was too big but it found us all out where our training (and riding) was lacking (enough said!)

After a lively evening chez Ure (who own Little Downham), and a rough night in my lorry (where my jimjams, 2 sleeping bags, a thermatex and a witney blanket couldn't keep me warm) the thought of Nigel Taylor at 0830hrs didn't do much for me.
frown.gif
However, having been Nigel a few times I knew his caring, sympathetic side was unlikely to come out, so I got on with it. I was in a more advanced group to make up the numbers so when Nigel said "so these have all done intermediate....." and I said "errr no, but he has done one novice", I knew the bar would be set quite high. Bless him, HH rose to the challenge, poo-pooed any attempts of mine to thwart his naturally bold and gutsy attitude, and was just fab. He did the intermediate fence into the water like he'd been doing it all his (five and three quarters years of) life, and bucked and bounced and generally had a great time.
grin.gif


When we'd finished I stayed and watched the the next couple of groups, one of which Holly_Jane was in. I'll let her report on her session, but she did a bloomin good job.
smile.gif
 
Sounds as though Nigel and Nick were on good form as always.

I love your description of Nigels kind and caring nature, not sure I would want to see him that early in the morning either.

We tried to come to Ely schooling on the Sat , but we couldn't so went to Keysoe instead.

Next year Annabel must make it in half term again.

Your baby elephant had obviously been polishing his halo, bles him.

What events is he doing?
 
Aww thanks Nicky - He certainly did try me at first!

Ross is gorgeous and extremely talented, was lovely to meet him and you of course. And he was super into the water, very bold and unflappable bless him and definitely gave the older horses a run for their money!!
tongue.gif
smile.gif
 
Sounds like your precocious child had a brilliant time. Well done.
I think I might have cried if I had been put in a group like that.

Fiona
 
Clever fabby big over grown pony Ross
grin.gif


Glad you had a great time, shame it was so cold
crazy.gif
in the lorry!

All set now for the season??

Im sure Mr R is smiling now
smile.gif
 
My baby elephant was more like a Great Dane puppy, Thistle, just loving what he was doing. He's doing Oasby novice, then Great Witchingham, Belton, can't remember where after that, with the grand plan of doing Aston-le-Walls intermediate in August, all things being equal. Nigel did say he was sure he'd go round the April A-le-W intermediate but there's no reason to rush him when he's still so young, and I'd like to think I've got him long-term so don't want to put too much mileage on him.

BBs, he certainly is smiling now and no doubt told Hector he was catching him up!
tongue.gif
 
OK Nickym you have shamed me into writing something - I have been rather busy at work. It's strange how the work piles up when you have a day out of the office.
I have to say I was a little nervous when I saw what group I was in - although Bina has done a few intermediates I was by far the least experienced rider.
It was quite interesting to hear other peoples views in the lunchtime session. I hate deciding which studs to use so it was good to hear others views. My YO always said not to use pointed studs in front, whereas I always do so like Nick I value the horse before my body - after all its going to hurt if you get studded anyway.
Bina was rather wild in the first session - with her you are never quite sure what you are going to get but she was def in a party mood. This made some of the curving lines rather awkward as she didn't really want to listen to the numpty on top.
Left the evening before it was too late due to the early start the next day - after Nigel had put white wine in Holly's apple juice but before he poured wine on Tina's foot !
On to the second day and I'm not sure if I was shaking due to nerves or just the fact that it was bl**dy cold. As NickyM said the bar was set quite high - I'm used to being able to warm up over a few smaller jumps esp as Bina can be a little feisty to begin with. No chance with Nigel as he set out the first course of 7 jumps that he wanted us to do. Bina did gradually settle with the only "oh my god" moment coming at the sunked road. Going in the first direction my OH told me that Nigel had commented that I was going in rather underpowered - I knew what I needed and got the 3 strides in at the bottom. Comming back she took on the log before the drop and as a result we only got 2 strides in.
I was also rather pleased at the intermediate water - when I first got Bina she wouldn't walk in a puddle, she was great but I just need to learn to trust her.
I didn't stay afterwards so missed H_J XC so will need to wait for the report.
Left with lots to think about (esp how do I avoid being in the same section as HH and Nickym).
 
Me Me Me! I was there too!!

I was in H_J's group with the big horse with the white face and in a smaller group with a very cheeky TB.

The big horse was brill both days, if a little fresh. We got to jump the intermediate water etc. that we had watched Nicky jump earlier (with some style!). Think we jumped everything they did, but it was nice to have watched first and see how it was to be done.

The TB absolutely spat his dummy out and refused to go anywhere near the little ditch in the middle of the mini-coffin (I'd told Nigel that it had never been on a XC course before but was doing Oasby in a fortnight). After 15mins major stropping with no success I decided to move on (the group were two fields away by this point). He then proceeded to jump the biggest route through the sunken road, the Nov route through the water and caught the group up at the PN coffin where .... he jumped straight through first time. Obviously not a problem with ditches, just a problem with that particular ditch.

Nigel conceded that though he'd originally thought 'no chance' of the horse going XC he'd changed his mind after seeing him jump a load of Novice fences first time out and that he was actually quite classy IF I can get his head right.

I suspect we'll find that out at Oasby next week.

Nice to meet everyone and their Famous horses!
 
I've entered Isleham, Poplar & Gt Witch all Novice.
If these go ok the plan is then to move up to intermediate.
I want to get going quite early this year & possibly give Bina a break at some point mid-season.
 
See you at Gt Witchingham then Thistle, and I'll be at Oasby Friday with HH and Lucca (OH's hunter), but planning to go Sunday too, so give me a shout anyone who's stuck for help.

Gamebird, I'm glad Andy got over his ditch phobia and I'm sure he'll be fine at Oasby. I'll look forward to your report!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top