SirDuke
Active Member
So I wasn't sure whether to run or not as he had a rub on the inside of his shoulder (coat change = super sensitive horsey!) but we decided to take him and play it by ear and if he felt uncomfortable we would retire, so armed with a big tub of Vaseline, several sheepskin girth sleeves and hope we set off at 5am for our first ever event.
We arrived slightly later than I had hoped and it was a bit of a mad rush to get on, so our warm up was shorter than I think we needed for the dressage. Sid was very good but green and the atmosphere was a bit much for him - he couldn't decide what to spook at first! We also didn't have stud holes hence a slip in the dressage and a very tense horse and rider meant 46 penalties from dressage, which is a shame as he is capable of such a lovely test.
However, we swapped saddles, vaselined up yet again and went into the warm up for show jumping (where I was lucky not to get eliminated as I accidentally jumped the warm up jump the wrong way - I didn't realise it was a one way system!!) He spooked at the sponsor banners around the arena but as soon as we headed towards the fences he focused and felt amazing, making the course feel tiny! We had one pole and that was my fault as he landed on the wrong leg but I didn't change in time and he was unbalanced and disunited into the first part of a double, hence he tapped it.
We headed over to cross country and I was feeling quite nervous. However, Sid stormed over the warm up jumps and when our number was called we headed up to the start. Unfortunately, the start box was facing away from the warm up field but close enough that Sid could see all his new friends and the start headed towards a trailer, commentators and quad bikes. When we were counted down Sid left the start box and slammed the brakes on a few paces later. We then spent a very frustrating 45 seconds reversing, going sideways, anywhere but the right way! I was mortified! But once he graciously decided to stop being melodramatic we were off and he felt incredible! He flew the first two jumps and then we had a nice gallop down the track. He was a bit confused about all the people around and the fence judges, and he flinched every time he heard a whistle go off, but he soon settled and took me home clear despite corner jumps, ditches and scary rustling flowers and we only had 20 time penalties (which I think probably equates to the time spent napping at the start) so I was so incredibly pleased with him.
Finished the day smiling and so excited to come back and do some more next season!
Thanks to all who gave me advice beforehand and all of the lovely stewards, judges, volunteers etc who answered my (probably very stupid) questions. And to anyone thinking of giving it a go - DO IT
We arrived slightly later than I had hoped and it was a bit of a mad rush to get on, so our warm up was shorter than I think we needed for the dressage. Sid was very good but green and the atmosphere was a bit much for him - he couldn't decide what to spook at first! We also didn't have stud holes hence a slip in the dressage and a very tense horse and rider meant 46 penalties from dressage, which is a shame as he is capable of such a lovely test.
However, we swapped saddles, vaselined up yet again and went into the warm up for show jumping (where I was lucky not to get eliminated as I accidentally jumped the warm up jump the wrong way - I didn't realise it was a one way system!!) He spooked at the sponsor banners around the arena but as soon as we headed towards the fences he focused and felt amazing, making the course feel tiny! We had one pole and that was my fault as he landed on the wrong leg but I didn't change in time and he was unbalanced and disunited into the first part of a double, hence he tapped it.
We headed over to cross country and I was feeling quite nervous. However, Sid stormed over the warm up jumps and when our number was called we headed up to the start. Unfortunately, the start box was facing away from the warm up field but close enough that Sid could see all his new friends and the start headed towards a trailer, commentators and quad bikes. When we were counted down Sid left the start box and slammed the brakes on a few paces later. We then spent a very frustrating 45 seconds reversing, going sideways, anywhere but the right way! I was mortified! But once he graciously decided to stop being melodramatic we were off and he felt incredible! He flew the first two jumps and then we had a nice gallop down the track. He was a bit confused about all the people around and the fence judges, and he flinched every time he heard a whistle go off, but he soon settled and took me home clear despite corner jumps, ditches and scary rustling flowers and we only had 20 time penalties (which I think probably equates to the time spent napping at the start) so I was so incredibly pleased with him.
Finished the day smiling and so excited to come back and do some more next season!
Thanks to all who gave me advice beforehand and all of the lovely stewards, judges, volunteers etc who answered my (probably very stupid) questions. And to anyone thinking of giving it a go - DO IT