Eventfull Eland, the highs and lows of eventing I guess.

_Rach_

_Rach_

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 January 2009
Messages
2,202
Location
Near belvoir castle
www.rhpeventing.weebly.com
I fully believe that I should share the good days and the bad days with you all, because at the end of the day that’s eventing. Eland was one of those, fab, perfect, bad days, and below is what happened.
We weren’t on too early in our section which meant no early start and a bit of a lie in. When we got to the yard Twizzy knew we were going somewhere, she wouldn’t stand still while I put her tail bandage on, she almost did a poo on my head while I was doing her back studs.... nightmare. However once we got to Eland, she was very relaxed and very happy snoozing in the sun while we got her ready for dressage. She warmed up lovely. She was soft and supple and she was paying full attention to me, which is a nice surprise and change as she is normally looking over the hedge....

I felt I could bend her in any direction I wanted her to go, and make her go long and low, or up and collected, I just hoped she would do the same sort of work once we were in the arena. I had a walk over to where we were to do our test, and made a point of standing her in front of the car and giving her a pat and telling her that she is a good girl, after her fright at Belton, I didn’t want another leaping session as we went down the centre line. Twizzy was a little star, she did the most wonderful test, and she gave us our best score since July 2010, and posted a 32 I was mega chuffed and im still smiling as im sure there is things I can work on to maybe even break into those 20’s scores.

dressage.jpg


Next up was the showjumping. Twizzy was on fire, she jumped amazingly well for me, and about jumped me off more than once, she jumped a fab CLEAR and we headed off on the cross country on our dressage score. I couldn’t help thinking that maybe today would be the day we got our first point.......after all she loves cross country.


Im sure your all thinking, well were did it go wrong, im getting there don’t worry. Twizzy set out of the start box on a mission, and I was on a mission of my own, to get as close to that time as I could, I was not going to be taking any pulls if I didn’t need to and I was going to attack every single fence. She was going so well, she jumped the massive wall at 4 very LARGE and about jumped me off, I kicked on to the corner on buckle end and she flew it ( Love my pony ) we then popped over the two skinnys from a bit of a rubbish stride but then kicked on up the hill, the next few fences of, log, cabin, stile, gate, bird house she jumped fab, followed by the owl hole.

owlhole.jpg


She flew over the trackaners, first one on the angle and over the second one, then over the skinny triple brush. We galloped on up the hill over the log and off the edge of the world drop, which looked MASSIVE, but she flew down and over the hedge. I got all my knitting back together and we went towards the water, there was nothing in my head to worry me that she wasn’t going to go, but sadly it went wrong here.

Twizzy was going, front legs down the step, and then tried to change her mind and pull her front legs back, but her back end was still coming and pushed her in, she slipped down the step. ( and those of you that have been, know that step is not small!!!) She almost had her shoulders and head in the water and spat me out the front door, The only thing I can remember is sitting there and seeing her trot off. A lovely chap caught her as my Mum came running down the hill to Twizzy.

We had the vet check her over who said they are just cuts and she will be fine, but it’s a good job I had such good leg protection on, or this outcome to this event might have been a lot different!! She has cuts all down her stifle and behind her knees. Iv thought about this a lot and would I have done anything differently, but the answer is no, If I rode round again I would have still gone direct as she was going so well, but if I go to Eland again, I will be going long at the water, not for Twizzy but for me, as I know I won’t be 100% committed to that fence.

twizzy.jpg


Iv trotted her up this morning, and she is sound, Im a lot stiffer than she is, but I would rather it me this way than the other. Have a crash and burn on the XC had made me realise how much I love Twizzy and that she means the world and more to me. I just hope that I haven’t messed it up for the rest of the season, and that we will be able to have another go at novice without getting to worried.
Im also very grateful to the Belvoir Pony Club Mums that came over to make sure I was ok, and ran round to find me some dry clothes. I have learnt to take spare clothes with me in future......

Thanks for reading.

cuddles.jpg
 
:(

I'm glad you are both okay! Well done for thinking so positively, it can be really hard to do when you take a knock.

She sounds like she really tries for you, which means she trusts you. I am sure that it will only make you stronger as a pair!

I think you should soak in the bath for most of today :)
 
that's such a shame. it all sounded like it was going so well! really glad the cuts are just superficial and she will heal ok. I always take spare clothes with me eventing or hunting or even XC schooling. I have had a dunking before and had to drive home in wet knickers - not fun! When's your next event? Got time to go water schooling beforehand?
 
What a fantastic partnership you both have together.

But like you say 'Thats eventing for you', you have good days and bad days but i am sure she will be fine and her confedence wont have been knocked. I am a massive believer in 'Things happen for a reason' and you never know she may have jumped it fine but might have slipped or tripped or hit the next fence hard and you might not have both come out of it ok.

Try not to be disappointed theres always another day :-)
 
You write an excellent report - and you are right - it is important to talk about the highs and lows.
You have a lovely mare and you obviously have a fantastic relationship with her. I hope that you are feeling a bit better soon and are both out and about again.
 
That is so tough. You will have learned a lot tho'. It sounds like lots of places and points are just around the corner for you.

I really enjoy reading your reports and well done for giving us the bad as well as the good!

Maybe do some water schooling before your next event, just for confidence for you both?

Good luck :)
 
Well thank god you're both OK and live to fight another day! Obviously not quite the end you had planned after such a fab start with dressage and SJ ;) but don't worry it sounds like there will be plenty more. I'm sure you will do whatever you need to do to get you both back on track and feeling happy and confident again. There's no rush so take it at your own time.

Great report, otherwise! Love the XC description, up to the water!

Hope you aren't feel too sore today, nor Twizzy.
 
I'm so sorry to hear that your day didn't end as well as it had started. You and Twizzy are such a fabulous partnership that I have no doubt you will be back at Novice confidently in no time. It is so rotten having a scare like that but get a couple of 100s under your belt and you will be back on top form in no time at all and earning yourself some shiney points! :)
 
Sorry to hear you had a whoops! Very pleased about the rest of your round! Great dressage score and brilliant SJ! There are so many highs and lows in this sport! I suppose that is what keeps us addicted, but when the highs do come they are so very worth it!
 
Glad you're both OK.

It's so rare that all three disciplines go right on the same day!

Thanks for sharing though... eventing really is full of highs and lows. How would we appreciate the highs though if we didn't have oh so many lows?!

Well done for the dressage and SJ, as well as the rest of the XC :)
 
Thank you for sharing.
You are both fine & in one piece that is the main thing. The point will come...you obviously have a great bond & this will overcome any wobbles.
 
thankyou everyone for all your kind words, I have got her entered for the BE100 at Keysoe which is on the 5th May, we will see how that goes and then look to go to Little downham for the 100 or the novice, she has done the novice there back in October, so I know she can do it. I think we have got in at chatsworth, but im not sure weather we should go there or not at the moment, I think after we have been xc chooling we will have a better view. we will try and get her out XC schooling somewhere, even if we just have a play down some little steps in and out.
 
You've got a BE100 run before Chatsworth, so you'll be fine I am sure :) You've given her such a good education at BE100, and she jumped round Belton like a pro, so you'll be absolutely fine after a confidence building run and maybe some water schooling?

Hope you're not too sore today :) x
 
gah, horses are always such levellers :rolleyes:
I had a similar experience at water and unbeknown to me, not only had I been shot head first into the water, my horse had put his hoof through the seat of my breeches :eek: So whilst I tended him with the vet, I had my pants on display :D Always have a change of clothes!
I think for both your confidence a splash in the water xc schooling would be a good idea, hope you aren't too stiff
 
How awful for you but glad you are both ok!

Sounds like a very positive day other than that one stroke of bad luck and as you say, you wouldn't have done anything differently so it really just was unluckly!

Focus on all the positives and I'm sure you'll be back to your best soon!
 
oh that's so typical of eventing, that when you get 2 ducks in a row the third (usually good one!) one goes awry.
hope you're not too sore and that she's okay.
was this the big drop into the water? because when i did the Novice there on Katy I was told I was the only one all day to do it... in fact nobody wasted much time going the longer route that day (yesterday's may have been different though). It is a seriously big drop, much more like an Int one tbh.
hopefully 1 good schooling session and a fun BE100 run will stick the wheels back on, meanwhile I'd try to get her in every puddle you can, mares can be a bit weirder than geldings about water if they've had a bit of a whoopsy. hope she's fine.
 
thanks Kat, hopefully we will be fine, and dressage saddle seems to be a hit with the judges and me riding a lot better :)

Thanks K, I have come of worse I think,im very stiff all down my left side and im going to be a lovely shade of purple once the bruises have come through, just swollen blobs at the moment. It was the big drop in, where you run down the hill. She is normall so brave into water and flies in, but I think after the step before hand she just had second thoughts. long route was almost the BE100 route backward, with a brush fence before the dubarry boot after the water. I dont think it would have been any slower, but because she is normally so fab in the water I would have gone direct anyway.
We will have a bit of fun over the next month and get both of us back on track.
 
Oh, a water story....! I've got one of those, too..

Reading your post I just keep thinking what a lucky lovely horse she is to have such a considerate and loving owner. Simply bad luck and these things can happen, so very, very well done on the dressage, sj and xc to that point.
 
Firstly, lets look at the positives so congratulations on the brilliant dressage and SJ!
Shame about the XC but you both came out of it (relatively!) unharmed and thats the main thing.
Wishing you both the best of luck for the rest of the season :)
 
Really well done on your dressage and sj :D just one of those things on the xc, you've got to shrug it off as one of those days when luck just isn't with you.

Glad you are both ok - sure you will have a confidence giving run at Keysoe :)
 
You know as a SJer turned eventer it just never occured to me before I started just HOW HARD it is to get all 3 bits right on the same day!!

Well done on everything till the slip up. Hope back in top form soon
 
Sorry to hear you had a spill, water falls are horrible! But brilliant dressage score and a clear SJ is no mean feat! Hope she heals quickly are you're not too sore.
 
Ouch you poor things what bad luck. Hope that's all you bad luck used up for the season and you have some great runs over the summer
 
OUCH! Glad to hear you are both OK (apart from some bruising). What a shame after your fabulous DR & SJ but I guess thats eventing. :cool:

Lovely report and the XC sounded super till the blip.I hope the schooling and BE100 run go well and you both back out and flying in the near future.
 
you would think that the one consolation to falling off in water and having wet knickers would be a soft landing...poor you :( Glad to hear that Twizzy has only superficial cuts and scrapes too... i agree with the others though- sure that it won't have affacted her confidence too badly- that drop is enormous and coming after the enormous other drop is quite a big ask...there is no way in god's earth that my horse would entertain it! sure a run at BE100 will get your confidence back up :D
 
Thankyou everyone. She does seem fine, im going to take her for a little wonder tonight after work to see how she is. We are going to take her XC water schooling next week to see what she thinks, just smaller steps than the one at Eland, and then have a fun run round keysoe.

This is my SJ video, if you can turn your head side ways......:/ if anybody knows how I can turn it round that would be great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG2ygcbgziI&feature=channel&list=UL

and here is fence 4. We are the tiny little white blob that you can just see. Not bad considering its an I phone and not a niffty camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGM0Obkf5OI
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top