jester_ben
Well-Known Member
Evening everyone!
I haven't written for a while...so I thought you deserved an update. The pony and I have been out ever since Aston but the results have been quite different. Our dressage has been stable, and I feel like I can rely him to always perform his best out xc with him coming home with four clears out of four events. However, show jumping is our weakest phase (and the phase I get more nervous about) and pulls us down..however, we have had bootcamp the past few weeks and I feel we have finally found improvement in this area. Fingers crossed it continues!
Aside horses, June was a very sad and stressful month for me, which then carried onto the beginning of July. But things are looking up! I have seen a fair few posts recently about people giving up horses, and ultimately it's their decision at the end of the day; for me, I would be lost without them. Yes, our events haven't been the dream score, but Pimms the pony always finds a way to make me smile/laugh. So, I must stress to everyone, even if you feel it's all going wrong, don't worry, it does get better. Think positive, kick on and think "Let's do this".
Keysoe. What a fantastic venue. My first time here and I was very impressed with what work was done for the ground, considering the weather we have been having (I am NOT moaning about the weather, but we did need a splash of rain some days), the fact it was an UA and the amount of entries. Big thumbs up.
I'm going to start by saying he seriously did not look impressed Sunday morning, while the wind and rain picked up outside his stable. Just finished plaiting up, get my phone out to take a photo of him looking pretty and...
https://postimages.org/
Never mind.
Fastforward and we arrived at Keysoe, the M1 (of course!) had traffic and I got lost at least once...cue panic to find numbers and walk/run the cross country course. Decent cross country, with some nice lines of fences, even a combination with a upright log, ditch to a brush on a curve. Straight after was my absolute nemesis, trakehner. Even I was convincing myself that it would all be fine, until I saw the ditch...****. Bare in mind, I was still on foot, but I was still shying away from it. Fences seemed to get nicer after this, the water complex was lovely, and the rest of the elements looked fine to me! Ran back, got dressed, tacked up and away we go.
Warmed up nicely for the stressage, but although generally not a spooky horse, he does tend to over exaggerate sometimes. Grey skies loomed and the wind once again picked up as we entered the arena. Thankfully we was allowed to ride around the arena (which included a massive banner, the judges hut on top of mark C and white boards) and he seemed to settle as we entered A. By this point, the only thing in my head was 'We can do this' and 'Keep smiling!!!' I had quite a bit to smile about as he was a good boy all things considered and produced a sweet test. Always some improvements needed, softer contact/better bend, but it was all positive, including a lovely smile from the judge at the end.
Dun dun dun....show jumping. Boot camp has been going great..yet due to our last outings, you can't help feeling a bit sceptical. He once again warmed up nicely and we was ready to go in. He must have known something, he ramped his canter up as the bell rang; his turn to say "Let's do this!" Cleared the first 3 but unfortunately rubbed 4 which came down (which I feel was very unfair considering how he was doing)..This however wasn't going to deter me this time. Fence 5 he leapt and by fence 6, we found our rhythm. My fault entirely, our line to fence 7 was interesting... but he cleared it as so did he for fence 8a+b and 9 (Which seemed to be a massive lime fence...not exactly the nicest final fence!!). I had to think, I wonder if people think I'm a bit crazy for smiling like I did for finishing with four faults. If only you knew!
Another change for our favourite phase...minus trakehner. Quick warm up due to the class finishing, count down to the start...he seems to get excited about the box now and away we went. I just love cross country with him, the first 8 fences seemed to go like a breeze. The combination at fence 8 felt like he just popped over them. But I knew what was coming, fence 9.. yikes. Please, let's get over this... He hesitated, realised what he was about to do and jumped it (slightly awkwardly but we did it). Even I had my eyes closed over this one. Lots of pats, "Good boy!!" and off to fence 10. Nice open space to fence 11 (picture below).
Water complex jumped nicely, over a decent looking corner, then 14 brush to drop..then back into the trees to fence 15, double of houses and flew the last at 16. I love this picture, just taken after the xc...he looks a bit smugg and I couldn't be happier with him.
He's such a dude, and he did not let me down today. We managed a personal best at 31.25, plus four faults and clear inside the time xc...for 3rd place! You've got to love horses sometimes, fingers crossed we can continue, onwards and up. Cuppa tea and a biscuit for anyone who get's this far
I haven't written for a while...so I thought you deserved an update. The pony and I have been out ever since Aston but the results have been quite different. Our dressage has been stable, and I feel like I can rely him to always perform his best out xc with him coming home with four clears out of four events. However, show jumping is our weakest phase (and the phase I get more nervous about) and pulls us down..however, we have had bootcamp the past few weeks and I feel we have finally found improvement in this area. Fingers crossed it continues!
Aside horses, June was a very sad and stressful month for me, which then carried onto the beginning of July. But things are looking up! I have seen a fair few posts recently about people giving up horses, and ultimately it's their decision at the end of the day; for me, I would be lost without them. Yes, our events haven't been the dream score, but Pimms the pony always finds a way to make me smile/laugh. So, I must stress to everyone, even if you feel it's all going wrong, don't worry, it does get better. Think positive, kick on and think "Let's do this".
Keysoe. What a fantastic venue. My first time here and I was very impressed with what work was done for the ground, considering the weather we have been having (I am NOT moaning about the weather, but we did need a splash of rain some days), the fact it was an UA and the amount of entries. Big thumbs up.
I'm going to start by saying he seriously did not look impressed Sunday morning, while the wind and rain picked up outside his stable. Just finished plaiting up, get my phone out to take a photo of him looking pretty and...
https://postimages.org/Never mind.
Fastforward and we arrived at Keysoe, the M1 (of course!) had traffic and I got lost at least once...cue panic to find numbers and walk/run the cross country course. Decent cross country, with some nice lines of fences, even a combination with a upright log, ditch to a brush on a curve. Straight after was my absolute nemesis, trakehner. Even I was convincing myself that it would all be fine, until I saw the ditch...****. Bare in mind, I was still on foot, but I was still shying away from it. Fences seemed to get nicer after this, the water complex was lovely, and the rest of the elements looked fine to me! Ran back, got dressed, tacked up and away we go.
Warmed up nicely for the stressage, but although generally not a spooky horse, he does tend to over exaggerate sometimes. Grey skies loomed and the wind once again picked up as we entered the arena. Thankfully we was allowed to ride around the arena (which included a massive banner, the judges hut on top of mark C and white boards) and he seemed to settle as we entered A. By this point, the only thing in my head was 'We can do this' and 'Keep smiling!!!' I had quite a bit to smile about as he was a good boy all things considered and produced a sweet test. Always some improvements needed, softer contact/better bend, but it was all positive, including a lovely smile from the judge at the end.
Dun dun dun....show jumping. Boot camp has been going great..yet due to our last outings, you can't help feeling a bit sceptical. He once again warmed up nicely and we was ready to go in. He must have known something, he ramped his canter up as the bell rang; his turn to say "Let's do this!" Cleared the first 3 but unfortunately rubbed 4 which came down (which I feel was very unfair considering how he was doing)..This however wasn't going to deter me this time. Fence 5 he leapt and by fence 6, we found our rhythm. My fault entirely, our line to fence 7 was interesting... but he cleared it as so did he for fence 8a+b and 9 (Which seemed to be a massive lime fence...not exactly the nicest final fence!!). I had to think, I wonder if people think I'm a bit crazy for smiling like I did for finishing with four faults. If only you knew!
Another change for our favourite phase...minus trakehner. Quick warm up due to the class finishing, count down to the start...he seems to get excited about the box now and away we went. I just love cross country with him, the first 8 fences seemed to go like a breeze. The combination at fence 8 felt like he just popped over them. But I knew what was coming, fence 9.. yikes. Please, let's get over this... He hesitated, realised what he was about to do and jumped it (slightly awkwardly but we did it). Even I had my eyes closed over this one. Lots of pats, "Good boy!!" and off to fence 10. Nice open space to fence 11 (picture below).
Water complex jumped nicely, over a decent looking corner, then 14 brush to drop..then back into the trees to fence 15, double of houses and flew the last at 16. I love this picture, just taken after the xc...he looks a bit smugg and I couldn't be happier with him.
He's such a dude, and he did not let me down today. We managed a personal best at 31.25, plus four faults and clear inside the time xc...for 3rd place! You've got to love horses sometimes, fingers crossed we can continue, onwards and up. Cuppa tea and a biscuit for anyone who get's this far
), and brilliant result too!