ChiffChaff
Well-Known Member
Hello!
I dont post here often, but I am feeling pretty pleased with myself atm so Ive plucked up the courage to share why!
I ride at a riding school and have done for the last eleven years, the owner is lovely and lets us have a riding club, using the school horses for events.
Anyway, the next event is a cross country competition (we have a little course on site), in which you go around once individually and once as a pair, as in, one chasing the other! I have bravely entered after some coaxing despite having a chequered x-country past. I entered the mini xc last year on a little pony whose reputation had not reached my ears (I had a break whilst at uni, and he had snuck by my radar!) and I managed to fall off twice in space of about 2 minutes! He wasnt especially naughty, he refused one, then dropped his shoulder to disappear off home. Embarrassingly I plopped off the side and he disappeared into the distance! Bloody thing, had no shoulder to hold me on!!
A few weeks later, a group of us had a xc lesson. I was riding a chubby little Haffie mare who I ride a lot and really enjoy. She didnt take too kindly to having to wait her turn and rather than tank off to show her displeasure, she just bucked on the spot, and then bombed off as soon as I asked for some forward movement (some being the key word...). It was a little scary, because there was literally no stopping her, and the jump didnt slow her down she just hurdled them!! I was worrying about what would happen if she misjudged it at that speed
. This was all ok, but she had me off after she leapt over a piddly little 2ft jump like it was the Devils Dyke and I tumbled over her head on the landing. On both occasions, nothing but my pride was hurt, and I now have the dubious reputation of being star faller-offer.
So this time I played it safe and went for a lovely dun NF mare - the type you could stick your granny on and not worry about her. We had a practice lesson on Sunday, and guess what! I stayed on, and everything was jumped in a very sensible and civilised manner (although we wont be breaking any speed records!). She was a diamond. Most of the others had a paddy at one point or another, and she just stood there until I asked her to go. Jumped everything willingly with her ears forward, and really seemed to enjoy herself. Im sure it made a nice break for her after doing circles in the school, and I was just SO proud of her. She really looked after me and I cant wait for the real thing now. Although my friend (who will probably be my pair) is a bit of a speed demon and is taking a lovely, if slightly demented, 16.2hh thoroughbred. He could probably do the course 3 times in the time it takes me and Biscuit to go round once!! We will be the comedy pairing I think
Pointless and VERY long (sorry) but just felt like sharing!
x
I dont post here often, but I am feeling pretty pleased with myself atm so Ive plucked up the courage to share why!
I ride at a riding school and have done for the last eleven years, the owner is lovely and lets us have a riding club, using the school horses for events.
Anyway, the next event is a cross country competition (we have a little course on site), in which you go around once individually and once as a pair, as in, one chasing the other! I have bravely entered after some coaxing despite having a chequered x-country past. I entered the mini xc last year on a little pony whose reputation had not reached my ears (I had a break whilst at uni, and he had snuck by my radar!) and I managed to fall off twice in space of about 2 minutes! He wasnt especially naughty, he refused one, then dropped his shoulder to disappear off home. Embarrassingly I plopped off the side and he disappeared into the distance! Bloody thing, had no shoulder to hold me on!!
A few weeks later, a group of us had a xc lesson. I was riding a chubby little Haffie mare who I ride a lot and really enjoy. She didnt take too kindly to having to wait her turn and rather than tank off to show her displeasure, she just bucked on the spot, and then bombed off as soon as I asked for some forward movement (some being the key word...). It was a little scary, because there was literally no stopping her, and the jump didnt slow her down she just hurdled them!! I was worrying about what would happen if she misjudged it at that speed
. This was all ok, but she had me off after she leapt over a piddly little 2ft jump like it was the Devils Dyke and I tumbled over her head on the landing. On both occasions, nothing but my pride was hurt, and I now have the dubious reputation of being star faller-offer.So this time I played it safe and went for a lovely dun NF mare - the type you could stick your granny on and not worry about her. We had a practice lesson on Sunday, and guess what! I stayed on, and everything was jumped in a very sensible and civilised manner (although we wont be breaking any speed records!). She was a diamond. Most of the others had a paddy at one point or another, and she just stood there until I asked her to go. Jumped everything willingly with her ears forward, and really seemed to enjoy herself. Im sure it made a nice break for her after doing circles in the school, and I was just SO proud of her. She really looked after me and I cant wait for the real thing now. Although my friend (who will probably be my pair) is a bit of a speed demon and is taking a lovely, if slightly demented, 16.2hh thoroughbred. He could probably do the course 3 times in the time it takes me and Biscuit to go round once!! We will be the comedy pairing I think
Pointless and VERY long (sorry) but just felt like sharing!
x
And yay to you! Great idea to take a nice sensible horse round, it's all very well picking a speedy type, but not so great if you're going to make an early exit 
Slow and steady wins the race and all that....
