nikkimariet
Well-Known Member
Get comfy, this is going to be long....
We arrived on Thursday in time to get the boys stabled and settled, permanent stables thank god as it proceeded to absolutely sling it down! We were both fully prepared for antics - PS for 2 legged ones, and me for Speedy Gonzales. But....they both surprised us
Fig was impeccably well behaved and warmed up like an old hand (there was about 17 of us in a 20x50 at one point 
). CS had one grump when someone got a bit too close going a bit too fast but other than that, poifect! Got them bedded down for the night and then bedded ourselves down in a hotel about 5 minutes away (which our backs were both extremely thankful for!).
They both seemed chilled as anything on the Friday - exercised them both in the indoor first thing, and then did half and half indoor and outdoor in the evening. CS has one freak out moment, which scared the steward ****less. Fig was erm, more than a little tense in the outdoor....really doesn't like food vans it appears He really didn't like it when some rude doorknob rode so close to us, she kicked Fig in the side and my foot out the stirrup! Passaged off (badly) without an apology!!!!! But we ended up being able to work semi sensibly (after having to use a corner to stop bless him) and he felt ok again.
Early start, wanted to do the arena walk whilst it was empty with Fig in case he was thinking of a pre race parade, and I was on at 8.42am so it fitted in nicely with my double warm up. He neighed lots
but didn't look at anything so felt like we would be capable of using all 4 corners of the competition arena! Warmed up really sweetly, not as up or as powerful as he can be, but working correctly and well. Showcased some super duper mediums and felt really solid and straight in everything else.
I’m so pleased with his test – he tried ever so hard to keep it together, and really let me help him and keep my leg on. We just had one little blip in the test where he hopped up into canter for 2 strides on a trot circle, a quick pat and he dropped back into trot. The tension meant he dropped his shoulder in the corners in trot, and his mediums lost the rhythm we created in the warm up. We did actually do a free walk and medium walk, he could have stretched more into the free walk but the rhythm was good. Transitions could have been sharper, but I didn’t want to push it… Canter was a littler poll low, and not his best but everything correct, accurate and flowing.
Can't fault his performance; he was concentrating and we got round in one piece which is all I wanted He felt ever so grown up, and it makes me smile to think of where we could be next year!
A group of us agreed our test should get around 66/67%..... So mightily disappointed to be awarded 64.03%, with one judge pegging us on 66+% and the other on a measly 61%
Thanks to that we missed out on going into the second round (top 15 qual, we were 17th) by 0.4%..... So really ruddy miffed but still on cloud 9 with my little pocket rocket 
Got the chance to put a few faces to a few names :waves: One HHO-ers partner took some stunning photos of Fig in the stable whilst we stood nattering away
We arrived on Thursday in time to get the boys stabled and settled, permanent stables thank god as it proceeded to absolutely sling it down! We were both fully prepared for antics - PS for 2 legged ones, and me for Speedy Gonzales. But....they both surprised us
Fig was impeccably well behaved and warmed up like an old hand (there was about 17 of us in a 20x50 at one point ). CS had one grump when someone got a bit too close going a bit too fast but other than that, poifect! Got them bedded down for the night and then bedded ourselves down in a hotel about 5 minutes away (which our backs were both extremely thankful for!).
They both seemed chilled as anything on the Friday - exercised them both in the indoor first thing, and then did half and half indoor and outdoor in the evening. CS has one freak out moment, which scared the steward ****less. Fig was erm, more than a little tense in the outdoor....really doesn't like food vans it appears
He really didn't like it when some rude doorknob rode so close to us, she kicked Fig in the side and my foot out the stirrup! Passaged off (badly) without an apology!!!!! But we ended up being able to work semi sensibly (after having to use a corner to stop bless him) and he felt ok again. Early start, wanted to do the arena walk whilst it was empty with Fig in case he was thinking of a pre race parade, and I was on at 8.42am so it fitted in nicely with my double warm up. He neighed lots
but didn't look at anything so felt like we would be capable of using all 4 corners of the competition arena! Warmed up really sweetly, not as up or as powerful as he can be, but working correctly and well. Showcased some super duper mediums and felt really solid and straight in everything else. I’m so pleased with his test – he tried ever so hard to keep it together, and really let me help him and keep my leg on. We just had one little blip in the test where he hopped up into canter for 2 strides on a trot circle, a quick pat and he dropped back into trot. The tension meant he dropped his shoulder in the corners in trot, and his mediums lost the rhythm we created in the warm up. We did actually do a free walk and medium walk, he could have stretched more into the free walk but the rhythm was good. Transitions could have been sharper, but I didn’t want to push it… Canter was a littler poll low, and not his best but everything correct, accurate and flowing.
Can't fault his performance; he was concentrating and we got round in one piece which is all I wanted
He felt ever so grown up, and it makes me smile to think of where we could be next year!A group of us agreed our test should get around 66/67%..... So mightily disappointed to be awarded 64.03%, with one judge pegging us on 66+% and the other on a measly 61%
Thanks to that we missed out on going into the second round (top 15 qual, we were 17th) by 0.4%..... So really ruddy miffed but still on cloud 9 with my little pocket rocket Got the chance to put a few faces to a few names :waves: One HHO-ers partner took some stunning photos of Fig in the stable whilst we stood nattering away
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Weather had turned a little, very windy with a slight chill but to no bother of CS, who warmed up really well. PS could get her leg on straight away and his canter was the best it’s ever been 
I had the exact same thought process going on as I approached the arena 
