nikkimariet
Well-Known Member
Today was the big day - me and Fig headed to Swallowfield for our BD debut....
A grim early start with a 5.45am wake up call, combined with my recent case of minor plague (off work ill most of the week) did not a happy NMT make
Went out with the intention of playing it safe and making it a nice day for him. Poncing is easy Fig, promise 
Armed with as much shiny spray for Fig and as much blusher for me as possible, we headed over to an empty warm up - he warmed up really sweetly. Pretty much as per home
into the hand and stretching over his back. Went through my routine of 'safe stuff' that I know relaxes him and gets his brain ticking - did a lot of back and forth in the trot to get him waiting on my seat. As the arena filled up, he did go quite (really!) tense and also dropped behind my leg - which is fine, that's what I expected so I just kept patting him (and talking to him like a mad cat lady 
)
So, first test (I opted for rising trot, given how tight his back had gone): The whole thing was tense, he didn't *do* anything wrong, but the contact was inconsistent, he was behind my leg and he lost that lovely natural swing to his paces. But *shrugs* we all have to start somewhere Proud that he kept a lid on it, he could have totally fizzed over but he didn't
Warm up reasonably busy the second time round, but he felt 100 times more relaxed
Even when a particularly lovely competitor 
who pretty much trotted up Figs arse he stayed soft and concentrating on me. Went with rising trot again, to keep a level of consistency and I didn't want to upset/confuse him by suddenly changing things. Test felt lovely and rhythmic, my circles were circles and not potatoes, transitions were clear and everything felt easy and balanced I fluffed up the stretchy circle of trot - he dived to the inside I said no and we had a slight encounter 
Huge pats from me and big grins from the judge and writer! Lovely comment from one of the organizers, who said it was a fantastic test and he was a smart horse (no idea if he was saying that to everyone but it still made me smile!)
Pics:
Walk:
Stretchy trot:
Perfick halt:
Trot:
Canter:
Scores: 52.6% (8th/8) for the first test - not at all disappointed or feeling hard done by - I was expecting worse and the comments were spot on. Wonderful surprise with the second test, 68.63% and 3rd out of 10 people! Absolutely chuffed to bits with that. First outing, first rosette, first ROR sheet, first Area Festival sheet Feel like I've worked him out a bit, getting him relaxed really is the key. I already knew he's not the type of horse you can bully into working correctly but I must work harder to get his back soft. And I'll keep that in mind for our next adventure, which is next weekend
I may well feel like a bio-weapon, but I cannot stop grinning, love love love my pony!!
Pink lemonade and homemade gingerbread men on offer!
A grim early start with a 5.45am wake up call, combined with my recent case of minor plague (off work ill most of the week) did not a happy NMT make
Went out with the intention of playing it safe and making it a nice day for him. Poncing is easy Fig, promise Armed with as much shiny spray for Fig and as much blusher for me as possible, we headed over to an empty warm up - he warmed up really sweetly. Pretty much as per home
into the hand and stretching over his back. Went through my routine of 'safe stuff' that I know relaxes him and gets his brain ticking - did a lot of back and forth in the trot to get him waiting on my seat. As the arena filled up, he did go quite (really!) tense and also dropped behind my leg - which is fine, that's what I expected so I just kept patting him (and talking to him like a mad cat lady )So, first test (I opted for rising trot, given how tight his back had gone): The whole thing was tense, he didn't *do* anything wrong, but the contact was inconsistent, he was behind my leg and he lost that lovely natural swing to his paces. But *shrugs* we all have to start somewhere
Proud that he kept a lid on it, he could have totally fizzed over but he didn't Warm up reasonably busy the second time round, but he felt 100 times more relaxed
Even when a particularly lovely competitor who pretty much trotted up Figs arse he stayed soft and concentrating on me. Went with rising trot again, to keep a level of consistency and I didn't want to upset/confuse him by suddenly changing things. Test felt lovely and rhythmic, my circles were circles and not potatoes, transitions were clear and everything felt easy and balanced I fluffed up the stretchy circle of trot - he dived to the inside I said no and we had a slight encounter Huge pats from me and big grins from the judge and writer! Lovely comment from one of the organizers, who said it was a fantastic test and he was a smart horse (no idea if he was saying that to everyone but it still made me smile!)Pics:
Walk:
Stretchy trot:
Perfick halt:
Trot:
Canter:
Scores: 52.6% (8th/8) for the first test - not at all disappointed or feeling hard done by - I was expecting worse and the comments were spot on. Wonderful surprise with the second test, 68.63% and 3rd out of 10 people!
Absolutely chuffed to bits with that. First outing, first rosette, first ROR sheet, first Area Festival sheet Feel like I've worked him out a bit, getting him relaxed really is the key. I already knew he's not the type of horse you can bully into working correctly but I must work harder to get his back soft. And I'll keep that in mind for our next adventure, which is next weekend I may well feel like a bio-weapon, but I cannot stop grinning, love love love my pony!!
Pink lemonade and homemade gingerbread men on offer!
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