Ella19
Well-Known Member
Last weekend I took Indie to her first ever proper party! We've been clear round jumping once before but I don't count that and she normally only hunts through winter. I had organised a group of adults from the yard who never compete to come and have a go as well.
So off we all toddled, hacking up to the local riding club field. Indie is particularly fit at the moment, so I hoped the uphill hack and hour and a half to warm up would take the tickle out her toes - I was wrong! She stood beautifully to watch the others perform their walk and trot tests, then started to get a bit "kick along", so I rested her for half an hour, in hindsight I need to keep riding!
First test went at speed and without a huge amount of bends resulting in comments such as "lovely active centre line" (read zooming and trying not to jump the judges car!) and "very nicely and quietly ridden" (quietly quietly scratch the ponies neck and swear at it through your forced smile). My saddle kept slipping as she refused to bend and is round and flat at the best of times! So imagine my shock when we got 63.5% and came 4th!
I hadn't learnt my second test so had it read to me, but it felt much better than the first and I was delighted with 64.14% and 3rd.
I'm so proud of my little grey pony. She's 8 now but due to our various injuries we've only hunted as we've had every summer off since she was 5 and I have no transport, so it has to be shows/meets we can hack to. Anyway some photos:
So off we all toddled, hacking up to the local riding club field. Indie is particularly fit at the moment, so I hoped the uphill hack and hour and a half to warm up would take the tickle out her toes - I was wrong! She stood beautifully to watch the others perform their walk and trot tests, then started to get a bit "kick along", so I rested her for half an hour, in hindsight I need to keep riding!
First test went at speed and without a huge amount of bends resulting in comments such as "lovely active centre line" (read zooming and trying not to jump the judges car!) and "very nicely and quietly ridden" (quietly quietly scratch the ponies neck and swear at it through your forced smile). My saddle kept slipping as she refused to bend and is round and flat at the best of times! So imagine my shock when we got 63.5% and came 4th!
I hadn't learnt my second test so had it read to me, but it felt much better than the first and I was delighted with 64.14% and 3rd.
I'm so proud of my little grey pony. She's 8 now but due to our various injuries we've only hunted as we've had every summer off since she was 5 and I have no transport, so it has to be shows/meets we can hack to. Anyway some photos:
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