shanebelton
Well-Known Member
First event of the year again at the weekend, back at lovely seaside location of Tyrella. Although the weather and going weren't exactly ideal... I have never seen the dressage arenas in Tyrella so muddy and cut up, I suppose that was the one downside to a 10.54 dressage time, the arena had been well used by this stage.
Dressage: (BE111) Flynn isn't a huge fan of mud, and did struggle a bit to get any impulsion in his mediums (I also forgot to do second Med Canter!!!) and in counter canter it was a real struggle to keep him going, but was pleased to get an 8 for first half 10m circle in canter back to track and then counter canter, and an 8 for his rein back, all in all was pretty pleased with a 31.5 given conditions and it our first event this year.
Show Jumping: Always our weakest phase... although we have really worked hard at it over the winter. I think my nerves kicked in, and I rode far to defensively to the first fence, again in the pretty sticky ground he probably needed a bit more 'power' than i allowed him to have, so unfortunately first fence down is never a great start... i gave myself a good telling off and rest of the round was much better apart from an unlucky rub at the first part of the double. So we finished on 8, probably disappointing for most people but I was pleased as really felt him jump and feel we are moving in the right direction with the dreaded coloured poles.
XC: After walking the course i admit it was a bit bigger than i expected it to be... Ground conditions (especially on second half of the course) were really not what we are used to in Tyrella, as with their sandy ground it is nearly always perfect. Fence 1 was a decent Picnic table and really got us going as it made me ride him forward and allow him to jump... next question was 4 'the bed' again a decent and pretty wide (but forgiving) fence, (apology on headcam is as i held far too long for a stride that didn't come up). My Sat Nav then went a tad wrong when looking for fence 5... I rode horrendously into 7 (stream to flower box) and Flynn was very forgiving to jump part b, as he had every excuse not too, considering i gave him little to no help! (hence apologies on headcam). After this we got into a much nicer rythm, until again my poor line through 16AB... where we nearly took a flag out... he powered home on the final hills and finished clear inside time.
Takeaway is it was a case of 'pet the horse, kick the rider', but all in all I a pretty pleased with first event since September... we now have a weekend of sj and dressage before Tyrella again on 19th April. We finished 10th in the always competitive Sportmans class (amateurs).
Photo links and headcam link:
Someone else over number 1
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0308.jpg&pg=7&count=181
Us over fence 4
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...ella_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0066.jpg&pg=0&count=16
Someone else over the Chase fence, no13
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0239.jpg&pg=5&count=138
Piano keys at no15
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0250.jpg&pg=5&count=144
and head cam link...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvfenwh0uN8
thanks for reading...
Dressage: (BE111) Flynn isn't a huge fan of mud, and did struggle a bit to get any impulsion in his mediums (I also forgot to do second Med Canter!!!) and in counter canter it was a real struggle to keep him going, but was pleased to get an 8 for first half 10m circle in canter back to track and then counter canter, and an 8 for his rein back, all in all was pretty pleased with a 31.5 given conditions and it our first event this year.
Show Jumping: Always our weakest phase... although we have really worked hard at it over the winter. I think my nerves kicked in, and I rode far to defensively to the first fence, again in the pretty sticky ground he probably needed a bit more 'power' than i allowed him to have, so unfortunately first fence down is never a great start... i gave myself a good telling off and rest of the round was much better apart from an unlucky rub at the first part of the double. So we finished on 8, probably disappointing for most people but I was pleased as really felt him jump and feel we are moving in the right direction with the dreaded coloured poles.
XC: After walking the course i admit it was a bit bigger than i expected it to be... Ground conditions (especially on second half of the course) were really not what we are used to in Tyrella, as with their sandy ground it is nearly always perfect. Fence 1 was a decent Picnic table and really got us going as it made me ride him forward and allow him to jump... next question was 4 'the bed' again a decent and pretty wide (but forgiving) fence, (apology on headcam is as i held far too long for a stride that didn't come up). My Sat Nav then went a tad wrong when looking for fence 5... I rode horrendously into 7 (stream to flower box) and Flynn was very forgiving to jump part b, as he had every excuse not too, considering i gave him little to no help! (hence apologies on headcam). After this we got into a much nicer rythm, until again my poor line through 16AB... where we nearly took a flag out... he powered home on the final hills and finished clear inside time.
Takeaway is it was a case of 'pet the horse, kick the rider', but all in all I a pretty pleased with first event since September... we now have a weekend of sj and dressage before Tyrella again on 19th April. We finished 10th in the always competitive Sportmans class (amateurs).
Photo links and headcam link:
Someone else over number 1
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0308.jpg&pg=7&count=181
Us over fence 4
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...ella_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0066.jpg&pg=0&count=16
Someone else over the Chase fence, no13
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0239.jpg&pg=5&count=138
Piano keys at no15
http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...lla_2_Red_Flag&id=DSC_0250.jpg&pg=5&count=144
and head cam link...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvfenwh0uN8
thanks for reading...
tyrella is beautiful on a good day, but on a bad day... 
