rosiesowner
Well-Known Member
I've already posted this on the weekend plans thread, but thought I would make it its own thread since I'm waiting around till 10am to go out and procrastinating doing the things I'm supposed to be doing...
Last Sunday Chill and I headed off for our first hunter trial together. I decided to keep it simple and just enter the 75cm as I wanted a real confidence boosting round. Preperation=Terrible!! Off I popped to the garden centre to buy some trays to make a 'ditch' as we didn't jump many of these out xc the other week and I wanted to be sure she would jump! Silly, silly me... Of course she wouldn't bloody jump it! Or she would jump the trays confidently enough on their own, but I popped a pole on top and she decked me in dramatic style right into the blocks, sending the whole thing clattering onto me. Lovely. Then on Saturday night I tried to pop a couple of fences just for confidence. Again, this induced a big NOPE. No falling off this time, but NEARLY!! So if I'm being honest, I didn't really fancy our chances too much.
Sunday morning came and we loaded up and headed off. Chills was pumped with calming cookies and again they really helped her with the on the ground stuff. There's a big difference in her if she has or hasn't had them. When she's had them, she's a pleasure to take out. When she hasn't, she's a bargey, rude arse! Walked the course, didn't particularly like the blue train at 3 or the coffin at 7 with rails that sloped downhill to the left...
In a nutshell, she flew round... The commentator liked our pink matchy and remarked on my vocal encouragement into fence 3. Which I absolutely didn't need, by the way! The best way to describe it is that I was taken on a magic carpet ride. I steered, pointed and kicked and Chilli did the rest. The coffin at 7 rode perfectly, she looked at the ditch but I think the momentum we built going downhill helped as I put my leg on and over she went. The trakehner, not a problem... In fact I got a dodgy line to it and we jumped it on an angle as it was the jump before a 90 degree turn to the next fence. I honestly cannot praise her enough... I cried with pure joy when we finished, I actually couldn't believe it!
Photos of me riding are by my long suffering OH, who said it was definitely more fun to watch than dressage!
Pre ride nerves in the car:
Post ride relief and ICE CREAM afterwards. And a very... ahem... sweaty chest hahaha.
Comedy photo... When I forgot where I was going and Chilli started locking onto a fence from the bigger class... No thank you!!
My unpaid grooms and photographer...
Possibly all the gear and no idea haha
Last Sunday Chill and I headed off for our first hunter trial together. I decided to keep it simple and just enter the 75cm as I wanted a real confidence boosting round. Preperation=Terrible!! Off I popped to the garden centre to buy some trays to make a 'ditch' as we didn't jump many of these out xc the other week and I wanted to be sure she would jump! Silly, silly me... Of course she wouldn't bloody jump it! Or she would jump the trays confidently enough on their own, but I popped a pole on top and she decked me in dramatic style right into the blocks, sending the whole thing clattering onto me. Lovely. Then on Saturday night I tried to pop a couple of fences just for confidence. Again, this induced a big NOPE. No falling off this time, but NEARLY!! So if I'm being honest, I didn't really fancy our chances too much.
Sunday morning came and we loaded up and headed off. Chills was pumped with calming cookies and again they really helped her with the on the ground stuff. There's a big difference in her if she has or hasn't had them. When she's had them, she's a pleasure to take out. When she hasn't, she's a bargey, rude arse! Walked the course, didn't particularly like the blue train at 3 or the coffin at 7 with rails that sloped downhill to the left...
In a nutshell, she flew round... The commentator liked our pink matchy and remarked on my vocal encouragement into fence 3. Which I absolutely didn't need, by the way! The best way to describe it is that I was taken on a magic carpet ride. I steered, pointed and kicked and Chilli did the rest. The coffin at 7 rode perfectly, she looked at the ditch but I think the momentum we built going downhill helped as I put my leg on and over she went. The trakehner, not a problem... In fact I got a dodgy line to it and we jumped it on an angle as it was the jump before a 90 degree turn to the next fence. I honestly cannot praise her enough... I cried with pure joy when we finished, I actually couldn't believe it!
Photos of me riding are by my long suffering OH, who said it was definitely more fun to watch than dressage!
Pre ride nerves in the car:
Post ride relief and ICE CREAM afterwards. And a very... ahem... sweaty chest hahaha.
Comedy photo... When I forgot where I was going and Chilli started locking onto a fence from the bigger class... No thank you!!
My unpaid grooms and photographer...
Possibly all the gear and no idea haha
) is joining in with your fun facial expressions! 
