risky business
Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
Been doing some posts on my progress with my young man baloo!
Well yesterday we put the XC practices to the test as we both competed in our first ever hunter trial.
I really wasn't sure how it would go, he's clearly got masses of potential but he does suffer with his nerves when out so I was hoping that after the first few fences he'd gain some confidence.
I decided to do a 60cm pairs class, just for maximum confidence and a lead if need be as he doesn't really do water.
Warmed up fine and then got into the start box, flew fence number one with a lead and actually decided to go up front for fence 2 & 3. However we came to fence 4 which was a skinny (in my pic) and he got about 10 strides away and said absolutely not! The other horse then decided to say no so a little battle commenced! Eventually the other horse said yes but not before Baloos Insistance on a no earned us elimination.. The steward did allow us to continue on however which I was grateful for and he absolutely flew the rest of the course.
I decided to enter 60cm Individual as I felt he deserved a second shot at that skinny and a better round.
Second time round was much better after I landed fence 3 I really collected him together and really pushed forward to the skinny and he did it without a second glance! Then we come to the water and he just said nope I need to think about it first, after some strong encouragement he did get in. He absolutely flew the rest of the course like a little machine, he was really taking me to the fence!
So all in all the second round was immensely better, I knew I would have trouble at the water but one 20 penalties are better than elimination! Had he not lost the time he did and the 20 penalties he would have placed 4th, however we did so we came 13th out of 31 so still massively impressive for a horse that's only been XC 3 times!
My next plan is actually a beach trip to try help with his unease over water, if he can get in the sea a water jump will seem like nothing I hope.
So thanks for reading and onwards and upwards!
Been doing some posts on my progress with my young man baloo!
Well yesterday we put the XC practices to the test as we both competed in our first ever hunter trial.
I really wasn't sure how it would go, he's clearly got masses of potential but he does suffer with his nerves when out so I was hoping that after the first few fences he'd gain some confidence.
I decided to do a 60cm pairs class, just for maximum confidence and a lead if need be as he doesn't really do water.
Warmed up fine and then got into the start box, flew fence number one with a lead and actually decided to go up front for fence 2 & 3. However we came to fence 4 which was a skinny (in my pic) and he got about 10 strides away and said absolutely not! The other horse then decided to say no so a little battle commenced! Eventually the other horse said yes but not before Baloos Insistance on a no earned us elimination.. The steward did allow us to continue on however which I was grateful for and he absolutely flew the rest of the course.
I decided to enter 60cm Individual as I felt he deserved a second shot at that skinny and a better round.
Second time round was much better after I landed fence 3 I really collected him together and really pushed forward to the skinny and he did it without a second glance! Then we come to the water and he just said nope I need to think about it first, after some strong encouragement he did get in. He absolutely flew the rest of the course like a little machine, he was really taking me to the fence!
So all in all the second round was immensely better, I knew I would have trouble at the water but one 20 penalties are better than elimination! Had he not lost the time he did and the 20 penalties he would have placed 4th, however we did so we came 13th out of 31 so still massively impressive for a horse that's only been XC 3 times!
My next plan is actually a beach trip to try help with his unease over water, if he can get in the sea a water jump will seem like nothing I hope.
So thanks for reading and onwards and upwards!
