Embo
Well-Known Member
So here I am, having survived my first one day event. We went and walked the course on Saturday as had an early start on Sunday and meant one less thing to do on the day. I will admit, the XC was playing on my mind as the jumps looked massive..! We saw many riders have problems at fence 3 - a bright, narrowish flower box set going downhill. And problems elsewhere on the course, too, so I wasn't feeling very confident at this point!
Dressage wasn't our best effort for 38. It was hot, which alsways saps Bowser's energy, and there were SO many flies! Sheet had some 7.5s so there was lots to like, but lots to improve on. I was proud of him as he so badly wanted to headshake because of the bugs, but he held it together until after my salute! Where he proceeded to shake so hard his fly veil flew off
so was allowed to hop off to pick it up. First time I've walked out of a dressage ring on foot, thankfully the judge found it highly amusing!
We had a 2.5 hour wait before SJ, so put Bowser back on the trailer, had some lunch and watched some of the 90s jump round. I decided not to walk the XC again as I was happy I knew where I was going. Made sure Bowser was drenched in fly spray before getting ready for next phase, flies didn't bother him again
SJ - had time to walk the course (thankfully, as they had changed it from the day before!). I was quite concerned as it's on a hill and he struggles on extreme inclines! He warmed up sweetly and it turns out I had nothing to worry about as he was super keen! He was going whether I liked it or not. I had the handbrake on and took some long, careful lines so we had 2 poles and 13 time faults. I was beaming when I came out of the ring, it's been a while since I felt him take me round like that.
Onto the XC now. Again, warmed up nicely. We were 12th to go. Made our way to the start box, the starter gave us 15 seconds... and I very nearly lost my lunch! We were off, over the first and second beautifully. Made our way to the dreaded number 3, I thought I was riding positively, but clearly not. We ground to a halt 2 strides away. I circled him round to represent - another stop, he was still eyeballing this thing suspiciously. I walked him up to it so he could look and put his knees against it (I should have done this the first time!). Came around once more, and he popped it cautiously. Patted him and we made our way down the hill to number 4, a simple but bright feeder... and another stop. He bottled it a bit from the stop before, so gave him a whack and a few choice words, and we were over! Then immediately over number 5 and we were away!
He was storming round now, even through a really sticky section over a wide table and narrow double, which I thought we'd have trouble as it was very soft going. Then we were at fence 10, a bright blue house which I had to make quite a bit of effort to get him over as he was eyeballing it and I could feel him back off! But we stumbled over. 11 was a tiny canoe about 10 strides after. I was a bit out of puff having fought to get him over number 10, so he saw an opportunity and ducked out. It wasn't a stop, he sort of half-passed away from it, but we had presented (so that was sadly our 4th cumulative refusal...) came around and popped it no problem and went merrily through the water...
After that he was a total boss round the rest of the course. Almost forgot where we were going at 12, good gallop to 13, down the hill to 14 (no hesitation at all downhill, yay!). Another gallop up to 15, another (taller) flower box but he knew we were almost home so flew it! Kept our pace over the last two and we were home! I'm still reeling even now, it almost feels like a dream. I cannot believe how exhausted I was the moment we got past the finish line! Up till that point I think I was running on pure adrenaline. What a feeling!
Some photos, please excuse my terrible position (I'm workng on it and nerves make everything go out the window!!) very un-photogenicness, Bowser is definitely the pretty one...
SJ, this was the only good one... I pull some odd faces
Second attempt over number 4 (my face says it all I think )
This was number 5 so still very defensive from me! *Must give with hands!!*
Enjoying some grass after a long day.
And a well earned roll back home.
So it wasn't perfect, and we were eliminated for the refusals XC but I am SO chuffed to have finally done what I've wanted to do my whole life. The only goal I had was to get round, and we did! I honestly have no words to describe how it feels, it's just so special. And I love my silly little horse for it, I couldn't have done it without him (literally and figuratively, of course!) and certainly not without a few special people who never stopped believing in me, even when at times I had lost all belief in myself.
Never stop chasing your dreams.
Dressage wasn't our best effort for 38. It was hot, which alsways saps Bowser's energy, and there were SO many flies! Sheet had some 7.5s so there was lots to like, but lots to improve on. I was proud of him as he so badly wanted to headshake because of the bugs, but he held it together until after my salute! Where he proceeded to shake so hard his fly veil flew off
so was allowed to hop off to pick it up. First time I've walked out of a dressage ring on foot, thankfully the judge found it highly amusing! We had a 2.5 hour wait before SJ, so put Bowser back on the trailer, had some lunch and watched some of the 90s jump round. I decided not to walk the XC again as I was happy I knew where I was going. Made sure Bowser was drenched in fly spray before getting ready for next phase, flies didn't bother him again
SJ - had time to walk the course (thankfully, as they had changed it from the day before!). I was quite concerned as it's on a hill and he struggles on extreme inclines! He warmed up sweetly and it turns out I had nothing to worry about as he was super keen! He was going whether I liked it or not. I had the handbrake on and took some long, careful lines so we had 2 poles and 13 time faults. I was beaming when I came out of the ring, it's been a while since I felt him take me round like that.
Onto the XC now. Again, warmed up nicely. We were 12th to go. Made our way to the start box, the starter gave us 15 seconds... and I very nearly lost my lunch! We were off, over the first and second beautifully. Made our way to the dreaded number 3, I thought I was riding positively, but clearly not. We ground to a halt 2 strides away. I circled him round to represent - another stop, he was still eyeballing this thing suspiciously. I walked him up to it so he could look and put his knees against it (I should have done this the first time!). Came around once more, and he popped it cautiously. Patted him and we made our way down the hill to number 4, a simple but bright feeder... and another stop. He bottled it a bit from the stop before, so gave him a whack and a few choice words, and we were over! Then immediately over number 5 and we were away!
He was storming round now, even through a really sticky section over a wide table and narrow double, which I thought we'd have trouble as it was very soft going. Then we were at fence 10, a bright blue house which I had to make quite a bit of effort to get him over as he was eyeballing it and I could feel him back off! But we stumbled over. 11 was a tiny canoe about 10 strides after. I was a bit out of puff having fought to get him over number 10, so he saw an opportunity and ducked out. It wasn't a stop, he sort of half-passed away from it, but we had presented (so that was sadly our 4th cumulative refusal...) came around and popped it no problem and went merrily through the water...
After that he was a total boss round the rest of the course. Almost forgot where we were going at 12, good gallop to 13, down the hill to 14 (no hesitation at all downhill, yay!). Another gallop up to 15, another (taller) flower box but he knew we were almost home so flew it! Kept our pace over the last two and we were home! I'm still reeling even now, it almost feels like a dream. I cannot believe how exhausted I was the moment we got past the finish line! Up till that point I think I was running on pure adrenaline. What a feeling!
Some photos, please excuse my terrible position (I'm workng on it and nerves make everything go out the window!!) very un-photogenicness, Bowser is definitely the pretty one...
SJ, this was the only good one... I pull some odd faces
Second attempt over number 4 (my face says it all I think
)
This was number 5 so still very defensive from me! *Must give with hands!!*
Enjoying some grass after a long day.
And a well earned roll back home.
So it wasn't perfect, and we were eliminated for the refusals XC but I am SO chuffed to have finally done what I've wanted to do my whole life. The only goal I had was to get round, and we did! I honestly have no words to describe how it feels, it's just so special. And I love my silly little horse for it, I couldn't have done it without him (literally and figuratively, of course!
) and certainly not without a few special people who never stopped believing in me, even when at times I had lost all belief in myself. Never stop chasing your dreams.
.
