Gamebird's Gameplan (or 'Sleeping's Cheating')

Gamebird

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A wee catchy-up from me. Better get it in now as I think the next couple of months may be too busy to allow much 'pooter time.

Firstly Fugly - he's had a pretty good start at Novice this season gaining a point and a rosette along the way. The XC is awesome, the SJing entertaining and the dressage less so, according to most of the judges we've met. He's STILL not finished growing - heading for the 'world's tallest eventer' recordbooks I think - and doesn't really carry enough weight behind. He does all the right things in the right places but that doesn't really cut it anymore! Plans for an autumn CCI* were scuppered by a weather-related lack of runs. No matter, we finished with a blast round a BE100 Open instead and managed a nice double clear, albeit with time faults :eek:. I was so concerned about going too fast (he's usually well inside the time at BE100 and in the fastest few XC at Novice due to his big stride) that I dawdled round enjoying the sunshine and lost out on a placing as a result. Lesson learnt, but we had a nice day and fun - which, they tell me, is wot it's all about ;).

http://youtu.be/nQ6EDis4LL4

Jerry had an op in the summer and is just starting back in work now - commencing with a month on the lunge/long-reins - so I was happily looking forward to a quiet month or so myself and a bit of time to kick back.

No such luck! Within a week of each other I had two phone calls offering me horses to ride. My head said no but the chance to earn a little bit of money was too good to pass up so now I have two lovely, if green, horses to play with :eek:

The first belongs to (and lives with, thank god!) a good friend. He's a lovely 6yo ID/TB who's done very little but has a lovely nature and is very quick learning. He had his first jumping session today and we were very pleased with him. He's by advanced dressage sire Thornwick Challenger so should be a star in this discipline - he's a little short and choppy at the moment but learning to go in a longer frame and he's just a lovely person. He should be out doing a couple of intro/prelim dressage tests in a couple of weeks. You'll have to forgive the fog in the vid, and also me letting him fall into canter on the approach to the grid the last time. Bad Gamebird!

http://youtu.be/wD_eDdDueHM

The second horse is also an ID/TB, this time a mare. She's 7 and by Dow Jones. She's very green for her age and doesn't seem to have done much (any! :rolleyes:) dressage but again, a lovely person who has taken everything in her stride so far - including being picked up from her field, brought to my yard, ridden, tidied up and her mane and tail pulled - all within a 2hr period and with 10 pony-mad 9yo girls having a rather hyper birthday party on the other side of the arena fence :eek:. This one is to sell eventually. Hopefully these are the 'before' vids that will be followed by some nice polished 'after' ones in a couple of months ;).

http://youtu.be/ukyaVkOXK8Y - some polework

http://youtu.be/yfgcwoSNDvA - baby jumps

The plan for both horses is to turn them into nice, chilled allrounders who'll be happy doing dressage/SJing/XC/hunting/hacking.

So with 3 horses at home and one to ride elsewhere life has got rather busier than I anticipated - did I mention the full-time job? :eek: The upside is that I've been smiling all weekend - babies (albeit oldish ones) are very gratifying and I'm desperate to get out and about to some nice low-key unaffiliated competitions. Look out for me jumping 70cm with a big grin at a competition near you! :D
 

E_Lister

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I know the owner of Challenger and have actually met Piskie a couple of times. What a small world!

Good luck on your ventures this auntumn/winter!
 

Gamebird

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I know the owner of Challenger and have actually met Piskie a couple of times. What a small world!

Good luck on your ventures this auntumn/winter!

Small world indeed! If you see V you can tell her that he is absolutely loved and spoiled to death and is a super, super chap who has a home for life :). There's another HHOer who knows the sire rather well too ;).
 

E_Lister

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Small world indeed! If you see V you can tell her that he is absolutely loved and spoiled to death and is a super, super chap who has a home for life :). There's another HHOer who knows the sire rather well too ;).

Shall do :) She will be pleased to hear it (as will a few others who were gutted to hear he had been sold!)
 

MegaBeast

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Sounds like you've got your hands full this Winter! How big is Fugly now? He's always been on the lanky side :) I was only wondering what happened to Jerry the other day, haven't been on here much since the Winter but hadn't seen him mentioned recently. Will he be returning to event?
 

Gamebird

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MB - I don't measure him any more :eek:. He still doesn't look physically 'finished' though if you know what I mean. 17.2ish? Jerry should be physically capable of eventing but whether or not I do so with him I'm not sure. I don't think he ever 'got' the XC, really. He's got the ability but not the natural flair for it and I wonder whether I'm trying to make him into something he's not because eventing's what I 'do'? I'm planning some BD/BS after Xmas then we'll see. Maybe?
 

Gamebird

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Gamebird - I've tagged V in the video of Piske so she can see how he's progressing!!!

I hope she thinks he is progressing! :eek:. It's a big responsibility... I've never met Challenger but have heard that he passes on a good temperament/attitude. The plan is to have a few outings (dressage, XC schooling, RC rallies) then we go hunting :D.
 
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