Lolo
Well-Known Member
Well my mum was organising the NNPC ODE held at Blackwater Farm today, so we decided it would be a nice introduction into proper eventing for Reggie. He's just spent a week with Alice at Emily Lochore's, and they learnt loads- even though Emily decided it would probably take a few fireworks before he backed off a fence... she'd piled rugs and coats and everything flappy she could on and he just didn't care at all!
First he did his dressage. A took him down very early before anyone else arrived and schooled him in the warm up area so he could have a good old look round and chill. He's a reall stresshead, and this was only his second test on grass, and third ever test. Bir worried, as his first test was mainly conducted in working rear with the occasional flash of what he actually could do, so we weren't expecting much. He actually went beautifully, and although he wasn't entirely relaxed and his canters only got 4's (he finds the trans a bit exciting still at comps, but it'll come), but he got very encouraging remarks. He got 44.6, which put him into about 13th after the dressage, and A had a grin from ear to ear as she thinks he's really coming together now.
Onto the SJ which Reg finds the hardest part. It was 80cm, and the biggest course he'd faced yet- seems very small to most, but when your legs don't really cooperate with your brain its rather big! He did a sweet round but had 3 down. They were all a case of him catching the fence with one back hoof (never the same one... that would be too easy!). Next time he SJs he'll do 90cm, as he doesn't really make any effort at all at this height. Hopefully, bigger jumps will make him actually jump rather than stride... A was cross as she was convinced she rode him badly, and while there were bits to improve upon, the overall round was very sweet and willing and she managed his little moments really calmly.
And finally the XC! Reg's favourite!! He is turning into a total machine XC, bold as brass and so eager to please. He is bold yet intelligent, and we couldn't be more pleased. The first few fences were easy, and the 5th fence was a step down into a corridor to a step up. All this is under trees, and going towards some very noisy hedges so lots of ponies were stopping. Reg went in and although he did a doubletake he didn't hesitate and popped straight through. He roared round the rest of the course, and managed the ditch to a pallisade really well- we were very
as this is in the BE90 normally, and ditches are very new to him still. It was a lovely clear, and they both had ear-to-ear grins at the end!
In the end they came 9th out of about 20 people, and so we are left wondering whether to bring the move to 90cm XC forwards a bit- he's done one course of 90cm and pinged round, but we don't want to worry him. He finds the height really easy (he's used to 4' brushes, a 3' one hardly makes him jump!), but technical stuff could be too much... Decisions!
Fish and chips if you got through all this! We couldn't face washing up tonight...
First he did his dressage. A took him down very early before anyone else arrived and schooled him in the warm up area so he could have a good old look round and chill. He's a reall stresshead, and this was only his second test on grass, and third ever test. Bir worried, as his first test was mainly conducted in working rear with the occasional flash of what he actually could do, so we weren't expecting much. He actually went beautifully, and although he wasn't entirely relaxed and his canters only got 4's (he finds the trans a bit exciting still at comps, but it'll come), but he got very encouraging remarks. He got 44.6, which put him into about 13th after the dressage, and A had a grin from ear to ear as she thinks he's really coming together now.
Onto the SJ which Reg finds the hardest part. It was 80cm, and the biggest course he'd faced yet- seems very small to most, but when your legs don't really cooperate with your brain its rather big! He did a sweet round but had 3 down. They were all a case of him catching the fence with one back hoof (never the same one... that would be too easy!). Next time he SJs he'll do 90cm, as he doesn't really make any effort at all at this height. Hopefully, bigger jumps will make him actually jump rather than stride... A was cross as she was convinced she rode him badly, and while there were bits to improve upon, the overall round was very sweet and willing and she managed his little moments really calmly.
And finally the XC! Reg's favourite!! He is turning into a total machine XC, bold as brass and so eager to please. He is bold yet intelligent, and we couldn't be more pleased. The first few fences were easy, and the 5th fence was a step down into a corridor to a step up. All this is under trees, and going towards some very noisy hedges so lots of ponies were stopping. Reg went in and although he did a doubletake he didn't hesitate and popped straight through. He roared round the rest of the course, and managed the ditch to a pallisade really well- we were very
as this is in the BE90 normally, and ditches are very new to him still. It was a lovely clear, and they both had ear-to-ear grins at the end!
In the end they came 9th out of about 20 people, and so we are left wondering whether to bring the move to 90cm XC forwards a bit- he's done one course of 90cm and pinged round, but we don't want to worry him. He finds the height really easy (he's used to 4' brushes, a 3' one hardly makes him jump!), but technical stuff could be too much... Decisions!
Fish and chips if you got through all this! We couldn't face washing up tonight...
