Hippo's first ever show

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Arizahn

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Hippo before the big day
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Hippo and friends waiting to compete
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Hippo and H
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Patiently waiting
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The eventers waiting their rosettes
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There is a video that goes with these but for some reason the video wobbles.
 
Hippo isn't really her name; I started calling her that on here after the umpteenth time I went up the field to find a grey mare and came back leading what resembled a small patch of walking mud:D

Her proper name is NL Alhadiye, but we call her Grusha, or sometimes Gru for short.
 
Faracat said:
She's so clean! :D Did she roll as soon as you turned her out after the show? ;)
Click to expand...

No, she waited about half an hour, lol! No rug today either, I'm a glutton for punishment. Fields are quite dry at the moment though. (Crosses fingers...)

I rode her back up to the yard afterwards. About two minutes into our little hack, I realised that there was a massive spider crawling around on the bottom of the brim of my hat!:eek: Managed to remain calm, despite the tiny voice screaming in my mind, and asked OH to please take the reins.

OH: But surely you need to steer her?
Me: Take...the...reins...please...thereisaspideronmyhatandineedtoknockitoff!!!

He did take the reins whilst I got sorted, thankfully. I am arachnophobic, but screaming onboard Hippo is unwise...an intriguing form of therapy!
 
JFTD - Well:o:(:o...they finished their class eventually!

In fairness, the jumps were a bit higher than usual. H was running late and missed the class that she had planned to enter. So she tried the higher course. 80cm is still slightly out of Hippo's comfort zone. Although she jumped the first one perfectly.

It was after that it went a bit pear-shaped...ran out of the second, twice. So H was told not to worry and just take her time and finish the course as practice for next time. (She was the last one jumping.)

Tried second jump again. Hippo stopped dead and goggled at it, as though she had never seen a pole before! H tapped her with her crop, meaning to turn her and try the approach again - literally a tap on the shoulder - and Hippo promptly bounced over the jump from a standing start!

She then alternated between beautiful floating canters and a couple more Pepe Le Pew type jumps, before getting her sensible head back on and finishing the last three perfectly.

The tiny child that was watching next to us was cheering her on, so at least she was entertaining to watch:D Got a big round of applause at the end. And judge gave H a rosette - it was either 6th place or well done for staying on that mad Arab!

Next time will be better. They had fun and H gave Hippo lots of praise, so a good learning experience I think.
 
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