Homebred's BE80 debut

Tiddlypom

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This is my first report in C&T, so apologies if I’m not fully au fait with the lingo :).

Molly is my homebred Uptons Deli Circus 5yo. Sadly she has not grown big or chunky enough for me, so she has been away on competition/sales livery at the yard where she was backed last year. She is quite low mileage for her age, having her first outing in clear round SJ in June, over teeny jumps.

She’s steadily progressed since then, and has loved every moment of her parties, so it was decided to enter her for the BE80 at Kelsall(2). Two cross country practices were added to her CV, and off she went on Friday to her sixth ever competition of any kind.

Kelsall BE is BIG. Not that the jumps are over height, but there is a lot of ‘stuff’ there to distract a young horse. She was a big boggled when she came off the lorry, but settled down as soon as she was under saddle.

My oh so sympathetic pro gave her a steady clear round in the dressage to earn a pleasing 31 (one 6, the rest 7s). Molly was so chilled that she was happily up to giving a misbehaving nappy horse a lead back up towards the dressage arenas after she had finished her own test.



She was again calm warming up for the SJ, and went in and did a nice round in a very colourful arena for two down, adding 8 to her dressage score. When she gets distracted by things like decorative plants waving in the breeze, she keep coming but has poles.



Now onto the cross country. My pro reckoned that she would have to work hard to get her over the first four, but that once her blood was up, she’d be ok. And that’s pretty much it.
She weaved her way to fence one with her eyes out on stalks, scrambled over it somewhat then picked up and once she’d cottoned on, she kept on coming. She threw a massive leap into the water, but remembered to get her undercarriage out in time to land safely and carry on undaunted.








She loved it, and finished clear with her ears pricked and looking very pleased with herself. After picking up 10.8 time penalties, she finished in 24th place on 49.8. This might sound like a modest result, but we were so pleased with her attitude at much her biggest test to date.

After the event, she was dropped off at what promises to be the most perfect long term loan home with an experienced and competitive family. They had been there to cheer her on, and were very pleased with how she fared.

(All amateur pics with permissions).
 
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Michen

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That is fantastic you must be very proud!!!! What a gorgeous little mare and how lovely that you've got her to this stage so she can go off and progress in her loan home. xx
 

Tiddlypom

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That is fantastic you must be very proud!!!! What a gorgeous little mare and how lovely that you've got her to this stage so she can go off and progress in her loan home. xx
Thanks! As a business proposition, to get her to this stage and then loan her out it has been an epic fail ;), but I don't want to sell her. She was intended to be a chunky monkey (like her sire) which would be suitable for me, but as you can see, she's quite fine. She's a small 15.3hh.

Having bred her, I feel responsible for her so was hoping for a really good loan home to pop up, which it has.

She's gorgeous, you must be really pleased. Lovely report :)
Thanks. I was so nervous watching her compete!
 
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Asha

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My daughter knows your Molly well ! She is your pro's groom.

Molly is indeed a lovely mare, and the video of her doing her first event are fab. She really did take it all in her stride. Shes going to be missed on the yard
 

Tiddlypom

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My daughter knows your Molly well ! She is your pro's groom.

Molly is indeed a lovely mare, and the video of her doing her first event are fab. She really did take it all in her stride. Shes going to be missed on the yard
I hadn't made the connection! Your daughter has always been friendly, professional and helpful when I've spoken to her :). She's a credit to you.

I forgot to post the short video I took of part of the xc on here. The camcorder work is a bit rubbish (nerves and failing battery), but it shows a green horse being nursed round.

.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NIEGGG4aOvY

I hope I do half as well with mine. He is away being broken to loan out.
Good luck. It's such a responsibility, isn't it? These good loan homes are out there, but they take some finding.
 

PorkChop

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Fantastic :)

Quite special when they are a homebred :)

My thirteen year old mare, third generation homebred, has been teaching my now fifteen year old daughter the ropes at eventing, it is very special.
 

Cluelessblonde

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I hadn't made the connection! Your daughter has always been friendly, professional and helpful when I've spoken to her :). She's a credit to you.

I forgot to post the short video I took of part of the xc on here. The camcorder work is a bit rubbish (nerves and failing battery), but it shows a green horse being nursed round.

.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NIEGGG4aOvY

Good luck. It's such a responsibility, isn't it? These good loan homes are out there, but they take some finding.


I love her jump into water :) she has a lovely attitude to work doesn't she. Well done you
 

gingerarab

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what a lovely horse, she was well ridden by your pro, someone is going to have a lot of fun with her. Its nice to see some uptons Deli offspring out and competing if she turns out anything like him she will be a super star !
 

JennBags

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What a great report, pics and video! She looks lovely, and what a nice ride the pro gave her, I especially liked the confidence giving neck rubs after she'd scared herself at the water.
 

Asha

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I hadn't made the connection! Your daughter has always been friendly, professional and helpful when I've spoken to her :). She's a credit to you.

.

That's lovely feedback, thank you. She will be over the moon to her that. She loves her job, and her boss and has come on in confidence since being there. Good luck with your youngster. It's great when a plan comes together x
 

Tiddlypom

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Thanks all, the pro did indeed give Molly a lovely ride. She had six horses entered at Kelsall over the w/e in classes BE80 to BE100, and went clear XC on all of them. At least one other of these was also bred by an HHOer, as I discovered very recently.

It was disconcerting to discover that she is actually younger than my eldest son :eek3:, but she deserves to go a long way.

Molly was originally backed and produced by pro number 1, who starts horses and show jumps, then handed over to pro number 2 who events about a month ago, with a view to getting her ready for Kelsall. They both operate on the same yard, with much cooperation between the two. It’s refreshing to find a nice quiet settled successful competition yard with no horror stories of beaten and battered horses, as is sadly so common.
 
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Tiddlypom

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I've just got my paid for pro photos back after Kelsall, and Molly's leap into the water was well captured :D. There wasn't an actual jump there, the water itself was the flagged hazard...









The joys of green horses! Molly had been well prepped before Kelsall, and had nailed all the likely questions such as ditches, drops etc in practice, but there's nothing going out and joining up all the dots for the first time in competition!

Well sat, my pro.
 

Asha

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brilliant, love those photos. Charlottes face is a picture.

How is she doing in her new home, have you had an update ?
 

Tiddlypom

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Great pictures! I love the changing expression of Molly, from deep suspicion to "oh that's fine, let's go!" as her feet touch the water :D
Haha, yes, she's evaluating the situation as she's airborne, isn't she?

brilliant, love those photos. Charlottes face is a picture.

How is she doing in her new home, have you had an update ?
I saw Molly this afternoon. They love her, and she's settled in very well, thank you :). She's still on appro, as they are very competitive, and Molly has to shape up. Looking good now, though.

Her new home is about 30 minutes away. It turns out that I know the yard very well, as my former dressage trainer used to live there, and I spent many hours being put through purgatory in that same arena years ago!
 
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Asha

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Haha, yes, she's evaluating the situation as she's airborne, isn't she?

I saw Molly this afternoon. They love her, and she's settled in very well, thank you :). She's still on appro, as they are very competitive, and Molly has to shape up. Looking good now, though.

Her new home is about 30 minutes away. It turns out that I know the yard very well, as my former dressage trainer used to live there, and I spent many hours being put through purgatory in that same arena years ago!

That's fabulous news. It's great when a plan comes together. Must be huge relief to you. It's funny how we end up back at some old haunts.
 
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