I remembered!!

[BBs]

The reason why I dont like SJing

Saturday I had a fantastic SJ session in the school at home with YO, Winston was amazing and we jumped a course of 4 fences at 1.15m and 1.20m. Totally confident and happy with how we are progressing I was excited for sunday.

So sunday dawned, I left the yard around 10am to get there early, YO drove on ahead to put my number down, and I got a txt from Tigers_eye to say dont rush as there are truck loads of ppl in each class

79 in the BN to be exact

Well I havent been to Addington since the beginning of this year and OMG this has to now be the best competition venue in the country! the new outdoor and indoor school are amazing!

My number is drawn 13th!!!

so I got that changed

not wanting to tempt fate!

So from 1030-2pm we waiting for the Discovery to start....YAWN!

Now wishing I should have entered the BN as that was rather sizely, but thought NOPE stick to your guns you are used to jumping Discovery height.

Course was ready to walk OMG the fences come up to my chest! now Im 5'7!!! so that to me wasnt small! and we had a water tray YIKES!!

Anyhow, Winston warmed up brilliantly absolutely launching up into the air, however, he was slightly behind the leg but was jumping well.

So under instruction to gallop in and pick up a strong canter, which we did, bang, stops at the first WTF!!!! comes around again and pops it sweetly. The next few fences we jump spot on and start getting into a nice canter

on to the big oxer on a long one stride to an upright and he just flies the first bit, but oddly which shot me out of the saddle and i had NO REINS whatsoever lol! talk about comedy moment! and I jump the next fence with no reins at all - it was like being back at pony club

of course the next fence on 5 stride dog leg was the water tray - I scrambled for my reins got them but came to a grinding halt

BUGGERATION! BIG FAT E

So we cantered back out of the arena totally humilliated and very P1ssed Off so I went and took him back over the practice fences and blow me down he jumped them bloody brilliantly

Okay so I think we both got stage fright! it was very daunting going into such a huge well lit arena. Bob Ellis was course builder along with some other guy, the course was great and asked every question. I cant wait to go back in December

However, tomorrow night we shall be back doing clear rounds just to get course experience as it does seem to be that everything goes well at home and in the practise arena but we both freeze and hold our breath as we enter the arena

They didnt finish jumping to around 10pm that night! with over 350 horses competing during the day!!! a very popular venue indeed!

So I havent given up on the idea yet, but Winston is on the transfer list

Oh Cubbing was successful yesterday, apart from being cartered towards the end

 

[PaddyMonty]

Bummer.
Agree about the venue, its very impressive now.
They do seem to build BIG there. I watched the 1m open last week and somewhat revised my training plans (decided to do some).

Planning to try my luck there on the 2nd November.

 

[Rambo]

Oh dear

Sorry to hear things didn't go exactly to plan. It's a different ball game isn't it in the ring...I know coz i've had the same happen to me

Don't give up yet, give Winnie a chance, and perhaps make the most of being able to jump BN's while he's still eligible !? One metre can look very different depending on who's building the track and what's in it.

Is there somewhere a little more 'course friendly' that you could go next time just to enable you both to get your SJ'ing 'hats' on ?

 

[KarenX]

Thanks for the report - very interesting! Hard luck, but you did choose 'the big stage' for your first comp!! It would have been easier to sneak off to a dark little venue that nobody else went to!

When is your next outing? Dont be put off.. my friend went there and was eliminated in the jump off on a Grade A in the 1m open - she was also fazed by the bright lights!!

Winston isnt really on the transfer list is he??

Karen

 

[sillygillyhorse]

I too hate the hanging around that goes with sj, my OH will not go with me, he like to know what time everything is, makes warming up a nightmare as no one to do a fence for me.

Interesting that you say you can jump fine at home and in the warm up but you hold your breath and freeze in the ring, I am exactly the same.

 

[cheeky girl]

Oh my god reading your post was exactly like my experience from a fortnight ago but I was a whimp and didn't post it!!
I rejoined and went to jump a 1m open class. Got there and saw the fences and thought they looked small so walked the course and went to enter. Felt fine until I picked up a pen to write out entry and couldn;t ride as my hand was shaking so much

Went in and ground to halt at the first fence

Pulled myself together and go as far as fence 7 and then ground to a halt again

I felt like I wasn't with her at all and came away very peeded off and wishing I hadn't forked out for membership.
Never mind we'll have another go when she's up and running but I can't understand why it's so hard and scary - lol!
Keep at it it's bound to get easier

 

[BBs]

Thing is the height we were more than capable! we were jumping bigger in the practise arena!
I just think the bright lights and the ppl just really set the atmosphere somewhat! it seems more buzzy than Arena UK in September!

Hey ho, Clear Rounds here we come - and then back there in Nov/Dec - thing is going anywhere else is a long drive or arena is a bit small i.e. Blewbury! whereas at least at Addington the SJing arena is huge

Remember winston can be like turning an oil tanker at times lol.

 

[KatB]

I think your blooming brave to be going in at Disco anyway! Noooooo chance!! Course heights do seem to vary so much, have been to some and would have quite happily attempted the disco, and others where the BN has seemed HUGE!!

Whens next comp then?

Oh, and how did horse viewing go at the weekend.....

 

[LEC]

I think the problem is eventing lulls you into a false sense of security as only 2 fences are up to height and that usually is the last one as a spread and one other. I have seen a wide range of PN courses and I would only say that 2 have been up to height that I have done - Monmouth and Charlton Park. Keep going it can only get better. Maybe going in a BN first will make you confident for the disco. I find indoors harder as well on a big horse as so much is coming off corners so you have less time to prepare and get balanced but again guess it is practice. Good luck you will soon be doing newcomers!

 

[BBs]

Yep understand what youre saying, however Addington is a close venue, and if we had over an hours drive plus waiting 4 hours just to jump! eek I just couldnt handle it epecially if it doesnt all go to plan.

Thing is the other venue close for us is Blewbury, and there is no comparison to Addington.

Had i not been going eventing this weekend (grooming for MdeM) I would be going to Solihull

another good venue.

Addington run clear rounds on a wednesday night from 85cm to 1m so we're going for the 95cm and 1m class tomorrow and i can just keep going round

I am just so grateful my YO is so cool and is happy to help!

We'll possibly enter the BN next time as a warm up make it slightly easier on us both lol talk about bunny in headlights

 

[BBs]

Karen, I never do thing by half! but Addington is my local venue so I didnt think I would be that scared.

Nope I am like a dog with a bone atm! our jumping prep has gone so well - well to be fair we only started jumping last saturday - he had been off jumping for nearly too months with bruised soles.
But our jumping went well during the week and the height is not a problem for him at all.

Off clear rounding now lol Oh and I did get looks and comments about my eventing hat

although had the water tray been a Trakhener we'd have flown it lol!

Umm well we've told winston hes on the transfer list

if he doesnt buck his ideas up lol but he did headbutt me this morning when I told him

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
I find indoors harder as well on a big horse as so much is coming off corners so you have less time to prepare and get balanced but again guess it is practice. Good luck you will soon be doing newcomers!

[/ QUOTE ]

Echo that entirely

When is got back in the saddle last year, I found that everything just happenned so fast that didn't have time to think, let alone worry about looking pretty. The fences just seemed to be on top of me all the time

Now though, I acclimatised to it, and the fences are waiting for me to arrive if that makes sense ? I feel more like a driver, and less like a passenger lol!

 

[BBs]

Mrs T, my mum hates it too! so thank god for YO is all I can say.

However, she now informs me she will be away in germany watching her son SJ when I need her back here doing my practise fences at the next show in November/Dec *SULK*

Perhaps I should have had those sparkley spurs - the lights would have shon off them and blinded the audiance so they wouldnt have been able to see the balls up I made lol

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh and I did get looks and comments about my eventing hat

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!

I wouldn't worry too much about that ! Pippa was wearing hers at Pyecombe in the summer and nobody seemed too bothered about it

 

[PaddyMonty]

[ QUOTE ]
Addington run clear rounds on a wednesday night from 85cm to 1m so we're going for the 95cm and 1m class tomorrow and i can just keep going round

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I had forgotten they do the CR on wednesday evenings.
Do you know if the courses are up to BSJA standard (wide oxers etc) or more like un-aff?

Might be worth taking my boy over to get him used to the areana

 

[BBs]

Hi Lisa
Yesh! I think if we keep going it can only get better

well unless we completely scare ourselves lol

Will be going practising tomorrow and will enter the BN! its so stupid tho - we jumped around some BE Novice SJing tracks this year without much problem

and they are 1.10m!

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
we jumped around some BE Novice SJing tracks this year without much problem and they are 1.10m!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but they were more likely than not outdoors, and wouldn't be anything like as technical as a BSJA 1.10m imo

 

[BBs]

Hi Kat!

I was going under the instruction of YO really! she has been helping me and winston really doesnt make an effort until it gets around 1.10m anyway! He even clears that with foot to spare!

However, I think Addington is obviously going in for building big courses atm so I shall pop him into the BN as well - at least give us a fighting chance of getting us used the arena!

Umm well planning on doing the next Addington BSJA Nov/Dec although YO (my new safety blanket) is going to help her son who is jumping in Germany *sulk* so I may have to change my plans! but we will see! I need to find someone who is happy to sit around for hours and is competent at doing practise fences. Any offers?

 

[dieseldog]

Bad luck. I think the main difference between SJ and BE is that you have related distances. I don't think PN is supposed to have any and in an indoor arena every fence is going to be related near enough. However I find, I do ride a big horse, that as long as you get to the first fence OK on a line you are pretty much set up to jump the following jumps.

Good luck for next time

 

[PaddyMonty]

[ QUOTE ]
I need to find someone who is happy to sit around for hours and is competent at doing practise fences. Any offers?

[/ QUOTE ]
I have the same problem as go on my own. Perhaps we could help each other out given the amount in each class.
Let me know the next time you go.

 

[BBs]

Yep quite agree Lec - however around here the guys who build the SJing courses at BE are the same who do the likes of addington and solihull.

It wasnt all bad, as I watched about 10 get eliminated at the same fence as me too and these were SJers

I really do need to find my yellow tag to make sure everyone realises I am an eventer - once we show improvement I shall wipe it straight off again lol Oh and use my new fluffy saddle pad (thanks catherineskinner).

 

[BBs]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh and I did get looks and comments about my eventing hat

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!

I wouldn't worry too much about that ! Pippa was wearing hers at Pyecombe in the summer and nobody seemed too bothered about it <img src="http://horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[/ QUOTE ]

But that was pippa! this is little old me

Her husband was stood watching my round!

 

[BBs]

I dont know! I can report back tomorrow if you like!

See Ive done a few of their Unaffiliated (usually the bigger classes) and they arent as big as the BN.

Well it wouldnt hurt to come along like you say just to get used to the arena

Be nice to meet you

 

[BBs]

[ QUOTE ]
I have the same problem as go on my own. Perhaps we could help each other out given the amount in each class.
Let me know the next time you go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good idea

Well I was planning to do the Nov/Dec class - but obviously the dinky classes - where werent quite so dinky after all

 

[PaddyMonty]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Well I was planning to do the Nov/Dec class - but obviously the dinky classes

[/ QUOTE ]

I should be there. The dinky's are on thursday and friday.
Start at 1.10mtr on Saturday and 1.20mtr on sunday.

Think I might go out to play on friday and saturday

 

[BBs]

Yep totally agree DD!

Some of the courses I have ridden BE this year have been quite difficult with lots of related distances etc - then others were fairly straightforward.

I guess is just depends who the course builder is, Mike Benfield and Adrian House usually build upto height and techinical courses so I like to ride those as it normally sorts out the dressage horses from the jumpers.

It was interesting, when it wasnt so mind numbing! watching the combinations tackling the courses - like you say every fence was on a related! you really do have to walk your lines!

Oh well, another new thing to learn - I have a water tray on order! (coming back from Germany in 2 wks lol) and I shall be building some very difficult lines in the school just to practise - now if i could find a football team willing to watch me - I might not get so scared when I enter the arena next time lol

 

[BBs]

BUGGERATION!

I think I might just do the Thursday

 

[SillyMare]

OMG - really worried now! Our first BSJA outing is soon!!

We were aiming for a little mid-week outing when nobody is watching. I have a bit of holiday left. Don't think I could face waiting around for a class of 80 to finish!!

We were going to aim straight at the Disco but now BN seems so much more appealing!!

 

[BBs]

I guess it depends where you go!

At Bicester and Finmere where we did our first show the 1.10m open looked jumpable as did the Disco (which i was entered for).
Ponio went lame after the BN which was tiny

Ooo you must come to Addington tho - i did feel like i stuck out like a sore thumb! having another eventer there would make me feel far better

we can have a giggle to lol my horse dentist was there also on Sunday (they are eventers too) so she understood exactly how how we were feeling lol

 

[PaddyMonty]

[ QUOTE ]
BUGGERATION!

I think I might just do the Thursday

[/ QUOTE ]

Thursday would work for me just as well. Boy can only jump opens, 1mt and 1.10 on both thurs and friday.