I think I may be officially bonkers!

_MizElz_

_MizElz_

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I have entered a ODE this coming Sunday....and am beginning to seriously quake in my boots at the thought of it!

I'm not sure what scares me the most - I'm compiling a list of all my worries!

- I have to show jump; we have not SJed for several years and I have huuuge hang ups about combinations, thanks to the fall we had that put me off jumping....

- I have to go round a XC course we have never seen before

- It's bigger than the fences we have schooled over at home, and bigger than the Hunter Trial we did last weekend...

- We have to do dressage. Ellie does not do dressage. We have an extremely high chance of executing a perfect exit mid-test by means of jumping over the very scary white boards...

Am I nuts or what??? I have been focussing on flatwork when riding this week, but we're a total disaster. She hasnt even seen a show jump - I will be able to school round the course at the yard on Friday if I want to, although I'm not sure that's a good idea! - and the 2'6 XC course at the yard is too big and scary for me...I'm relying on the fact that the 2'6 on Sunday will be smaller!!!

Ellie is more mad than I am though - I went to catch her this morning thinking she'd be desperate to come in due to the rain, but no. She was stood in a corner, hunched up, miserable and shivering her butt off, but it still took me half an hour, half a mile of electric fencing and three electric shocks (to me, not Ellie) to catch her. Humph.

Pointless post really; I do apologise! I'm just feeling very :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
I'm shore you will both be fine. You where worried about the HT before you went but look what a fab time you had then.
I'm one to talk though i'm doing a sponsourd ride on Sat and have entered one where there are no jumps. :p Lucy's not gonna be happy :mad: But then she is ment to be unwell :o (Well thats my excuse and i'm sticking with it ;) :p :D :D)
Let us know how you get on. Remember to smile though it's ment to be fun. :)
 
Firstly I would like to dispute with you the use of 'Officially Bonkers' as I have had a long held belief originated by my partner that I have sole rights to being bonkers. I know this as he tells me it nearly every day.

Dressage is just doing straight lines and circles. If you can walk trot and canter you can have a bash at the dressage. You dont have to barge round in a fixed outline just show that you can steer and change gear when you need to.

2ft 6in is only a bit bigger than you did last weekend Ellie probably jumped that high already but as you were on board you would not have noticed.

Anyway have fun and take some Rescue Remedy.
 
LauraWheeler said:
I'm shore you will both be fine. You where worried about the HT before you went but look what a fab time you had then.
I'm one to talk though i'm doing a sponsourd ride on Sat and have entered one where there are no jumps. :p Lucy's not gonna be happy :mad: But then she is ment to be unwell :o (Well thats my excuse and i'm sticking with it ;) :p :D :D)
Let us know how you get on. Remember to smile though it's ment to be fun. :)
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You are right, I was nervous last time and had the time of my life! One thing I have realised is that I seem to have finally learnt how to channel my nerves...when I was in the start box last weekend, I was nervous but I was in the 'we ARE going to do this' frame of mind, whereas the old me would have been in a 'we're going to stop at the first/fall in the ditch etc' mindset....

A sponsored ride with no jumps!?!??! Shocking! LOL :eek::D
 
Flibble said:
Firstly I would like to dispute with you the use of 'Officially Bonkers' as I have had a long held belief originated by my partner that I have sole rights to being bonkers. I know this as he tells me it nearly every day.

Dressage is just doing straight lines and circles. If you can walk trot and canter you can have a bash at the dressage. You dont have to barge round in a fixed outline just show that you can steer and change gear when you need to.

2ft 6in is only a bit bigger than you did last weekend Ellie probably jumped that high already but as you were on board you would not have noticed.

Anyway have fun and take some Rescue Remedy.
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I'm liking the sound of this Rescue Remedy....may have to buy some!

Straight lines and circles....hmmm. If only Ellie could see it that way - an instructor once told me that Ellie 'is like a piece of spaghetti' - she doesnt go straight....:eek::rolleyes: I was schooling her yesterday, and a friend at the yard said what lovely paces she had, but then coupled that with 'it's just a shame her head is always so high!' :o:eek::D

I've been going around with a tape measure all week measuring random objects to see if they are 2'6. Sad or what!!!! I think, if I'm honest, I'm now more worried about the SJ than the XC....

Oh, and the other problem I have is that my old riding jacket is too tight across me bazookas! :(:(:(:(:(:(
 
_MizElz_ said:
You are right, I was nervous last time and had the time of my life! One thing I have realised is that I seem to have finally learnt how to channel my nerves...when I was in the start box last weekend, I was nervous but I was in the 'we ARE going to do this' frame of mind, whereas the old me would have been in a 'we're going to stop at the first/fall in the ditch etc' mindset....

A sponsored ride with no jumps!?!??! Shocking! LOL :eek::D
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I'm hoping Lucy is just gonna think it's endurance LOL Although we will be taking it very steady (or atleast trying to :rolleyes:)

Keep that new frame of mind. I wish i had it i always think it's going to go horrably wrong which is why i avoid jumping at all costs. :o
 
good luck for sunday :)

is this the event at rabson manor?

just keep thinking positive and Ellie will perform for you. anyway dressage doesn't have to be perfect, its meant to be fun :) I do sympathise with the worry of doubles having had a horse fall with me jumping a double, but I bet you will have a fab time. just keep thinking how elated you were when you did your last hunter trial :)

good luck!
 
I entered a couple of years ago and the xc then was nowhere near up to height and the sj was very kind too. Unfortunately there was torrential rain the night before and it got cancelled so having gone over to walk the course etc I never got to do it.

I've volunteered to help with that (although they haven't said if they want me or not yet) so I might see you there.

Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine!
 
Dubsie - you're absolutely right! I schooled her this morning and someone had put up a 1m oxer; it was quite reassuring to look at that and know that we'd be jumping 4 or 5 holes lower! :D

Cheiro - yep, it's at Rabson! Think positive is becoming my new motto - very different to the old me! We had a vague run through the dressage test this morning and she actually went really sweetly; I've decided I'm not going to fuss and stress over her outline - I just want us to do everything nice and free and relaxed...and hopefully not jump out of the arena!

Hullaballoo - that's good to know, as long as there's nothing over 2'6! It does say 'max height' so I guess that does imply it could be lower....:) Would be good to see you there - look out for the sheepskin, and the black jacket with the frantically popping buttons! :eek::D
 
Try not to get worried about it... it's all supposed to be fun remember!! :D
Just go for it, do your best and see what happens... but I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time and so will Ellie! :) Good luck :D
 
I thought about entering that but my nerves got the better of me and I didnt. I too was more worried about the SJing than the XC :o

I have XC schooled over there though and the jumps are very inviting and the take offs and landings are nice, its fab over there, so I hope you have a lovely time :)
 
Cheiro - that's a shame! I forced myself to enter as I only found out about it the day the entries closed; only now am I beginning to realise what I've let myself in for! But at the end of the day, it is a fun event and if there's anything I feel shaky about, I can always miss it out. Just a bit worried as we've never schooled there; some of them look a bit spooky! LOL :eek::D

Katie_Connie - thank you! :):):)
 
_MizElz_ said:
Hullaballoo - that's good to know, as long as there's nothing over 2'6! It does say 'max height' so I guess that does imply it could be lower....:) Would be good to see you there - look out for the sheepskin, and the black jacket with the frantically popping buttons! :eek::D
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I'll keep a look out for you if I'm there - sounds like you could be difficult to miss lol. I was at Rabson schooling in the pouring rain on Saturday morning - the ground is lovely. I'd really like to be doing it, but haven't had transport for a while. That's just been sorted so might take you on next time - see if you can compete with me to be last after the dressage!
 
Hullabaloo said:
I'll keep a look out for you if I'm there - sounds like you could be difficult to miss lol. I was at Rabson schooling in the pouring rain on Saturday morning - the ground is lovely. I'd really like to be doing it, but haven't had transport for a while. That's just been sorted so might take you on next time - see if you can compete with me to be last after the dressage!
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LMAO there would be no contest I'm afraid :D Ellie resembles a giraffe in canter ('See how high I can put my nose!') and we seem to have perfected the four beat rhythm....
And if they put the flower/shrub pots out in the arenas, then I really am screwed! I did a dressage comp there once before and it was NOT a good day :eek::rolleyes:
 
_MizElz_ said:
LMAO there would be no contest I'm afraid :D Ellie resembles a giraffe in canter ('See how high I can put my nose!') and we seem to have perfected the four beat rhythm....
And if they put the flower/shrub pots out in the arenas, then I really am screwed! I did a dressage comp there once before and it was NOT a good day :eek::rolleyes:
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My last test I got 2 well sats and a well done for staying on in the comments and that was without a single flower pot! And just in case we don't lose enough marks for that I usually forget where I'm going :-)

Frustrating as he can do a lovely test when in the right mood - but most days he just hates dressage!
 
_MizElz_ said:
Cheiro - that's a shame! I forced myself to enter as I only found out about it the day the entries closed; only now am I beginning to realise what I've let myself in for! But at the end of the day, it is a fun event and if there's anything I feel shaky about, I can always miss it out. Just a bit worried as we've never schooled there; some of them look a bit spooky! LOL :eek::D
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to be fair it is honestly a very inviting set of XC jumps. they all have good approaches, nice take off and landings. the only thing my horse thought was scary was some cut in half barrells in a wooden frame, but that was only because she suddenly realised there was water in the barrells :eek: lol

we will expect a full report and lots of piccies! :p
 
Ooo how much is it to enter? Rabson's not that far... *has equally bonkers thoughts*

We tried a few of the jumps here last week....all the solid ones have been barbed wired over though because of the cattle which left us with the bank with water ditch in front....which we kept cantering INTO it and couldn't figure out to jump it :/ And then the log pile.....we took down to its component parts!!!!!!! :o Woops.
Natural are we not it appears!

So be glad you have a mare that jumps no problemo :D You'll be fiiiine! If all else fails close eyes and kick! :D

Are you doing the fun ride on the 13th at Abbs?
 
it was my fault. there was a little one but I tried to jump the middle sized one and then went oh s**t there is water in it, so my horse stopped. she jumped the littler one fine though as I actually rode at it. lol
 
Ah ouch....maybe not then!!! haha.

I'm hoping to do the fun ride too :D maybe not in tutu's this time.....lol!
 
You will be fine.
It's a lovely course and judging by your pics of Ellie you will fly around.
As for dressage, who cares, as long as you feel that the test was ok, ignore what the judge says-it's just her opinion.
Show jumping will be a doddle, she will be great, just have confidence.
Waiting for lots of pics :p
 
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