Fiona
Well-Known Member
Can't believe we have had this mare so long, and finally got to say she has completed her first NOVICE event.....
In previous seasons her and OH have got their eye in at PN in the spring season, then eventing mostly stops here from May to July so she gets massively fat, then the ground gets hard, and her season peters out with a wet sort of a splosh without having achieved very much.
This year though...
-max of 8 hours grass a day and strip grazed to keep tummy in trim
-OH and I didn't go away so she didn't get 10 days in the field porking out
-did lots of unaff derbies etc to keep their eye in
-weather bad so the ground hasn't got too hard
So lets go...
Had a bit of a panic during the week (reality set in I think), so bullied OH to go to local evening SJ.
They jumped a nice round in the 1m class, then they very kindly set up a 1.10 course for us (even though there were no other entries), and they jumped round really nicely (4 faults at the very last fence
)
(sorry they are a little dark - it was about 9.30 by this stage)
They then felt a little better prepared (though we had a very long day at RDS on Thursday and still not caught up sleep from getting up at 5
)
Anyway today...
I totally missed the dressage (my dad arrived to watch/help and I was trying to get him sorted out) and OH decided to go in 10 min early as there were a couple of 'no shows'.
Don't think I missed much (as it was test 111 and I've already moaned about enough in the past) but from the test sheet it sounds as if she was her normal 'don't tell me what to do - you can't MAKE me like dressage' alpha mare self. They weren't last though
......
The SJ worried me (as the ground though sandy was quite firm, and was well up to height), but after a real 'misser' at the first fence they jumped round really fab and confident and just had the last down (2nd part of a double) for 8 faults (average in the class).
as the scariest bit was over. My hands were shaking so much I could hardly hold the camera...
fence 2
fence 4
fence 5 (1st double)
and 8 (which was a related 6 strides on a curve to the last huge double)
The XC definitely wasn't the biggest in terms of size, but was pretty technical with the odd biggie thrown in. The worst (IMO) was a fair size drop with three strides on an angle to a skinny box thingie, and included the drawbridge type water fence that they had jumped (unaff) earlier this year.
Fence 1 (sorry it came out weird - long lens and I was too close)
then tyres, table, drop to log, pallisade to skinny, trakhener downhill..
Big bank..
Tiger trap (getting farther away now)
then another bank complex, then a 'sally gap' complex (copied from punchestown - 2 mounds with a log on each)
(second part)
half coffin (ditch to brush)
then the first water (skinny on a hillock to small log drop in)
and then I couldn't see the rest of the course
but they climbed a humungous hill, did corner complex at the top, the drop to skinny combo (which she seemingly jumped at the angle she was so confident), the big water and the finish...
Loads of time penalties (but this event is wheeled SO tight - don't think any of ours have got inside the time at whatever level) so don't care...
Even got home in time for the horses to have a couple of hours in the field (while OH and I drank pear cider (very tasty) and watched the RDS puissance on RTE.
Tiring week all in all (but wouldn't have missed it for the world)
Raise a glass with me....
To Sophie.....the ugliest 3yo in the world (I am not joking)
but who has really turned into something rather smart
Fiona
In previous seasons her and OH have got their eye in at PN in the spring season, then eventing mostly stops here from May to July so she gets massively fat, then the ground gets hard, and her season peters out with a wet sort of a splosh without having achieved very much.
This year though...
-max of 8 hours grass a day and strip grazed to keep tummy in trim
-OH and I didn't go away so she didn't get 10 days in the field porking out
-did lots of unaff derbies etc to keep their eye in
-weather bad so the ground hasn't got too hard
So lets go...
Had a bit of a panic during the week (reality set in I think), so bullied OH to go to local evening SJ.
They jumped a nice round in the 1m class, then they very kindly set up a 1.10 course for us (even though there were no other entries), and they jumped round really nicely (4 faults at the very last fence
(sorry they are a little dark - it was about 9.30 by this stage)
They then felt a little better prepared (though we had a very long day at RDS on Thursday and still not caught up sleep from getting up at 5
Anyway today...
I totally missed the dressage (my dad arrived to watch/help and I was trying to get him sorted out) and OH decided to go in 10 min early as there were a couple of 'no shows'.
Don't think I missed much (as it was test 111 and I've already moaned about enough in the past) but from the test sheet it sounds as if she was her normal 'don't tell me what to do - you can't MAKE me like dressage' alpha mare self. They weren't last though
The SJ worried me (as the ground though sandy was quite firm, and was well up to height), but after a real 'misser' at the first fence they jumped round really fab and confident and just had the last down (2nd part of a double) for 8 faults (average in the class).
fence 2
fence 4
fence 5 (1st double)
and 8 (which was a related 6 strides on a curve to the last huge double)
The XC definitely wasn't the biggest in terms of size, but was pretty technical with the odd biggie thrown in. The worst (IMO) was a fair size drop with three strides on an angle to a skinny box thingie, and included the drawbridge type water fence that they had jumped (unaff) earlier this year.
Fence 1 (sorry it came out weird - long lens and I was too close)
then tyres, table, drop to log, pallisade to skinny, trakhener downhill..
Big bank..
Tiger trap (getting farther away now)
then another bank complex, then a 'sally gap' complex (copied from punchestown - 2 mounds with a log on each)
(second part)
half coffin (ditch to brush)
then the first water (skinny on a hillock to small log drop in)
and then I couldn't see the rest of the course
Loads of time penalties (but this event is wheeled SO tight - don't think any of ours have got inside the time at whatever level) so don't care...
Even got home in time for the horses to have a couple of hours in the field (while OH and I drank pear cider (very tasty) and watched the RDS puissance on RTE.
Tiring week all in all (but wouldn't have missed it for the world)
Raise a glass with me....
To Sophie.....the ugliest 3yo in the world (I am not joking)
but who has really turned into something rather smart
Fiona
