Kira's Top Hat & Tails debut!

[milliepops]

Well... here we are, the day finally came around and we ticked off a big personal goal

Back in the summer the gauntlet was thrown down in a lesson and I was told that we ought to aim at getting Kira out at Advanced before Christmas. I laughed at the idea but also felt dead chuffed and excited - everything she achieves like this is just so unexpected and so far removed from the pony I started out with, it's just loads of fun and there's never any pressure because who would do this stuff with a difficult section D, right?!

Studied the schedules and picked a venue that she has had a few good runs at, they run a monthly PYO class so I could choose Advanced 100 to ease into the level rather than going straight for the PSG qualifying tests. And then... we had a difficult outing where she just got too cocky, followed by a difficult outing where she got too frightened.... and I nearly bottled it Had a really well timed kick up the bum from Adam last week and sent my entries in the same day before I wimped out

We had AM92 as a warm up test which was not a great deal of fun - Kira was having a very welsh day and really wasn't up for dressage diva-ing at all. We steered through the test reasonably OK, just a bit backward - but she slipped a change in before the first halt on the centre line *facepalm* and then we had a couple of wobbly moments later on for 61%

Back to the lorry for a quick drink of water and it was time to decide whether to go for it or not. Having not had the most inspiring ride in the AM it would have been easy to shuffle off home, but I had Adam's words ringing in my ears from last week - that the biggest lesson Millie has taught me is that you have to grab opportunities with both hands when they present themselves, you never know what's round the corner. So tails on, top hat wedged on head and we headed for the warm up.

I felt she was a bit more onside this time, much more responsive and feeling supple in the sideways but she was taking over in the tempis... ho hum, it's been a problem all week, since we started doing more than 3 on the diagonal she launches out of the corner ready to begin, but in A100 there are only 3 fours so you need to get at least to the quarterline before beginning Patience isn't Kira's strong point!

Into the ring and we had time for a few transitions to get her taking me... then the bell and *OMG ThisIsReallyHappening*

Up the centre line, better entry than the AM, halt not too bad, salute... raised my eyes to the judges box and the lovely judge was beaming back at me and all my nerves melted away. Kira tried her socks off, she just got a bit tired towards the end of the trot work, got a 2nd wind as we started canter and then tired again so the 4s were a muddle. But we got round, she did some things really well and I couldn't ask for more

Put her away and went to go and see what the damage was. I am not too proud to admit my eyes were leaking when I saw we'd got 65% even WITH the obligatory 4 for the tempis! 2nd place. What a top cob! and some nice comments from the judge too

[video=youtube_share;Zru9BaFVZBU]https://youtu.be/Zru9BaFVZBU[/video]

I'm not quite sure how to play this now, she needs to do 2 tests to get the first test gremlins out of her system but she finds this work quite demanding so does tire towards the end... more thought needed on that one. She is developing a really good collected trot when she is on fresh legs but it does evaporate on me, esp with a short gap between tests (only 30 mins yesterday). If anyone has any bright ideas, do shout. She's got plenty of go at home and lessons, and can easily do an hours work, but this is another step up.

Anyway, first one done, and I got such a great feeling, there is loads more to come from this one Sooooo exciting!

Business as usual today

 

[ihatework]

Utterly amazing and inspiring. You should be rightly proud.
65% with errors at a new level is never something to be sniffed at. But at advanced and on a Welsh cob there are few that could do that

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Just brilliant :biggrin3:

On the two test thing, when I have to take Topaz to champs and there is only one test, I do two warm-ups to try and replicate getting the sillies out might be worth a try?

 

[Notimetoride]

Love this ! So so pleased for you. You give me hope that one day my daft Welshie 'might' stop napping and show us all what she's capable of

 

[j1ffy]

Fantastic - well done!! You both look like you deserve to be there, really smooth test and a great score! What a lovely judge too

 

[milliepops]

But at advanced and on a Welsh cob there are few that could do that

thanks, not many would bother trying, tbf...

On the two test thing, when I have to take Topaz to champs and there is only one test, I do two warm-ups to try and replicate getting the sillies out might be worth a try?

Yeah, I've done that at regionals but it really does seem to be getting into the ring that makes the difference. Like, she doesn't benefit from arena walks at all, she has to get *inside* the boards! I might do some single tests HC to just welly round them if we need to because with here there's always an element of *habit* with her behaviour...dunno.

Love this ! So so pleased for you. You give me hope that one day my daft Welshie 'might' stop napping and show us all what she's capable of

Thanks (whispers) She would definitely like to still nap... it's just I have better control these days

Fantastic - well done!! You both look like you deserve to be there, really smooth test and a great score! What a lovely judge too

Yeah, I must say I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was her judging because she's a really smiley person and it just HELPS when you're cacking your pants, to not see a stern face peering back at you!

 

[McFluff]

Awesome. You are both such stars. Lots of inspiration for the rest of us.

 

[Wheels]

That's absolutely fantastic and shows what hard work and dedication can achieve!

I am not sure how it works at the top but for the first / warm up test are you able to drop down a level or two just to get her going and not tire her out?

 

[HeresHoping]

My eyes are leaking. Am so, so chuffed for you.

Re stamina - if I have got this right. Do you hack much? Or is she getting to a level where you can't risk it? I know she has stamina at home, but she's probably not getting the extra vibes from you, and nor does she have to travel anywhere, which even for a good traveller must be an adrenalin drainer. I was going to suggest good old fashioned interval training - HIITs for Horses once or twice a week. You could possibly do them in the arena if you don't have time to ride in daylight. Start with three minute canters, 1 minute walk x 3; building up to 5 minute canters with 1 minute walks, and occasionally, 2 minute fast canters, 1 minute walks thrown in. Trot stamina probably not needed. And not necessarily in 'schooling mode' so she doesn't fatigue the muscles whilst building up the fitness.

I can't remember who devised some interval training in what book - I think it was an eventer, but I do know that it works.

 

[Amye]

Oh wow!!! That is amazing. You must be so proud. I am in awe of what you can do with your pony, very inspirational

 

[milliepops]

My eyes are leaking. Am so, so chuffed for you.

Re stamina - if I have got this right. Do you hack much? Or is she getting to a level where you can't risk it? I know she has stamina at home, but she's probably not getting the extra vibes from you, and nor does she have to travel anywhere, which even for a good traveller must be an adrenalin drainer. I was going to suggest good old fashioned interval training - HIITs for Horses once or twice a week. You could possibly do them in the arena if you don't have time to ride in daylight. Start with three minute canters, 1 minute walk x 3; building up to 5 minute canters with 1 minute walks, and occasionally, 2 minute fast canters, 1 minute walks thrown in. Trot stamina probably not needed. And not necessarily in 'schooling mode' so she doesn't fatigue the muscles whilst building up the fitness.

I can't remember who devised some interval training in what book - I think it was an eventer, but I do know that it works.

Thanks HH

re hacking - she's a really really difficult hack on her own and I generally can't ride out with others in the daytime because of working hours clashing so we are a bit limited in what we can do. I try to get her out a couple of times a week but it's not fitness-building stuff by any stretch of the imagination, mainly to give her legs a break from surfaces. I do have access to a long woodchip gallops but it's the place Millie first broke down so it has some BAAAAD memories!
Will def think about doing some interval training though. It would be really hard to do out and about because she's so nappy (even stubble fields are a challenge!) but we can def zip round the school of an evening, good plan.

 

[milliepops]

That's absolutely fantastic and shows what hard work and dedication can achieve!

I am not sure how it works at the top but for the first / warm up test are you able to drop down a level or two just to get her going and not tire her out?

Thanks Yes, we probably could do, the issue will always be that it's guesswork about how the times will work out I suppose... it's so hard to know what would be best! Need a crystal ball

 

[lar]

Totally agree with the first line of the judge's comment!

 

[SEL]

Clever little welshie! So chuffed for both of you!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Absolutely bloody well done, so pleased for you xx

 

[ester]

do you warm up for your warm up test?

I'd give her an extra scoop of oats night before and that morning . That's probably all against what you should do but I did it for hunting.

 

[milliepops]

yeah have to warm her up really because otherwise her brain is not on side I tried to not do very much yesterday but we still ran out of steam a bit.
She did have extra oats I can give her extra extra oats...? Maybe I could get some fancy oats instead of the cheapo rolled ones we've been using? I'm just about at the end of a bag so now's the time.!

 

[JFTDWS]

Fantastic - she looks brilliant, and you look super smart in your tails! I can only dream of tails :eek3: Bloody respectable score too!

 

[ester]

bag of haribo between tests?

do you need her brain on side to even get round the first test (I do of course know the answer to this )

 

[milliepops]

bag of haribo between tests?

do you need her brain on side to even get round the first test (I do of course know the answer to this )

hahaha I trust that I don't need to respond then!

Haribo could be the solution. I don't think that contravenes the clean sport rules?!

 

[Bernster]

Love the judges first comment, I concur. What a little star and brilliantly done for getting to that stage, with a very decent score too!

 

[Cortez]

Fantastic, very, very well done! You've earned those T&T's, both of you

 

[FfionWinnie]

Lovely to read this report and I enjoyed watching the vid. Have your tried tiger oats. I used them for my welsh a few years ago. Don’t need any extra anything with current gang!

 

[DirectorFury]

Kira looks amazing (as always!) - you've achieved so much with her so quickly!
I've used TopSpec Turbo with good results in the past though would now try interval training instead. It's a shame she's not straightforward to hack as that would be ideal.

 

[milliepops]

I've used TopSpec Turbo with good results in the past though would now try interval training instead. It's a shame she's not straightforward to hack as that would be ideal.

I know, esp with the gallops up the road. She's a pickle on her own. If Salty turns out to be as straightforward as she appears so far, I might be able to get a friend to come out with me and give us a lead
Every time I bought topspec turbo for Millie, she went lame and I had to give it away... it's cursed!

Thanks FW might see if I can get some tiger oats. are they the ones with the balancer pellets included? I will google.

 

[DabDab]

Wow wow super wow. Really really well done, a clever cob indeed. You and Kira definitely suit the tails

I'm sure her fitness will come, it really is a very short time that she's been performing at quite such a level. It's definitely worth giving just one test a go though - at least that way you know.

The haribo sounds like a good shout, or blue smarties (though blue smarties syndrome mixed with Welsh tendencies may be interesting ). I have a friend who feeds lemon drizzle cake to hers between eventing phases and swears by it :lol:

 

[Bernster]

Let me know how you get on with the tiger oats if you try them. I did look at getting em although went with rolled oats in the end and a separate balancer.

Did wonder whether oats might help give her a bit more oomph if that's what's lacking at comps.

 

[ycbm]

You both look lovely in tails. Well done !

 

[GermanyJo]

Brilliant!! You should be very proud

 

[milliepops]

I'm sure her fitness will come, it really is a very short time that she's been performing at quite such a level. It's definitely worth giving just one test a go though - at least that way you know.

Thanks - yes, you are right, she's kind of made stratospheric progress this year, having only done her first (unaff) medium in January. It's easy to forget that so thanks for the reality check! No wonder she gets tired! No rush at all now, she has medium winter regionals in Feb and we will aim at summer regionals probably medium again, maybe AM if the scores are there. so she can take as long as she needs to develop the stamina for PSG next year and who knows, we might have the brain a bit more organised by then too.