Gamebird
Well-Known Member
Millbrooksong forgot to mention one thing about today - it was HOT!!
I unfortunately had a small sleep in (4.30 instead of 4am
) but I'd left plenty time. It's only 27 junctions down the M1 from me to Knaptoft, so a nice local one then
I arrived nice and early, decided to run round the XC as part of my pre-Blair fitness campaign. Luckily my terrier only has short legs so she held me back a bit otherwise I might have been dead before I even started.
I was then roped into videoing Baydale's CIC* dressage on HH. I've never worked a camcorder before so if anyone sees the vid I wasn't drunk, honest! (had had a few coffees and a red bull though
) I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you but I thought her dressage was fab as usual, she was a bit disappointed as HH was so delighted with the extra room in the 60x20 that there was a small amount of freestyling in the medium canter. She's lying 4th overnight (and is obviously disgusted !
) so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
My horse thought it was far too hot for dressage. He has a clever trick whereby he falls out through a shoulder, drops you to the inside and goes like a banana. When I'm not in the mood I just put up with it and was about to give up today when Baydale arrived and gave me 20mins intensive tuition (with JP Sheffield warming up round me and making 'helpful' sarcastic comments on each circiut). I was very grateful for the help. I thought my test was atrocious but luckily scraped a 43 ( we are NOT dressage divas, and never will be, though the plan is to polish it to a 35 over winter
). It doesn't sound very good but was better than last time.
The SJ looked fine, horse was jumping a foot higher than required over everything, lovely rhythm. Just looked at something at the side on the last stride before the treble and totally lost his concentration so had the first element down. Other than that one of the best rounds we've jumped.
XC he was a cocky little toad. I think after Rolleston he was laughing at me for asking him to do something so petty. There were some fab hunting hedges which he flew, jumped through the coffin, which was a relief after being deposited in one last time out (though he did bank the carrot box which was the first element
) He pulled all the way roundwhich is unusual. Unfortunately at the step in Millbrooksong's piccies, which was followed by a sharp left turn and a skinny log he thought he knew better than me when I told him to steady up and trot off it. He took a flying leap and p!ssed off, totally missing the skinny. I don't even think he knew it was there! Got pulled up and came back and popped it but was
after that!
It was just as well he had had the SJ down otherwise I would have been
!
Anyway we've both learned from it. Typical - do an IN where the hard parts are the Int dressage and SJ. Make a half decent job of those and mess up at a simple Nov XC fence
I've been firmly put in my place, but the stop didn't cost me a rosette or anything so I'm not too fussed.
I also met TableDancer who is, as all HHO-ers seem to be, lovely!
Just had a rather protracted journey home - you try going 100 miles up the M1 at 5pm on a Fri evening
Haven't got a lot to offer, but if anyone's still reading I've got a few (cold) tine of Fosters and there's a piece of pizza going spare. Firstcome, first served!
For those going tomorrow it's a lovely event and a good old-fashioned-ish XC. Have fun (and ride better than me!)
I unfortunately had a small sleep in (4.30 instead of 4am
I arrived nice and early, decided to run round the XC as part of my pre-Blair fitness campaign. Luckily my terrier only has short legs so she held me back a bit otherwise I might have been dead before I even started.
I was then roped into videoing Baydale's CIC* dressage on HH. I've never worked a camcorder before so if anyone sees the vid I wasn't drunk, honest! (had had a few coffees and a red bull though
My horse thought it was far too hot for dressage. He has a clever trick whereby he falls out through a shoulder, drops you to the inside and goes like a banana. When I'm not in the mood I just put up with it and was about to give up today when Baydale arrived and gave me 20mins intensive tuition (with JP Sheffield warming up round me and making 'helpful' sarcastic comments on each circiut). I was very grateful for the help. I thought my test was atrocious but luckily scraped a 43 ( we are NOT dressage divas, and never will be, though the plan is to polish it to a 35 over winter
The SJ looked fine, horse was jumping a foot higher than required over everything, lovely rhythm. Just looked at something at the side on the last stride before the treble and totally lost his concentration so had the first element down. Other than that one of the best rounds we've jumped.
XC he was a cocky little toad. I think after Rolleston he was laughing at me for asking him to do something so petty. There were some fab hunting hedges which he flew, jumped through the coffin, which was a relief after being deposited in one last time out (though he did bank the carrot box which was the first element
It was just as well he had had the SJ down otherwise I would have been
Anyway we've both learned from it. Typical - do an IN where the hard parts are the Int dressage and SJ. Make a half decent job of those and mess up at a simple Nov XC fence
I've been firmly put in my place, but the stop didn't cost me a rosette or anything so I'm not too fussed.
I also met TableDancer who is, as all HHO-ers seem to be, lovely!
Just had a rather protracted journey home - you try going 100 miles up the M1 at 5pm on a Fri evening
Haven't got a lot to offer, but if anyone's still reading I've got a few (cold) tine of Fosters and there's a piece of pizza going spare. Firstcome, first served!
For those going tomorrow it's a lovely event and a good old-fashioned-ish XC. Have fun (and ride better than me!)
