Last Weekend in April Already!

[Britestar]

Another day another dressage outing.
After last week's performance, added mag back into the mix.
Also took her out alone - less opportunity to nap.

1st test, some freestyling as per normal. Couple of 4s in there, but Holy moly, only 2 in the class and won. The other one must have had a hell of a time, as only got 61%!!

Little more settled in 2nd test, still a 2 appeared along with some 4s, but the rest was pretty much 7s. So frustrating, but lots of treats and home we came.

 

[RachelFerd]

Woo! Good day at Bradwall. Simon jumped a super double clear, and one of the fastest xc rounds in the novice to finish 3rd (no-one inside the time). And 6yo Isaac had a good educational day - rolled a few poles SJ in the rain and some sticky going in his first ever BE100, but made very light work of the xc jumping a super steady clear..little vid of Isaac's xc below...

 

[Ambers Echo]

Brilliant. Well done x

 

[Bernster]

Wow michen, that’s a very special experience. One woman, her horse and a dog

 

[TheMule]

Woo! Good day at Bradwall. Simon jumped a super double clear, and one of the fastest xc rounds in the novice to finish 3rd (no-one inside the time). And 6yo Isaac had a good educational day - rolled a few poles SJ in the rain and some sticky going in his first ever BE100, but made very light work of the xc jumping a super steady clear..little vid of Isaac's xc below...

Isaac doesn’t look like 'steady' clear was quite what he had in mind
Well done!

 

[RachelFerd]

Isaac doesn’t look like 'steady' clear was quite what he had in mind
Well done!

Oh yes, he did fancy the idea of going quicker - but I won't be granting permission on that for a while! He was totally straight and bold all the way round though - and so light on his feet. Just need the SJ to keep catching up with everything else...

Not going to have the easy joy I have with Simon of it taking about 1 stride to set him up for something I don't think. Now facing up to the idea that he is a Grade 2 event horse with 22 points

 

[TheMule]

Oh yes, he did fancy the idea of going quicker - but I won't be granting permission on that for a while! He was totally straight and bold all the way round though - and so light on his feet. Just need the SJ to keep catching up with everything else...

Not going to have the easy joy I have with Simon of it taking about 1 stride to set him up for something I don't think. Now facing up to the idea that he is a Grade 2 event horse with 22 points

You'd better crack on with Intermediates then

 

[RachelFerd]

You'd better crack on with Intermediates then

The entry for a-l-w is in

 

[Caol Ila]

Fin did a 3.5 hour hack yesterday. Hoping to get a few more long rides in before cleg fly season makes it not fun. I can't wait until Hermosa can do this stuff too, but that will realistically be next summer, at least.

 

[Ambers Echo]

My sharer got lost so rode 26 miles on their endurance ride. Lottie was totally fab though - loads in the tank and vet checks were all fine. Vet at end said heart rate was fine and condition was ‘ace’. She was soooo well behaved too. Long gallops but felt controlled. Good in a crowd, good with gates and being remounted, good being passed, good on her own. Fab fab horse,

 

[Ambers Echo]

Over 6mph overall pace. And at the end she was turned out and cantered up the hill to say hi to Amber! She can have a couple of days in the field now.

 

[Pippity]

Just before I left the yard this morning, I had a quick glance at the dressage test I'd recorded last weekend and realised that I'd forgotten to put my gloves on! So, despite having just finished a two-hour hack, Blue was hauled back into the school (thoroughly against her will) and cruelly forced round the test again, with me actually remembering gloves this time (albeit extremely dirty gloves that clashed horribly with our matchy-matchy, dahling). I got it uploaded two hours before the deadline, and I think it was actually better than the first attempt.

 

[southerncomfort]

Nothing mind blowingly exciting, but made me happy nonetheless.

Used to hack out with middle daughter lots right up until she left uni, got a job and had much less time and interest. We lost her old pony last year, and although she had a couple of little rides on Bo, she didn't seem to enjoy it much (i think he'd had a growth spurt and was a bit wobbly and unbalanced).

Fast forward to today, and we shared a hack on Bo, me riding first and swapping over halfway.

Bo was ace and daughter had a big smile on her face all the way home.

Very proud of them both.

 

[RachelFerd]

Here's the superstar thoroughbred's video from Bradwall too - just love how easy he is to ride to a fence - although he's always got to have one good rattle of a showjump on the way round

 

[ihatework]

My little hombred was a good boy at Ciren, now got a 2*S a 2*L little holiday, 2*S then an intermediate

 

[Curly_Feather]

RachelFerd - you're making it look super easy! Send some of your bravery to me here in South Africa

We had a lovely jumping lesson today. Some gymnastic work, thank heavens (because the single jumps that I actually have to turn towards and ride off my eye scare the pants off me).
Gymnastic 2023 05 02

 

[claracanter]

RachelFerd - you're making it look super easy! Send some of your bravery to me here in South Africa

We had a lovely jumping lesson today. Some gymnastic work, thank heavens (because the single jumps that I actually have to turn towards and ride off my eye scare the pants off me).
Gymnastic 2023 05 02

How fantastic you are in South Africa. When I was there in January I rode a couple of Boerperd. Such a shame there aren’t any in the UK, as I loved them.

 

[Curly_Feather]

How fantastic you are in South Africa. When I was there in January I rode a couple of Boerperd. Such a shame there aren’t any in the UK, as I loved them.

The Boerperd breed is so lovely. We've got a few studs that are producing awesome all-rounder kind of horses, you see them out and about across all disciplines. The only problem is they are not very big, so they're mostly for junior riders or for dressage riders who prefer smaller horses.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Just about recovered from a super long day at Bradwall!
Baby Paddy did a good test, definitely making progress in the right direction! One fence down in the showjumping where jockey said she missed, and given a slightly tough 20 cross country as he whipped round after going through a hedge! No where near a fence but he thinks he was clear!
No proper pics as I was videoing!
The other two boys also had a great time! Deeks even won a frilly!

 

[Bernster]

Thats a bit odd Jeni isn’t it only a penalty if presented to or clearly aiming at a fence? Or were they part of a combination? If not can you challenge?

 

[Jeni the dragon]

She hadn't even presented but the fence judge saw him and gave it. Felt very mean as he is just a cheeky youngster!

 

[Cherryblossom]

She hadn't even presented but the fence judge saw him and gave it. Felt very mean as he is just a cheeky youngster!

That’s super mean!

Poppy went to do her second Working Hunter competition on monday. Jumped a lovely clear with me in the 70s and won her class, and when my friend brought her back in for the 80s, the judge commented that she loved her! I’m beyond delighted with her. Now just trying to get up the nerve to enter a local 2 phase and get out on the cross country properly!

 

[Ambers Echo]

She hadn't even presented but the fence judge saw him and gave it. Felt very mean as he is just a cheeky youngster!

Fence judges don’t seem to know the rules. I presented to the wrong fence. Clocked it late and swerved so didn’t jump, then circled round to the correct fence. 20 pens. I queried it with FJ who agreed what had happened but not that the 20 pens were a mistake. So I then queried it with the course supervisor or whatever the person with the final say is called. He also said that was 20 pens. I had to print off relevant sections of the rule book before they changed it! I wouldn’t have bothered except I was DC and wanted the qualifying points.