Last Weekend of Feb Plans

[blood_magik]

We made it to our area festival. Jack travelled surprisingly well but went very spooky on me - can’t blame him as we were on just as the worst of the weather hit.

I thought we’d blown it as had a massive spook in the medium walk so was very surprised to see we’d scored 69.67%.

We finished in 2nd so qualified for the winter champs Not sure if we’ll go as it’s nearly 350 miles to Addington from ours but we’ll see.

Very pleased with my wonky sj-er turned dressage horse

 

[j1ffy]

We made it to our area festival. Jack travelled surprisingly well but went very spooky on me - can’t blame him as we were on just as the worst of the weather hit.

I thought we’d blown it as had a massive spook in the medium walk so was very surprised to see we’d scored 69.67%.

We finished in 2nd so qualified for the winter champs Not sure if we’ll go as it’s nearly 350 miles to Addington from ours but we’ll see.

Very pleased with my wonky sj-er turned dressage horse

View attachment 155409

Congratulations!!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

We made it to our area festival. Jack travelled surprisingly well but went very spooky on me - can’t blame him as we were on just as the worst of the weather hit.

I thought we’d blown it as had a massive spook in the medium walk so was very surprised to see we’d scored 69.67%.

We finished in 2nd so qualified for the winter champs Not sure if we’ll go as it’s nearly 350 miles to Addington from ours but we’ll see.

Very pleased with my wonky sj-er turned dressage horse

View attachment 155409

Well done! For getting there and your result

One of the things I've learned from writing is that a mistake or spook doesn't have to be too costly if recovered from quickly, and doesn't follow you from one movement into the next. The letter 'B' was fairly problematic for quite a few people yesterday! (at the other AF)

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I once rode two tests at a competition, and both were ridden well, but my one test with the big spook in it scored higher. I for sure thought I'd get some remark about it, but nope. So that was interesting to me.

Made sense if the "spook test" was just a better ridden test than the other and we recovered quickly as if nothing happened. So it was only a big deal in my head!

 

[j1ffy]

Well done @blood_magik!

Agreeding with SPD and CC - we had a spook at the judge’s box on the centre line on Friday which cost a mark or two, but my fluffed simple change was far more expensive. I think the overall way of going and rider influence can outweigh a ‘moment’ from the horse.

Huge well done, and maybe see you at Addington if you do make the trip!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

I've been to watch one already and I'm really interested to see what he makes of D as she's cracking but it's taken the best part of 2 years now to get her to relax consistently and I'm still not happy hacking by ourselves. I really just want to make sure I'm doing my best by her. Clinic is in north Wales.

I gave up on doing anything sensible today as back to 60mph winds and sideways rain spent ages fighting the tarp on the hay. But the evenings are light enough now that I can potter for half an hour in the evenings.

Oh where is the clinic? I’m local and know Joe is fab, he did a clinic with Topaz a far few years ago.

 

[Cloball]

@HufflyPuffly Llangollen Trevor Hall lovely venue, had a cuddle with their curly stallion too

 

[HufflyPuffly]

@HufflyPuffly Llangollen Trevor Hall lovely venue, had a cuddle with their curly stallion too

Ooo will investigate!

 

[Cloball]

They have a FB page and a regular clinic although I think the April one is specifically for starting babies.

I am slightly reassured that she's been in a different field for 3 weeks and hasn't lost her brain, which wasn't possible last year

 

[iknowmyvalue]

We had a little (aka. massive) confidence wobble at the end of last season, and he’s been jumping brilliantly in lessons but our competing has been a bit all over the place. So it was a massive confidence boost to go and jump 2x clears round a BS course yesterday (clear round and BN)

He went a bit keen on me in the BN as the course was the same, and he was absolutely on one! But left all the fences up and came back to me by the end (the bit he didn’t jump in the previous class ) and I was just thrilled to have my confident, buzzy little horse back on form. Plus I think it’s the first time I’ve ever had nice weather at chard

Only his 3rd time competing in the snaffle, and actually, if he’s settled then it’s fine. He’s been going well in it at home, but sometimes he can’t cope with it when he starts to boil over. Not sure I’ll be taking him XC in it any time soon, but maybe one day…

Hacking plans were a write off today as not enjoyable or sensible to go up onto the moors, so had to make do with some soggy trot sets up the hill by the yard

2nd pic is blurry, but I swear this was enormous in person!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

We had a little (aka. massive) confidence wobble at the end of last season, and he’s been jumping brilliantly in lessons but our competing has been a bit all over the place. So it was a massive confidence boost to go and jump 2x clears round a BS course yesterday (clear round and BN)

He went a bit keen on me in the BN as the course was the same, and he was absolutely on one! But left all the fences up and came back to me by the end (the bit he didn’t jump in the previous class ) and I was just thrilled to have my confident, buzzy little horse back on form. Plus I think it’s the first time I’ve ever had nice weather at chard

Only his 3rd time competing in the snaffle, and actually, if he’s settled then it’s fine. He’s been going well in it at home, but sometimes he can’t cope with it when he starts to boil over. Not sure I’ll be taking him XC in it any time soon, but maybe one day…

Hacking plans were a write off today as not enjoyable or sensible to go up onto the moors, so had to make do with some soggy trot sets up the hill by the yard

2nd pic is blurry, but I swear this was enormous in person!

Well done! It can be so hard to come back from a confidence wobble (as I know well!) so a really big achievement to get out there jumping

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Looking great!!

 

[TheMule]

We had a little (aka. massive) confidence wobble at the end of last season, and he’s been jumping brilliantly in lessons but our competing has been a bit all over the place. So it was a massive confidence boost to go and jump 2x clears round a BS course yesterday (clear round and BN)

He went a bit keen on me in the BN as the course was the same, and he was absolutely on one! But left all the fences up and came back to me by the end (the bit he didn’t jump in the previous class ) and I was just thrilled to have my confident, buzzy little horse back on form. Plus I think it’s the first time I’ve ever had nice weather at chard

Only his 3rd time competing in the snaffle, and actually, if he’s settled then it’s fine. He’s been going well in it at home, but sometimes he can’t cope with it when he starts to boil over. Not sure I’ll be taking him XC in it any time soon, but maybe one day…

Hacking plans were a write off today as not enjoyable or sensible to go up onto the moors, so had to make do with some soggy trot sets up the hill by the yard

2nd pic is blurry, but I swear this was enormous in person!

Well done, he's looking great! They tend to build up to height too, so if you're fine jumping round the BN there you're more than fine for BE
I was there on Wednesday and the weather was utterly grim- I could barely see some of the fences and we finished soaked through. I don’t think I've ever had nice weather at Chard! I really pity anyone that had to brave it today!

This was the only photo where you could actually see us

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Well done, he's looking great! They tend to build up to height too, so if you're fine jumping round the BN there you're more than fine for BE
I was there on Wednesday and the weather was utterly grim- I could barely see some of the fences and we finished soaked through. I don’t think I've ever had nice weather at Chard! I really pity anyone that had to brave it today!

This was the only photo where you could actually see us

View attachment 155416

Your boy looks amazing, what a jump on him!

It certainly made a change from every other time I’ve been there to not have rain or fog last time I was there, the photographer didn’t even come because it was raining so hard you couldn’t see I’m certain it was absolutely grim there today, so I’m very glad I entered yesterday instead (even if they started the CR at 7:15am which meant a 4:15am alarm…)

And thank you all, he’s feeling really well. Theres been a lot of training and even more tears this winter trying to get some shred of last summers confidence back, but we are definitely heading in the right direction. I was debating whether I needed to drop to 80cm at Moreton, but going to stick to the 90cm and see what happens!

 

[TheMule]

Your boy looks amazing, what a jump on him!

It certainly made a change from every other time I’ve been there to not have rain or fog last time I was there, the photographer didn’t even come because it was raining so hard you couldn’t see I’m certain it was absolutely grim there today, so I’m very glad I entered yesterday instead (even if they started the CR at 7:15am which meant a 4:15am alarm…)

And thank you all, he’s feeling really well. Theres been a lot of training and even more tears this winter trying to get some shred of last summers confidence back, but we are definitely heading in the right direction. I was debating whether I needed to drop to 80cm at Moreton, but going to stick to the 90cm and see what happens!

Thank you- we stepped up a level but he still makes it feel very easy so I’ll have to put my brave pants on and get on with it!

At least at Moreton you have a good surface and a nice big ring to get a good flow. You will be fine!

 

[Alibear]

We had a great weekend at Sovereign for a ranch riding and ranch trail clinic. Amber decided to demonstrate that she's still got her right-to-left flying change, so we'll pick up working on those again as we get fitter.
Met up with lots of friends and the weather on Saturday was great, the glowing orb in the sky made a reappearance! Sunday the weather was back to blumin windy and cold but we made the most of it.
This time last year I had to leave Amber there as she was just so full of it I couldn't cope, but this year she just came out and cracked on with everything we asked of her, finishing off with a storming but smooth and clean run around the ranch trail course.
The reminder for me was that the horse has to drag the log back to the starting point neatly; the human pulling it there is a cheat; you wouldn't be able to do that if it was a cow. This is harder than it sounds when you're dragging it on a rope behind the horse, but if you aim the horse next to the post and ride in a straight line past it, the log usually ends up where it needs to be. Lots of coordination is required to reverse in a straight line, un-dally and coil the rope all at once! Also, it's hand up and across to steer in the reverse when reversing around logs, I was tending to pull back and across, which was stopping her moving and interrupting the flow.
I'm so unfit, I had to ask Amber to stand still for a few minutes on Sunday morning as my thighs just wouldn't relax to let me sit in the saddle, and today, the stairs are horrible. Whatever muscles are in the front of my thighs are very, very unhappy.
All that said, I think I look much better in the saddle this year, having lost the weight.