blood_magik
Well-Known Member
It's been an exciting week. On Thursday we picked up our beautiful new horsebox - it took 8 months of careful planning (and building) but boy, was it worth the wait. 
The box was built around my big IDx so naturally the first thing I did when we got home was put Beau in the back to make sure he was going to fit. I think he approved of his new wheels.
More pics of the lorry later...
Had a lesson booked for that morning and ended up sharing with another livery who was also competing at the weekend. It had been a while since I jumped more than 90cm in a lesson so I was a bit
when I saw what we were going to be jumping - everything looked BIG and I must have looked rather unhappy because my trainer commented on it before we'd even started jumping.
Long story short, we coped but I felt well and truly out of my comfort zone. A few more of the fences had been put up a hole to 1.10m and there was one oxer that was 1.35m wide (we went round with a measuring stick after the lesson) but, funnily enough, that didn't really bother me as much as the big pink oxer near the end of the course. Not getting pushed over the last few weeks seems to have put my eye out as even the 1m fences looked big to me.
Clip of Thursday's bogey fence.
[video=youtube;DMAdqrlcqf8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMAdqrlcqf8[/video]
There was jumping on at home this weekend so decided I should probably do something on the Saturday before we headed off to SNEC. Saw part of the british novice course being built while I was up bathing the boys and was horrified to discovery that the yard's small lorry was going to be parked in the arena for the duration. Thought was a bit mean considering the show was listed as Cat1/Cat2. My body obviously agreed because I was wide awake at 4am Saturday morning.
Panicked while I was walking round the course - first fence was right next to the gate heading towards the Dreaded Lorry and the scary kennels filler was round the other side. Number 7 was even closer to the Dreaded Lorry. The new course builder obviously felt he had something to prove - there were two treble combinations and the second phase was right up to height.
Was seriously tempted to go home at that point.
Felt physically sick in the warm-up. Figured we'd be best just getting it over and done with so put my name down and walked round until we had two to go.
Made sure to show Lenny the Dreaded Lorry (complete with scary flags) and the filler before we started. 12345 went okay - rode really defensively over the first phase. Not quite sure what the heck I was doing coming round the corner to number 6 but we got a decent shot into it and made it out the other side of the double in one piece.
Got a really rubbish shot into the planks at 9 and had it down. 10-11-12 all rode fine - think I got a bit close to the last fence but left it up to end on 4 faults.
The course caused all sorts of problems so pretty pleased to have gotten round with one down.
Video here:
[video=youtube;XanpxFjBOCU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XanpxFjBOCU[/video]
Early wake-up call this morning to get to the yard for 6 to feed and plait for the new lorry's maiden voyage. SNEC was surprisingly busy considering there was jumping on at Ingliston and Scottish Home Pony was on at Morris so friend and I went to enter and walk the course while dad got the horses sorted.
Had a bit of a wait for our first class to start and Lenny decided he loved his travel buddy so much that he was willing to try to squeeze himself under the partition to get to her. Other friend from the yard turned up and very kindly let me 'borrow' her boy so Lenny had company while we went to watch the first class.
Lenny was on his toes when we brought him off the lorry to tack up but he was his usual laid-back self in the warm-up. Felt him grow a hand when we went into the arena for our turn though and he had a good look at the german flag fence on the way round to number one. 1-2 and 3-4 were both related distances so was able to just sit there once we were over the first fence. Growled at him on the approached to the bogey fence at 5 and then forgot what the heck I was doing on the dog leg to the one-stride double at 6. Nearly overshot the second part because of the terrible angle we (I) got over the first but managed to correct it and sort myself out before the two-stride double at 9 to finish clear.
Decided to jump off as there were still about 20-odd people to go before the jump off so wandered round to the lorry and tied him up next to Miss M while we waited.
Jump off was drawn order and we were 11th to go. He felt nice and fresh but rideable so didn't do too much with him before heading back to the gate.
Had the option of cutting in between two fences between 2 and 7 but decided to just go for the double clear. He felt really good - forwards but listening when I took a check and he flew over the bogey fence, and then the dreaded one-stride double to finish clear and in 5th place for the time being.
Eventually ended up 7th out of 43 and got our first double clear away from home so pretty pleased with that.
Had another wait until our second class so popped Lenny away. He looked a little tired when he came off the lorry for the 95 but he soon perked up once we got going. The fences looked pretty decent so my aim was to just get round in one piece.
Showed him the lighthouse fence when we went in and then just went for it. Got a good shot into the first fence and he gave it plenty of air. Was a little worried about the dog leg to the lighthouse at 3 and checked too much - should have just left him because he was on the right stride coming off the second fence but he scrabbled over it and left it up. Got slightly left behind at 4 (think L saw a long one) and had the back rail down but managed to sort myself out in time to get over five in one piece. Got a bit forward into the bogey fence at 6 so made a mess of the turn to the one-stride double. Decided to circle before coming back to it so got 4 faults for x-ing my tracks but figured I was better taking a check and doing it properly instead of just getting round going hell-for-leather. Managed to turn back to number 8, then followed the curve round to 9 to finish with 8 jumping and 3 time faults.
Bit annoyed with myself for circling but figured we were better safe than sorry given that was our first attempt at that height. Lenny jumped really well so was pleased with him. He's such a star - nothing seems to phase him.
Video here:
[video=youtube;_jRA37yMBtM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jRA37yMBtM[/video]
Some photos:
Not quite sure what the plan is now. Timbi was a bit off so he went off to the vet school for a lameness workup and has been diagnosed with arthritis in his pastern. Now Beau's decided it's his turn - he started refusing a week or so ago. It's just not like him and we know he has issues with his hocks so he's off to get checked out next.
Finger's x-ed it's nothing serious.
Thanks for reading.
The box was built around my big IDx so naturally the first thing I did when we got home was put Beau in the back to make sure he was going to fit. I think he approved of his new wheels.
More pics of the lorry later...
Had a lesson booked for that morning and ended up sharing with another livery who was also competing at the weekend. It had been a while since I jumped more than 90cm in a lesson so I was a bit
when I saw what we were going to be jumping - everything looked BIG and I must have looked rather unhappy because my trainer commented on it before we'd even started jumping. Long story short, we coped but I felt well and truly out of my comfort zone. A few more of the fences had been put up a hole to 1.10m and there was one oxer that was 1.35m wide (we went round with a measuring stick after the lesson) but, funnily enough, that didn't really bother me as much as the big pink oxer near the end of the course. Not getting pushed over the last few weeks seems to have put my eye out as even the 1m fences looked big to me.
Clip of Thursday's bogey fence.
[video=youtube;DMAdqrlcqf8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMAdqrlcqf8[/video]
There was jumping on at home this weekend so decided I should probably do something on the Saturday before we headed off to SNEC. Saw part of the british novice course being built while I was up bathing the boys and was horrified to discovery that the yard's small lorry was going to be parked in the arena for the duration. Thought was a bit mean considering the show was listed as Cat1/Cat2. My body obviously agreed because I was wide awake at 4am Saturday morning.
Panicked while I was walking round the course - first fence was right next to the gate heading towards the Dreaded Lorry and the scary kennels filler was round the other side. Number 7 was even closer to the Dreaded Lorry. The new course builder obviously felt he had something to prove - there were two treble combinations and the second phase was right up to height.
Was seriously tempted to go home at that point.
Felt physically sick in the warm-up. Figured we'd be best just getting it over and done with so put my name down and walked round until we had two to go.
Made sure to show Lenny the Dreaded Lorry (complete with scary flags) and the filler before we started. 12345 went okay - rode really defensively over the first phase. Not quite sure what the heck I was doing coming round the corner to number 6 but we got a decent shot into it and made it out the other side of the double in one piece.
Got a really rubbish shot into the planks at 9 and had it down. 10-11-12 all rode fine - think I got a bit close to the last fence but left it up to end on 4 faults.
The course caused all sorts of problems so pretty pleased to have gotten round with one down.
Video here:
[video=youtube;XanpxFjBOCU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XanpxFjBOCU[/video]
Early wake-up call this morning to get to the yard for 6 to feed and plait for the new lorry's maiden voyage. SNEC was surprisingly busy considering there was jumping on at Ingliston and Scottish Home Pony was on at Morris so friend and I went to enter and walk the course while dad got the horses sorted.
Had a bit of a wait for our first class to start and Lenny decided he loved his travel buddy so much that he was willing to try to squeeze himself under the partition to get to her. Other friend from the yard turned up and very kindly let me 'borrow' her boy so Lenny had company while we went to watch the first class.
Lenny was on his toes when we brought him off the lorry to tack up but he was his usual laid-back self in the warm-up. Felt him grow a hand when we went into the arena for our turn though and he had a good look at the german flag fence on the way round to number one. 1-2 and 3-4 were both related distances so was able to just sit there once we were over the first fence. Growled at him on the approached to the bogey fence at 5 and then forgot what the heck I was doing on the dog leg to the one-stride double at 6. Nearly overshot the second part because of the terrible angle we (I) got over the first but managed to correct it and sort myself out before the two-stride double at 9 to finish clear.
Decided to jump off as there were still about 20-odd people to go before the jump off so wandered round to the lorry and tied him up next to Miss M while we waited.
Jump off was drawn order and we were 11th to go. He felt nice and fresh but rideable so didn't do too much with him before heading back to the gate.
Had the option of cutting in between two fences between 2 and 7 but decided to just go for the double clear. He felt really good - forwards but listening when I took a check and he flew over the bogey fence, and then the dreaded one-stride double to finish clear and in 5th place for the time being.
Eventually ended up 7th out of 43 and got our first double clear away from home so pretty pleased with that.
Had another wait until our second class so popped Lenny away. He looked a little tired when he came off the lorry for the 95 but he soon perked up once we got going. The fences looked pretty decent so my aim was to just get round in one piece.
Showed him the lighthouse fence when we went in and then just went for it. Got a good shot into the first fence and he gave it plenty of air. Was a little worried about the dog leg to the lighthouse at 3 and checked too much - should have just left him because he was on the right stride coming off the second fence but he scrabbled over it and left it up. Got slightly left behind at 4 (think L saw a long one) and had the back rail down but managed to sort myself out in time to get over five in one piece. Got a bit forward into the bogey fence at 6 so made a mess of the turn to the one-stride double. Decided to circle before coming back to it so got 4 faults for x-ing my tracks but figured I was better taking a check and doing it properly instead of just getting round going hell-for-leather. Managed to turn back to number 8, then followed the curve round to 9 to finish with 8 jumping and 3 time faults.
Bit annoyed with myself for circling but figured we were better safe than sorry given that was our first attempt at that height. Lenny jumped really well so was pleased with him. He's such a star - nothing seems to phase him.
Video here:
[video=youtube;_jRA37yMBtM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jRA37yMBtM[/video]
Some photos:
Not quite sure what the plan is now. Timbi was a bit off so he went off to the vet school for a lameness workup and has been diagnosed with arthritis in his pastern. Now Beau's decided it's his turn - he started refusing a week or so ago. It's just not like him and we know he has issues with his hocks so he's off to get checked out next.
Finger's x-ed it's nothing serious.
Thanks for reading.
I have a Kevin Parker lorry and saw your lorry on his facebook page. It certainly is fabulous! Mine is almost 8 years old now and starting to look a little disheveled around the edges but its still a fab lorry. Kevin is a superstar and so passionate 
