Little Downham BE90!!

Arniebear

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So here goes another eventing report from me.... seems like its been a while since the last one!! :)

For those of you that remember my last report from keysoe, i managed to royally screw my foot up the day before with what i thought was a strain.... Ooooops! it appears to be worse than that :/ I guess technically its broken but that's a minor technicality! I only got it check out 2 weeks ago after id been walking around on it for a month..... i had a diving holiday booked in that there was no way i missing!! So as i cant see the consultant for another 2 weeks!! Apparently he's a busy guy, i figured i may as well continue as i am until i'm told otherwise.... besides it doesn't hurt when i ride!!

So prep for LD was going well, got some cheeky XC practice in when we went on a 3.5 hour hunt ride, consisting of lots of ditch leaping and hedge hopping!! Here's the video if anyone fancies watching it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vHz_jH8J7c&feature=share

Anyway back to LD i was number 1, pathfinder for the whole event!! Which meant a lovely 8am dressage, luckily i live 20 minutes away but it still meant an early start, i opted to bath and plait the night before and leave him in, bathing a coloured at 4am is not fun! I had what can only be called a massive meltdown at 10pm friday night when i still couldnt get any of my stud holes to work :( my tap just would not go in, i ended up giving up and going to bed! Que saturday morning, studs still wont behave, so ended up dressaging with just the outside hinds in.... better than nothing! Thankfully a very good friend came to my rescue before SJ and i managed to get the outside fronts in!

Our dressage was nice, it was a sweet test, nothing amazing but no silly spooks at ghosts so i was pleased with that, we scored 39.3 which is on par with how he's working atm. The judge obviously wasnt feeling very generous as no one scored a sub 30 in my section!!

Onto the SJ, first in the ring! the course was nice, a few big sweeping turns, my aim was to look up and ride forward.... well it worked!! It may not have been the prettiest of rounds but it was clear! :D

Now the XC!! :D I jumped on the course walk with Tina the night before, the course was tough, it was a regional final so this was expected, there were plenty of combinations asking an array of questions!! We flew out the start box, 1-3 were nice inviting fences, 4 was our first question, a double of roll tops, flew through that and onto the water, straight through there no problems, onto a step up to a log, got a bit close to the log but he does prefer to chip in and always manages to get his feet out that way!! Next up was a big question for him! A log off a mound, down to a double of angled logs, if you didnt get the angle right you wouldnt see the second log! He bossed straight through that and onto the ditch, this ditch was the only one in training i couldn't get him over back in feb (hadnt tried since!!) it was seperatley numbered but basically rode as a log rail, ditch, log rail. With an alternative option too, i figured go for the direct route and see what happens..... he flew it!! :D Next up was a roll top on a mound down to a skinny roll top on a right handed turn.... easy peasy apparently!! A nice let up fence then onto the trakenher..... flew that one too! a couple of doubles left, straight as a dye through those too and onto the final water, splash through with a corner a few strides out, the silly boy was too busy spooking at the reeds in the water to get a decent canter for the corner so we ended up popping it from a trot!!! Onto the last and through the finish.... What a legend clear again!! That 3 clear xc 90 runs!!! :D

We did manage to pick up some time faults dropping us out of the top 10 but still another top 20 finish on a tough RF xc course.... super super proud of him!!! :D

Here he is doing his thing!!

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And a video of all 3 phases :D
https://www.facebook.com/Bear-Beanz-Eventing-411719769032338/?modal=media_composer


He still amazes me every time i take him out, he is just an absolute pleasure to own, and we have just passed the 2 year ownaiversary mark!! I never dreamt we would be doing this when i brought him.... he was meant to be a project pony to bring on a bit and sell..... He's obviously not going anywhere now!! :D

We are still on the waitlist for Oasby so fingers crossed we get the run, and we are in for Norton disney which will be our final event of the season before he has a well earned rest!!
 
Brilliant :D you both look fab and thank goodness for helpful stud sorting friends.

I'm only about 15 mins from Lt Downham but don't seem to have been organised enough to make up it up there since moving so close! That and I know it might result in pony shopping before I can afford to :p.
 
Well done! Great report, you can feel your love for your horse and enthusiasm coming through!

Thank you, i am just so proud of him and all we have achieved so far!

Brilliant :D you both look fab and thank goodness for helpful stud sorting friends.

I'm only about 15 mins from Lt Downham but don't seem to have been organised enough to make up it up there since moving so close! That and I know it might result in pony shopping before I can afford to :p.

Yeah not to sure what i would do without my friends!! ahhh you have to go up if your that local!! Whereabouts are you? :)

I love reading your posts about this fab little horse. He is so cool.
Thank you, i think so too :D hes gaining quite the fan club!

Great report and well done.

The hunt ride looked loadsa fun!
Thank you :D That hunt ride is one of the best in the area, i've wanted to do it for the last 4 years but never had a horse sound enough or in enough work! Very nearly didnt get to play because the pillock lost a shoe the day before!!
 
I love Beanz, and you always write fab reports with great pics. Didn't realise you had a FB page so I'm now stalking you :lol: Well done, top 20 in a RF is amazing!
 
I love Beanz, and you always write fab reports with great pics. Didn't realise you had a FB page so I'm now stalking you :lol: Well done, top 20 in a RF is amazing!

Thanks, we weren't in the RF section but it ran over the same course! :) I'm aiming to try and qualify next year though, just need to work on our dressage over winter! :D

haha yay more stalkers!! The more the merrier i'm always posting rubbish on there for all to see! :D
 
Brilliant :D you both look fab and thank goodness for helpful stud sorting friends.

I'm only about 15 mins from Lt Downham but don't seem to have been organised enough to make up it up there since moving so close! That and I know it might result in pony shopping before I can afford to :p.

Just tried to reply to your message, but your inbox is full!! :)
 
I was in your section I was number 4 and it was our first 90 so nearly had a cardiac arrest when I walked it on Friday.
I was delighted to go clear XC but rolled the final fence in SJ. Completely my fault after being so relieved to get over number 7��
The Dressage judge was a bit mean but as you say she was consistent in her scoring.
Completely made up to finish 18th.
 
Congratulations, you guys always look like such a happy combination. What are your plans for next year?
 
He is very handsome :) Well done, I can remember when you bought him as a 'project' haha....

Fiona
he was so little then, he's grown into quite an awesome little man now!!

I was in your section I was number 4 and it was our first 90 so nearly had a cardiac arrest when I walked it on Friday.
I was delighted to go clear XC but rolled the final fence in SJ. Completely my fault after being so relieved to get over number 7��
The Dressage judge was a bit mean but as you say she was consistent in her scoring.
Completely made up to finish 18th.
*waves* Hello!!! it was a tough XC but i did expect that, i know how Tina build her courses so i knew there would be questions! Massive well done, we scrambled over the last SJ luckily he's very nifty with his front feet so managed to keep them out of the way! You finished just in front of me!! A very respectable placing for your first 90 so Well done! I need to work on our dressage to get those lower scores!

I love your horse (those front stockings are just brilliant!), and a fab report.

Well done for a great day!
Everyone loves him! He just so loveable!! :D haha those stockings dont stay at that colour! Thanks

Fab report, well done! He is a very handsome chap!
Thank you :)

Congratulations, you guys always look like such a happy combination. What are your plans for next year?
I am just so proud of what we have achieved, I've always wanted to event and this is the first horse I've managed a full season on (My other one is too broken, I've had a lot of heartache with horses for the last 4 years so it kind of feels weird to actually be able to enjoy it!) So i am just always in awe of him, he never fails to put a smile on my face! :) Next year we plan to chase those RF qualifications and just gain lots of experience at 90, if hes finding that far too easy i might think about stepping him up to 100 but that's not next years main aim. I would just love to have another fun season and see how far we get, qualification to badminton is high on the list, so winter will be spent trying to nail the dressage and showjumping when he comes back in from his holiday :) Might take him on the odd hunt for a bit of fun too!! :)
 
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