Mad cow report from Eland Lodge HT today!! *long!*

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KatB

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Well wandered over to Eland lodge to do their Hunter trails today. Entered the Intermediate hoping would be the Intro course, so nice little run for Goddy XC. Got there, course was lovely, but there were definitely a good few fences from the PN in it, and a few PN questions. Never mind, would all be good experience for the beast!

Raced back to box, got him tacked up in super quick speed, got on, and he took off! Little sod cantered across field with no respect for me at all. Great I think have no arms left and havent even entered the warm up ring!!

Anyways, warms up nicely, although only had stop and go mode!
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Went into start box G very fidgety, pretending he knows what a start box is (only second time been in one!) and flew out on GO!

Belted down to the first fence, had a good look, first time had seen a "proper" bruch fence, SJed it and I thought I was going to be jumped off!
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Anyways, carries on, apparently he "minced" into the next 2 fences
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but jumped nicely anyway. Get to big open field, and OMG his eyes were everywhere but where he was meant to be going! Anyway, pops nice double of sheep feeder to upright, skinny rolltop, pheasant feeder to sunken road like an old pro. Tried to jump me off going down the steps, (white gravel on landing is there to be JUMPED Mummy!) and then on to the water. First time he been asked to jump off a step into water at a acomp, and we had a hesitation, so I took the black flag route (intro entry) no probs, jumped big rolltop on an angle as G was gawping at jump judges, so couldnt go straight! Jumped the broken bridge (very scary!) no probs, and then home, with only a munfortunate "pause" at a ditch in the middle of the coffin, he was disgusted that someone had put it in his way! But romped home finishing over the PN log pile
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Overall, although we did have a couple of marked stops, both the questions were PN, and just reminded me how inexperienced he is over water/ditches etc, but very easily solved with more mileage!!
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So generally very pleased with my boy. Sorry for long one, I just really enjoy XC with him now, he is starting to feel like a "proper" horse.
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Thanks for reading, and a huge thank you to ISZ....
 
Thats excellent well done!! So glad he is going well for you
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Looks like he needs to talk to Spider!!! He could do with telling her XCing and cantering past other fences isnt that scary and she could let G know SJing isnt that scary!!!
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Bless babies a!!
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Lol!! Mental ponies! He was more scared of the Jump judges!! Lol! They were loitering in the shade os it was soooo hot, and he thought that was wayyyy too scary! Didnt effect him with skinnies etc though..
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GO GODDERS

Sounds like a very educational round for him, super chuffed as the course sounds pretty technical for an intermediate and at only his 2nd xc attempt too.

GIGGLES Godders isnt stupid you know
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when he grows up hes going to be like his uncle *Bits and Pieces* so he knows all about *start boxes
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*

I am so pleased for you guys
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Vxx
 
Lol! he has been XC more than twice (4 times actually!) but only this one and Brooksby have had proper start boxes!

There were some interesting fences, but is a lovely lovely course, so overall was please with him over some of the scarier fences, but it is so much easier when they are nicely built... He was a star with skinner fences and didnt even look at a gappy pheasant feeder. Just got to persuade him to stop Sjing hedges....
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And ditches do not need to be sniffed!! Lol!!
 
Thanks Weezy, he is alot of fun when his brain is in gear! Just still a bit all or nothing, but he is still very young so got plenty of time!
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Thanks, Eland is lovely, went to watch a clinic there before, so knew what to expect! Hoping to do the Affiliated ODE there in August
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My OH used to be a business partner of John who has the lease there. We used to part own the KB companies and it was strange seeing the banner on the jump you posted.

John and Ron are still great friends of ours. They were not at all horsey. There first experience of them was patting mine.

Daughter learned to ride and dad went with her to keep her company. They ended up getting their own horses and then bought (well took a long lease from the Duchy of Lancaster) an equestrian centre to keep them in, as you do!

Eland Lodge is a credit to their vision, they have invested heavily in it and are seeing their rewards. It is becoming a top competition centre.
 
wish i'd have known you were there would have come down - i've been off work for week so not checked on here....
sounds like he was a star - it is spooky there with all the stone etc. well done you and Mr G.
 
Well done. I have jumped there a couple of times, twice in competition, but it was only the mini course, and I have also schooled over the bigger ones. It is a lovely course but it sounds like it has all changed since last year. I went there BSJA last week and just looked down into the hill and it looked different then, and they must`ve swapped the start round. It sounds like you had fun.
 
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