St Nicnaclaus
Well-Known Member
To increase the Smokesters experiences, sprog and I decided to do Trec on an extremely hot Sunday in July. We did a 12 mile ride over fantastic private land and managed to find all the checkpoints both manned & not whilst helping out others along the way. Wish we hadn't been so charitable as it all rather went to pot afterwards.
Control of paces was far too exciting for ex-racehorse who lived up to his name of Ginjaninja (name which is given to all ginger ex-racers methinks) and he galloped up the slow canter and bounced back towards the others in the fast walk. The Smokester cantered v-e-r-y slowly away from his friends and bounced back. The last bit was great fun for TB and daughter whereas we were pretty cr*p as horse was hot & bothered as was I after waiting for 90 minutes for the 3rd phase to get going. We ended up 3rd so pretty happy with that and great fun. Best thing is that daughter didn't berate me for being cr*p for once!
Went off on holiday totally forgetting that Id entered a Prix Caprilli (the oldies on here will remember those) the day after I got back. Luckily Smokester had been ably ridden by daughter and brilliant rider friend in my absence (of whom more later) so came back to a much improved boy (although I put it down to him actually turning 6 late July and growing up!). I also came back to a bigger boy he doesn't stop growing upwards and outwards and is looking far more ID than ISH! I think I have finally found something that has a slower metabolism than me oink oink. The Prix Caprilli (prance prance yeeha prance prance yeeha) went rather well and we got 65%+ coming 3rd so happy with that too. Then onto Prelim 15 which was okish with over 63% but nothing to write home about and no frilly.
A few days after it was time for his 2nd BE back at Chilham with daughter and another chance for him to totally freak out at the horrible water under the trees there (2 stops at April BE and one at the Unaffiliated in May). He has been doing more XC schooling however and I am really not bothered by his record as prefer to compete him where I know the ground is going to be the very best it can be.
Dressage was pretty OK improving by 2 marks to get 36 at which point brilliant rider friend said a DC and hell be in the placings. Voice of doom. OK, show jumping was better than last time in that he barely touched a pole which fell on the downhill for 4 faults so 50% better. He gives the coloured poles lots of room as they all house dragon breathing monsters (except for the downhill ones!) which is why daughter is my crash dummy as Im too old to be pinged off on grass.
Off to the fun bit and bumped into the lovely Alex Hudson who accredited daughter back when she was 14 for BE. Smokey looked a lot less wobbly setting off and seems to be getting the hang of this eventing lark. He flew through the horrible scary under the trees water (yey!) came up the hill and spotted the LAKE it is huge! He stopped; stepped sideways, had a look and went in good boy but picked up another 20. Bummer. All in all really pleased with him as he halved his time penalties down to 10 so lots of improvement and lots to work on.
So after taking my green baby through all 3 phases, sprog was putting his travel boots on when he spooked, jumped up landing on her foot luckily after stud removal. Felt so sorry for her as she was in agony. Luckily always carry full first aid kit and other sundries in lorry so a frozen wine cooler sleeve over her foot did the job along with a few horse pills and sprays.
We ended up in A&E (after, of course, loading horse, driving home, ensuring he was comfortable back in his field boring Ginjaninja to death with his stories of dragons and moats). She has torn tendons and a fractured metatarsal. Not great as she was flying on holiday a week later with boyfriend. Luckily? he tore his hamstring on the same day so they were both as lame as each other and had a great holiday doing absolutely SFA.
So the following week (are you bored yet?) it was our RC annual ODE. Sprog was away sunning herself; I am on the committee for my sins and was secretary for the day so couldn't enter. Arise brilliant rider friend whose eventer was off games so she was available! I entered her into the 26 class and she kindly walked the course the day before to which her 5 year old son said these jumps are tiny Mum, I could do them on my pony. Great but to be fair hes used to walking far bigger courses with his mum!
She gave him a really great confidence building day. Dressage was ok but he was overcooked as they were running late. He decided he couldn't be ar*ed to jump the planks so knocked both of those down but flew the XC with a lovely clear and came 10th in a big class so absolutely delighted with my little (?) Irish Bog Pony.
Next up Firle 90 as the bigger the jumps, the better he goes! Although daughter still cant get a riding boot on so will be a close call as less than 2 weeks away. At least I can keep him fit (fat?) for her.
Lovely BBQ on offer as OH has been shopping and prepared lovely spread :biggrin3: (and don't think photos will work as have tried everything but only manage to get links)
Control of paces was far too exciting for ex-racehorse who lived up to his name of Ginjaninja (name which is given to all ginger ex-racers methinks) and he galloped up the slow canter and bounced back towards the others in the fast walk. The Smokester cantered v-e-r-y slowly away from his friends and bounced back. The last bit was great fun for TB and daughter whereas we were pretty cr*p as horse was hot & bothered as was I after waiting for 90 minutes for the 3rd phase to get going. We ended up 3rd so pretty happy with that and great fun. Best thing is that daughter didn't berate me for being cr*p for once!
Went off on holiday totally forgetting that Id entered a Prix Caprilli (the oldies on here will remember those) the day after I got back. Luckily Smokester had been ably ridden by daughter and brilliant rider friend in my absence (of whom more later) so came back to a much improved boy (although I put it down to him actually turning 6 late July and growing up!). I also came back to a bigger boy he doesn't stop growing upwards and outwards and is looking far more ID than ISH! I think I have finally found something that has a slower metabolism than me oink oink. The Prix Caprilli (prance prance yeeha prance prance yeeha) went rather well and we got 65%+ coming 3rd so happy with that too. Then onto Prelim 15 which was okish with over 63% but nothing to write home about and no frilly.
A few days after it was time for his 2nd BE back at Chilham with daughter and another chance for him to totally freak out at the horrible water under the trees there (2 stops at April BE and one at the Unaffiliated in May). He has been doing more XC schooling however and I am really not bothered by his record as prefer to compete him where I know the ground is going to be the very best it can be.
Dressage was pretty OK improving by 2 marks to get 36 at which point brilliant rider friend said a DC and hell be in the placings. Voice of doom. OK, show jumping was better than last time in that he barely touched a pole which fell on the downhill for 4 faults so 50% better. He gives the coloured poles lots of room as they all house dragon breathing monsters (except for the downhill ones!) which is why daughter is my crash dummy as Im too old to be pinged off on grass.
Off to the fun bit and bumped into the lovely Alex Hudson who accredited daughter back when she was 14 for BE. Smokey looked a lot less wobbly setting off and seems to be getting the hang of this eventing lark. He flew through the horrible scary under the trees water (yey!) came up the hill and spotted the LAKE it is huge! He stopped; stepped sideways, had a look and went in good boy but picked up another 20. Bummer. All in all really pleased with him as he halved his time penalties down to 10 so lots of improvement and lots to work on.
So after taking my green baby through all 3 phases, sprog was putting his travel boots on when he spooked, jumped up landing on her foot luckily after stud removal. Felt so sorry for her as she was in agony. Luckily always carry full first aid kit and other sundries in lorry so a frozen wine cooler sleeve over her foot did the job along with a few horse pills and sprays.
We ended up in A&E (after, of course, loading horse, driving home, ensuring he was comfortable back in his field boring Ginjaninja to death with his stories of dragons and moats). She has torn tendons and a fractured metatarsal. Not great as she was flying on holiday a week later with boyfriend. Luckily? he tore his hamstring on the same day so they were both as lame as each other and had a great holiday doing absolutely SFA.
So the following week (are you bored yet?) it was our RC annual ODE. Sprog was away sunning herself; I am on the committee for my sins and was secretary for the day so couldn't enter. Arise brilliant rider friend whose eventer was off games so she was available! I entered her into the 26 class and she kindly walked the course the day before to which her 5 year old son said these jumps are tiny Mum, I could do them on my pony. Great but to be fair hes used to walking far bigger courses with his mum!
She gave him a really great confidence building day. Dressage was ok but he was overcooked as they were running late. He decided he couldn't be ar*ed to jump the planks so knocked both of those down but flew the XC with a lovely clear and came 10th in a big class so absolutely delighted with my little (?) Irish Bog Pony.
Next up Firle 90 as the bigger the jumps, the better he goes! Although daughter still cant get a riding boot on so will be a close call as less than 2 weeks away. At least I can keep him fit (fat?) for her.
Lovely BBQ on offer as OH has been shopping and prepared lovely spread :biggrin3: (and don't think photos will work as have tried everything but only manage to get links)
)
I have a massive soft spot for cute greys!