TheSylv007
Well-Known Member
Thought I would do a little report as we haven't had anything to say for a while and I'm very happy after this weekend's endeavours!
Bit of background; me and Rose had a bit of a rubbish year in 2014 with her injuring her DDFT, requiring surgery at Newmarket and then several months rehab. I slipped a couple of discs not long after so we basically were crocked for all of last year. We've been working on the flatwork mostly this year as I wanted to give her a year off jumping just in case but recently have picked it back up again. She's been brilliant so far and I'd had a couple of enjoyable jumping lessons. She's always been a bit tricky jumping with a tendency to throw in the towel and run out randomly so my confidence had taken a bit of a knock. Anyway, on sunday we poddled along to Brooksby college to do their eventer trial (a course of 16 jumps with 8 show jumps and 8 cross country/working hunter fences). We were meant to go to combined training there the week before but because of the high winds I didn't want to risk it in the trailer. I just went to do the 60cm which I know is tiny but I'd hoped to have done the combined training the week before to get us back into it gently and I didn't want to worry about the heights. If I'm completely honest I was absolutely bricking it as I just didn't know what to expect and I hadn't jumped in public for over 18 months. I was all fingers and thumbs and the butterflies were terrible!
When we went in the ring I tried to show her some of the more spooky fillers/brushes which she did have a goggle at. Tried to trot her to the first fence, as advised by my instructor but she was having none of it and just launched herself, just about managed to make the turn for 2 and she started to settle a little bit. From there on it was like steering a train, she was so keen it was unbelievable. I actually felt like I was eventing with the speed she was going. I can't lie and say I had a lot of control but it was a lovely feeling for her to be really wanting to go for it. She had her ears pricked the entire way around.
Managed to pull up afterwards to find out we were third out of 18! Only missed second place by less than a second. So pleased with her. Got a jumping lesson on Sat, think we'll put the pelham back in just so I have a little more say in proceedings. Excuse my face and the jumper (it was a choice of cross country gear or christmas jumpers!) and the appalling clip (clipping in the dark doesn't yield good results!)
Hopefully I'll keep going to this venue, it all seems to be well run. So glad to have got out there again, and I enjoyed it so much. Maybe we'll try some arena eventing and hopefully get to a one day event or hunter trial next year. Fingers crossed!
<a href="http://s680.photobucket.com/user/thesylv007/media/DSC_0020-ZF-10019-76762-1-001.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv167/thesylv007/DSC_0020-ZF-10019-76762-1-001.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSC_0020-ZF-10019-76762-1-001.jpg"/></a>
Bit of background; me and Rose had a bit of a rubbish year in 2014 with her injuring her DDFT, requiring surgery at Newmarket and then several months rehab. I slipped a couple of discs not long after so we basically were crocked for all of last year. We've been working on the flatwork mostly this year as I wanted to give her a year off jumping just in case but recently have picked it back up again. She's been brilliant so far and I'd had a couple of enjoyable jumping lessons. She's always been a bit tricky jumping with a tendency to throw in the towel and run out randomly so my confidence had taken a bit of a knock. Anyway, on sunday we poddled along to Brooksby college to do their eventer trial (a course of 16 jumps with 8 show jumps and 8 cross country/working hunter fences). We were meant to go to combined training there the week before but because of the high winds I didn't want to risk it in the trailer. I just went to do the 60cm which I know is tiny but I'd hoped to have done the combined training the week before to get us back into it gently and I didn't want to worry about the heights. If I'm completely honest I was absolutely bricking it as I just didn't know what to expect and I hadn't jumped in public for over 18 months. I was all fingers and thumbs and the butterflies were terrible!
When we went in the ring I tried to show her some of the more spooky fillers/brushes which she did have a goggle at. Tried to trot her to the first fence, as advised by my instructor but she was having none of it and just launched herself, just about managed to make the turn for 2 and she started to settle a little bit. From there on it was like steering a train, she was so keen it was unbelievable. I actually felt like I was eventing with the speed she was going. I can't lie and say I had a lot of control but it was a lovely feeling for her to be really wanting to go for it. She had her ears pricked the entire way around.
Managed to pull up afterwards to find out we were third out of 18! Only missed second place by less than a second. So pleased with her. Got a jumping lesson on Sat, think we'll put the pelham back in just so I have a little more say in proceedings. Excuse my face and the jumper (it was a choice of cross country gear or christmas jumpers!) and the appalling clip (clipping in the dark doesn't yield good results!)
Hopefully I'll keep going to this venue, it all seems to be well run. So glad to have got out there again, and I enjoyed it so much. Maybe we'll try some arena eventing and hopefully get to a one day event or hunter trial next year. Fingers crossed!
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It was brilliant, such a good idea. Think I'll try for 70cm next time but only when I've got some brakes!