Moos 2*.....may not look good but im thrilled !!

[hannahkirkhill]

I got there early and walked the course.
It looked big and very questioning- esp for her first 2*!!
I got on her in plenty of time since we were going straight off x.c, she was good for a short time then she spotted some one finishing the x.c, so the napping and rearing antics began- I was quite happy with it all untill she managed to get back to the lorry and started trying to launch her self up the ramp

was sort of funny- every one around us thought so, just glad she didnt manage it!!!! I was still stuck there when 44 went- I was 47

so mum came over and put a roap on her and lead me over to the start, I jumped a few fences- she was flying but then buggered off to the other end of warm up as she saw some one start and wanted to go as well

I managed to get her back to where we cross over with the plan of mum holding her there untill about 10 sec's, so I could walk straight over and go, but she had other plans, she launched over to the start and tryed to go

managed to stop her and get back to behind the start box, she was then very good and walked in on 5 and started very nicley!!

So off we went....she was really brill

we had the odd hairy moment but nothing to worrie about, very switched on, great at turning to skinnies and bold down the big drops!
She jumped like that untill we were 5 from home, she hit the second part of the double of skinnies , not hard but she never touches a thing, she just didnt quite make her mind up about going, then she was very green through the road crossing but jumped it well enough, she sort of stopped at the hanging log on top of a bank, but I dont think she knew she had- she cantered up the slope, turn her self left and poped off the side so I tuned to the black flag which she poped! I honestly think she didnt even know the log was jumpable, I jumped up the next two steps but there was no brain power left to work out the jump on top, I turned her left and pulled her up. I nearly pulled up after the road crossing, wish I had done now, but at least no harm came from it!!
She wasnt physically tired, but mentally she couldnot cope with another question. I think she felt like we would after a 2 hr maths exam

So I am totally thrilled with her, she was so good to get that far as it was causing enough trouble for every one! I now know she will defo be fine at the level!

She now has the Int at Catton which will be fine but should I do the 2* at Knaftoft or another Int ? thoughts please as I cant decide- or remember either of the courses

 

[AutumnRose]

Sounds really good, well done!!!! You have to grab the positives from days like that sometimes don't you ( i also had a bad on paper day!!)....she sounds really promising for the future.

Can't help you on choices as don't know those events i'm afraid.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Congratualtions, questions do come thick and fast! I would think you will be ok to do another 2* after one intermediate although don't know what Knaptoft is like.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

Yea you do

Thank you, im just pleased that she's not over faced with the questions / height, just not that many all in one go

I was thinking she'd be ok, I just worrie, its terriable when you have had them from babies!!
I cant remember what it's like there, sure some one less blond and gold fish like than me will though

 

[MysteryGirl]

Well done for getting so far, shame you didn't quite make it to the end, but best to pull up and live to fight another day!

I think the Int and ** at Knaptoft are quite tough but I'm sure there'll be people here with experience who can give you advice

 

[hannahkirkhill]

Thanx

just had a look, she did a double clear at knaptoft in the I last year so, think she'll be fine doing the 2*

it cant be any tougher than this one

!! descion made

 

[moogrrr]

I was at Brigstock today, in the main xc commentary box for the **, and you two looked fab (and several other people up there commented on what a great pair you were

!) The course casued quite a few problems - sounds like you did really well.

I would say go to Knaptoft - i help there too

! But also, it is a nice traditional course - big and bold fences but all quite obvious for the horses - in the hedge lines etc. Might be less for her mentally whilst givng her lots of confidence over a big course. I hope that makes some sence!

 

[hannahkirkhill]

Arr thank you

Brill... you have defo made my mind up now!!
x

 

[worMy]

awsome, well done!

 

[SmartieBean]

well done, fab report

 

[kerilli]

sounds good for 95% of the day, well done.
was this at Brigstock? i think the v narrow xc warm-up really confuses/stresses them, my mare started antics and she NEVER has before.
2* questions looked pretty full-on, i'd prob do a few more Is first if she was mine, but you could decide after her next run.
Baydale did Knaptoft 2* last year, she'd remember how many combinations etc there were. i checked it out while doing the N and it looked nice but fairly testing tbh.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

Thankyou, yea at Brigstock- I hadnt got in the warm up befor she started her antics

but it is a bit tight in there which didnt help!! Its her thing TBH, she did it as a 4yr old trying to get off the yard so .......
I thought it was very testing at Brigstock, Caroline said it was more like a Advanced track, so a big shock to her... poor mare

!
I'll think about it some more and see how she feels, there is no rush with her, just so nice when there is one so near home ! !

 

[Baydale]

I can sympathise hannahbanana, it was a big ask and very full on wasn't it? I definitely agree that in parts it looked like an advanced; I don't get nervous on HH and I had to do some deep breathing in the start box.

You did the right thing and did well to get that far, lots fell by the wayside at 11 or so I heard (me and HH just fell over it, in a straight line

).

I didn't do the two star at Knaptoft, I did the one star, but I'd heard there was one tricky combination, the Bull's Noses, that caught lots out.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

It just felt like one question after another !!
Yea, when I was walking it was causing so much trouble!
Thats why I cant decied what to do...she was amazing through everything till her brian couldnt work out any thing else....she did the same sort of thing with her first one star, it didnt seam to worrie her though, infact she came out of it more bold!!
I just feel that since she flew round the Int there last year she should be happy with the 2* this year....... maybe im just gteeing a bit keen !!!

 

[TarrSteps]

I don't suppose you have the option of doing the Int then deciding about the 2*, do you? That would obviously make the most sense. Also, do you need to do a 2* at this point for your long range plan or is there one you could do later that would still work for qualifying if that's an issue?

Only you know your horse, obviously, but I'd say since she's young and a bit inclined to get stressy (don't know if that's an issue xc but from your comments it might be about other things, which would make me err on the side of caution) I'd be inclined to give her a couple of easy runs just to make absolutely sure she's feeling confident before asking too many more big questions.

Confidence is SUCH a huge part of a successful event horse and once it's gone it can never be completely restored. Shored up, sure, but never again will the horse think it's invincible. I know it's not just about asking the horse easy questions it's also about giving it the skills to answer the tough ones but an event here or there is the issue, I'd be inclined to do what is going to make the horse feel you won't throw anything at it it can't answer. But, as Baydale will attest, I have a mania about this so maybe I'm not the best to comment.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

She is more a argumentive old cow- If I cant go now I wont at all

she came to me with this- infact her breeded had written her off as unridable she was allwasy the worst on the flat- I got her going by jumping her

Oh im excatly the same, im so fussy about moving them up a level.... I think she just gives me such a feeling of confidence that I forget she's still learning- she thinks she knows it all

... This I think could be a bit of her problem....she is so confident and has allways found it so easy that I think her briain isnt uses to have to work lots out- normally it just comes as second nature for her, since she started eventing in 05 she has had one stop x.c, that was at a skinnie barrle that she carted past- she didnt even look at it

she has done 6 Int and 2 1*....
I will enter the Int....if she flys around Catton I can allways see if she can get in to the 2*, but really there is no rush, I know that really
Thankyou TarrSteps ....you have grounded me

 

[TarrSteps]

Ah, that's slightly different but I'd still say more or less the same thing.

I know exactly what you mean with the confident types though - they fly through all the "baby" stuff and it can really hit them hard when they have to slog a bit and don't know all the answers. Like a kid who's a star up to middle school then goes on to a high academic school and suddenly runs up against a whole class of kids just as smart and a program that takes it for granted. Still though, I think anyone with a horse (or a kid) like that has to make sure they don't give up at that point, just because it doesn't all come easily anymore. Sometimes the ones that have to struggle a bit at first sail along more smoothly after that because they're used to some graft and don't freak if it's not easy.

Can you make things a little trickier for her in your training? Maybe ask her some harder questions show jumping and test her a bit without scaring her, in a situation where you can gradually increase difficulty and repeat so she can has to think rather than just rely on her scope?

Yeah, I'm good at grounding people.

Glass half empty? More like glass bone dry and someone's stolen it.

 

[Baydale]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I'm good at grounding people.

Glass half empty? More like glass bone dry and someone's stolen it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh really, I'd not noticed that about you.

 

[TarrSteps]

Humph.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

That is just like her- she is as far she is concerned the best a everything- as soon as she got home she was ready to go again, banging her door and full of it....cow bag

Its sort of difficult....she easily pops 1.30 tracks, she is nearly out of foxhunter BSJA so tight turns ect are fine at that height s.jing, I have never been able to ask her anything she has not been able to answer, she was very happy with the questions untill the end, where she sort of ran out of brain power..... It was more that there was just to many of them?! Just also wonder about her breathing when she is doing long questions- I wonder if she sort of holds her breath a bit...or is that silly?
I will play around at home and keep changing questions ect to help her keep having to think- although it will be hard

I will do the Int at knaptoft as well as Catton and take it from there....
Thankyou again...its good to get my thoughts out and hear others

!
will post some piccies of her over 11 when I can get them - they are fab

!

 

[TarrSteps]

I don't think the breath holding idea is silly at all - lots of horses do it and you're right, in a long question it could really start to cost. If you have a horse that high blows a little it can be really obvious and it's very interesting to hear how the breathing changes with body position, concentration, distraction etc. Again, for a horse not really used to having to think I'd imagine it's a skill she might not have developed yet.

I can see where it's a bit of a trick with her showjumping being so good but I was thinking more in the way of grids/combinations/related distances etc - out of the ordinary things she has to think about not power over. Maybe adding in a bit of a gallop first so she's a bit tired and you're recreating the situation of her being a bit tired when you ask the questions. In other words, working on keeping her relaxed - and breathing - while she's going through and looking ahead, not just figuring she'll skip through and think about where she's putting her feet - if at all - on the fly.

 

[hannahkirkhill]

Brill idea...I can do that as we have a canter track next to our school and jumps in the field I can have a play with to !
Right im off to think up questions