charlimouse
Well-Known Member
Took murphy to do the Intermediate Novice at Chatsworth. Had a 12.25 dressage so not too early a start for once!!!! At our past couple of events he has taken over a hour to warm up and settle, so I decided to get on him at 11.15 
. Took him to the warm up where he immediatly settled and went very nicely. He would have done a lovely test we were just 1 hour too early ! So I did my best to keep him intrested without pi$$ing him off for the next hour, and eventually the steward told me I was next in. Just watched the end of that riders test, and realised I had learnt the walk movement wrong . Que me quickly grabbing a programme from a poor spectator to relearn the test 
. We went in and thought we did a generally nice test, no major disasters, but as always room for improvement.
Then had a 3 and a bit hour wait for the SJ, so went and walked the XC course, and watch the Novice SJ assuming the SJ course would be the same for the Intermediate. I thought the XC looked fair, and would reward positive riding I was a bit worried about the coffin as Murphy can be a naughty beggar at them when he gets in that mood, but otherwise felt reasonable about it. Went to look at the dressage scores and saw I had 37.7, which I was a bit dissapointed about as we were halfway down the field. But then saw Mary King was in the lead on 31, so then decided it wasn't too bad!
Eventually went down to do my SJ, warmed up, went in...............to find 2 extra fences which hadn't been in the novice. Quickly looked at the numbers and tried to work out which was supposed to be jumped when. Murphy jumped really well, just tapping 2 (they were the lightest of taps) but both fell 
, but I managed to jump all the jumps in the correct order, so ended up with 8 faults, but even the coomentator said they were not deserved as it was a really good round in a fab rhythm.
Straight onto the XC. Muprhy had been a bit sticky going into the start box at Eland so I decided to walk him through it first, before we started. BIG mistake, Murphy decided to leap out, and then proceeded to rear when I pulled him up. Lucinda Green was starting a course walk, so there were about 50 people watching me go and jump the first fence. I was a bit. Eventually calmed him to take him back round to the startbox, Lucinda then came over to me saying how keen Murphy was looking, and notices the Peewee I have in his mouth, commenting on how fab a bit it is and how brave I was to trust such a big strong horse on the softest setting . Eventually we set out onto the course, and Murphy just tanked off, just about managed to get control to get a decent jump at the first. I decided to just ride him really forwards so he had nothing to pull against, and if you try and take a hold he will stop and throw in the towel. Hence our round was probably not the most stylish, with a couple of flyers/tight spots, but most fences we jumped well out of a rhythm, and I was able to steer him and steady him when neccessary which is a major break through. He was fab throught the coffin so I was 
. Finished with 2.4 time pens, which I was surprised about because I thought we went rather fast!!!. I keep forgetting Murphy is 7/8 WB, not a nippy little TB!!!!!
Not sure where I finshed, but don't think I disgraced myself too much! Murphy generally behaved himself, and had a whale of a time XC! I need to make sure I learn my dressage tests properly, and look at the SJ track I am jumping not the class before!!!!
Sorry it's long, it was supposed to be brief honest!!!!!!!
. Took him to the warm up where he immediatly settled and went very nicely. He would have done a lovely test we were just 1 hour too early ! So I did my best to keep him intrested without pi$$ing him off for the next hour, and eventually the steward told me I was next in. Just watched the end of that riders test, and realised I had learnt the walk movement wrong . Que me quickly grabbing a programme from a poor spectator to relearn the test . We went in and thought we did a generally nice test, no major disasters, but as always room for improvement. Then had a 3 and a bit hour wait for the SJ, so went and walked the XC course, and watch the Novice SJ assuming the SJ course would be the same for the Intermediate. I thought the XC looked fair, and would reward positive riding I was a bit worried about the coffin as Murphy can be a naughty beggar at them when he gets in that mood, but otherwise felt reasonable about it. Went to look at the dressage scores and saw I had 37.7, which I was a bit dissapointed about as we were halfway down the field. But then saw Mary King was in the lead on 31, so then decided it wasn't too bad
!Eventually went down to do my SJ, warmed up, went in...............to find 2 extra fences which hadn't been in the novice
. Quickly looked at the numbers and tried to work out which was supposed to be jumped when. Murphy jumped really well, just tapping 2 (they were the lightest of taps) but both fell , but I managed to jump all the jumps in the correct order, so ended up with 8 faults, but even the coomentator said they were not deserved as it was a really good round in a fab rhythm.Straight onto the XC. Muprhy had been a bit sticky going into the start box at Eland so I decided to walk him through it first, before we started. BIG mistake, Murphy decided to leap out, and then proceeded to rear when I pulled him up. Lucinda Green was starting a course walk, so there were about 50 people watching me go and jump the first fence. I was a bit
. Eventually calmed him to take him back round to the startbox, Lucinda then came over to me saying how keen Murphy was looking, and notices the Peewee I have in his mouth, commenting on how fab a bit it is and how brave I was to trust such a big strong horse on the softest setting . Eventually we set out onto the course, and Murphy just tanked off, just about managed to get control to get a decent jump at the first. I decided to just ride him really forwards so he had nothing to pull against, and if you try and take a hold he will stop and throw in the towel. Hence our round was probably not the most stylish, with a couple of flyers/tight spots, but most fences we jumped well out of a rhythm, and I was able to steer him and steady him when neccessary which is a major break through. He was fab throught the coffin so I was . Finished with 2.4 time pens, which I was surprised about because I thought we went rather fast!!!. I keep forgetting Murphy is 7/8 WB, not a nippy little TB!!!!!Not sure where I finshed, but don't think I disgraced myself too much! Murphy generally behaved himself, and had a whale of a time XC! I need to make sure I learn my dressage tests properly, and look at the SJ track I am jumping not the class before!!!!
Sorry it's long, it was supposed to be brief honest!!!!!!!
! 
