My BD Nationals report

[Judie]

Well it was an early start. 3.30 the alarm went off, my pony quite surprise to have his breakfast at 4.15 am! Any how all went to plan, plaited up, loaded, travelled up with no traffic problems (any sane person still in bed) arrived, parked and put the kettle on. Went and watch the first few warming up in the rain. Got ready, tacked up (the nervous coming out of hiding at this point!) Warmed up brilliantly, my boy didn't look at a thing and did everything he could to the letter, get called in, I go to pieces!! Well not exactly but instead of riding him with energy and boldness I turned into a the shy retiring type (if you know me you think that couldn't be true!) and I rode a very quiet and conservative test, my horse was very obedient and didn't put a foot wrong, I was so so pleased with him but I could have kicked myself afterwards for not 'showing him off', and he was really up for it, don't know why I went inward but I did, so ended up near the bottom with 62.71%, the winner I think got 66.?% so I know it wasn't a complete disaster but I am still so mad with myself for not going for it. Laura Fry was one of the judges and her comments at the bottom were "a lot of promise for the future but the rider needs to be bolder", so hit the nail on the head...

Next year..............

Vanessa pm'd me and made a great comment that at least next time both my horse and I will have gained confidence from this experience and she is so right and I thank her for that....

 

[Malibu]

well done sweetie, better luck next time but that score is still very very good, what test were you doing?

 

[Judie]

Thanks for that, the Elementary restricted E52

 

[Evadiva1514]

Well done TOG!!

Was thinking about how you got on last night...

 

[Judie]

Thank you BG, good luck yourself at Sheepgate...

 

[Evadiva1514]

Cheers!!

What have you got planned next with your horse??

 

[teapot]

well doneeeeeeeee

 

[Judie]

Hi BG, well I'm out of elementary now so I will have a couple of weeks chilling out and hacking & jumping and then enter some mediums with him. It would be nice to get out quickly and qualify for the winter regionals - that's the new bold me talking!

 

[burtie]

Hi TOG,
Sounds like it was still a great experience. We watched the restricted elementary from about 9.30 onwards and you were not alone in riding 'safely'. There were a lot of nice quiet accurate tests but to be honest just plain 'safe' and a bit dull. I know its easy to sit here and judge when I've never qualified for the nationals, but it did insprire me for the future and I learnt a lot. I think the biggest thing is that in this case the daring ride would have won it or at leats got you placed. To have qualified at the regionals all the horses that played safe must have gone much better, so i suppose nerves got the better of some rider on the day. I have promised myself that if I am ever lucky enough to qualify I'm going to go for broke on the day, but of course that's easy to say now!!

Well done though and at least you missed the dreadful thunder and torrential rainstorm!

 

[Judie]

Thanks Burtie, if you watched from 9.30 onwards you would have watched me as I was soon after that. I thought I would go for it until I got there, but as you say 'safe and dull' but I've learnt from it and I will go all guns blazing next time!