My first ever report, with a hat cam video!

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Bills

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So off we went to Eland Lodge ODE yesterday to have a go at the 90cm. The weather was glorious, our dressage not so. I wont bore you with the details but I was tense, and he was very unhelpful dancing around at the xc warm up next door, for a rubbish 42 :( It's not our strong point!

Onto the sj, he warmed up well, and I was pleased with our round, we just had one unlucky pole to finish on 4 faults, but sj is the bain (sp) of my life and I felt I really rode him yesterday and got the canter I wanted, so overall very pleased and big pats as he was starting to redeem himself after our disgraceful dressage!

Next up, the best bit. Toddled off to walk the course and there were just 2 fences we'd not jumped before, the skinny arrowhead and the broken bridge. Thought the course looked good and wasn't particularly worried about any of the fences, my boy is a machine xc and he just loves harder ground! (Just to add tho, I thought the ground rode very well and hats off to Eland for all the work they clearly did)
Now as a rule we are way, way to quick across country and never anywhere near the optimum time, so all morning my friend was drilling me, slow down, dont let him gallop the whole way round, hold him together etc, etc.
So 3, 2, 1 and off we went! A bit wobbly to the 1st, but a kick and a growl and we were away. No problems at fence 3 the big brush to ditch, and perfect up the horseware island (which caused carnage all day!) popped nicely through the next few fences with no problems, great over the trakhener (I hate those!) A little sticky through the double of sheep feeders as I got my line wrong and he locked onto the wrong part B, but whinged it and ended up jumping through over the right fences (he's so genuine bless him!) So kicked on to the arrowhead, sat up and gave him a good old squeeze as we'd not jumped it before, no need, he was perfect. Then onto the broken bridge, gave him a bit of a pull as its a fair old drop, again foot perfect, then galloped on up the hill to home to finish clear and still plenty left in the tank for him, me I was dying!! Nice to hear the commentator say 'and finishing very strongly up the hill and attacking the last 2 fences for a lovely strong finish' cue big :D from me. So proud of my clever little xc machine, gets us home safe as always :D
So went to look at the scores and wasnt expecting much after that dressage and 1 down SJ. But turns out we finished 9th out of about 35 in our section. So over the moon :D
We were 1 second off the optimum time which is a serious achievement for me as usually were anything between 15 and 30 seconds too quick! Im a numpty with time!

So overall we had a fantastic day and im so pleased with my boy, couldnt ask for a better horse to go xc on.
Sorry no pics but I do have my hat cam video if anyone wants a nose, ignore my ramblings on the way round (embarrasing!!) hope my first report wasn't too boring :D

Hope the link works - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlRXlhK7fGw&sns=em

Thanks for reading :)
 
Great report, love the hat cam video, it does look like you had a 'strong finish', he flew up the hill at the end, he looks like a xc machine! Looks so beautiful in the sun, but I can imagine it being a bit warm! Well done for your placing!
 
Thanks guys!
Glad you like the video, they're great to look back on!
Mil1212- warm wasn't the word, it was scorching there yesterday!
 
Wow that was fast - I don't remember coming into fences that fast before but then my horse was a bit slow. I had my heart in my mouth, I must have become a wimp in my old age!

Great report and absolutely loved the HatCam
 
That was absolutely brilliant to watch! My word your boy is a speed demon :D
It sounded like you were having an absolute ball riding him, which at the end of the day that's what it's all about for me :)

I loved your 'nearly home, nearly home' bit....I say exactly that as well lol
 
wow that was brilliant! :D make me even more frightened of cross country! :D

Didn't have the sound on as i'm at work but i love the gallop to the finish at the end where your boy got his "speed ears" on :D
 
dixie said:
Wow that was fast - I don't remember coming into fences that fast before but then my horse was a bit slow. I had my heart in my mouth, I must have become a wimp in my old age!

Great report and absolutely loved the HatCam
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Thank you for your nice comments :)

Although that was slow for us, especially as the ground was on the hard side, the last hunter trial we did at Eland we did the 90cm and we were 28 seconds too quick! Hence why all morning my friend was saying for gods sake take a pull as 28 seconds too quick is going to be seriously expensive! I listened for once in my life and got us 1 second away from the optimum time :D :D
 
Loving the hat cam - but does just re-affirm that I do really want to keep my horses feet on the ground for as long as possible :lol:

Looks like a really lovely course - and great to see that the course is clearly defined. I think there are other venues *cough* Burnham *cough* that could take note :D

I think all XC reports should now have an obligatory hat cam clip - It is a really weird experience, but please tell me I wasn't the only one half-halting/pushing on/taking off in my mind :o
 
glamourpuss said:
That was absolutely brilliant to watch! My word your boy is a speed demon :D
It sounded like you were having an absolute ball riding him, which at the end of the day that's what it's all about for me :)

I loved your 'nearly home, nearly home' bit....I say exactly that as well lol
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Thank you, he is a little pocket rocket, full of gallop. The long galloping courses suit us both better.

He really is a lot of fun, especially as I know he always finds that 5th leg if needs be, although doesn't happen very often, he's so good on his feet and so, so genuine to put up with a numpty like me, I swear sometimes I just close my eyes and hope for the best ;)

I think the nearly home comment was for me, it was such a hot day and I was seriously flagging by that point, hence why I kicked on up the hill, I was done in lol!
 
Couldn't listen to the commentry as at work but what a super round.
So nice to see someone riding out of a good forward rythm, setting up for the few fences that needed otherwise just jumping out of that lovely attacking stride with no time wasted getting away from the fence on landing.
Having spent far too many days in XC control I can think of a fair few riders who could learn something from that vid :D
 
PooJay said:
wow that was brilliant! :D make me even more frightened of cross country! :D

Didn't have the sound on as i'm at work but i love the gallop to the finish at the end where your boy got his "speed ears" on :D
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Thats my fave bit, the last gallop up the hill, his little ears are just saying hold on mom, im going to take off now!! Wheeeee!!!!!!
 
Leg_end said:
Brilliant! Loved the commentary all the way round. Fave was 'go on you devil!' :D
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He was haing a right old gawp at some flower pots into the first fence and I thought 'cant swear, got the hat cam on' so devil was the first word that popped into my head, sounds better than what would usually have popped out of my mouth!! :D :D
 
PaddyMonty said:
Couldn't listen to the commentry as at work but what a super round.
So nice to see someone riding out of a good forward rythm, setting up for the few fences that needed otherwise just jumping out of that lovely attacking stride with no time wasted getting away from the fence on landing.
Having spent far too many days in XC control I can think of a fair few riders who could learn something from that vid :D
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Wow, thank you so much for your kind words.

But I have to give all credit to him, this horse has taught me so, so much. When I first had him we did our first few rounds way too slow, I was holding way too much and he was getting really silly. He knows his job and didn't need me hanging onto him, he's very quick and nimble and jumps perfectly out of his stride, which he prefers to be a very forward one!
Once I learnt to just trust him and just adjust here and there when he was getting a little too quick for the 'questions' we started to really form a good bond.
Im now just finidng the balance as our last few rounds before yesterday have been way too quick and got us nowhere near the optimum time. But yesterday we finally nailed it.

He's just an ace little xc machine, although a pole bashing, anti-dressage one at that! :rolls eyes: :D
 
Well done! Wacthed it without the sound but NOW I know why I am always too slow XC - do I really have to go that fast?! I'll have my eyes closed approaching jumps that fast - but then I'm usually a minute over the time :eek:
 
brilliant!

im not a huge fan of eventing (only because im terrified of people falling... else its brilliant!)

but seriously good fun... nice to see you praising your horse so much :D well done :)
 
Wow what a brill report, I don't think I could wear a hat cam as I swear to much :o
Your horse certainly knows his job and I love the fact his ears were forward the whole time except when you really went for it towards the end and he pinned them back to make himself more aerodynamic :D

Where did you get the hat cam ? and did you need permission to ride wearing it ?
 
BeckyD said:
Well done! Wacthed it without the sound but NOW I know why I am always too slow XC - do I really have to go that fast?! I'll have my eyes closed approaching jumps that fast - but then I'm usually a minute over the time :eek:
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If your worried about approaching your fences any faster, you could make up time in between the fences maybe? Might help :)
 
noodle_ said:
brilliant!

im not a huge fan of eventing (only because im terrified of people falling... else its brilliant!)

but seriously good fun... nice to see you praising your horse so much :D well done :)
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Thank you!

And also thank you to everyone else who has replied, and for all your lovely comments :)
 
carefreegirl said:
Wow what a brill report, I don't think I could wear a hat cam as I swear to much :o
Your horse certainly knows his job and I love the fact his ears were forward the whole time except when you really went for it towards the end and he pinned them back to make himself more aerodynamic :D

Where did you get the hat cam ? and did you need permission to ride wearing it ?
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Thank you :)

I like the aerodynamic comment :D

My brother got me the hat cam for xmas (very good of him) it's a 'GoPro' one, you can order it off the net.

And no I didn't ask permission to wear it, I just put it on and thought well if they moan I can always whip it off and give it to my friend, but they never mentioned it so I carried on with it! I've never had it questioned before.
 
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