Shrimp
Well-Known Member
Id been looking forward to this event all week and have had constant nervous excitment!! It was our first Novice this year and only our second novice ever due to unfortunate broken bone syndrome last year
And we have had a fantastic day! Only got home at 9.30
My aims for the day were:
Dressage: sub 40 score
SJ: clear though wouldnt be too bothered if he had a pole or two if he generally jumped well
XC: clear with not too many time penalties
My realities of the day were:
Dressage: Got there in plenty of time to warm up though Shrimp thought he was going xc first as the warmup was on the xc schooling area were we go quite regularly so once he'd realised he was not going xc we were ok
It wasnt the easiest of tests and we still have to work on our lengthened strides but generally it was ok. We scored 39.5 (sub 40!) which put us about 2/3 of the way down but we are improving all the time.
SJ: We had a 3 hour wait before so we walked the xc and then I slept for a bit seeing as I'd been out the previous two nights (No, not partying as you might be thinking but I was playing in two concerts which didnt finish untill late) The course was good, it didnt seem huge even though it was up to height. I think my perception of scary fence height has changed!
He jumped fab and we just had one pole which was because he backed off as there were scary marquees (sp?) behind it and I pushed and said go causing him to run abit and just clip it but apart from that he jumped really well. A lot of people were having poles so it made me feel quite good!
XC: was fantastically well built but quite big! It had been changed since last year with a new loop added and a few portables shuffled about. At the start Shrimp took off with me towards the first fence when we went past the start box and then he started pratting about so the very kind starter allowed us to go when we were ready/could get in the start box as i think he was quite worried about getting squished
Anyway we were off! Charged over the first two fences, through the woods, jumped over the stream instead off going through it
Over the stick pile and then it was two bounce steps then a stride to a narrow hedge which he pinged over with ease. Ditch pallisade no problem then flew up the hill to the massive parallel hedge which was huge and heres a pic to prove it (mum and dad standing behind it)
This was the only fence he backed off at and i got a little left behind he jumped huge over it. From then on he flew everything with no problems, he made it seem like a PN course and we came home clear with only 4 time penalties! I/he stepped up a gear though I wasnt intentionally going for time but all of a sudden he found this higher gear and carried on motoring. I was elated when we got to the finish. Our round felt so confident both on mine and his part. Im still on a high now!! We finished on 47.5
We waited around for the results as there was a chance we would get placed and we did! We came 10th!!! And in very good company if I may say so, about 6 of the top 10 were profesionals which always makes you feel better. If we can do this well early in the season I cant wait to see how we get on later in the year. Prizegiving wasnt untill just before 7.30
and we got our very nice rosette and Shrimp a well deserved packet of polos (which were all gone before got home
) He was feeling very well afterwards as was happily trotting round the field when we got home. His ego must have at least doubled.....
We're off to Arley Hall next weekend for the PNRF which will probably feel like nothing and he'll take the mick but we shall see!! Thanks for reading and virtual chocs if you got this far!
Shall post piccies tomorrow as mums complaing im typing too loudly
My aims for the day were:
Dressage: sub 40 score
SJ: clear though wouldnt be too bothered if he had a pole or two if he generally jumped well
XC: clear with not too many time penalties
My realities of the day were:
Dressage: Got there in plenty of time to warm up though Shrimp thought he was going xc first as the warmup was on the xc schooling area were we go quite regularly so once he'd realised he was not going xc we were ok
SJ: We had a 3 hour wait before so we walked the xc and then I slept for a bit seeing as I'd been out the previous two nights (No, not partying as you might be thinking but I was playing in two concerts which didnt finish untill late) The course was good, it didnt seem huge even though it was up to height. I think my perception of scary fence height has changed!
XC: was fantastically well built but quite big! It had been changed since last year with a new loop added and a few portables shuffled about. At the start Shrimp took off with me towards the first fence when we went past the start box and then he started pratting about so the very kind starter allowed us to go when we were ready/could get in the start box as i think he was quite worried about getting squished
This was the only fence he backed off at and i got a little left behind he jumped huge over it. From then on he flew everything with no problems, he made it seem like a PN course and we came home clear with only 4 time penalties! I/he stepped up a gear though I wasnt intentionally going for time but all of a sudden he found this higher gear and carried on motoring. I was elated when we got to the finish. Our round felt so confident both on mine and his part. Im still on a high now!! We finished on 47.5
We waited around for the results as there was a chance we would get placed and we did! We came 10th!!! And in very good company if I may say so, about 6 of the top 10 were profesionals which always makes you feel better. If we can do this well early in the season I cant wait to see how we get on later in the year. Prizegiving wasnt untill just before 7.30
We're off to Arley Hall next weekend for the PNRF which will probably feel like nothing and he'll take the mick but we shall see!! Thanks for reading and virtual chocs if you got this far!
Shall post piccies tomorrow as mums complaing im typing too loudly
