Myerscough Elementary Restricted Winter Regionals!

HufflyPuffly

HufflyPuffly

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So for various reasons this was our first attempt at winters BD! I was a little apprehensive as Topaz is always more difficult in winter with restricted turnout and chilly weather! We had a less than ideal run up and I managed to miss our trial run outing, so that combined with her being a loon to school the night before I was not feeling that optimistic :D.

However we went with a plan of going early and doing two warm-ups. Got on for our first warm-up and had to giggle, the open class prize-giving was just going in and I did think they must have thought what on earth is that horse doing here, as we bounced around like a tense ball of spaghetti legs :D. She puffed herself out, sweated like I'd ran her round for 3 hours, acted like a wooden plank and then took a breath... We still were a little scared of random things like the open viewing side and the enterance to the warm up, but we got stretching and some relaxation through the back and neck, so I called it quits and brought her out.

My lovely trainer managed to come for the test, and it made such a difference having her in the warm-up with me! Warm-up x 2 and she went amazingly :eek:, got her up into the contact, she was on the aids, in-front of the leg, basically all the things that normally evade us :o. Tried to keep it into the arena, trotted in she tried to stop in horror of the photographer :o, got round to the flowers at A tried to boggle again but kept going, same with the judges tables but amazingly I actually rode her and kept her up and forward! And well what a test for her, she really really tried her socks off! We had a little wiggle in the rein-back, the canter-trot-canter's could have been smoother and she anticipated the walk canter the little sod :D, but I couldn't have been more pleased with her. Definitely the best she's gone at an AF/ Regional/ indoor situation!

Put her away and went to see the scores and was a little bit dissapointed with 64.79% :(, still think she deserved more but overall it was a very low scoring class and we held on to 10th spot until the last few to end up 16th out of 35 entries! Left before the end so not seen my sheets yet, but excited for the season ahead now, I've always thought she wouldn't be a horse that you could ask to pull herself together and go out and do her best but a horse that you had to coax round holding her hand, she proved me wrong and showed that when I ride better she can do better, depsite the score ;).

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Much love for the bonkers black beast again :D.
 
Great result, well done :D:D:D Am currently working on my own plan of attack for Summerhouse next week, hadn't considered 2 warm ups but since there is no warm up class that sounds like a sensible approach. Thanks for sharing :wink3:
 
LJR said:
Fantastic - really well done :)
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Thank you, I feel so positive after it which considering we weren't placed may be a little mad but it suits us :D.

LouisCat said:
Well done! Topaz is so smart!
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:) Thank you, we're still surprised about how well she scrubs up considering she is also known as the swamp donkey :D:D.

Prince33Sp4rkle said:
well done, they do always mark hard at the regionals so dont worry :)
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Thank you, yeah I always think it's a shame they seem so harsh at regionals when everyone has proved they can score well enough. I saw some georgeous combinations score really mediocore scores... makes me feel better anyway ;).

Bills said:
Well done! :)
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Thanks :D.

Tash88 said:
Fantastic, very well done to you both and she is looking great! Starting to look like a Medium horse now... :)
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:D I'm so ready for Medium! My instructor wants me to wait a little longer, but so impatient to crack on :D;).

eggs said:
Well done, lovely photos. Don't worry about your score, they always seem to drop at Regionals.
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Thank you, I expected it to be a little lower and had gone with the aim of a clear round and a nice picture. But then she went and performed so well, my instructor was convienced she'd be around the 66% mark, but never mind I am super proud of her!

milliepops said:
Great result, well done :D:D:D Am currently working on my own plan of attack for Summerhouse next week, hadn't considered 2 warm ups but since there is no warm up class that sounds like a sensible approach. Thanks for sharing :wink3:
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Thank you, the two warm up's idea was admittedly stolen from Diamonds in the Rough ;) from memory Fig use to have two so thought it may help us! First warm up was just to get her to soften and listen, then the second to get her 'test ready'. Went with enough time for a long first warm up but in reality I was only on her 30/45 mins before she settled.

Thank you everyone, just got my sheets through the post (service or what from Myerscough!) and we got 'Happy Partnership' from one of the judges :D :D made my day that! Mixture of 5's (for the rein back and anticipation) to 7.5's! Interestingly two of the judges also said that she is on the hand a little too much and needs more self-carriage, so maybe a little hand-holding was still needed :D but something to work on as she gains confidence.

Still chuffed :D.
 
j1ffy said:
Very well done!! She looks like she's beefed up a bit too?
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Managed to miss you out :o, ah her weight is an on-going issue lol. She is a bit porky really at the moment :o but at the same time she is really feeling stronger so I'm hoping some of it is muscle too :o. She's on another fitness regieme, and it's a stark reminder to me and mum that we can't let up with her considering she feds a token feed and only ab-lib forage :eek:. We were a little lax over Christmas and she ballooned really quickly!

It's harder managing her than my poor do'er Cushings horse :D, going to try a new balancer so hopefully she will get everything she needs without too much wieght gain. As she's really suffered in her coat and skin issues when she's fed nothing, but then is such a good do'er and is in relatively moderate work that she does need something but without the calories!
 
AlexHyde said:
Thank you, the two warm up's idea was admittedly stolen from Diamonds in the Rough ;) from memory Fig use to have two so thought it may help us! First warm up was just to get her to soften and listen, then the second to get her 'test ready'. Went with enough time for a long first warm up but in reality I was only on her 30/45 mins before she settled.
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it's a good plan - I used to do it with Armas too but just hadn't considered it for little Kira. Could be just the ticket for her.

Thank you everyone, just got my sheets through the post (service or what from Myerscough!) and we got 'Happy Partnership' from one of the judges :D :D made my day that! Mixture of 5's (for the rein back and anticipation) to 7.5's! Interestingly two of the judges also said that she is on the hand a little too much and needs more self-carriage, so maybe a little hand-holding was still needed :D but something to work on as she gains confidence.

Still chuffed :D.
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... & rightly so, that's a lovely comment:clap:
 
Well done!!! Fab score :)

Have hope, Fig gone from 2 warms ups totaling approx 2 hours to 1 warm up 45-60 mins long (dependent on tack checks, walking to warm up and how big the show is).

So pleased it helped you!
 
AlexHyde said:
Super good luck for Kira, which class are you doing?

x x
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Ha, Novice Open. She is absolutely not going to be competitive,especially if the class is indoors, but it's all good experience. She feels quite special at home, despite appearances, so I'm thinking next year and beyond might be a bit more hopeful ;)
 
nikkimariet said:
Well done!!! Fab score :)

Have hope, Fig gone from 2 warms ups totaling approx 2 hours to 1 warm up 45-60 mins long (dependent on tack checks, walking to warm up and how big the show is).

So pleased it helped you!
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Thank you :) your progress is so inspirational, we're good when we have two classes but the championship ones are tricky for her as she gets so tense. I've told her she has Fig to look up to :D.

milliepops said:
Ha, Novice Open. She is absolutely not going to be competitive,especially if the class is indoors, but it's all good experience. She feels quite special at home, despite appearances, so I'm thinking next year and beyond might be a bit more hopeful ;)
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Well best of luck, the strangest things can happen ;). We're like a gang of unlikely dressage horses on HHO :D, I think Topaz should be quite special too (and for once in a good way :D), feel like we've been at elementary forever but as my instructor keeps telling me we're planning the long game!
 
AlexHyde said:
Managed to miss you out :o, ah her weight is an on-going issue lol. She is a bit porky really at the moment :o but at the same time she is really feeling stronger so I'm hoping some of it is muscle too :o. She's on another fitness regieme, and it's a stark reminder to me and mum that we can't let up with her considering she feds a token feed and only ab-lib forage :eek:. We were a little lax over Christmas and she ballooned really quickly!

It's harder managing her than my poor do'er Cushings horse :D, going to try a new balancer so hopefully she will get everything she needs without too much wieght gain. As she's really suffered in her coat and skin issues when she's fed nothing, but then is such a good do'er and is in relatively moderate work that she does need something but without the calories!
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It certainly looks like muscle in the pics! She looks chunkier in her shoulders and bum, not tummy ;) She looks gorgeous whatever!!
 
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