Prince33Sp4rkle
Well-Known Member
Slightly dubious start to 2012 for CS and I..............we went out a couple of weeks ago but my back was off, so off in fact i should have retired before i started but we crawled round, and i mean crawled.......i couldnt sit, so he kept slowing down to *catch* me and it probably took about 20mins to do each test! d'oh..........so scores awful, as everything so dinky teeny tiny steps so as not to jar me.
Today, back was fine and pony on form but everything else was a farce ..............toddled off to do AM92 and A100 and he warmed up super chilled, lovely and relaxed but taking me forward from word go, thought we were on for a nice clear round at at least and then just as we were walking up the (very narrow) path to the arena, the previous competitors horse spooked and came leaping towards us, rider didnt try and pull up, or calm him down, instead started to eff, blind, kick, shout and generally make the situation 100% times worse..............so early in the season this was too much for CS he tried to spin round and dive back into the warm up, NMT managed to lead himpast (she also had to go wading and lead the total poof through every microscopic puddle en route to warm up/lorry and back again!!!!!!!)..............he was now totally unsettled, upset, and generally keeping half and eye and ear on the path of doom so test was blown before it started really, had to ride the entire thing off my seat, lateral work changes the lot, and we had a lot of opening rein and guiding him round tactfully! put my hand up before the end and retired.
Went back to warm up as only 25mins before A100 and calmed him down, loads of stretching and patting. Put tailcoat on (pweeety!!!) and picked him up, did everything beautifully and softly incl the 4's...........NMT donned her fearless leader hat again and led him to arena only to have the same rider come passaging and kicking up the path behind me, intending to warm up in the (now empty) arena next to me. I think my desperate face and small yelp told her all she needed to know, and she didnt in the end, but again, too little too late and CS frayed nerves now went completely.
We did a very loose interpretation of A100 complete with about 35 1's on the spot, piaffe pirouettes and flat out bolting (ext canter), so again put hand up before the end. In some ways am pleased as he didnt completely lose it, and being sharp and that way inclined, he could well have totally given me the finger. I got the feeling he was desperately trying to hold it together but just couldnt quite
the nice bits were much improved, all the lateral work felt looser, easier, more supple, and the changes at the judges end were nice, just such a shame that anything at the top end of the arena resembled a space hopper on LSD.
Am frustrated at the circumstances, but cant really fault the pony, second outing, spooky venue, and unsettling goings on. He felt fab fun to ride in the warm up and really makes me grin, he got a splattering of 7's, which sadly couldnt even out the 0's,1's and 2's for our more freestyle moments!!!! He went to his favourite mcdonalds on the way home (think CS has been to every mcdonalds in the east mids by now!), and said hi to all the late night chavs, and is now tucked up in his PJ's with his tea.
Stretchy:
Trot:
Trot HP:
Canter:
Canter HP:
Changes:
Test pics:
Whoops!
Overall, very pleased - when he's listening it all feels much more uphill and established. Onwards and upwards, vale view next weekend which should be safe enough (!), for AM85 and AM92 (i think...)
Today, back was fine and pony on form but everything else was a farce ..............toddled off to do AM92 and A100 and he warmed up super chilled, lovely and relaxed but taking me forward from word go, thought we were on for a nice clear round at at least and then just as we were walking up the (very narrow) path to the arena, the previous competitors horse spooked and came leaping towards us, rider didnt try and pull up, or calm him down, instead started to eff, blind, kick, shout and generally make the situation 100% times worse..............so early in the season this was too much for CS he tried to spin round and dive back into the warm up, NMT managed to lead himpast (she also had to go wading and lead the total poof through every microscopic puddle en route to warm up/lorry and back again!!!!!!!)..............he was now totally unsettled, upset, and generally keeping half and eye and ear on the path of doom so test was blown before it started really, had to ride the entire thing off my seat, lateral work changes the lot, and we had a lot of opening rein and guiding him round tactfully! put my hand up before the end and retired.
Went back to warm up as only 25mins before A100 and calmed him down, loads of stretching and patting. Put tailcoat on (pweeety!!!) and picked him up, did everything beautifully and softly incl the 4's...........NMT donned her fearless leader hat again and led him to arena only to have the same rider come passaging and kicking up the path behind me, intending to warm up in the (now empty) arena next to me. I think my desperate face and small yelp told her all she needed to know, and she didnt in the end, but again, too little too late and CS frayed nerves now went completely.
We did a very loose interpretation of A100 complete with about 35 1's on the spot, piaffe pirouettes and flat out bolting (ext canter), so again put hand up before the end. In some ways am pleased as he didnt completely lose it, and being sharp and that way inclined, he could well have totally given me the finger. I got the feeling he was desperately trying to hold it together but just couldnt quite
the nice bits were much improved, all the lateral work felt looser, easier, more supple, and the changes at the judges end were nice, just such a shame that anything at the top end of the arena resembled a space hopper on LSD.Am frustrated at the circumstances, but cant really fault the pony, second outing, spooky venue, and unsettling goings on. He felt fab fun to ride in the warm up and really makes me grin, he got a splattering of 7's, which sadly couldnt even out the 0's,1's and 2's for our more freestyle moments!!!! He went to his favourite mcdonalds on the way home (think CS has been to every mcdonalds in the east mids by now!), and said hi to all the late night chavs, and is now tucked up in his PJ's with his tea.
Stretchy:
Trot:
Trot HP:
Canter:
Canter HP:
Changes:
Test pics:
Whoops!
Overall, very pleased - when he's listening it all feels much more uphill and established. Onwards and upwards, vale view next weekend which should be safe enough (!), for AM85 and AM92 (i think...)
