One seriously pissed off OldGit

OldGit

OldGit

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Little Downham today, so long lorry trek (old lorry still - issues with new). Test at 11.35 so not too early and then a long wait for show jumping and XC. Ok dressage long arena with leg yield so wasn't expecting miracles and surprisingly didn't get any and ended up with 40.5. Walked the cross country seemed ok not especially big, then back to the lorry to change for SJ. Course was causing problems with quite a few 4 and 8 faulters, sadly joined the latter group as he almost went to stop in the triple so slap on bum and had last element then the last part of the double whcih was the last fence!! Then on to XC, running a little late now so empty collecting ring, quick warm-up and off. Jumped the first hedge then an upright thing then 3 a hedge, 4 a ditch pallisade, 5 a chair, we were moving on quite well now so number 6 was a log stride to no. 7A, a ditch with a brush out. Steadied back a bit he locked on the log and the next thing I am flying through the air in an arc as I still had the reins. Landed spread-eagled on my back with feet pointing in the direction of travel.........

To say I was unhappy was to suggest the titanic hit an ice cube. After F-ing and blinding I apologised to fence judge for my language, walked down the course to retreive pony hopped on and gave him three slaps A to tell him off and B to remind him he hadn't finished. How right I was, he started dying 3 out again gave him a smack to get him going forward but at this point he started rearing so smack on shoulder realised wasn't happening and retired on long rein, in the melee managed to pick up a headbutt in the face so now my nose has even more bends in it. Walked across track and hopped off and daughter took him back to lorry whilst I had a sit down and felt sorry for myself.

Was asked to report to secretary (I asumed to see Dr) to be met by the steward who informed me I had been reported for abusive conduct. I assumed he meant my language but no it had been reported that I had beaten the horse. We had a discussion where I stated my side of the story and he backtracked, especially as after he asked 'and what about in the lorry park' and I said what do you mean I haven't been back to the lorry. He then said that you should be established over ditches and walls before moving up, I pointed out that we have jumped a double clear at a 1*. So end result a caution, just to make my day.

So have learnt several lessons today
1. My horse has developed a ditch problem, but only certain ditches after certain jumps
2. Be extremely careful about discipline
3. When people are branded as horse beaters, there may be another side to the story.

Please be gentle when you slate me I'm feeling especially delicate both physically and mentally!

I don't think pinot is strong enough............................
 
Put it down to experience, horrible day, it won't happen again. I was told off for hitting my horse twice at a riding club event and that if continued to beat (!) her, i would be eliminated. Years ago at Somerley Park, I fell off twice in the SJ and was advised to get some lessons before i came back! Don't despair, we've all been there!
 
fwiw, that coffin (if that's where it happened?) does cause plenty of problems. no less a combination than Piggy French and Chicago had a stop there last year, iirc.
sorry to hear you had such problems, more pinot for you i think.
 
Aww bad day :( We all have those, put it down to experience and i don't like riders whipping horses after they fall off, horse won't know what it's for by then :(. Sorry you had bad day and i bet next one will go well :)
 
:eek: good day then !!

have a hug (((((((((((((0))))))))))

thought i was having a bad day ,just stamped my feed and threw all toys out of pram for being balloted out of my local event:(

that was my worry when i started ,i have to seriously ride 1st few fences or mine will stop, but never been pulled up about it

were will it end you wont be able to carry a whip before long :eek:

i have sympathy for you
i probly would have hit him harder :eek:
dont slaughter me for that im not in the mood :mad:

have some vodka and coke on me
 
Ahh come on OG, sh*t happens but those days make the good ones even more worthwhile. Hope you are not to sore, to be doubly sure I would recommend copious amounts of Pinot.

Hey if all else fails go back to my original suggestion and give Ned copious amounts of alchohol at start of next run ;);)

Chin up chuck, tomorrow is another day x:)
 
Oh drat :( no slating here, just lots of sympathy for your cr*p day. And how stupid about the supposed "beating" what the hell were they on about when you hadn't been back to the lorry park, should get their facts straight first!

I agree that after a day like that pinot probably isn't enough - have a hot toddy - excellent for any resulting aches and pains!
 
Poor you and it was so blinking hot there today!! It'll be better next time (could hardly be worse really) :-(
 
I would just like to say OldGit, sorry for my stupid comment about hitting horses once fallen off. I have been regretting that since i put it, especially when i would prob have done the same and have in the past! :o Sorry about that, I can be such a pratt sometimes! Really hope things are better next time. Please have a cold beer on me :)
 
Oh Jeez sorry you had such a bad day, is he hurting at all, if he tried to stop SJ and did stop XC as the ground is so hard at present, mine is running tomorrow, and really in two minds.

As for the other, I am sorry there is no excuse to get on and give a horse three slaps (and it shows it didnt work), they dont know what for so long after the event, the person complaining good on them I certainly would have, and the steward did the right thing lesson learned, and hopefully next time will be a great run.

We are on the really hard stuff here tonight so have a diet coke with us.
 
I saw, from a considerable distance, some of the incident, together with a number of other people in unofficial and official capacities.

What I saw, from where I was standing, did not look good. Had I been closer and more able to see what was going on I might have felt differently but from where I was had I had a radio, I would certainly have radioed through along the lines of "Control and other fence judges: I don't think this is acceptable behaviour, can you all take a look please."

Amongst the people near me it was assumed that you were a teenage girl having a tantrum. Sorry but there it is.
 
I was fence judging about 200m away from the Witcham Stud complex where you fell. I heard you yelling from where I was. The opinion on the radio was one of disgust at the way you treated your horse. I didn't see so can not say but there were a number of people who did see and who were very unhappy with the situation as I'm sure you were.
 
Must say, having read those witness accounts, that if you did have a tantrum then you deserved the warning, sorry OG. Getting back on, putting legs on, nothing happening and then giving a slap or two with the whip to reinforce the leg (which is what I thought you meant, as that's what I might well have done) is one thing, getting on the horse and hitting it because you fell off really isn't fair on the horse... and the sort of thing kids get seriously told off for!
Your horse is an absolute superstar and an utter saint, btw! ;) more practise at ditches obv required, onwards and upwards.
 
Yes sorry I have to agree. I don't believe there is any place at an event for tantrums. They are something I hate to witness when directed at a horse especially. Even the wording of your report comes across as a petulant child.
From your other reports you have a dead honest horse who has helped you out loads in the past. If he is now stopping - given how unblemished his XC record was till this year - I would think there is a very good chance he is not feeling 100%.

Maybe reading the eyewitness reports will make you realise how it came across to others.
 
my theory with BE events (although I am useless and never get anywhere) keep mouth shut and dont use whip.
 
Just wanted to say, in response to a few replies about hard ground, the going at Little Downham was fantastic - they had been watering the course for days (weeks?) and I was seriously impressed. So that was not an issue here.

Sorry you had a cr*p day OG, I won't comment as I wasn't there and it's impossible to know what really happened unless you were there IMO.

But my horse chucked me off at a ditch once at a BE and when I got back on I gave her a whack (or two?) as I felt she just wasn't thinking forward. I wasn't pulled up for it, but later it was commented on that it was acceptable as it was clearly a 'come ON now' type of whack rather than in temper or punishment. That was exactly what was said to me and I must say I was surprised that it was noticed at all! Perhaps yours came across more as the latter to people who were watching?
 
yep have to agree with you Jul the ground was fab on saturday considering the lack of rain, a great job well done everyone at Little Downham !
 
This isn't my area of expertise, and you have been kind to me in the past OG, but the witness reports are not good :(. From what I've seen of your reports, your horse has been your partner and helped you on a number of occasions and this seems an unfair response on your behalf. If my daughter had been there and I had done the same, I'd be mortified as I'm forever drilling into her to be firm but fair.

I hope your next outing is better all round and that your aches go quickly.
 
Iagree with the above 1st time at little d' and I thought it was one of the best events Ive been too. The ground was very good and the people working were super and all so helpfull.

As to the xc I thought the course was full of questions so not to be taken lightly! And it was so well looked after. I was riding a 1st time novice and she flew round (although did have a wobble at the coffin!).

top marks little d...we will be back!!
 
poor you, what a pants day.

ref the horse beating-i got called up in form of the judges and given a right *******ing when i was BSJA'ing after giving a nappy 5yo 3 firm belts on the arse for rearing....ridiculous so dont feel in any way you deserved it today.
 
Have to agree...the witness reports are not good at all :(
1 slap may have been justified, if you had not come off and therefore the slap was immediately after the event = horse knows the reason for it....
but 3 slaps sounds totally over the top and as you say yourself, you were clearly angry as you were yelling and swearing...

Having said that I am genuinely sorry you had such a rough day..we all have bad days, but your post (and the resultant witness reports) made me quite sad.....maybe you need to reconsider your methods somewhat...
 
Sorry you had such a vile day. I have to admit your posts to make me chuckle and keeps this eventing mummy going sometimes. I think you have beaten yourself up well enough by now, I know we all see red mist sometimes in the heat of competition. Hope next time out is much better, lessons learned etc. Go and have a large brandy for the aches and pains.
 
I don't often post OG but I also enjoy reading your reports, always a very entertaining voice on the forum. It sounds like you've not had a great start to the year (or could just be your humility coming through ;)) and maybe today was a last straw moment as we've all experienced! I'm sure you'll do the right thing for you and your lovely horse and bounce back quickly.

Hope the aches and pains aren't too bad!
 
Another one who reads alot but doesn't post much. Sorry to say but swearing on the course after falling off, swearing in the title of your post, and hitting your beautiful horse who is a saint and helps you out on so many occasions, after you fall off, it really doesn't look good. A professional would probably be slated on here for this. Don't you help out alot at BE events, in a medical capacity, and your daughters are with you at alot of events,would you be happy if they behaved in the same way, doesn't seem a good example to set.

Time to take stock I would say, a lovely horse kept at an expensive livery yard, two lorries, eventing on a regular basis and help from your daughters (don't they ever compete?) seems like an ideal set up for some, but totally out of reach for others. Look at the positives and move forwards.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
ref the horse beating-i got called up in form of the judges and given a right *******ing when i was BSJA'ing after giving a nappy 5yo 3 firm belts on the arse for rearing....ridiculous so dont feel in any way you deserved it today.
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3 smacks in a row is unecessary IMO. Especially when, from what I understand, OP fell off then on getting on she gave him 3 smacks - that achieves absolutely nothing! That to me looks like the rider is mad that she fell off and is taking it out on the horse. I would be absolutey horrified if I was brought up for too many smacks! Remember for BSJA you're only allowed 3 smacks in between a fence in total, so taking that in mind you did the max. Anyway, from eye witness accounts it sounds dodgy what OP did and I am sure she's read all these comments so will be far more careful to keep her temper under control next time.
 
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