seabiscuit
Well-Known Member
So this was Owens first ODE for 2 years, as last year he had off for his back op and then it took a while to get him comfortable and right afterwards.
Dressage he warmed up really super, he was sooo calm ( put like a triple dose of calmer in his feed last night and this morning- at last something that works!) he did a lovely relaxed test although he could have had more push from behind and more go ( he really was very calm!) but anyway he got 27, mostly 7 and 8's, one 9, and one 6 ! So that put us in the lead for a while.... was thrilled as had lost confidence in his dressage a bit after a beastly judge marked him harshly the other week - so I guess that after today he must be working vaguely correctly after all....!
Showjumping- no idea what would happen, firstly the first fence was purple and Owen just doesnt do purple ! but he hardly looked at it. He got very, very strong when entering the arena ( he finds the atmo a bit much!)The whole round was at about 30 mph, it was very messy and untidy, but he was flying them !! He tried it on with attempting to run out at a *scary* filler but just managed to get him over it at a v. sharp angle... thought I'd had about 4 fences down - he'd rattled a fair few, but no, he went clear!!
So at this point it seemed like we were in the lead,but they still had a few more dressage marks to put up. XC everyone was having a godzillion time faults, there was this ridicolously twisty long bit up and down hills through the woods, you couldnt do more than walk really at some points, so set out from the start box quite fast to try and keep up on the time. He flew it all beautifully, dithered at the drop fences and at the ditch he looked at it and went;- 'oh-my-god-its-absolutely-horrific- ok im going into panic mode!' but just managed to get over them without penalties.
Anyway once out of the woods he was galloping the fences brilliantly, had a steep step up with a bounce to a rail and a rail, he's never done it before, but genuinely scrambled over.
All was going great untill.....the second last fence, the water jump... so it wasnt even a fence! Just two parts of a stream to cross!
Went through the first part apprehensively but ok, and the second part- murky water, running current- hissing noises- and he just froze. Wouldnt go near it. So that was that - big fat E !!
and only the last fence left to jump as well..
So tantalising, waters the one thing he is normally ok on-but I *suppose*, from dear Owen's point of view, that it was very very scary and that there were evil witches hiding underneath the murky water waiting to jump out and bite him! But they almost took the water jump out alltogether because the water level was almost too high after all the rain.....so todays the one day that I regret not having more rain!
The ground was abs fab by the way, it had just the right cut to it...
So no rosette for Owen today.. but still very very pleased!! I knew I shouldve done more XC schooling with him before hand and he had only been XC twice this year before today. So just got to get him out schooling more.
Hopefully there will be another chance to try and get it all right!!
Oh went back to look at the scores later, someone got 26 dressage, so we wouldve been 2nd
but never mind!
Photo john britter- (yes have got permission)
Dressage he warmed up really super, he was sooo calm ( put like a triple dose of calmer in his feed last night and this morning- at last something that works!) he did a lovely relaxed test although he could have had more push from behind and more go ( he really was very calm!) but anyway he got 27, mostly 7 and 8's, one 9, and one 6 ! So that put us in the lead for a while.... was thrilled as had lost confidence in his dressage a bit after a beastly judge marked him harshly the other week - so I guess that after today he must be working vaguely correctly after all....!
Showjumping- no idea what would happen, firstly the first fence was purple and Owen just doesnt do purple ! but he hardly looked at it. He got very, very strong when entering the arena ( he finds the atmo a bit much!)The whole round was at about 30 mph, it was very messy and untidy, but he was flying them !! He tried it on with attempting to run out at a *scary* filler but just managed to get him over it at a v. sharp angle... thought I'd had about 4 fences down - he'd rattled a fair few, but no, he went clear!!
So at this point it seemed like we were in the lead,but they still had a few more dressage marks to put up. XC everyone was having a godzillion time faults, there was this ridicolously twisty long bit up and down hills through the woods, you couldnt do more than walk really at some points, so set out from the start box quite fast to try and keep up on the time. He flew it all beautifully, dithered at the drop fences and at the ditch he looked at it and went;- 'oh-my-god-its-absolutely-horrific- ok im going into panic mode!' but just managed to get over them without penalties.
Anyway once out of the woods he was galloping the fences brilliantly, had a steep step up with a bounce to a rail and a rail, he's never done it before, but genuinely scrambled over.
All was going great untill.....the second last fence, the water jump... so it wasnt even a fence! Just two parts of a stream to cross!
Went through the first part apprehensively but ok, and the second part- murky water, running current- hissing noises- and he just froze. Wouldnt go near it. So that was that - big fat E !!
So tantalising, waters the one thing he is normally ok on-but I *suppose*, from dear Owen's point of view, that it was very very scary and that there were evil witches hiding underneath the murky water waiting to jump out and bite him! But they almost took the water jump out alltogether because the water level was almost too high after all the rain.....so todays the one day that I regret not having more rain!
So no rosette for Owen today.. but still very very pleased!! I knew I shouldve done more XC schooling with him before hand and he had only been XC twice this year before today. So just got to get him out schooling more.
Hopefully there will be another chance to try and get it all right!!
Photo john britter- (yes have got permission)
