tigers_eye
Well-Known Member
Oooh, feels like it's been ages since I've been on here!! Yesterday and today William and I were competing at Tweseldown in the 6yo champs, which has been his main end of year aim. I was ignoring the fact that I recognised EVERY rider's name in my class, and that most of the horses were intermediates
. It was run as an IN, so we had to do test 130 which has shoulder in, a simple change and extended walk.
Had to go there by myself yesterday as couldn't convince anyone to skive/take holiday etc. Got there in plenty of time for my 14.50 test, went off to get my number and a big tub of feed from the lovely PAVO people
. Walked the sj, very bright and colourful, plenty of relateds, a big water tray. But rather small I thought for what was allowed to be 120 (isn't it?). Trundling back to the lorry I discovered my lighter had given up the ghost, so I asked Pippa F if she had one and she looked at me in disgust and said " I don't smoke"
!
Got himself ready for the dressage and off we went to warm up. He was going really nicely for him, so was relatively hopeful we wouldn't disgrace ourselves. He actually did probably his best test ever, letting me ride him into the corners and even condescending to use his hind end on occasion
, his walk was a bit weak, and the simple change a little stilted but very obediant. We had two judges, and he managed to get his first 8! And a 7 from one of them for one of his medium trots which is good too as he's not long worked out how to do it. So he ended with a score of 38.8 which I'm pretty pleased with as he's no dressage pony. I was fully expecting 75% of the class to be in the 20's, but I think just 4 or 5 were, the best being PF on 26 or something. 7 got worse scores than W!
On to sj, and this has been W's forte this year, having just rolled 2 poles over the whole season, so I was quite hopeful. Faults seemed to be spread evenly around the course. Started well, if quite forward going, but that's how he seems to like to go. Came into the double at fence 4 and he had the first part down
, just didn't seem to pick his toes up quite enough. Jumped the water tray at 5, which was on a very long 5 stride distance from the double, beautifully, on to 6 (bought a cracking picture of him over this, but you'll have to wait for PhotoSynergy to put them up). After 6 we had to turn back on ourselves to 7, and upright on a related distance to the next one, and as I came through the turn I saw the fence-putter-uppers casually leaning on 7 chatting
! I shouted at them to get out the way, but I took a pull and he over-reacted and had a strop just metres away and brought it down. Fitted in about 7 strides to the next as we weren't going anywhere but managed to leave it up. He cleared the rest too. As I came out they said 4 faults, so I thought they'd disregarded the fence where the people had been, but as I walked back to the lorries I heard them correct it to 8
. I didn't think it was worth appealing as it would have been their word against mine. Buying my photos today the guy remembered the incident and said he thought I should have objected. Just one of those things I guess...
So, was absolutely gutted as he's been so reliable this year and I felt it ruined any chance we might have had. Went and walked the course anyway, and it was really nice, just the right amount of challenge in it.
Got up this morning, and despite the rain decided I would go and have a blast and hopefully cheer myself up a bit instead of finishing the season dwelling on those fences down. Had a friend with me, which always makes it more fun too.
Got there and it was bucketing it down! Studded up, tacked up, and got on. By the time I got the end of the lorry park, let alone to the start, I was sodden! Warmed up alongside just two others: PF and WFP
, nothing like being in illustrious company eh?! Especially as WFP's horse was really doing it's best to have him off
. W was feeling great and was def up for it. We set off, and I knew I'd have to go fast as it was a twisty track. One and two were fairly standard things, then we went left and raced over the ridge and towards the racecourse, over a big straw box thingy, then swung right-handed to a palisade with a downhill landing and a left turn to 4b, a skinny log-pile. Galloped away with him feeling just fabulous underneath me, just the right amount of pull and his stride as big as I've ever felt it. On to 5 under the trees, a nice ascending oxer and I saw an absolute flier
: I could see his front legs stretched out in front of him! Galloping back towards the ridge now, but before we get there a sharp left hand turn round a tree and over two sharply angled pheasant feeders on a long 2 strides. Elbows only flapped slightly to get the second part
. 8 was a straightforward log pile type thing, then a quick race round typical Twesledown tracks getting near where the 2* footbridge is. Another 90 degree turn up on to some scrub where there was a double of offset hedges which he popped through neatly, then raced away towards the water. Galloped over 10 without taking a pull, then turned to the coffin (sorry, hollow these days), set him up 4 strides out, whisked through then motorbiked right to the water. Little half-halt a few strides out, popped over the skinny log, positively towed me the stride to the drop into water, 90 degree left turn out the water and over a house which led us straight into the 2nd bit of the water, then about a 120 degree right turn over a wooden box skinny with a hedge on top that made it look huge! Saw a great stride about 5 out on the turn and he flew it! Really motored away from the water ove two offset houses, then another skinny log with a downhill landing, steeplechased through the owl-howl, round the corner to a palisade with ditch in front, on to a table sort of thing with brush out the top then round the corner to 20b which we couldn't see until two strides out - a fairly sizable corner, then went flat out for home over the last! I had SUCH a great ride, he was the keenest I've ever felt him, very straight and we didn't have a bad stride the whole way round
. Roll on next season and Intermediate!
We ended up as one of the faster combinations with just 4.4 time penalties, and only Helen Wilson blew round to go inside the time. So that meant William ended up 14th best 6yo in Britain
!
So here goes with the what-if's
: If they hadn't given me the fence down with the people in front I think I would have been 10th (prizes down to 10th... ain't that just the way), if he'd jumped his customary clear he'd have been 6th. Oh well!
Had to go there by myself yesterday as couldn't convince anyone to skive/take holiday etc. Got there in plenty of time for my 14.50 test, went off to get my number and a big tub of feed from the lovely PAVO people
Got himself ready for the dressage and off we went to warm up. He was going really nicely for him, so was relatively hopeful we wouldn't disgrace ourselves. He actually did probably his best test ever, letting me ride him into the corners and even condescending to use his hind end on occasion
On to sj, and this has been W's forte this year, having just rolled 2 poles over the whole season, so I was quite hopeful. Faults seemed to be spread evenly around the course. Started well, if quite forward going, but that's how he seems to like to go. Came into the double at fence 4 and he had the first part down
So, was absolutely gutted as he's been so reliable this year and I felt it ruined any chance we might have had. Went and walked the course anyway, and it was really nice, just the right amount of challenge in it.
Got up this morning, and despite the rain decided I would go and have a blast and hopefully cheer myself up a bit instead of finishing the season dwelling on those fences down. Had a friend with me, which always makes it more fun too.
Got there and it was bucketing it down! Studded up, tacked up, and got on. By the time I got the end of the lorry park, let alone to the start, I was sodden! Warmed up alongside just two others: PF and WFP
We ended up as one of the faster combinations with just 4.4 time penalties, and only Helen Wilson blew round to go inside the time. So that meant William ended up 14th best 6yo in Britain
So here goes with the what-if's
