charlimouse
Well-Known Member
Since our last run, where Pickle was a bit of a toad in the dressage and SJ I have had a bitting rethink the culmination of which means he is currently in a Myler snaffle, which he seems to really like, but respects it enough for me to have a little bit of control 
. I gave him a jump in it to try it out during the week and all went well .
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151596760605149&set=vb.647095148&type=3&theater
Had fairly leisurely times, so for once I didn't have to get up some ungodly hour! Arrived to sideways rain and very strong winds, but thankfully the rain stopped when I got on for the dressage. Test was alot better than our last outing, still lots to work on, but I was happy. I guaged 34 - 38 and we got 35 so for once I was in agreement with the judge! we then had a 3 hour gap until our SJ, so we ambled round the XC course which certainly asked plenty of questions, and watched 2 BE90 competitors fall off . Had a wander round the tradestands, grabbed a drink, then back to the lorry for a power nap.
On for the SJ, warmed up, the surface wasn't brilliant (it was in an indoor) as there were pits on the take off and landings from all the horses earlier in the day, sowe kept it to a minimum. Fences 1-3 went well. 4 was nice, but we must have just touched it as it fell. 5 ok, when I completely messed up the double, putting Pickle on an insanely deep spot. We landed in the middle of the oxer in, poles scattering in all directions. Pickle chipped in an extra stride, and managed somehow to jump the upright out. Clever pony, saving my bacon big time ! Jumped the rest clear, so finished on the 8 penalties, and a quick turn around for the XC.
Off we set, good over fences 1 and 2. 3 was a hanging log through a gateway into woods, so not much chance for the horse to read the question. Pickle was fab, and saw a lovely stride, made the turn on 5 strides to the log at 4 easily. Through the woods and over a hedge in the dark, then over a rather large brush pallisade back out into the daylight. Table at 7 was taken in his stride, turned to the corner at 8, which Pickle took a stride out at! Down to what I thought would be the first real question at 9 and 10, a sheep feeder which needed to be jumped on an angle, 5 strides over a mound to a skinny feeder. Pickle jumped boldly over the first part, numpty jockey promptly managed to drop the reins for no reason. Pickle naver wavered, and despite my knitting being everywhere but there it should be took himself over the skinny. Big pats for Pickle and a kick up the backside for me ! Good through the 1 stride angled double, and jumped the steeple chase fence in his stride, round to 13 a log pile he jumped perfectly, then we were into the real meaty part of the course. 14 was a skinny 3 strides to a decent ditch, we were spot on over the skinny, felt a slight hesitation as Pickle got to the ditch , but gave him a kick and over he flew . Back through the woods, and the next question at 15, a step up which needed to be jumped on the angle, 2 strides to a skinny barrel. Pickle was flying so we made up a little too much ground making the 2 strides a little tight but over safely. Then down to the water which was a decent rolltop, landing on the dry, but you were in the water within 2 strides after. Pickle was perfect, and didn't even break rhythm as we galloped through the water. Then down to 17, a skinny pallisade brush, 3 strides to a drop. Foot perfect through that, although Pickle did a very large leap off the step. Must havve been mosters there I didn't know about . Sharp turn slightly down hill to the hedge which was in the middle of a ditch which posed Pickle no problem!
Round to a pallisade with a hedge behind and then to the last, which was quite a tricky fence. A pallisade sited right on the top of a steep mound, so a completely blind landing, and a steep hill to negotiate on a tired horse. Having watched a couple of horses stop at it, I knew we needed to keep our concentration, but I needn't have worried, Pickle just popped it perfectly to finish a brilliant round. So a very easy solid clear round in out first 100, and to top it off we finished inside the time. For most horses the time would not be a proble at BE100 level, but Pickle has only made it once at BE90, so to know we can make the time comfortably when I am not pushing for it made me even more happy !
So next on the cards is Richmond BE100 in a couple of weeks, which I can't wait for! Might try fit in a SJ outing before then as the SJ seems to be a weak link at the moment, as we would have been placed without the SJ penalties.
I apologise for the length, but I am still absolutely buzzing as the XC couldn't have been better, and Pickle was beyond awesone! I couldn't resist giving a fence by fence account!
. I gave him a jump in it to try it out during the week and all went well .http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151596760605149&set=vb.647095148&type=3&theater
Had fairly leisurely times, so for once I didn't have to get up some ungodly hour! Arrived to sideways rain and very strong winds
, but thankfully the rain stopped when I got on for the dressage. Test was alot better than our last outing, still lots to work on, but I was happy. I guaged 34 - 38 and we got 35 so for once I was in agreement with the judge! we then had a 3 hour gap until our SJ, so we ambled round the XC course which certainly asked plenty of questions, and watched 2 BE90 competitors fall off . Had a wander round the tradestands, grabbed a drink, then back to the lorry for a power nap. On for the SJ, warmed up, the surface wasn't brilliant (it was in an indoor) as there were pits on the take off and landings from all the horses earlier in the day, sowe kept it to a minimum. Fences 1-3 went well. 4 was nice, but we must have just touched it as it fell
. 5 ok, when I completely messed up the double, putting Pickle on an insanely deep spot. We landed in the middle of the oxer in, poles scattering in all directions. Pickle chipped in an extra stride, and managed somehow to jump the upright out. Clever pony, saving my bacon big time ! Jumped the rest clear, so finished on the 8 penalties, and a quick turn around for the XC.Off we set, good over fences 1 and 2. 3 was a hanging log through a gateway into woods, so not much chance for the horse to read the question. Pickle was fab, and saw a lovely stride, made the turn on 5 strides to the log at 4 easily. Through the woods and over a hedge in the dark, then over a rather large brush pallisade back out into the daylight. Table at 7 was taken in his stride, turned to the corner at 8, which Pickle took a stride out at! Down to what I thought would be the first real question at 9 and 10, a sheep feeder which needed to be jumped on an angle, 5 strides over a mound to a skinny feeder. Pickle jumped boldly over the first part, numpty jockey promptly managed to drop the reins for no reason
. Pickle naver wavered, and despite my knitting being everywhere but there it should be took himself over the skinny. Big pats for Pickle and a kick up the backside for me ! Good through the 1 stride angled double, and jumped the steeple chase fence in his stride, round to 13 a log pile he jumped perfectly, then we were into the real meaty part of the course. 14 was a skinny 3 strides to a decent ditch, we were spot on over the skinny, felt a slight hesitation as Pickle got to the ditch , but gave him a kick and over he flew . Back through the woods, and the next question at 15, a step up which needed to be jumped on the angle, 2 strides to a skinny barrel. Pickle was flying so we made up a little too much ground making the 2 strides a little tight but over safely. Then down to the water which was a decent rolltop, landing on the dry, but you were in the water within 2 strides after. Pickle was perfect, and didn't even break rhythm as we galloped through the water. Then down to 17, a skinny pallisade brush, 3 strides to a drop. Foot perfect through that, although Pickle did a very large leap off the step. Must havve been mosters there I didn't know about . Sharp turn slightly down hill to the hedge which was in the middle of a ditch which posed Pickle no problem!
Round to a pallisade with a hedge behind and then to the last, which was quite a tricky fence. A pallisade sited right on the top of a steep mound, so a completely blind landing, and a steep hill to negotiate on a tired horse. Having watched a couple of horses stop at it, I knew we needed to keep our concentration, but I needn't have worried, Pickle just popped it perfectly to finish a brilliant round
. So a very easy solid clear round in out first 100, and to top it off we finished inside the time. For most horses the time would not be a proble at BE100 level, but Pickle has only made it once at BE90, so to know we can make the time comfortably when I am not pushing for it made me even more happy !So next on the cards is Richmond BE100 in a couple of weeks, which I can't wait for! Might try fit in a SJ outing before then as the SJ seems to be a weak link at the moment, as we would have been placed without the SJ penalties.
I apologise for the length, but I am still absolutely buzzing as the XC couldn't have been better, and Pickle was beyond awesone! I couldn't resist giving a fence by fence account
!
