Sarah_Jane
Well-Known Member
A 5am start saw us heading for Pontispool Horse Trials an event I always enjoy but have never done particularly well at. I have to say the break while we were away with Sarnie seems to have done Poppy good or perhaps it was all the practice she had when we were away jumping out her field!
Arrived about 9 in time to walk the course. Generally the course was fairly straightforward to walk although once people started riding it a few problems became apparent. The innocuous double of roll tops were causing a few 20 penalties with horses spooking at the the white arch that you needed to go under in the middle causing riders to cross their tracks,
also the water was a fairly decent log in for PN with not much dry land to land on.
Anyway dressage first, I gave her about 15 minutes to warm up as she can go over the top quite quickly but on this occasion she needed longer to relax. However she did a nice test but not special for a mark of 33. We actually had a wrong canter strike of which is almost unheard of but luckily in the end this had no bearing.
Show jumping is always testing at Pontispool. The courses are always up to height and square running on a large outdoor arena with people on the bank watching on. I tried a new bit a myler combination that acts on the nose almost an upgrade hackamore with a soft mouth piece, you may have seen Shaabrak using it (actually the very same one so I was hoping some of his dribble might inspire Poppy) On Thursday at the first try she seemed softer and made a better shape in this bit.
Put the borrowed bit in and went to warm up only for someone to demolish a fence in the arena meaning there was a delay of 20 minutes whilst it was repaired. Warmed her up and generally she was making a better shape and trying hard. Went into jump and tried very hard to keep thinking really forward as she can't cope when we get in close. If the stride looked wrong I just kicked for a long one rather than hooking which usually upsets her. Well it worked I seemed to have some pretty long strides and was a bit untidy in places but she didn't touch a pole and jumped clear.
Show jumping video
Cross country was the first she had done since the horrendous ground and conditions at Hatherleigh yet this didn't seem to phase her at all. Kept the new bit in but for xc but I felt a little short on steering and brakes! However she was really enjoying herself. Went over the first 4 with enthusiasm got a lovely picture (see my website) over fence 6. She did the roll top to drop confidently and sussed out the quarry quite quickly.
The roll tops under the arch she slightly hesitated but went and then the water she jumped quite steep in but really galloped on through. Finished the course far less on her forehand and with plenty of running.
Cross country video
It turned out we were 8 seconds inside the time so finished on our dressage score of 33. Best yet she won the section!!!!
Really chuffed as I felt she had a win in her but it has taken time to get it together. I certainly think I have found a key for her show jumping and I am hoping that will continue to improve. Unfortunatley the bit has been returned and I have to decide if I can spend over £100 on a bit for a horse that I am trying to sell!
We had a lovely prize of a bottle of champagne and a voucher for a Rodney Powell body armour, the only problem I saved up and bought some last year and I can't wear two at once!!!
Poppy couldn't wait to tell Sarnie how wonderful she had been and had the cheek to point out that Sarnie has never won a class at BE, I think I might have trouble if her head gets any bigger!
Arrived about 9 in time to walk the course. Generally the course was fairly straightforward to walk although once people started riding it a few problems became apparent. The innocuous double of roll tops were causing a few 20 penalties with horses spooking at the the white arch that you needed to go under in the middle causing riders to cross their tracks,
also the water was a fairly decent log in for PN with not much dry land to land on.
Anyway dressage first, I gave her about 15 minutes to warm up as she can go over the top quite quickly but on this occasion she needed longer to relax. However she did a nice test but not special for a mark of 33. We actually had a wrong canter strike of which is almost unheard of but luckily in the end this had no bearing.
Show jumping is always testing at Pontispool. The courses are always up to height and square running on a large outdoor arena with people on the bank watching on. I tried a new bit a myler combination that acts on the nose almost an upgrade hackamore with a soft mouth piece, you may have seen Shaabrak using it (actually the very same one so I was hoping some of his dribble might inspire Poppy) On Thursday at the first try she seemed softer and made a better shape in this bit.
Put the borrowed bit in and went to warm up only for someone to demolish a fence in the arena meaning there was a delay of 20 minutes whilst it was repaired. Warmed her up and generally she was making a better shape and trying hard. Went into jump and tried very hard to keep thinking really forward as she can't cope when we get in close. If the stride looked wrong I just kicked for a long one rather than hooking which usually upsets her. Well it worked I seemed to have some pretty long strides and was a bit untidy in places but she didn't touch a pole and jumped clear.
Show jumping video
Cross country was the first she had done since the horrendous ground and conditions at Hatherleigh yet this didn't seem to phase her at all. Kept the new bit in but for xc but I felt a little short on steering and brakes! However she was really enjoying herself. Went over the first 4 with enthusiasm got a lovely picture (see my website) over fence 6. She did the roll top to drop confidently and sussed out the quarry quite quickly.
The roll tops under the arch she slightly hesitated but went and then the water she jumped quite steep in but really galloped on through. Finished the course far less on her forehand and with plenty of running.
Cross country video
It turned out we were 8 seconds inside the time so finished on our dressage score of 33. Best yet she won the section!!!!
We had a lovely prize of a bottle of champagne and a voucher for a Rodney Powell body armour, the only problem I saved up and bought some last year and I can't wear two at once!!!
Poppy couldn't wait to tell Sarnie how wonderful she had been and had the cheek to point out that Sarnie has never won a class at BE, I think I might have trouble if her head gets any bigger!
