blodwyn1
Well-Known Member
We managed to complete the course at fun club. Bramble does not like practicing and then having to do it again! She had a complete meltdown at being asked for reinback on two obstacles!
Pre Easter weekend plans!
- Thread starter ester
- Start date
ester
Not slacking multitasking
We had a blip in obstacle 1 where he thought I must mean go right when I was trying to hold him off a left 360 
. But really pleased I got over that quickly and drove obstacle 2 ok. But that ledge is with 20 penalties (I thought we’d be eliminated, but rara said she’d have shouted at me if that had been the case ). 7th of 15 in the end and I can’t be too sad about that with a pony I only drive once a month and who is very tuned up to being told exactly where to go .
In good news he’s won the best dressage prize (again….) with rara and had a good cones and baby humubgahorse was green but did a good job
. But really pleased I got over that quickly and drove obstacle 2 ok. But that ledge is with 20 penalties (I thought we’d be eliminated, but rara said she’d have shouted at me if that had been the case ). 7th of 15 in the end and I can’t be too sad about that with a pony I only drive once a month and who is very tuned up to being told exactly where to go .In good news he’s won the best dressage prize (again….) with rara and had a good cones and baby humubgahorse was green but did a good job
SaddlePsych'D
Well-Known Member
Keeping everything crossed that restarting lessons goes okay for you!
Lesson yesterday was lunging and boy did I need the refresher. Loan Horse was very good but it was one of those 'horses are humbling' kind of moments when you realise you've been found out.
I had a practice on my own today. OH came and videoed so I will watch back to see why one rein is easier than the other. At least I did manage to send LH out on both reins and some halt/walk/trot transitions. Also my control of the line was much better, I didn't trip over or drop anything. Win!
Tomorrow I'm going to ride in the school and then I have realised I have a training day on Monday which is at a venue 10 mins from LH. It's going to be a really dull/dense day of training so I am 100% going to see him on my way home.
Eta - I've just watched the video back and my over-riding feeling is that I look (and sound) like a knob, no wonder LH is like 'wtf is this?!'
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SpotsandBays
Well-Known Member
Pole clinic was a success! He was a bit unsettled at first but cooled down once we’d done a few lines and got the idea. I’m so pleased. He felt like his pre-sponsored ride self! Although didn’t much like the giant plant pot at one end of the arena 
however he did earn extra halo points because he didn’t spook at the judges boxes (never seen those before)
however he did earn extra halo points because he didn’t spook at the judges boxes (never seen those before)Attachments
SaddlePsych'D
Well-Known Member
Woop woop! Second unsupervised ride on LH done today. Same as last time pretty much. I'm still quite nervous but really don't think there is much more I can do than keep trying. I'm doing the right things so all I can see is to just keep getting on with it. It's improved from start to end of each ride so I'm not getting off at the end thinking 'thank god I survived!'
Another big win was first time leading in from field with no pulling for grass. LH clearly thinks my horse handling skills have improved just about enough for that
Another big win was first time leading in from field with no pulling for grass. LH clearly thinks my horse handling skills have improved just about enough for that
Accidental Eventer
Well-Known Member
We had a good two days out. Two productive lessons and two equally productive tests today. I rode so much better when I’m not doing a test, I was quite rusty today, but our scores are generally improving and I need more practice I think. So aim for the year: get out and do more tests!
Henry was a very good boy, he gets a few days off while we go away for a couple of nights.
Henry was a very good boy, he gets a few days off while we go away for a couple of nights.
SEL
Well-Known Member
So pleased (& relieved!) with the super cob today. First fun ride of the year - organised by our local hunt - and he was hoof perfect. Bit of jogging but not even a hint of any bucking nonsense. I worked very, very hard last year at getting him to pipe down in groups and it feels like that slog has paid off.
We also saw his breeder & producer which made me wish I'd smartened him up! Literally dragged out of the field and self loaded onto the lorry this morning. Loading to come home was more of an effort with the adrenaline up and a busy lorry park, but nowadays I just roll my eyes & wait.
Very lucky that the farm allow the hunt to organise this ride. If hunting goes the vast majority of our local fun / sponsored rides will too because insurance has got so expensive sadly.
We also saw his breeder & producer which made me wish I'd smartened him up! Literally dragged out of the field and self loaded onto the lorry this morning. Loading to come home was more of an effort with the adrenaline up and a busy lorry park, but nowadays I just roll my eyes & wait.
Very lucky that the farm allow the hunt to organise this ride. If hunting goes the vast majority of our local fun / sponsored rides will too because insurance has got so expensive sadly.
Pippity
Well-Known Member
I've decided it's time to feel the fear and do it anyway.
My favourite thing pre-fall was hacking, so I've got a local pro rider to hack Blue out once a week, to get her over the bouncy joy of getting to hack again. (It was also her favourite thing.) I'm also going to start leading her out in hand, with an eye on hopping on board if I feel confident enough.
Today, my yard had a fun day with lots of TREC/working equitation style obstacles. We did most of them in-hand, but I did manage to do a couple ridden.
My favourite thing pre-fall was hacking, so I've got a local pro rider to hack Blue out once a week, to get her over the bouncy joy of getting to hack again. (It was also her favourite thing.) I'm also going to start leading her out in hand, with an eye on hopping on board if I feel confident enough.
Today, my yard had a fun day with lots of TREC/working equitation style obstacles. We did most of them in-hand, but I did manage to do a couple ridden.
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
Sounds like it's been a fun weekend for lots of us.
Friday, we had a lovely hack in the warm sunshine around the quarry tracks on the moors.
Today my friend lent her old pony to my youngest daughter who is home from uni, and the 3 of us had a really nice ride around the village. Then daughter hopped up on my boy as we headed home. He was very good with her. He makes me so proud.
Friday, we had a lovely hack in the warm sunshine around the quarry tracks on the moors.
Today my friend lent her old pony to my youngest daughter who is home from uni, and the 3 of us had a really nice ride around the village. Then daughter hopped up on my boy as we headed home. He was very good with her. He makes me so proud.
AthenesOwl
Well-Known Member
We had a good weekend, and Curly seems to be recovering well from having a tooth out on Friday.
Yesterday I took him out for an in-hand hack. He was so focussed on enjoying munching the delicious grass by the track we took that he barely blinked at the two GIANT tractors that passed us. Not that surprising, when he lived on a farm before I got him, but I was still very impressed. Today, we went into the school, him in his head collar, and did some groundwork, for a bit of a break from in hand hacking.
Yesterday I took him out for an in-hand hack. He was so focussed on enjoying munching the delicious grass by the track we took that he barely blinked at the two GIANT tractors that passed us. Not that surprising, when he lived on a farm before I got him, but I was still very impressed. Today, we went into the school, him in his head collar, and did some groundwork, for a bit of a break from in hand hacking.
Rough and tumble
Well-Known Member
Ahh only just seen this I am not far from Somerford, I would love to hop and hack around the farm ride if you go again
can pM me x
rara007
Well-Known Member
2 super horses 
Storm was up first for me. His dressage is very established at this level now but he’s not the world’s biggest most relaxed mover so any tension quickly becomes obvious and he’s sensitive enough the rhythm can get fragile. Thankfully he went in and did exactly what he does at home with the only real fault being a non square halt from the walk and managed to win that phase both of his class and the whole championship. He won best open dressage last year and I was keen to maintain that trophy!
Straight outside onto the cones. It was a very fair course this year, a little tight for the bigger turnouts (even Storm is well over average size for indoor driving!) but the timing is always quite tricky. It’s optimum time with the only way to 0 pen being within 1 second of that- both too fast and too slow is 1 pen per second. Course time of 95 seconds with 10 cones including 2 oxers and an A-C cloverleaf and an A-D slalom. 5 pen per ball down so it’s a phase that can quickly get expensive! He tried his best in the punchiest trot he could manage with a few steady canters only getting wobbly coming off his weaker rein once and subtle enough to correct to leave the balls up and just 3 time penalties. This gave us a good overnight lead but with the ‘biggest’ phase to come!
Lunch time he then had Esters obstacles ^^ and then had the best part of 24hr to rest up ready for his running.
That afternoon Maestro had his dressage and cones. He’s a big moving full size horse in a sport made for 12.2s. The dressage arena is 50x20 (outdoor driving is 80mx40m) which needs many half halts to balance him round. Only his 3rd competitive venue and first time doing a test in an arena we’ve not schooled in before. He was super cute. Very subtle looks at the shavings on the floor at X (a driving thing!) and the audience but that is quite tricky in such a tiny space. He managed to be about 4th of the open horses with just shy of 70% so really very respectable.
He didn’t have his brain switched on quite fast enough for the questions asked in the cones so we had a few down and wiped out another. He totally wasn’t phased and we were allowed a schooling round after which he listened much better in.
Then Sunday came for the opens obstacles. Maestro up early and we’d made the choice to just give him a nice time. We drove long routes initially at trot and then the second time cantering where the space allowed that to be easy. He totally exceeded expectations and didn’t look at a thing and made every turn we asked for. He finished solidly bottom of the finishers in the open horse but he’s definitely proved he’ll be a big event horse in the future.
And then onto the big one- the Open pony final. Last year Storm got a bit rattled by the atmosphere and it cost us a few balls down so I was keen for a clean run. He really tried his cobby best and clean driving meant we only dropped 1 place - 0.2seconds ahead of 3rd and within a ball of all of the top 6. Reserve champion overall too Couldn’t be more pleased with him, of course the win would be fantastic but it’s a speed event and I’m taking a tractor in against some very blood type ponies with effortless ground cover.
2.5 years ago I think everyone would have laughed at the idea of a ‘proper’ gypsy cob being reserve champion. The last 2 years driver errors and slight green moments have held us down the placings (7th 2023, 3rd 2024) so to have a mistake free championship and to take the reserve was very special. A big thank you to Ester who has backstepped pretty much every event I’ve done with Storm. They’re hard work these shows! The Backsteppers got their own rosettes for the placings which is very well deserved. The margins of error at the speed the open ponies are going is tiny fractions so you need someone both mentally and physically on the ball you can trust to be in the right spot.
Storm was up first for me. His dressage is very established at this level now but he’s not the world’s biggest most relaxed mover so any tension quickly becomes obvious and he’s sensitive enough the rhythm can get fragile. Thankfully he went in and did exactly what he does at home with the only real fault being a non square halt from the walk and managed to win that phase both of his class and the whole championship. He won best open dressage last year and I was keen to maintain that trophy!
Straight outside onto the cones. It was a very fair course this year, a little tight for the bigger turnouts (even Storm is well over average size for indoor driving!) but the timing is always quite tricky. It’s optimum time with the only way to 0 pen being within 1 second of that- both too fast and too slow is 1 pen per second. Course time of 95 seconds with 10 cones including 2 oxers and an A-C cloverleaf and an A-D slalom. 5 pen per ball down so it’s a phase that can quickly get expensive! He tried his best in the punchiest trot he could manage with a few steady canters only getting wobbly coming off his weaker rein once and subtle enough to correct to leave the balls up and just 3 time penalties. This gave us a good overnight lead but with the ‘biggest’ phase to come!
Lunch time he then had Esters obstacles ^^ and then had the best part of 24hr to rest up ready for his running.
That afternoon Maestro had his dressage and cones. He’s a big moving full size horse in a sport made for 12.2s. The dressage arena is 50x20 (outdoor driving is 80mx40m) which needs many half halts to balance him round. Only his 3rd competitive venue and first time doing a test in an arena we’ve not schooled in before. He was super cute. Very subtle looks at the shavings on the floor at X (a driving thing!) and the audience but that is quite tricky in such a tiny space. He managed to be about 4th of the open horses with just shy of 70% so really very respectable.
He didn’t have his brain switched on quite fast enough for the questions asked in the cones so we had a few down and wiped out another. He totally wasn’t phased and we were allowed a schooling round after which he listened much better in.
Then Sunday came for the opens obstacles. Maestro up early and we’d made the choice to just give him a nice time. We drove long routes initially at trot and then the second time cantering where the space allowed that to be easy. He totally exceeded expectations and didn’t look at a thing and made every turn we asked for. He finished solidly bottom of the finishers in the open horse but he’s definitely proved he’ll be a big event horse in the future.
And then onto the big one- the Open pony final. Last year Storm got a bit rattled by the atmosphere and it cost us a few balls down so I was keen for a clean run. He really tried his cobby best and clean driving meant we only dropped 1 place - 0.2seconds ahead of 3rd and within a ball of all of the top 6. Reserve champion overall too
Couldn’t be more pleased with him, of course the win would be fantastic but it’s a speed event and I’m taking a tractor in against some very blood type ponies with effortless ground cover.2.5 years ago I think everyone would have laughed at the idea of a ‘proper’ gypsy cob being reserve champion. The last 2 years driver errors and slight green moments have held us down the placings (7th 2023, 3rd 2024) so to have a mistake free championship and to take the reserve was very special. A big thank you to Ester who has backstepped pretty much every event I’ve done with Storm. They’re hard work these shows! The Backsteppers got their own rosettes for the placings which is very well deserved. The margins of error at the speed the open ponies are going is tiny fractions so you need someone both mentally and physically on the ball you can trust to be in the right spot.
Squeak
Well-Known Member
2 super horses
Storm was up first for me. His dressage is very established at this level now but he’s not the world’s biggest most relaxed mover so any tension quickly becomes obvious and he’s sensitive enough the rhythm can get fragile. Thankfully he went in and did exactly what he does at home with the only real fault being a non square halt from the walk and managed to win that phase both of his class and the whole championship. He won best open dressage last year and I was keen to maintain that trophy!
View attachment 158231
Straight outside onto the cones. It was a very fair course this year, a little tight for the bigger turnouts (even Storm is well over average size for indoor driving!) but the timing is always quite tricky. It’s optimum time with the only way to 0 pen being within 1 second of that- both too fast and too slow is 1 pen per second. Course time of 95 seconds with 10 cones including 2 oxers and an A-C cloverleaf and an A-D slalom. 5 pen per ball down so it’s a phase that can quickly get expensive! He tried his best in the punchiest trot he could manage with a few steady canters only getting wobbly coming off his weaker rein once and subtle enough to correct to leave the balls up and just 3 time penalties. This gave us a good overnight lead but with the ‘biggest’ phase to come!
View attachment 158232
Lunch time he then had Esters obstacles ^^ and then had the best part of 24hr to rest up ready for his running.
That afternoon Maestro had his dressage and cones. He’s a big moving full size horse in a sport made for 12.2s. The dressage arena is 50x20 (outdoor driving is 80mx40m) which needs many half halts to balance him round. Only his 3rd competitive venue and first time doing a test in an arena we’ve not schooled in before. He was super cute. Very subtle looks at the shavings on the floor at X (a driving thing!) and the audience but that is quite tricky in such a tiny space. He managed to be about 4th of the open horses with just shy of 70% so really very respectable.
He didn’t have his brain switched on quite fast enough for the questions asked in the cones so we had a few down and wiped out another. He totally wasn’t phased and we were allowed a schooling round after which he listened much better in.
View attachment 158233View attachment 158234
Then Sunday came for the opens obstacles. Maestro up early and we’d made the choice to just give him a nice time. We drove long routes initially at trot and then the second time cantering where the space allowed that to be easy. He totally exceeded expectations and didn’t look at a thing and made every turn we asked for. He finished solidly bottom of the finishers in the open horse but he’s definitely proved he’ll be a big event horse in the future.
View attachment 158235
And then onto the big one- the Open pony final. Last year Storm got a bit rattled by the atmosphere and it cost us a few balls down so I was keen for a clean run. He really tried his cobby best and clean driving meant we only dropped 1 place - 0.2seconds ahead of 3rd and within a ball of all of the top 6. Reserve champion overall too
2.5 years ago I think everyone would have laughed at the idea of a ‘proper’ gypsy cob being reserve champion. The last 2 years driver errors and slight green moments have held us down the placings (7th 2023, 3rd 2024) so to have a mistake free championship and to take the reserve was very special. A big thank you to Ester who has backstepped pretty much every event I’ve done with Storm. They’re hard work these shows! The Backsteppers got their own rosettes for the placings which is very well deserved. The margins of error at the speed the open ponies are going is tiny fractions so you need someone both mentally and physically on the ball you can trust to be in the right spot.
View attachment 158236View attachment 158237
Well Done! Great achievement! I love hearing about your driving.
ihatework
Well-Known Member
I really enjoy the driving reports. What a great sport!
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
I love the driving reports, and I love it how you chose a different pair of matching tops to suit Maestro and to suit Storm!
Very well done you lot! Those tight turns in the obstacles in the indoor are extremely challenging
. Very impressive dressaging results and good cones, too.
Very well done you lot! Those tight turns in the obstacles in the indoor are extremely challenging
. Very impressive dressaging results and good cones, too.
SEL
Well-Known Member
Love the outfits! Brilliant results - well done both of you. I can't even steer around cones on long reins at a walk so huge respect for you taking on that course at speed.
Cloball
Well-Known Member
Also big fan of the driving report and pics. Storm in particular alway looks like he's having a blast.
Jeni the dragon
Well-Known Member
Well done to you all! It looks like you're having an amazing time!
Titchy Reindeer
Well-Known Member
A bit late, but had a very busy weekend both on and off the horse.
We made up for the mess of the previous weekend by riding a nice clear at 85cm. It was one of those days were I managed to not have a dodgy jump (I'm not saying they were all perfect, but none were the "Oops, I've really messed this up and made my horse's life harder" jumps). Enormosaurus even managed a tight turn, that in the end proved unnecessary. There were only three participants in my class, one had a pole down, the other fell off, so we won by default with the only clear round. I'll take the win though, I wasn't expecting a 1st place any time soon. Again really pleased with Enormosaurus.
We made up for the mess of the previous weekend by riding a nice clear at 85cm. It was one of those days were I managed to not have a dodgy jump (I'm not saying they were all perfect, but none were the "Oops, I've really messed this up and made my horse's life harder" jumps). Enormosaurus even managed a tight turn, that in the end proved unnecessary. There were only three participants in my class, one had a pole down, the other fell off, so we won by default with the only clear round. I'll take the win though, I wasn't expecting a 1st place any time soon. Again really pleased with Enormosaurus.
tda
Well-Known Member
Great results, and looks like a good time was had by all ! I can't even imagine maneuvering a pony and carriage in a 20m wide space2 super horses
Storm was up first for me. His dressage is very established at this level now but he’s not the world’s biggest most relaxed mover so any tension quickly becomes obvious and he’s sensitive enough the rhythm can get fragile. Thankfully he went in and did exactly what he does at home with the only real fault being a non square halt from the walk and managed to win that phase both of his class and the whole championship. He won best open dressage last year and I was keen to maintain that trophy!
View attachment 158231
Straight outside onto the cones. It was a very fair course this year, a little tight for the bigger turnouts (even Storm is well over average size for indoor driving!) but the timing is always quite tricky. It’s optimum time with the only way to 0 pen being within 1 second of that- both too fast and too slow is 1 pen per second. Course time of 95 seconds with 10 cones including 2 oxers and an A-C cloverleaf and an A-D slalom. 5 pen per ball down so it’s a phase that can quickly get expensive! He tried his best in the punchiest trot he could manage with a few steady canters only getting wobbly coming off his weaker rein once and subtle enough to correct to leave the balls up and just 3 time penalties. This gave us a good overnight lead but with the ‘biggest’ phase to come!
View attachment 158232
Lunch time he then had Esters obstacles ^^ and then had the best part of 24hr to rest up ready for his running.
That afternoon Maestro had his dressage and cones. He’s a big moving full size horse in a sport made for 12.2s. The dressage arena is 50x20 (outdoor driving is 80mx40m) which needs many half halts to balance him round. Only his 3rd competitive venue and first time doing a test in an arena we’ve not schooled in before. He was super cute. Very subtle looks at the shavings on the floor at X (a driving thing!) and the audience but that is quite tricky in such a tiny space. He managed to be about 4th of the open horses with just shy of 70% so really very respectable.
He didn’t have his brain switched on quite fast enough for the questions asked in the cones so we had a few down and wiped out another. He totally wasn’t phased and we were allowed a schooling round after which he listened much better in.
View attachment 158233View attachment 158234
Then Sunday came for the opens obstacles. Maestro up early and we’d made the choice to just give him a nice time. We drove long routes initially at trot and then the second time cantering where the space allowed that to be easy. He totally exceeded expectations and didn’t look at a thing and made every turn we asked for. He finished solidly bottom of the finishers in the open horse but he’s definitely proved he’ll be a big event horse in the future.
View attachment 158235
And then onto the big one- the Open pony final. Last year Storm got a bit rattled by the atmosphere and it cost us a few balls down so I was keen for a clean run. He really tried his cobby best and clean driving meant we only dropped 1 place - 0.2seconds ahead of 3rd and within a ball of all of the top 6. Reserve champion overall too
2.5 years ago I think everyone would have laughed at the idea of a ‘proper’ gypsy cob being reserve champion. The last 2 years driver errors and slight green moments have held us down the placings (7th 2023, 3rd 2024) so to have a mistake free championship and to take the reserve was very special. A big thank you to Ester who has backstepped pretty much every event I’ve done with Storm. They’re hard work these shows! The Backsteppers got their own rosettes for the placings which is very well deserved. The margins of error at the speed the open ponies are going is tiny fractions so you need someone both mentally and physically on the ball you can trust to be in the right spot.
View attachment 158236View attachment 158237
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Don’t get me started on the tops…..I love the driving reports, and I love it how you chose a different pair of matching tops to suit Maestro and to suit Storm!
Very well done you lot! Those tight turns in the obstacles in the indoor are extremely challenging
I’ll post a bit more of my report later as actually home this evening (if I skirt round the pile of washing and sleeping bags and body protector etc in the hall).
ester
Not slacking multitasking
So this was the 3rd time I have been to champs, the 2nd time being able to drive too which is both exciting and nerve wracking in equal measure and did mean we were very busy especially on Saturday.
So Friday was my dressage and cones day, they run one after the other. Cones had been thoroughly walked and seemed a lot more doable having had to learn and navigate for rara driving the 3* course at exloo a couple of weeks previously so that helped! I had also forced her to give me a proper cones lesson in the run up as sometimes it felt a bit of a fluke whether we went clear or not. They can also come up very quickly so I was letting an earlier knock upset my contact and the next few cones (more on that later).
After some faffing about for the harness check (mandatory for novices), for which the steward was determined to find something to potentially adjust for every single person, even the harness maker we went into dressage, which given the size of the arena is a trot in from the car park straight up the ramp affair. We know that with me they prefer to see him in a longer frame as a novice and you get points for each move for accuracy and a separate mark for paces. The only wobble bit was me taking too much outside rein in preparation for the one handed bit which meant we got rather close to the boards, and Storm being very sensitive to my correction so we had a little wiggle but otherwise was very happy with it.
We scored a 20.75 which was only 1 point off getting the best dressage of the day award, and only 3 behind rara's eventual score and 3rd best of the entire competition so yay
.
Straight onto cones and I think he gave me the best drive through that we've ever had, he did lock onto cone 3 when we were supposed to be doing 7C and I was a bit slow to turn after 8 but no balls down, a couple of lucky ones! but very pleased with that and 12 time penalties- expected as it was wheeled very tight. Cones was selected as my purchase print
This put me in very close 2nd overall, I was pleased I wasn't 1st as that would be certain to make me mess it up.
Unfortunately I managed to slightly do that anyway! Things were a bit fractious due to limited communication for timings for obstacles, the arena has a lot of atmosphere and last year storm was a bit uncertain going in there so I was probably thinking too much forward and not enough holding his hand (or my contact) , we did also know it would be tight at the top as the others were good obstacle ponies so I prob got a bit too competitive.
He was just so desperate for me to tell him go somewhere that he went to what he thought was the right way instead of carrying on in a straight line to a single barrel left turn. Thankfully someone got a really good video of it so I can overanalyse it and get annoyed with myself a I didn't know how it had actually happened other than I'd thought about might right rein to hold him off the barrel when we turned left.. . . head facing the right way, shoulders weren't, and I was just slightly too late with the whip to ask him to come round left.
Unfortunately I then made a quick decision to stay on the right bend to bring us back round - which was quick but also took us backwards through gate D which meant 20 penalties (I actually thought we were eliminated at the point so at least not that bad!) and I don't have enough mileage to be instantaneously rerouting as I don't think we've had that issue before. Lots of points in hindsight, we haven't really ever driven long straight lines with multiple gaps as our regional arena isn't big enough for that size obstacle, I'm not sure I've driven many/any single barrels with him either just single planks/boxes, I should have brought him back to trot after the first wobble.
What I was really pleased about (see previous note about what happens if I hit a ball in cones) is that I took a breath, put it behind me and considered obstacle 2 straight after to be my best one.
Obstacle 3 (same as 1 after a breather!) we got right! and I love that you can hear our area coursebuilder/scorer in the background practically willing me to get there this time.
So after that we finished 7th, it was a bit disappointing to be just one from a frilly he definitely deserved and if we'd just given him a bit more time in that first obstacle we'd probably have been fine.
But I very much have to remember the reality is that any other equine competition I wouldn't be doing it on something that was sensitive enough to also be competing 3* at the same time, he is a sensitive soul not a schoolmaster that's going to ignore me when necessary - and there's probably been other times I'd have thanked him for going that way.. I do only drive him once or twice a month only during winter so compared to others who are using their own (though then I feel they've put more work in so deserve it anyway).
Importantly I hadn't upset him, we didn't hit anything and he knew where to go with rara the next day, it was a bit of a relief to get back on the back, I can do that bit without quite so much stress these days and I got even bigger frillies for being groom.
I'm adding this short just to show how much faster we entered obstacle 3 with rara driving, I'm not sure if we've ever entered one quite that fast and I was thinking errr, we have a very sharp right on some already cut up arena coming up. My sister maintains it's because she played him his hype song before we went in.
It was overall a bloody brilliant weekend and I'd like to do it all again now please.
So Friday was my dressage and cones day, they run one after the other. Cones had been thoroughly walked and seemed a lot more doable having had to learn and navigate for rara driving the 3* course at exloo a couple of weeks previously so that helped! I had also forced her to give me a proper cones lesson in the run up as sometimes it felt a bit of a fluke whether we went clear or not. They can also come up very quickly so I was letting an earlier knock upset my contact and the next few cones (more on that later).
After some faffing about for the harness check (mandatory for novices), for which the steward was determined to find something to potentially adjust for every single person, even the harness maker
we went into dressage, which given the size of the arena is a trot in from the car park straight up the ramp affair. We know that with me they prefer to see him in a longer frame as a novice and you get points for each move for accuracy and a separate mark for paces. The only wobble bit was me taking too much outside rein in preparation for the one handed bit which meant we got rather close to the boards, and Storm being very sensitive to my correction so we had a little wiggle but otherwise was very happy with it. We scored a 20.75 which was only 1 point off getting the best dressage of the day award, and only 3 behind rara's eventual score and 3rd best of the entire competition so yay
Straight onto cones and I think he gave me the best drive through that we've ever had, he did lock onto cone 3 when we were supposed to be doing 7C and I was a bit slow to turn after 8 but no balls down, a couple of lucky ones! but very pleased with that and 12 time penalties- expected as it was wheeled very tight. Cones was selected as my purchase print
This put me in very close 2nd overall, I was pleased I wasn't 1st as that would be certain to make me mess it up
. Unfortunately I managed to slightly do that anyway! Things were a bit fractious due to limited communication for timings for obstacles, the arena has a lot of atmosphere and last year storm was a bit uncertain going in there so I was probably thinking too much forward and not enough holding his hand (or my contact
) , we did also know it would be tight at the top as the others were good obstacle ponies so I prob got a bit too competitive. He was just so desperate for me to tell him go somewhere that he went to what he thought was the right way instead of carrying on in a straight line to a single barrel left turn. Thankfully someone got a really good video of it so I can overanalyse it and get annoyed with myself a I didn't know how it had actually happened other than I'd thought about might right rein to hold him off the barrel when we turned left.. . . head facing the right way, shoulders weren't, and I was just slightly too late with the whip to ask him to come round left.
Unfortunately I then made a quick decision to stay on the right bend to bring us back round - which was quick but also took us backwards through gate D which meant 20 penalties (I actually thought we were eliminated at the point so at least not that bad!) and I don't have enough mileage to be instantaneously rerouting as I don't think we've had that issue before. Lots of points in hindsight, we haven't really ever driven long straight lines with multiple gaps as our regional arena isn't big enough for that size obstacle
, I'm not sure I've driven many/any single barrels with him either just single planks/boxes, I should have brought him back to trot after the first wobble. What I was really pleased about (see previous note about what happens if I hit a ball in cones) is that I took a breath, put it behind me and considered obstacle 2 straight after to be my best one.
Obstacle 3 (same as 1 after a breather!) we got right! and I love that you can hear our area coursebuilder/scorer in the background practically willing me to get there this time.
So after that we finished 7th, it was a bit disappointing to be just one from a frilly he definitely deserved and if we'd just given him a bit more time in that first obstacle we'd probably have been fine.
But I very much have to remember the reality is that any other equine competition I wouldn't be doing it on something that was sensitive enough to also be competing 3* at the same time, he is a sensitive soul not a schoolmaster that's going to ignore me when necessary - and there's probably been other times I'd have thanked him for going that way.. I do only drive him once or twice a month only during winter so compared to others who are using their own (though then I feel they've put more work in so deserve it anyway).
Importantly I hadn't upset him, we didn't hit anything and he knew where to go with rara the next day
, it was a bit of a relief to get back on the back, I can do that bit without quite so much stress these days and I got even bigger frillies for being groom. I'm adding this short just to show how much faster we entered obstacle 3 with rara driving, I'm not sure if we've ever entered one quite that fast and I was thinking errr, we have a very sharp right on some already cut up arena coming up. My sister maintains it's because she played him his hype song before we went in.
It was overall a bloody brilliant weekend and I'd like to do it all again now please.
SEL
Well-Known Member
Loved watching these! The speed round those obstacles !!
I think my hooligan cob would have loved to do this in another life.
!!I think my hooligan cob would have loved to do this in another life.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Well done Ester and Rara - another one here who loves to see your driving reports!
tda
Well-Known Member
Just brilliant!