iknowmyvalue
Well-Known Member
I decided that this weekend deserves it's own post, as it's a big step in the right direction and probably the last hunter trial of our season! Last weekend we went off to do our first 70-80cm hunter trial, but it was a very small and simple 80, much more like a 70. We had a very slow (aka. I couldn't get him to canter) but clear round. This weekend we toddled off to the hunter trials organised by our local hunt to do the 65cm as a warm up and then the 80cm. True to form, the fences were much more up to height, with a few more tricky lines and combinations, especially in the 80.
Arrived nice and early, Henry was very excited to be at a party and proceeded to try and make friends with every horse on the showground by calling loudly every time he saw one. Discovered we weren't allowed to put our number down until we were tacked up, which seemed a slightly strange system. Duly tacked up and went over to the warmup to put our number down, but seems everyone else had got there before us so we had about 30 people to go before we did! A very long warmup later we went out to do our 65cm round. Clear, and we did canter most of it, but still very slow. Discovered at jump 12 that Henry doesn't like sandbags. Cantering towards the jump, 6 strides out he sees the sandbags, slams the brakes on and simultaneously jumps all 4 legs out sideways like a cartoon horse and snorting like a dragon
took some persuasion but get over the jump, whilst very suspiciously eyeing up the sandbags (but we didn't go backwards so still counted as clear!)
Long wait between classes, as had the 80cm pairs to go first. Being clever, went over to warmup to put number down as soon as pairs started, told them we were tacked up even though we weren't. So we ended up down as 5th to go in that class. Went over to the warmup when there were 4 pairs left to go on the board. Started warming up, but they just kept putting down more and more numbers for pairs! Bless his heart, he ended up having to stand around the edge of the warmup for about 45 mins before we could even think about warming up! He was so well behaved, and stood like a rock, even with a lot of ponies whizzing right past him. Whilst warming up I had a sudden attack of nerves, even though I'd been fine up until that point. Decided it was all going to go wrong, I didn't want to do it, we were going to get eliminated anyway... But they called my number and off I went. Well we had a pretty cracking round all things considered! A silly stop because he was too busy looking at the wooden mushrooms beside the jump and just sort of never actually jumped it
Sack the jockey for having my stick in the wrong hand, I thought he'd look at them when I walked it! But came around again and jumped it no problem. Flew the 2 picnic tables, covered in flowers on a horrible dog leg, which had been giving me nightmares. Spooked at some sandbags yet again and ended up jumping from walk but I wasn't going to let him have another stop! Made him go like the clappers over the last 3 as the person behind us was right on our heels and I didn't want to get overtaken again, through the finish and breathe! Still too slow, but so much better than last weekend when I could barely get him out of trot. And a nice comparison as I took him to that exact hunter trials this time last year, and he was a completely different horse yesterday. So much more confident and forwards, and while he's still looky, it's nowhere near the same amount. I'm so much more confident too. I can't say I'm as confident as I was, but I'm slowly slowly getting it back. I'm quite sad we won't be doing any more XC comps until next year now! But am looking forward to hunting him this season 
And of course, lots of photos!
Rather buried him into that one
Flying the first table!
Happy ears
Smiles all rounf
Arrived nice and early, Henry was very excited to be at a party and proceeded to try and make friends with every horse on the showground by calling loudly every time he saw one. Discovered we weren't allowed to put our number down until we were tacked up, which seemed a slightly strange system. Duly tacked up and went over to the warmup to put our number down, but seems everyone else had got there before us so we had about 30 people to go before we did! A very long warmup later we went out to do our 65cm round. Clear, and we did canter most of it, but still very slow. Discovered at jump 12 that Henry doesn't like sandbags. Cantering towards the jump, 6 strides out he sees the sandbags, slams the brakes on and simultaneously jumps all 4 legs out sideways like a cartoon horse and snorting like a dragon
took some persuasion but get over the jump, whilst very suspiciously eyeing up the sandbags (but we didn't go backwards so still counted as clear!) Long wait between classes, as had the 80cm pairs to go first. Being clever, went over to warmup to put number down as soon as pairs started, told them we were tacked up even though we weren't. So we ended up down as 5th to go in that class. Went over to the warmup when there were 4 pairs left to go on the board. Started warming up, but they just kept putting down more and more numbers for pairs! Bless his heart, he ended up having to stand around the edge of the warmup for about 45 mins before we could even think about warming up! He was so well behaved, and stood like a rock, even with a lot of ponies whizzing right past him. Whilst warming up I had a sudden attack of nerves, even though I'd been fine up until that point. Decided it was all going to go wrong, I didn't want to do it, we were going to get eliminated anyway... But they called my number and off I went. Well we had a pretty cracking round all things considered! A silly stop because he was too busy looking at the wooden mushrooms beside the jump and just sort of never actually jumped it
Sack the jockey for having my stick in the wrong hand, I thought he'd look at them when I walked it! But came around again and jumped it no problem. Flew the 2 picnic tables, covered in flowers on a horrible dog leg, which had been giving me nightmares. Spooked at some sandbags yet again and ended up jumping from walk but I wasn't going to let him have another stop! Made him go like the clappers over the last 3 as the person behind us was right on our heels and I didn't want to get overtaken again, through the finish and breathe! Still too slow, but so much better than last weekend when I could barely get him out of trot. And a nice comparison as I took him to that exact hunter trials this time last year, and he was a completely different horse yesterday. So much more confident and forwards, and while he's still looky, it's nowhere near the same amount. I'm so much more confident too. I can't say I'm as confident as I was, but I'm slowly slowly getting it back. I'm quite sad we won't be doing any more XC comps until next year now! But am looking forward to hunting him this season And of course, lots of photos!
Rather buried him into that one
Flying the first table!
Happy ears
Smiles all rounf
