Rambo
Well-Known Member
Woke on sunday morning at 6am to the sound of torrential rain outside the bedroom window and wondered what the hell I was doing trapsing across Sussex to jump my two nags on what was already a fairly boggy grass arena according to a PM from BuckingHorse who had been there the day before
Anyway, we set off in good time...knowing there were 80 horses in the two classes before ours...and so a midday arrival time would hopefully be about right.
When we got there they were on the JO of the preceeding class...the Sussex Novice...which I have to say looked fairly strong for 90cms/1m class. I also noted that the arena was packed with spooky fences...enough to blow poor Trikey's brain to pieces
The ground looked heavy too although not as bad as I had feared.
Had a brief "is it even worth getting them off the lorry" moment before deciding to s*d it and just get on with it
Studded up and went to walk the course for Katherine James 1m Scope Qualifier. It was 2 phase....and long and undulating. It was built right up to height and included a water tray under a sizeable oxer in the second phase
Trike absolutely DETESTS anything blue for some reason and I knew i'd have to ride for my life to get him over it
There were a couple of other cunningly placed fences too...an oxer at 4...placed right next to the Devils Dyke...and another oxer at 10 nestling between the hedge of the raised road and an open ditch
So...plenty to faze a spooky horse...and plenty of mud too to sap the energy.
Warmed up in what can only be described as a quagmire but was pleasantly surprised to feel how well Trike seemed to cope with conditions
He was jumping high and seemed to be able to go forward quite easily despite the holding ground.
Our turn came and fortunately for me the person before had had a few down so I took advantage of the delay and took him on a sightseeing tour of all the spooky stuff in the ring
The bell raang and we set off...fences 1 and 2 were straightforward...and femce 3 asked the first real question...a double of oxer to upright...slightly uphill and a long'ish stride. I waited and waited for the fence to come to me...and he popped through it nicely. Fence 4 was the first of the 'spookies'...the oxer beside the dyke which was causing a few problems. Trikey popped it nicely without so much as a thought so on down the hill to 5, an upright, the 6, a very spooky brush filler under a wide oxer. I rode strongly to this one and again he pinged it well
I was now turning back up the hill to the final line....and seriously in danger of going clear
Trike was starting to feel a bit tired now though but popped the stile at 7 okay...so onto the last fence in phase 1...a double of upright to oxer on two strides coming up hill. Didn't really get a forward shot going in so knew I was in trouble as we landed short...he got his two strides in but we were a mile off and so he had no real choice but to put down again....and we stopped
Came again and this time got a better shot going in and he jumped out nicely...albeit wearily....so no JO for us this time and a little frustrated to have faulted at the last...but also tremendously pleased with my little swamp donkey who tried his heart out for me in very tough conditions
So, now Bo...
Had another little "shall we even bother getting him off the lorry" moment...before Shane's voice popped into my head saying "there's no point flying at home!"
So off e todded and got him studded up too. We were entered in the Small Open Championship...described as 1m/1.05m...but when we walked the course it was more like 1.05m with a few at 1.10m...which I thought was a bit mean given the conditions but anyway. I was 17th to go so had a little wander round and a short warm-up on the surface arena
OH was sorting out Trike so I had no-one to do my fences for me...and as they were jumping the final JO of the Newcomers Second Round in the main arena (it was up at 1.40m !) I wasn't getting much chance to jump a small fence. OH appeared at last and went to see how many to go..and was shocked to be told I had 2 before me ! Que me quickly popping 2 small uprights and a small oxer in the quagmire before going in
The bell rang and I knew I had to be positive...shoulders back and drive forward through the mud. We popped fence 1 well so round to 2, an upright, and 3, and oxer over water tray...both of which he flew. Turned left to double which again he flew the 5 the oxer by the dyke and 6 a double of uprights down the hill...blimey!...my horse is jumping on grass ! Then nearly missed a fairly tight turn to another oxer at 7...that screwed up the rhythm a bit but we survived so onto the same final line as Trike's class. Jumped the stile going up the hill....but must have just caught it behind as it fell...the popped the double really well...and onto the last fence...an oxer that had been the first fence in second phase of Trike's class. Made a bit of a mess of the striding going into it but Bo helped me out and jumped it clear albeit from a little deep
Soooooo...another 4 fault round. No rosettes, no placings, no nothing.....but felt like a HUGE achievement to get him round a course of fences in tough conditions...and with a more than respectable score
We won't jump again now until the Area Show in september...another show on grass...but bring it on
Anyway, we set off in good time...knowing there were 80 horses in the two classes before ours...and so a midday arrival time would hopefully be about right.
When we got there they were on the JO of the preceeding class...the Sussex Novice...which I have to say looked fairly strong for 90cms/1m class. I also noted that the arena was packed with spooky fences...enough to blow poor Trikey's brain to pieces
Had a brief "is it even worth getting them off the lorry" moment before deciding to s*d it and just get on with it
Studded up and went to walk the course for Katherine James 1m Scope Qualifier. It was 2 phase....and long and undulating. It was built right up to height and included a water tray under a sizeable oxer in the second phase
Warmed up in what can only be described as a quagmire but was pleasantly surprised to feel how well Trike seemed to cope with conditions
Our turn came and fortunately for me the person before had had a few down so I took advantage of the delay and took him on a sightseeing tour of all the spooky stuff in the ring
So, now Bo...
Had another little "shall we even bother getting him off the lorry" moment...before Shane's voice popped into my head saying "there's no point flying at home!"
Soooooo...another 4 fault round. No rosettes, no placings, no nothing.....but felt like a HUGE achievement to get him round a course of fences in tough conditions...and with a more than respectable score
We won't jump again now until the Area Show in september...another show on grass...but bring it on
