Quarrybank/JoC........Towerlands?

[Bananaman]

How was Towerlands for you both this weekend?

I hadn't been since they'd done it up. Loved the outdoor surface and huge warm up, although someone told us that on the Sat. the warm up was half the size as they had combined training to fit in too. Still, loads of room for us today!

Henry was a good boy, we went really to test our training and how it's progressing. I feel we're much better at home but needed to see if we could reproduce the same work at a comp. Answer............

............not quite yet!

I'm having to ride the tempi changes with much more power as otherwise H hides behind me and they get shorter and shorter the further we go.

Now they are much more in front of the leg and up in the shoulders but I'm having to concentrate SO much on putting the energy in and balancing it that I forget to count......aaargh!

Maybe one day I'll be able to do both!!!!!!
So today we made errors in the tempis, which annoyingly used to be dead certs when I rode them with no power but they were downhill and short

, which meant that I was disappointed with our mark of 62.5% but delighted with our placing of 2nd out of 12.

Back to the drawing board now and more hard work!

Hope you both had good days.

 

[Ferdinase514]

Well done that's brilliant! I don't think 62.5% is a mark to be disappointed with - shows he's def on the way to getting it right

I'd love to be able to get Finni to do a single flying change but it seems he doesn't know how, which is strange as he can do most things!

 

[Bananaman]

Thanks, no, I guess it's not too bad, esp as before my back op H had been struggling to get 60% and we've exceeded that each time out this year.
It's just when you know it could be better...........still the perfect test is never ridden or we'd be seeing 100% tests!

Teaching the flying changes can be one of the most frustrating times, esp. when you see them doing it for fun in the field!!! Some pick it up fairly quickly whilst others seem to have a real mental block!

P.S. Is it me being very tired right now or does the lady in your sig photo look remarkably like Cherie Blair?

 

[tigers_eye]

See that would be why I would like to have a lesson on him! Well done, not bad for a not great test if you ask me!

 

[Quarrybank]

Well done you..... 2nd was v good. I saw some v nice horses there today.
I agree with you it's a lovely place to compete at. Surface is lovely & loads of room to warm up. I'd heard about saturday too, so was v glad I'd decided to go today.
Apart from a mishap getting on....... Something startled Q as I got on and he bucked me straight back off again onto the gravel..... ouch!!
He was then a v good boy. Much better than his last few tests as he was off my leg & working with me. The first test he was a little bit unsettled (prob as a result of his piaffe round the car park without me!) but did some lovely trot work, although the canter wasn't as good as he can do. He got 63.5% & finished 6th. The second test was much better & I was much happier with his canter work, again not as good as I know he can do, but he finished 5th.
Lot's to work on in the next few weeks before we're out again. I no what you mean though, I'm getting some really great work at home & even in the warm up now. I just need to be able to transfer it to the arena..... easier said than done I know!
Pleased with my day but I can already feel I'm going to be stiff tomorrow!

 

[Ferdinase514]

[ QUOTE ]

P.S. Is it me being very tired right now or does the lady in your sig photo look remarkably like Cherie Blair?

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSL

You're not the first to say that.

Cherie in casual slacks.....

 

[Bananaman]

Ouch...........poor you! Still well done for your tests though, sounds like you had a good weekend.

Funnily enough I was talking to John, the photographer, who'd had his car dented by someone whose horse apparantly reared up in the car park, tipped her off and then crashed into his car. Luckily no one was hurt and it was only his spare wheel cover that was dented!

Where are you off to next? I need to look for somewhere before Christmas, probably to do our first Inter 1. However, I don't think I'll tell anyone, I'll just sneak off and do it!

 

[Ferdinase514]

[ QUOTE ]


Where are you off to next? I need to look for somewhere before Christmas, probably to do our first Inter 1. However, I don't think I'll tell anyone, I'll just sneak off and do it!

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, wanted to come and watch you!

 

[Quarrybank]

Errrrrrr........that'll be me

I was heading for his car at a great rate of knotts. I pulled him right to avoid the car & that's when I hit the deck. Unfortunately Q bucked a few more times & caught the back of the car

It could've been so much worse as thankfully he only caught the spare wheel cover. John was so good about it, of which I was v grateful, but it been an expensive day for me as I've obviously paid for him to get a new cover.
As I say could've been worse, I've not broken anything, Q is ok & John's car (except the cover) is ok. V embaressed about it though

 

[Ferdinase514]

Oppss....

Made me giggle though

 

[Bananaman]

Ooooooooooh, sorry, didn't mean to embarass you! It never occurred that it might have been one and the same!

Glad you're both OK though and John was still fine about things at the end of the day, still his usual, jolly self!

 

[Bananaman]

Ha ha, no chance!

I'm looking for something in Scotland maybe or perhaps Jersey!

Seriously, would love to meet you but I'd possibly not be at my best socially on the occassion of my first Inter.

On the other hand, sometimes when I get nervous I become quite daft and find everything histerical, so it might be quite entertaining!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jo C]

I had a good day thanks but I have no idea where I came in either class as I left about 10.15 and the classes were running on to about midday. I know I got 65.8% in the prelim 17 which I was very very pleased with.

I didn't think the warm up was too bad, well I certainly didn't have any trouble and thought the whole thing was well run personally, but I am easily pleased

(and I'm used to showing so its usually a nightmare in the warmup there). Congratulations on your 2nd place thats great! Do you know if the photographers have a website?

 

[Jo C]

At least you are ok after your mishap and well done on your placings.

 

[Quarrybank]

Hey, no probs.

However, I think I'll have to order a few photo's from John

My thug of a horse is ok but OMG, am I'm stiff this morning!!!

 

[Quarrybank]

Link to John's website for you

http://www.jtphotography.biz/

 

[Bananaman]

http://www.jtphotography.biz/
LOL SNAP!

And well done to you too! I thought the organisation was great too. We'll definately come back. The scores went up fairly quickly and the tannoy to call you to the arena was excellent.
Just one small grumble though, it's a shame the cafe didn't offer more choice.
I think it was thai curry, chile con carne or jacket spud and beans.
There were some hot croissants but I only wanted a sandwich or maybe a bacon roll, nothing fancy or too much as it was late afternoon not main meal time.

Ended up with a mars bar instead!

 

[Jo C]

Thanks both of you!

 

[Jo C]

Just seen my pictures - I have an interesting leg position in most of them and Patrick definitely looks like he is doing his own thing! Oh well keep practising for the next outing.