Girlracer
Well-Known Member
Good evening! 
Just wanted to drop by and do a quick report on our recent trip out competing.
We headed to Swalcliffe to the Horse Events ODE, first event totally solo as I hired a lorry and couldn't convince anyone that they wanted to stand in a field on the side of a hill in the wind and rain giving me a hand, understandably so! Luckily though a (totally none horsey) friend with fancy camera did come along to take some photos - I know how you all like photos!
As you all know, I don't have my own transport and nor do I have an arena - I had been feeling a little miserable recently about the lack of 'progress' and feeling quite limited, like I need at least one or the other! But luckily I do enjoy hacking, and we have a lot of hills, which is much needed when you're all shoulder and no bottom like King.
I touched on a move known as 'The Prancing Giraffe' in my last report, this is the move that King likes to include in his dressage tests, which doesn't get us very good marks. But to be honest, at the moment, as long as we stay in the arena and I don't fall off it's a job well done.
I'm pleased to say the good bits are starting to make an appearance, so we improved by a whole 8 marks this time out for a still pretty bad 40.5.
Warming up, this was much more successful than last time, as I managed to actually do more than walk around in circles for fear of being bucked off.
The okay...
The 'Prancing Giraffe'
So that's the horrible bit out of the way, onto the Showjumping!
He was a little wild warming up, King likes to do everything at 100 miles an hour, especially when it's been a while since we've jumped anything. But in actual fact I felt we had a much nicer, more controlled round than last time. Unfortunately I now have it in my head that we have uprights down, usually speed related... so this time I held, and held... and held some more just to make sure we had it down through lack of speed this time. But over all a nice round for 4 faults.
Onto the XC, anyone who read my last report will know that I was so nervous prior to my round that I honestly considered thinking up an excuse not to run. I am pleased to report that despite this course being much more up to height and complicated, I was only excited. King felt the same, and refused to do anything other than either walk or canter...
Anyway, as per usual we had an amazing round, he is just always looking for the next fence. He is super quirky, and a bit of a moron, and I'm not sure he will ever do a good test, but he is just the best fun to go XC on! We are however always far too fast and get stung with time penalties... I need to work on that...
Starting to feel like my confidence is slowly returning, even though it may never be what it was I am so happy to be out and finally enjoying what I love. At least I know now if I have another accident, it will have been just that - an accident, as he will always look after me.
I feel like we could be ready to try a 90 now... but without being able to train finding it hard to know whether it would be right to do so or if I should stick at 80... decisions...
Just wanted to drop by and do a quick report on our recent trip out competing.
We headed to Swalcliffe to the Horse Events ODE, first event totally solo as I hired a lorry and couldn't convince anyone that they wanted to stand in a field on the side of a hill in the wind and rain giving me a hand, understandably so! Luckily though a (totally none horsey) friend with fancy camera did come along to take some photos - I know how you all like photos!
As you all know, I don't have my own transport and nor do I have an arena - I had been feeling a little miserable recently about the lack of 'progress' and feeling quite limited, like I need at least one or the other! But luckily I do enjoy hacking, and we have a lot of hills, which is much needed when you're all shoulder and no bottom like King.
I touched on a move known as 'The Prancing Giraffe' in my last report, this is the move that King likes to include in his dressage tests, which doesn't get us very good marks. But to be honest, at the moment, as long as we stay in the arena and I don't fall off it's a job well done.
I'm pleased to say the good bits are starting to make an appearance, so we improved by a whole 8 marks this time out for a still pretty bad 40.5.
Warming up, this was much more successful than last time, as I managed to actually do more than walk around in circles for fear of being bucked off.
The okay...
The 'Prancing Giraffe'
So that's the horrible bit out of the way, onto the Showjumping!
He was a little wild warming up, King likes to do everything at 100 miles an hour, especially when it's been a while since we've jumped anything. But in actual fact I felt we had a much nicer, more controlled round than last time. Unfortunately I now have it in my head that we have uprights down, usually speed related... so this time I held, and held... and held some more just to make sure we had it down through lack of speed this time. But over all a nice round for 4 faults.
Onto the XC, anyone who read my last report will know that I was so nervous prior to my round that I honestly considered thinking up an excuse not to run. I am pleased to report that despite this course being much more up to height and complicated, I was only excited. King felt the same, and refused to do anything other than either walk or canter...
Anyway, as per usual we had an amazing round, he is just always looking for the next fence. He is super quirky, and a bit of a moron, and I'm not sure he will ever do a good test, but he is just the best fun to go XC on! We are however always far too fast and get stung with time penalties... I need to work on that...
Starting to feel like my confidence is slowly returning, even though it may never be what it was I am so happy to be out and finally enjoying what I love. At least I know now if I have another accident, it will have been just that - an accident, as he will always look after me.
I feel like we could be ready to try a 90 now... but without being able to train finding it hard to know whether it would be right to do so or if I should stick at 80... decisions...
, and to solve the too fast problem just go up the levels 
you both look like you have loads of scope to go much further! Lovely to hear your confidence is returning 
)
