Baileyhoss
Well-Known Member
so, wakened at 5am, couldn't get back to sleep, jumped into the water 5000 times in my head. then got up 6.30.
dressage was poop, and I had an abysmal 45.5 , worked in absolutely lovely, but peaked too early. i have been told to ride him much more forward and work into a firmer contact, as a result, b is using himself more, but has quite a short window of good, then his muscles get a bit achy and he starts tossing his head a bit. as we went around the arena, he started pulling down and stretching and I thought ohoh!, it all got a bit head tossy and tense
it's a real shame becuase running through the test in my warm up it felt like a high 60's% day easily.
Showjumping was fab. he was on springs. most jumps were bang up to height 3' with some quite wide spreads and good fillers. Well chuffed with a clear and lots of nice comments about him from the sides. (b is only 14.3 highland x, so he doesn't look like a natural jumper, but he has secret springs)
Then the xc - ooooh my goodness, flutterbyes, felt a bit sick. Well normally b is a terrified of the start box and is quite sticky over 1 and 2 not really getting into a rythm until 4 or 5 and he isn't very bold although can be fast, so you have to watch you don't let him charge in while he's backing off if you know what I mean.
Well, normally we come out tentively and showjump bounce up to the first fence, not today, put my legs on and we were off!. Locked on the first (simple log) and away
. same again at 2, decent sized roll top, instead of seeing it and backing off like normal, he locked on and went for it
. This continued all the way it was awesome, first ever time I have felt this, he was loving it, galloped all the way, he carried me into the jumps - up over the big tyres, even the large hanging tree trunk that had been painted orange with a bush at one end to resemble the worlds biggest carrot! Down over an enormous brush, this was defo over height, but with just a wee bit of reassurance i was still there, same, lock on and over. over titchy small stile, up over the double logs the second of which sets you up for the gully, sh1t!, arse in saddle, heels down-sit up!!! (you'll see the gully in the background on the photos, it's scary)
up the gully flat out gallop, levelled up, little check and flew the stone wall. Then the ditch combination, he was still bowling in, check check check, phew he's seen it, backing off, popped the log tentively. ATTACK ATTACK!. big leg on shouted at him 'get over the ditch' and he did, first time!, big jump though, slipped the reins and just regained composure for the roll top, that's why i take plaits out for xc!.
YESS! so pleaseed, flew the big black chair, down the bank, normally quite sticky on banks, but ATTACK ATTACK, launched off it big. then another stone wall, then sharp right to big scary stone wall, 3' on take off, 5' on landing, came in quite deep, sit up!!, slip reins, recompose to canter down the incline towards my water hell, carefully popped over a good sized hanging log at the top of the bank, (that almost caught us out last time we were here) over a small brushy house thing and turn to the water, he knew it was there, he was going fab and he took it on, i let him stay in canter, but as i steered him over to the left away from the usual splash he backed off, 'where we going mum?' that's fine back to trot, better to get my leg on. THIS WAY, GO GO GO ATTACK ATTACK. 'get in the water' smack, - what, from here? no f****ing way mum!.anchors on, fidget fidget, oh mum its a long way down, 'go on, get in' kick kick, wheres the neck strap!. 'muuum i just can't' 'yes you can get in' booot boot smack, then the jump judge says that's you eliminated, take the splash, DAM! he probably would have gone eventually, but another horse was coming over the wall and i think this sort of thing is best saved for training so i circle away round to the splash, and boot on, canter, canter faster, don't stop, straight in the splash forward canter through and up over the big bit of the snake out, fab!, turn to the last, the water hasn't phased him, locks on to the skinny from a mile out and we are soring home. What a feeling, tears in my eyes job!
I know I was E's, but it was soooo awesome, that's the best he's ever gone xc. i knew he's not ready for jumping into water, but as we were clear, we had to try. Last year, we could only walk in a splash, now we can gallop in the splash and can manage a decent step in, but he's just not confient enough to take that leap of faith. And the main thing for me is that you wouldn't have to do that at intro so i'm taking it as a positive fabulous day and feel well confident for aswanley.
Oh and here' s the photos. well annoyed at the photographer, why the hell was he at the ditch, who looks stylish over a ditch. he could be at that huge brush where we flew over in style, or the impressive stone wall, which looks 10 feet tall from the downside, no he's at the ditch, titchy jump on either side and a stupid terrified expression on my face
never mind. feel free to cc, although it rode as described, so it took some effort to stay on board!. Also feel free to trinny and suzzana me, suggestions of colours welcome.!
http://www.foxphotographics.co.uk/galleries/170808%20burgie/
(Intermediate section - 9498 to 9500)
F x
dressage was poop, and I had an abysmal 45.5 , worked in absolutely lovely, but peaked too early. i have been told to ride him much more forward and work into a firmer contact, as a result, b is using himself more, but has quite a short window of good, then his muscles get a bit achy and he starts tossing his head a bit. as we went around the arena, he started pulling down and stretching and I thought ohoh!, it all got a bit head tossy and tense
Showjumping was fab. he was on springs. most jumps were bang up to height 3' with some quite wide spreads and good fillers. Well chuffed with a clear and lots of nice comments about him from the sides. (b is only 14.3 highland x, so he doesn't look like a natural jumper, but he has secret springs)
Then the xc - ooooh my goodness, flutterbyes, felt a bit sick. Well normally b is a terrified of the start box and is quite sticky over 1 and 2 not really getting into a rythm until 4 or 5 and he isn't very bold although can be fast, so you have to watch you don't let him charge in while he's backing off if you know what I mean.
Well, normally we come out tentively and showjump bounce up to the first fence, not today, put my legs on and we were off!. Locked on the first (simple log) and away
up the gully flat out gallop, levelled up, little check and flew the stone wall. Then the ditch combination, he was still bowling in, check check check, phew he's seen it, backing off, popped the log tentively. ATTACK ATTACK!. big leg on shouted at him 'get over the ditch' and he did, first time!, big jump though, slipped the reins and just regained composure for the roll top, that's why i take plaits out for xc!.
YESS! so pleaseed, flew the big black chair, down the bank, normally quite sticky on banks, but ATTACK ATTACK, launched off it big. then another stone wall, then sharp right to big scary stone wall, 3' on take off, 5' on landing, came in quite deep, sit up!!, slip reins, recompose to canter down the incline towards my water hell, carefully popped over a good sized hanging log at the top of the bank, (that almost caught us out last time we were here) over a small brushy house thing and turn to the water, he knew it was there, he was going fab and he took it on, i let him stay in canter, but as i steered him over to the left away from the usual splash he backed off, 'where we going mum?' that's fine back to trot, better to get my leg on. THIS WAY, GO GO GO ATTACK ATTACK. 'get in the water' smack, - what, from here? no f****ing way mum!.anchors on, fidget fidget, oh mum its a long way down, 'go on, get in' kick kick, wheres the neck strap!. 'muuum i just can't' 'yes you can get in' booot boot smack, then the jump judge says that's you eliminated, take the splash, DAM! he probably would have gone eventually, but another horse was coming over the wall and i think this sort of thing is best saved for training so i circle away round to the splash, and boot on, canter, canter faster, don't stop, straight in the splash forward canter through and up over the big bit of the snake out, fab!, turn to the last, the water hasn't phased him, locks on to the skinny from a mile out and we are soring home. What a feeling, tears in my eyes job!
I know I was E's, but it was soooo awesome, that's the best he's ever gone xc. i knew he's not ready for jumping into water, but as we were clear, we had to try. Last year, we could only walk in a splash, now we can gallop in the splash and can manage a decent step in, but he's just not confient enough to take that leap of faith. And the main thing for me is that you wouldn't have to do that at intro so i'm taking it as a positive fabulous day and feel well confident for aswanley.
Oh and here' s the photos. well annoyed at the photographer, why the hell was he at the ditch, who looks stylish over a ditch. he could be at that huge brush where we flew over in style, or the impressive stone wall, which looks 10 feet tall from the downside, no he's at the ditch, titchy jump on either side and a stupid terrified expression on my face
http://www.foxphotographics.co.uk/galleries/170808%20burgie/
(Intermediate section - 9498 to 9500)
F x