Lolo
Well-Known Member
Set off to the PC hunter trial there this weekend- I was home for a few days and so went along as groom/ pep-talker extraordinaire (if you ask Al, she'll probably tell you I'm the most annoying person to coursewalk with though!).
They were doing the 2'6 class to give him a fun round, and the 3' class (the only 2 classes that they ran). Walked the courses and they were worlds apart! The 2'6 was very sweet and inviting and small, and the 3' had some serious questions in it which caused some serious "He's not ready!!" comments from Al. The biggest question was a ditch off a fairly tight turn with 1 stride up a fairly steep hill to a full-up, very skinny rolltop. Currently, they are slightly iffy on ditches and skinnies, so this was rather scary for Al to see!
Set off round the 2'6 and he was a bit speshul the whole way round. Al used the round to remind him that XC wasn't all about attack and that he could get deep and be steady (he's never fast, he just motors). The round looked nice, but the photos are amazingly bad- links here:
http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10395
(in the double, the ground on landing was very deep, and he got a bit buried in front when he landed so managed to fit 3 strides into a double that 13hh ponies were doing 1 or 2 in!)
In the 3' Al attacked the course more, and he powered round. They pinged the hanging log in the water which made us all very
. They got to the ditch, and Al was so focussed on jumping the skinny she didn't give him enough of a reason to jump the ditch so he stopped. Second time round, she angled away from the skinny and rode more positively and he pinged, so she took him round the long route. I watched nearly 10 horses before I saw her attempt, and only 3 jumped through it... The rest of the round was lovely- there were a few more skinnies including a solid arrowhead and a wishingwell after a large box fence. The second ditch he just pinged- didn't even look! What a brave pony, eh? Photos here:
http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10443
Didn't get a rosette in either class (too fast in the first and obviously not competitive in the second) but lots of confidence and experience so a very successful day out. Pity the photos aren't up to much- although we're considering buying the one of the arrowhead from the 3' class.
I can offer unwritten essays and copious coffee if you get to the end of this absolute epic!
They were doing the 2'6 class to give him a fun round, and the 3' class (the only 2 classes that they ran). Walked the courses and they were worlds apart! The 2'6 was very sweet and inviting and small, and the 3' had some serious questions in it which caused some serious "He's not ready!!" comments from Al. The biggest question was a ditch off a fairly tight turn with 1 stride up a fairly steep hill to a full-up, very skinny rolltop. Currently, they are slightly iffy on ditches and skinnies, so this was rather scary for Al to see!
Set off round the 2'6 and he was a bit speshul the whole way round. Al used the round to remind him that XC wasn't all about attack and that he could get deep and be steady (he's never fast, he just motors). The round looked nice, but the photos are amazingly bad- links here:
http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10395
(in the double, the ground on landing was very deep, and he got a bit buried in front when he landed so managed to fit 3 strides into a double that 13hh ponies were doing 1 or 2 in!)
In the 3' Al attacked the course more, and he powered round. They pinged the hanging log in the water which made us all very
. They got to the ditch, and Al was so focussed on jumping the skinny she didn't give him enough of a reason to jump the ditch so he stopped. Second time round, she angled away from the skinny and rode more positively and he pinged, so she took him round the long route. I watched nearly 10 horses before I saw her attempt, and only 3 jumped through it... The rest of the round was lovely- there were a few more skinnies including a solid arrowhead and a wishingwell after a large box fence. The second ditch he just pinged- didn't even look! What a brave pony, eh? Photos here:http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10443
Didn't get a rosette in either class (too fast in the first and obviously not competitive in the second) but lots of confidence and experience so a very successful day out. Pity the photos aren't up to much- although we're considering buying the one of the arrowhead from the 3' class.
I can offer unwritten essays and copious coffee if you get to the end of this absolute epic!
!!! It walked at 1 and a half. I got one on my pony/horse!! What super adaptable legs your lovely horse must have 
) and I do want to get her out to some ODE's soon, so we may make an appearance in may!