Return from the dark side?!! Shelford ODE report...

KatB

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Sooo, as a "change of scene", I decided to take mdam to Shelford to do the unaffiliated intro (sorry, BE90 ;) ) as it's literally a 2 minute drive from the yard, so very cost effective ;)

Arrived there running slightly late (I blame Fatgreypony for chatting to much ;) :p ), unloaded madam, to do studs, for her to promptly pull back and do a quick "freestyle" warm up across the lorry park complete in full travel gear and massage pad :eek: :rolleyes: NOT the best start for a "zen" like calm needed for marebag to do a good dressage.... sooo, surprising the dressage was obedient in the fact she did everything needed where needed, (except showing off her FAVOURITE trick of reining back in the halt....) but came out with an abismal score which shall not be spoken about ;) the words "disobedient to the leg" (tail swishing and threatening to hump) and "not straight" (spooking at the alien car...) gives you some idea of madams dr. prowess ;) However, she's only ever done about 6 tests in her life, and not been inside an arena since september, so tbh, I was just pleased she kept all 4 feet roughly where they should be, and did everything where it needed to be :) AND, we weren't last ;)

Quick change to the SJing, warmed up like the pro she is, did her customary "nap at the scary commentary box until the bell goes" and jumped a lovely obedient and soft round, until the last fence where me grinning like a fool failed to correct overkeen pony on the approach, meaning one down... sack the jockey!!

More changing (me more than her this time!) and hopped on for the XC :) Madam was HUGELY overexcited at this point, even though I'm pretty sure she hasn't a CLUE what was happening, and bucked, squeaked and farted her way around the warm up, until our turn to go :)

WELL, last year we attempted this event, and pretty much stopped at the first 4 fences before jumping them the second time... but my pony seems to have suddenly GOT XC... :D Wiggled a bit to the first fence, and then was off!! Straight over the scary 3rd fence which had caused 30 stops on Monday's BE90, say a flier to the pheasant feeder at 4, straight through the rather murky water, into the next field over the tiddly palisade, where we had a brief nap where she had just got brain overload... got her pointing in the direction of the next fence, she spotted it and was off again!! Straight through the woods, over the brush, handbrake turn to the rail into the woods and step down, straight over the log house, good line and straight and neat over the corner, back over a rail, then a hedge to skinny house which she straightened herself for ( :D ), VERY strong galloping to the log, the step up (or leap up!) then the roll top, and finally a VERY dodgy jump over the last, where brakes had failed.... but careful pony was still in no danger of hitting it!!

Soooo pleaaed with how bold and straight she was, and seriously considering trying a bit more eventing again.... we will see...!!

Final scores were 45dr :eek: , 1 down Sjing, and Clr XC with 8 time, probably due to her brief hesitation, and taking time to set up as she got so strong!!

Thanks for reading, no pics/vid to show you yet.. a HUGE HUGE thank you to Icestationzebra, who was groom extraordinaire, and Fatgreypony who was specialist wild horse catcher of tha day.... ;) :p
 
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Hattikins

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phew what a relief you've made it make from the dark side...i was beginning to get worried :p

in all seriousness though...what a fantastic mare she is! sounds like she's really grown up and perhaps she's decided she wants to be an eventing diva now instead hehe! really well done :D
 

SnowGoose

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what moi? chatting? never... :p well done on fantastic XC, I reckon it was that schooling we did over the course last summer ;)

if its any consolation at least L is easy to catch, there was a loose horse in the dressage warm up for half an hour at one point, we had to stop the dressage and when feed buckets etc had failed they tried coralling it with lungelines. Last i saw it was hot-tailing it off through the wheat fields toward shelford village with a couple of cars in pursuit :eek:
 

KatB

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Yeah I think you're right FGP, and the fact she is generally a lot more confident in herself anyway... she has just grown up in short I think :)

Hattikins, she's alright really, she certainly is her own biggest fan! ;) ... we will see re. the eventing again!!!
 

vam

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Whoop Whoop!! She sounds fab and it sounds like you really enjoyed yourself even thou you where moonlighting as an eventer ;)
I do like it when they grow up and it starts to click, i bet you will be eventing properly in no time thou :D
 

SamuelWhiskers

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Well done KatB, nice to see you too, albeit brief!! s'ppose i ought to do a bit of a report too!!

Great she's got the XC, these irish ones seem to take a bit longer...but when they've got, they don't loose it!

I'm sure she thought the dressage was just soooo boring, she'd liven it up and create her own party for 1?! :)
 

KatB

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vam, yeah I did really enjoy it, although I'd forgotten what a "faff" eventing is... will have the occasional "dabble" I reckon ;)

jules, thanks :) She is fab fun, even when she has moments of "personality" ;) She does like working really!!!

SW, yes good to see you! They're being very slow getting results up.. howd you do? :)
 

Rosiefan

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You just have to event her as often as possible to make her a well rounded individual (I just made that up because I'm sure she'd be brilliant with a bit more practice). Well done and whilst SJ isn't that dark side it is a bit of a twilight zone ;)
 

NR99

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A ha, I've been waiting for this report :D

Not too shabby, like you say only been in an arena a handful of times so she will settle. Don't listen to Measles, the XC will make her braver SJ :D :p
 

walker1234

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ah sounds like you had a really enjoyable day and thats what its all about!

Can't believe there were 30 stops at fence 3 - it looked so innoculous! I though the time was VERY tight too. We hurtled round on Tuesday and still ended up with 3 time faults.

Hope to see you back on the circuit soon!
 

Starbucks

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Well done!!! Wondering how the feck me and T will get on at a BE80 now because you guys are so further on than us... EEEEAAAK!!
 

ecrozier

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Dammit hit send by accident! Meant to say that sounds like a great day out - sounds like he had fun on the xc course!
 
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