Wishful
Well-Known Member
I am very much a riding school rider - lesson once or twice a week if we're feeling rich - but as there was a trailblazers competition and they hire their horses for in site competitions I thought I'd have a go...
Managed to book a lesson with my usual instructor and ran through warm tactics and both tests - warm up tactic for my chosen mount being to loosen her up by lots of forward canter - and then bathed and cleaned tack (which I love doing).
Times came through for 2 prelims - P1 followed by a 2.5 hour gap to P15 so 2 completely separate tests and warm ups.
Got to the RS as they opened to groom (she's bay with only 1 white sock) and plait for the first time since riding holidays 20 years ago. Pleased to discover I hadn't completely forgotten how to plait as I only had to redo 3 and my forelock and tail plaits worked first time. Not perfect but they stayed in and looked ok!
I got on exactly when I planned and the warm up went ok - possibly not quite off my leg but no worse than normal. Went in (had to go into the arena as it was a 20x60 shortened so no space to go around the outside) and we had a nap and trampled over the boards (oops) but they were replaced and in we went. P1 is an ok test - but quite a lot of "empty" space and the canters end just over half way down the long side which with and opinionated little mare made the downwards transition a little hairy. She also canters a bit on the forehand and will lean if you get her. First canter circle ok, obedient upwards transition (easier lead) and then a bit of a discussion about the downwards transition lead to a "loss of balance" as the judge described the nap/fall out through the left shoulder (which she never normally falls out through so my whip was in the other hand) and out of the arena again, fortunately leaving the boards in place this time. Quickly reorganised, re-entered and kept going as if nothing had happened - across the diagonal and to the more difficult rein and got the correct strike off on the second attempt - not bad for us. Rest of the test was unremarkable and I stayed in the arena to finish which was a relief.
Long break between tests so I had time to get my result and I was thrilled to get just over 61% so technically qualified for 2nd rounds!
Then it was time to get on for the 2nd test. I planned a similar warm up but she was a little more co-operative in the warm up so I felt ready too early so didn't want to irritate her doing too much so just walked for a while before waking her up with some direct transitions as the horse before use went in.
Time for P15 and as a long arena test in a 20x60 arena there were no boards so it was a good start! P15 is a lovely test with no empty spaces and nice and symmetrical. 20M trot circles all good, transition to walk at X accurate if not round. Then we came to the right canter and I just couldn't get it until after A the second time but at least we had the correct lead for the across the diagonal and could get that mark. Little bit of a discussion about trotting and she popped nicely into left canter and the rest of the test was all about as good as in practice.
Results came out and despite the canter, actually staying in the arena had given us 62.2% so I was pleased. Got the sheets back and the only comment I was annoyed with myself for was that I managed to overshoot both final centre lines! Think I'll be riding a few of those before my next test. I was thrilled to get a 7 for my riding in one test and a comment about good balance and hands as well as the feedback that I need to improve my ability to ride into a rounder outline (work in progress)!
We were nicely in the middle of the field and so I'd say that anyone thinking of having a go should go for it - a vaguely accurate (barring arena size issues) test in an ok rhythm on a normal riding school pony (who does some RDA, some beginners as well as jumping and flatwork) can get a respectable score at trailblazers with an external judge.
Really great experience and I will definitely be doing more, but will only do 2nd rounds if I can get a qualifying score nearer the time of the in house 2nd round - I need to know this wasn't a "fluke" and would prefer to be on form before paying to join etc!
Managed to book a lesson with my usual instructor and ran through warm tactics and both tests - warm up tactic for my chosen mount being to loosen her up by lots of forward canter - and then bathed and cleaned tack (which I love doing).
Times came through for 2 prelims - P1 followed by a 2.5 hour gap to P15 so 2 completely separate tests and warm ups.
Got to the RS as they opened to groom (she's bay with only 1 white sock) and plait for the first time since riding holidays 20 years ago. Pleased to discover I hadn't completely forgotten how to plait as I only had to redo 3 and my forelock and tail plaits worked first time. Not perfect but they stayed in and looked ok!
I got on exactly when I planned and the warm up went ok - possibly not quite off my leg but no worse than normal. Went in (had to go into the arena as it was a 20x60 shortened so no space to go around the outside) and we had a nap and trampled over the boards (oops) but they were replaced and in we went. P1 is an ok test - but quite a lot of "empty" space and the canters end just over half way down the long side which with and opinionated little mare made the downwards transition a little hairy. She also canters a bit on the forehand and will lean if you get her. First canter circle ok, obedient upwards transition (easier lead) and then a bit of a discussion about the downwards transition lead to a "loss of balance" as the judge described the nap/fall out through the left shoulder (which she never normally falls out through so my whip was in the other hand) and out of the arena again, fortunately leaving the boards in place this time. Quickly reorganised, re-entered and kept going as if nothing had happened - across the diagonal and to the more difficult rein and got the correct strike off on the second attempt - not bad for us. Rest of the test was unremarkable and I stayed in the arena to finish which was a relief.
Long break between tests so I had time to get my result and I was thrilled to get just over 61% so technically qualified for 2nd rounds!
Then it was time to get on for the 2nd test. I planned a similar warm up but she was a little more co-operative in the warm up so I felt ready too early so didn't want to irritate her doing too much so just walked for a while before waking her up with some direct transitions as the horse before use went in.
Time for P15 and as a long arena test in a 20x60 arena there were no boards so it was a good start! P15 is a lovely test with no empty spaces and nice and symmetrical. 20M trot circles all good, transition to walk at X accurate if not round. Then we came to the right canter and I just couldn't get it until after A the second time but at least we had the correct lead for the across the diagonal and could get that mark. Little bit of a discussion about trotting and she popped nicely into left canter and the rest of the test was all about as good as in practice.
Results came out and despite the canter, actually staying in the arena had given us 62.2% so I was pleased. Got the sheets back and the only comment I was annoyed with myself for was that I managed to overshoot both final centre lines! Think I'll be riding a few of those before my next test. I was thrilled to get a 7 for my riding in one test and a comment about good balance and hands as well as the feedback that I need to improve my ability to ride into a rounder outline (work in progress)!
We were nicely in the middle of the field and so I'd say that anyone thinking of having a go should go for it - a vaguely accurate (barring arena size issues) test in an ok rhythm on a normal riding school pony (who does some RDA, some beginners as well as jumping and flatwork) can get a respectable score at trailblazers with an external judge.
Really great experience and I will definitely be doing more, but will only do 2nd rounds if I can get a qualifying score nearer the time of the in house 2nd round - I need to know this wasn't a "fluke" and would prefer to be on form before paying to join etc!
