siennamum
Well-Known Member
We have been working for the past few months with a view to our young horse Rusty completing the Longleat Unaff 2 day event. Many moons ago we used to do the Stockland Lovell one and we loved it.
Although I had hoped we would have done much more preparation and that horse would be fitter, nonetheless the weekend dawned and off we set.
the evening before Diesel Dog created the most beautiful Iberian plait up Rusty's mane. This is how it looked for dressage & after Rusty had dome some remodelling:
Rusty is really starting to look nice on the flat, he is so engaged and he is perpetually in a frame, so the things we have to work on are rhythm, straightness and consistency.
All of these crucial elements were lacking in Will's test sadly. Instead we had half pass, piaffe, passage and flying changes. Surprisingly he scored 45 - which I thought was generous, but he was in his usual place after dressage (at all 3 events to date) of last. (hahaha, Will gets cross, I think it's really funny)
The SJ was lovely and inviting, but quite square and it's the first time really Will has let Rusty canter into fences. He got his legs in a muddle for a couple down but he certainly tried very hard not to hit anything:
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=7364&Action=VF&id=11450773602&ppwd=28869rhg
Heres a vid of the round:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWd9lMMM0S4
Next morning he went off on a very fresh Rusty to do R&T & Steeplechase.
I gave Will strict instructions that this outing was really for fun and experience and not to go for the time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3BZX7RqibM
I think he was going for a land speed record. It's interesting that Rusty is clever enough to have worked out how to hit a decent spot and then how to jump rather than bank the fences at the end. A relief also I think.
When he got to the 10 minute box he was sweaty and very excited and Will said he was being very strong, so a different mouth piece may be in order (shall try a Waterford I think)
He set off at a good gallop (again contrary to instructions) but I think Rusty was confused at fence 4 and they had a silly stop. From then on Will cruised him home with a few period of trotting & they popped all the remaining fences very sweetly.
We didn't stay to see what his time was , he will have had lots of penalties. But we are simply made up about Rusty. He is the most honest bold horse. Will wants to hunt him this winter. I want them to stick to dressage. I think I may lose this one.
Anyway here are a couple of other pictures, it was a brilliant event in lots of ways and we will be back if they run it again:
this is the hill you had to climb to get to the XC, it was a killer, but some view!
Although I had hoped we would have done much more preparation and that horse would be fitter, nonetheless the weekend dawned and off we set.
the evening before Diesel Dog created the most beautiful Iberian plait up Rusty's mane. This is how it looked for dressage & after Rusty had dome some remodelling:
Rusty is really starting to look nice on the flat, he is so engaged and he is perpetually in a frame, so the things we have to work on are rhythm, straightness and consistency.
All of these crucial elements were lacking in Will's test sadly. Instead we had half pass, piaffe, passage and flying changes. Surprisingly he scored 45 - which I thought was generous, but he was in his usual place after dressage (at all 3 events to date) of last. (hahaha, Will gets cross, I think it's really funny)
The SJ was lovely and inviting, but quite square and it's the first time really Will has let Rusty canter into fences. He got his legs in a muddle for a couple down but he certainly tried very hard not to hit anything:
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=7364&Action=VF&id=11450773602&ppwd=28869rhg
Heres a vid of the round:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWd9lMMM0S4
Next morning he went off on a very fresh Rusty to do R&T & Steeplechase.
I gave Will strict instructions that this outing was really for fun and experience and not to go for the time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3BZX7RqibM
I think he was going for a land speed record. It's interesting that Rusty is clever enough to have worked out how to hit a decent spot and then how to jump rather than bank the fences at the end. A relief also I think.
When he got to the 10 minute box he was sweaty and very excited and Will said he was being very strong, so a different mouth piece may be in order (shall try a Waterford I think)
He set off at a good gallop (again contrary to instructions) but I think Rusty was confused at fence 4 and they had a silly stop. From then on Will cruised him home with a few period of trotting & they popped all the remaining fences very sweetly.
We didn't stay to see what his time was , he will have had lots of penalties. But we are simply made up about Rusty. He is the most honest bold horse. Will wants to hunt him this winter. I want them to stick to dressage. I think I may lose this one.
Anyway here are a couple of other pictures, it was a brilliant event in lots of ways and we will be back if they run it again:
this is the hill you had to climb to get to the XC, it was a killer, but some view!
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