Sarah_Jane
Well-Known Member
Well out of the frying pan and into the fire springs to mind. As a second advanced it a tough ask. I walked the course with my trainer and Lucy Weigersma on Friday who were both very positive and encouraging and only admitted to me afterwards that it was a very tough course. Many thanks to both for not letting on initially!
Dressage we scored 45. She is still struggling with the more difficult movements but I am quite happy this phase will improve. Too be honest it wasn't my biggest worry at Gatcombe!
Showjumping was nice and early, the course was causing problems and the arena had quite an atmosphere. Sarnie jumped a lovely round but after no.6 I got confused (early dementia I think
) of which way to turn and lost time. In trying to make it up I just hurried her out of her rhythm and we had the first part of the treble down which was disappointing. So just 4 faults which was still quite a bit better than average.
Went down to the start and wasn't comforted to hear over the commentary of numerous problems for those on course including the big names such as Andrew Nicholson. Went into the start box with final instructions of sit up and kick. First 2 were nice then 3 was a house with a very steep drop down into woods which she popped well. Came out over a wall and then a large spead before the first combination of an offset double of houses with brush sticking out of the top. That jumped well then onto 2 steps up and over a skinny at the top, we added a stride but popped it sweetly.
The combination at 9 caused us our first problem. It was a long 3 strides between the fences and you needed to get a good jump in over a, I didn't! Tipped a and I decided to hook for 4 strides - now the table out was huge maximum height and width so imagine my horror when she popped back to trot I kicked and she tried to jump it out of trot and more or less made it - very brave girl! There were a few scrapes on the back of her elbow and knee that she must of done there.
The next fence was a let up a wall and then we were onto the next difficult fence a double of corners. It was a very tight line between the two corners and trees had been placed to make it more difficult to get at. Coming into the first corner she stepped out at the trees and in trying to get her back in she tried to jump the widest part slipping along the top and I expected to crash on the other side. She somehow managed to get her feet out to land. I then managed to do a wiggle and take the second corner on the long route at the far side.
Luckily after this there was some let up fences for her to regain her confidence. We moved onto the Gatcombe Land Rover fence which involve 3 narrow Land Rover symbols on a off set line under a bridge of Land Rovers.
That went ok and then we went down to the water, she jumped in over the house a little bit steep but ok, did the mushrooms on top of the hill fine and then came down over the rails to skinny really neatly.
She backed right off the bridge but went over and then we came back to water she jumped in steeply and we lost our energy but I got her straight and she popped the rail in the water.
She finished over the last few well so a clear round. We were not quick but she is not ready at this level yet. When I looked at the results and found less than half the class had gone clear and we had actually finished 13th!!!!
I am pleased to say that Sarnie was none the worse for her few knocks on course and other than some grazes she was fine. Next day she was loose and showed no stiffness which just shows what a tough little mare she is.
Chilled out at the end of the day!
A few pictures and a link to a xc clip is on my blog http://www.shoestringeventing.co.uk/my-blog.htm
Big thanks to kick-on for her help
Dressage we scored 45. She is still struggling with the more difficult movements but I am quite happy this phase will improve. Too be honest it wasn't my biggest worry at Gatcombe!
Showjumping was nice and early, the course was causing problems and the arena had quite an atmosphere. Sarnie jumped a lovely round but after no.6 I got confused (early dementia I think
Went down to the start and wasn't comforted to hear over the commentary of numerous problems for those on course including the big names such as Andrew Nicholson. Went into the start box with final instructions of sit up and kick. First 2 were nice then 3 was a house with a very steep drop down into woods which she popped well. Came out over a wall and then a large spead before the first combination of an offset double of houses with brush sticking out of the top. That jumped well then onto 2 steps up and over a skinny at the top, we added a stride but popped it sweetly.
The combination at 9 caused us our first problem. It was a long 3 strides between the fences and you needed to get a good jump in over a, I didn't! Tipped a and I decided to hook for 4 strides - now the table out was huge maximum height and width so imagine my horror when she popped back to trot I kicked and she tried to jump it out of trot and more or less made it - very brave girl! There were a few scrapes on the back of her elbow and knee that she must of done there.
The next fence was a let up a wall and then we were onto the next difficult fence a double of corners. It was a very tight line between the two corners and trees had been placed to make it more difficult to get at. Coming into the first corner she stepped out at the trees and in trying to get her back in she tried to jump the widest part slipping along the top and I expected to crash on the other side. She somehow managed to get her feet out to land. I then managed to do a wiggle and take the second corner on the long route at the far side.
Luckily after this there was some let up fences for her to regain her confidence. We moved onto the Gatcombe Land Rover fence which involve 3 narrow Land Rover symbols on a off set line under a bridge of Land Rovers.
That went ok and then we went down to the water, she jumped in over the house a little bit steep but ok, did the mushrooms on top of the hill fine and then came down over the rails to skinny really neatly.
She backed right off the bridge but went over and then we came back to water she jumped in steeply and we lost our energy but I got her straight and she popped the rail in the water.
She finished over the last few well so a clear round. We were not quick but she is not ready at this level yet. When I looked at the results and found less than half the class had gone clear and we had actually finished 13th!!!!
I am pleased to say that Sarnie was none the worse for her few knocks on course and other than some grazes she was fine. Next day she was loose and showed no stiffness which just shows what a tough little mare she is.
Chilled out at the end of the day!
A few pictures and a link to a xc clip is on my blog http://www.shoestringeventing.co.uk/my-blog.htm
Big thanks to kick-on for her help
