PapaFrita
Well-Known Member
Arrived at showground LATE: the 80cm class had already started, I was riding PF first and there were only about 8 riders a head of me so hopped on, warmed up (not nearly enough!) explained to the man at the entrance that I didn't know the course and he kindly pointed it out to me, went in... PF jumped a perfect round until the last fence where inexplicably she seemed to forget to jump and ploughed through the fence... I did a classic swan dive through her ears with a tuck roll and belly flop... followed by a VERY loud swear word and a rude name I called myself (hope no one thought I was talking about PF) PF trotted away but kindly waited for me not too far away...
I hopped back on, and trotted off to get Antifaz. Had a bit more time with A to warm, although he seemed a bit hyper. He jumped a lovely round however and BLOW ME DOWN if we didn't win it!! (80cms isn't against the clock; the closest to the optimum time wins- I didn't even know what the optimum time was!!)
On to 90cms and PF again jumped beautifully, even over the wall she'd never, EVER seen before, but due to pilot error had the last fence down in the first round so didn't go on to jump off. My bad completely!!
A, once again jumped beautifully (including the wall), right up to the 7th fence where I fiddled too much
and he ground to a virtual standstill. "Sod this" I thought, and kicked on...
A launched himself into the air... a hush fell over the crowd... punctuated by ANOTHER very loud swear word as my hat tilted fetchingly over one eye (still not sure how that happened) I listened for the crunch of splintered fence.... nothing!!! We finished the round clear, and went on the the jump off. I'd always planned to go for the steady clear, especially with A, who tends to lose the plot when asked to gallop, but I cut a few corners and we finished clear in a very respectable time. I was THRILLED with him...
Now for the moral of the story... DON'T carry your bach flower remedy in the pocket of your jacket... I couldn't understand why there was broken glass in my pocket and when I went to change was rather baffled (a tiny bit like Bruce Willis in the Sixth Sense
) by the blood on the back of my shirt... YUP... I think I got IV Rescue Remedy. Didn't feel a thing at the time, but am rather sore now!!
I hopped back on, and trotted off to get Antifaz. Had a bit more time with A to warm, although he seemed a bit hyper. He jumped a lovely round however and BLOW ME DOWN if we didn't win it!! (80cms isn't against the clock; the closest to the optimum time wins- I didn't even know what the optimum time was!!)
On to 90cms and PF again jumped beautifully, even over the wall she'd never, EVER seen before, but due to pilot error had the last fence down in the first round so didn't go on to jump off. My bad completely!!
A, once again jumped beautifully (including the wall), right up to the 7th fence where I fiddled too much
A launched himself into the air... a hush fell over the crowd... punctuated by ANOTHER very loud swear word as my hat tilted fetchingly over one eye (still not sure how that happened) I listened for the crunch of splintered fence.... nothing!!! We finished the round clear, and went on the the jump off. I'd always planned to go for the steady clear, especially with A, who tends to lose the plot when asked to gallop, but I cut a few corners and we finished clear in a very respectable time. I was THRILLED with him...
Now for the moral of the story... DON'T carry your bach flower remedy in the pocket of your jacket... I couldn't understand why there was broken glass in my pocket and when I went to change was rather baffled (a tiny bit like Bruce Willis in the Sixth Sense
...they might have a bit of pink... 
