ElleJS
Well-Known Member
Well, after seeing all the really nice comments made on here I thought I better do a quick report!
To set the scene, Blenheim is my local 'big event' so of course its been a childhood dream to compete there... and to be quite honest I was happy to just compete there never mind actually completing!
Had an interesting build up with a few niggles and minor injuries but my mare was very fit and ready to go.
Had Thursday dressage which played in my favour as she prefers to just get on a do it, dosed her up with lots of calmer and she was very chilled! Peformed a calm obedient plain test, lacked perzaz and extravagance but for her its the first time she hasn't blown up for a while, so we were very
! and we weren't last- perfect! he he
Walked the course a few times and thought it was smaller but far far more technical than Bramham so was hoping my brakes weren't going to fail this time! Lots and lots of places to mess up and have a silly run out.
Had lots of fun the whole week with various parties and such, SW123 was there so was great to see her (infact I think most the time I saw her she had a big mug of Hot Choc from Charlie the coffee man glued to her hand!)
Onto XC day.... I was a bag of nerves, Connie felt AWESOME in the warm up and I knew she could do it but I kept putting my self under so much pressure as I knew lots of people I knew would be there and I know some people from certain circles who look down on my mare so I wanted to prove them wrong. I need not have feared the mare was incredible, we had 2 oooo moments, one at the dew pond where she didn't see the jump till the last minute as was too busy looking at the crowds anbd went green on me and the other at a simple log drop fence when I went on a far to long a stride and mare had to sort her useless mother out! Other than that she gave me the ride of my life! AMAZING. I bust in to tears at the end as I actually could not believe we went round! Very emotional! Unfortunately she had managed to stud herself between her front legs and a haematoma developed. We iced it pretty much all the time we could and it was a little better the next day but still very sore for her. Luckily she passed the final trot and tried her blinking heart out in the SJ. You could tell she was sore as she clipped the first fence as it was higher than she thought and her tummy hurt, but then turned her self inside out the rest of the way round, had the last down which was bizarre as she didn't actually touch it, Dad was standing over that way and said it was a loose pole from the horse before which was unlucky as Connie was no where near it. But I am ECSTATIC with my girl, I never in a million years thought she would take me this far.... we had 2 people come up to us after wanting to buy her..... Vet came out to drain haematoma and said how sore it must have been for her and yet she just tried and tried over a very tough SJ course where most other horses would have said no. She is now having a well deserved holiday! Awesome horse.
To set the scene, Blenheim is my local 'big event' so of course its been a childhood dream to compete there... and to be quite honest I was happy to just compete there never mind actually completing!
Had an interesting build up with a few niggles and minor injuries but my mare was very fit and ready to go.
Had Thursday dressage which played in my favour as she prefers to just get on a do it, dosed her up with lots of calmer and she was very chilled! Peformed a calm obedient plain test, lacked perzaz and extravagance but for her its the first time she hasn't blown up for a while, so we were very
Walked the course a few times and thought it was smaller but far far more technical than Bramham so was hoping my brakes weren't going to fail this time! Lots and lots of places to mess up and have a silly run out.
Had lots of fun the whole week with various parties and such, SW123 was there so was great to see her (infact I think most the time I saw her she had a big mug of Hot Choc from Charlie the coffee man glued to her hand!)
