Lolo
Well-Known Member
Well, I've been in Africa for 3 weeks doing some fairly awesome stuff and getting a tan (despite slathering factor 50 suntan lotion on 3 times a day- my tan lines are very epic!) 
Reg and Al meanwhile have been swimming their way round Norfolk...
First up was the Royal Norfolk Show, where they did the RoR class. They were expecting to do fairly badly but it's all experience and a lot of fun. Reg was scrubbed and polished within an inch of his life and Al was then treated to the same... Eventually!
(very PC here... And yes, she's naturally that tanned. Feel free to dislike her!!)
They rocked up and began their warm up in the big arena, where there was a mild rave when one horse had a tantrum, set off another who's poor rider came off, which spooked Reg and Al only just clung on by the skin of her teeth. Good start! Progressed to the smaller warm up, where Al got off and walked him- 15 horses in a 20mx40m arena had Reg all of a twitter. At this point, Team Reggie's (it's ever expanding- he had a fan clb of 10 people watching him...hearts were sinking! But once he was in the arena he settled and went really nicely. Al felt quite out of place as she was the youngest in there on the only horse in a snaffle wearing clearly not-showing gear!
This was compounded when they were called in 2nd (yes!) and she thought they were asking her to leave the arena... She asked the lady pulled in 1st if it was in reverse order! The ride judge rode him (Tiny Clapham) and told Al he was beautifully schooled and a pleasure to ride, cue big He was an utter tit for the conformation judge though, refused point blank to stand still and did lots of 'strike a pose' things... Next time, Al is going equipped with many polos to bribe him with, lol!
He was knocked down to 6th, as the conformation judge though he had a curb, but the ride judge said she'd have had him him win if it was up to her!!!!!! So very very proud of them both 
And quite sad I missed it 
(love this SO much!)
Onto PC area stressage! They were doing the intermediate test, with some misgivings as it was blooming complicated and very technical for where he's at in his schooling... 10m half circles in canter, lots of transition in awkward places and general difficulties! The going was absolutely bottomless and he was last to go in his section and he is no a lover of deep going, ever.
The test was sweet enough, with some stunning canter work but his trot was quite laboured which made him tense so less soft and supple than he would have been. Al was pleased with his attitude though- he tried his socks off for her when he was within his rights to say that it was too hard for him. They got 63%, which left them in the middle of the section. BUT the test sheet has five 8s (for his canter) and several 7s as well with the (very accurate) comment that he's a lovely horse with lots to offer, but he's not established enough in his trot to offer his full potential on deep ground. Very positive, and Al is over the moon with her pony
And finally, the new arrival...
Meet Bee She's a 5yo ex-racer, bred by Reg's owner and is Reg's polar opposite! She's 15.2hh or so, and looks like a connie cross TB rather than the purebred she is... Al really likes her as she seems to get on with slightly quirky mares (because she is one herself, lol!).
It's early days at the moment as she's just being restarted so expect progress reports with many pretty pictures (she's a stunner!). Her sire is Silver Patriarch, and she's quite like him in personality it seems, so slowly slowly catchee monkey and all that and we'll see what happens.
Reg and Al meanwhile have been swimming their way round Norfolk...First up was the Royal Norfolk Show, where they did the RoR class. They were expecting to do fairly badly but it's all experience and a lot of fun. Reg was scrubbed and polished within an inch of his life and Al was then treated to the same... Eventually!
(very PC here... And yes, she's naturally that tanned. Feel free to dislike her!!)
They rocked up and began their warm up in the big arena, where there was a mild rave when one horse had a tantrum, set off another who's poor rider came off, which spooked Reg and Al only just clung on by the skin of her teeth. Good start! Progressed to the smaller warm up, where Al got off and walked him- 15 horses in a 20mx40m arena had Reg all of a twitter. At this point, Team Reggie's (it's ever expanding- he had a fan clb of 10 people watching him...hearts were sinking! But once he was in the arena he settled and went really nicely. Al felt quite out of place as she was the youngest in there on the only horse in a snaffle wearing clearly not-showing gear!
This was compounded when they were called in 2nd (yes!) and she thought they were asking her to leave the arena... She asked the lady pulled in 1st if it was in reverse order! The ride judge rode him (Tiny Clapham) and told Al he was beautifully schooled and a pleasure to ride, cue big
He was an utter tit for the conformation judge though, refused point blank to stand still and did lots of 'strike a pose' things... Next time, Al is going equipped with many polos to bribe him with, lol!He was knocked down to 6th, as the conformation judge though he had a curb, but the ride judge said she'd have had him him win if it was up to her!!!!!!
So very very proud of them both And quite sad I missed it
(love this SO much!)
Onto PC area stressage! They were doing the intermediate test, with some misgivings as it was blooming complicated and very technical for where he's at in his schooling... 10m half circles in canter, lots of transition in awkward places and general difficulties! The going was absolutely bottomless and he was last to go in his section and he is no a lover of deep going, ever.
The test was sweet enough, with some stunning canter work but his trot was quite laboured which made him tense so less soft and supple than he would have been. Al was pleased with his attitude though- he tried his socks off for her when he was within his rights to say that it was too hard for him. They got 63%, which left them in the middle of the section. BUT the test sheet has five 8s (for his canter) and several 7s as well with the (very accurate) comment that he's a lovely horse with lots to offer, but he's not established enough in his trot to offer his full potential on deep ground. Very positive, and Al is over the moon with her pony
And finally, the new arrival...
Meet Bee
She's a 5yo ex-racer, bred by Reg's owner and is Reg's polar opposite! She's 15.2hh or so, and looks like a connie cross TB rather than the purebred she is... Al really likes her as she seems to get on with slightly quirky mares (because she is one herself, lol!).It's early days at the moment as she's just being restarted so expect progress reports with many pretty pictures (she's a stunner!). Her sire is Silver Patriarch, and she's quite like him in personality it seems, so slowly slowly catchee monkey and all that and we'll see what happens.
.
, although I'm not sure Al has forgiven me for going away in her hour of need 
