Ginn
Well-Known Member
I am absolutely thrilled with the two of them - really couldn't be a prouder big sister!
Yesterday Kiri took Mickey to our villiage horse show. Last year he went, completed an assisted 1'6 jumping and a dressage test with a lot of help. This year - WOW! Up until 2 years go this pony was deemed unrideable off the lead rein. We never thought he'd achieve much and were happy with how he was goping but always accepted that an assisted sj was about his limit. Yesterday he proved us all wrong!
She took him in the 1'9 assisted so that if she needed help I could help her and give he vocal encouragement, tell her the course etc. Well he just flew and no help was needed! In a class of about 25 she came 4th!!!!
So we decided he could have a go at the 2'. Again he flew! One silly stop at a scary stile going away from the collecting ring but as only 5 people (again from about 20 odd) had gone clear her and other 4 faulter (everyone else was on 8 or more faults!!) jumped off for 6th and 7th place and she very maturely went for a steady clear just wanting him to get round and she did - sadly not quick enough so she came away with 7th place and a special rosette (rosettes only to 6th). She was in tears with him being so good and we were all thrilled - this was his first ever unassisted course and only his 3rd completed course without dumping a rider!
So we decided that perhaps the 2'3 would be worth a try as they were both clearly enjoying themselves. Again he flew - no bucking,napping etc. She had 2 silly stops whch she accepts were her fault as she was looking at the fences and coming in very slow (rider confidence problem not pony's) and then a third where he decided to have a poo (when he poo's he has to stop!) 3 strides from his next fence and she maturely and kindly decided that she wasn't going to ask him to jump from there as she wanted him to do it nicely so circled and got the big E. But again we were all very very please with him and Kiri.
So she says "could I enter the 2'6, I don't want to jump off and if he stops or doesn't like it I'll jump the 1st fence nicely and retire" aagin very mature for a 12 yr old! So she did! Bless him he had 2 silly stops but they were on fences (a big scary filler and a very up to high, wide oxer!) I didn't think he'd take her over. Instead, when he stopped she allowed his to have a look and a sniff and then "ping" he flew without a second thought! So she completed their first ever 2'6 aswell!! The course was horrid aswell, very twisty and technical for a novice course and in a 30 strong class there were only 5 clears and 2 on 4 faults so we were even more thrilled with him - and he knew it!
He also did prelim 7. Got 51% but behaved himself, again no bucking, napping cantered on the right leg when asked and kiri didn't have a clue what the test was so we were pleased with that and she came 6th out of 12 in most suitable 14.2 and under - again very, very good!
As he was still full of running and we found last year he does enjoy gymkhana games she then spent the last hour doing just that! They got down to 1 barrel in the drum jumping and came away with a rosette in each thing they entered. He even did the consolation Monte Carlo with my mum!
So today he is having a very well earned break, Another big yummy tea (he had a bran mash with carrots and a few pony nuts last night which he loved!). And lots and lots of cuddles. Whats more I think he really enjoyed yesterday too.
Kiri has popped a few piccies up in the gallery and I'll also post the profesional photo links once they're up so please have a look. And well done if you made it to the end - didn't mean for it to be such a long one!
Yesterday Kiri took Mickey to our villiage horse show. Last year he went, completed an assisted 1'6 jumping and a dressage test with a lot of help. This year - WOW! Up until 2 years go this pony was deemed unrideable off the lead rein. We never thought he'd achieve much and were happy with how he was goping but always accepted that an assisted sj was about his limit. Yesterday he proved us all wrong!
She took him in the 1'9 assisted so that if she needed help I could help her and give he vocal encouragement, tell her the course etc. Well he just flew and no help was needed! In a class of about 25 she came 4th!!!!
So we decided he could have a go at the 2'. Again he flew! One silly stop at a scary stile going away from the collecting ring but as only 5 people (again from about 20 odd) had gone clear her and other 4 faulter (everyone else was on 8 or more faults!!) jumped off for 6th and 7th place and she very maturely went for a steady clear just wanting him to get round and she did - sadly not quick enough so she came away with 7th place and a special rosette (rosettes only to 6th). She was in tears with him being so good and we were all thrilled - this was his first ever unassisted course and only his 3rd completed course without dumping a rider!
So we decided that perhaps the 2'3 would be worth a try as they were both clearly enjoying themselves. Again he flew - no bucking,napping etc. She had 2 silly stops whch she accepts were her fault as she was looking at the fences and coming in very slow (rider confidence problem not pony's) and then a third where he decided to have a poo (when he poo's he has to stop!) 3 strides from his next fence and she maturely and kindly decided that she wasn't going to ask him to jump from there as she wanted him to do it nicely so circled and got the big E. But again we were all very very please with him and Kiri.
So she says "could I enter the 2'6, I don't want to jump off and if he stops or doesn't like it I'll jump the 1st fence nicely and retire" aagin very mature for a 12 yr old! So she did! Bless him he had 2 silly stops but they were on fences (a big scary filler and a very up to high, wide oxer!) I didn't think he'd take her over. Instead, when he stopped she allowed his to have a look and a sniff and then "ping" he flew without a second thought! So she completed their first ever 2'6 aswell!! The course was horrid aswell, very twisty and technical for a novice course and in a 30 strong class there were only 5 clears and 2 on 4 faults so we were even more thrilled with him - and he knew it!
He also did prelim 7. Got 51% but behaved himself, again no bucking, napping cantered on the right leg when asked and kiri didn't have a clue what the test was so we were pleased with that and she came 6th out of 12 in most suitable 14.2 and under - again very, very good!
As he was still full of running and we found last year he does enjoy gymkhana games she then spent the last hour doing just that! They got down to 1 barrel in the drum jumping and came away with a rosette in each thing they entered. He even did the consolation Monte Carlo with my mum!
So today he is having a very well earned break, Another big yummy tea (he had a bran mash with carrots and a few pony nuts last night which he loved!). And lots and lots of cuddles. Whats more I think he really enjoyed yesterday too.
Kiri has popped a few piccies up in the gallery and I'll also post the profesional photo links once they're up so please have a look. And well done if you made it to the end - didn't mean for it to be such a long one!
