chester1234
Well-Known Member
Well entered P for the UA at Aston Le Walls as thought he should probably have an up to date PN run before doing the novice at Winkburn
Had been told it would be quite encouraging - A] because ALW always is, and B] because it was UA. Whoever told me that please can they own up so I can shoot them?
Left the house at 7 this morning after a half five start
*yawns*. Took us longer than expected to get there because the fog was so thick. Was secretly hoping that it'd stay as judge wouldn't be able to see our test
Unfortunately it cleared by the time we got there, and was actually quite muggy. Got there, and was pleased to see the SJ was on a surface [P hasn't quite worked out the difference between SJ on grass and XC yet
]. Walked over to the XC start - saw Meardsall_Millie on the way
Ground was quite firm in places, so rang mum and said what studs were needed
Annnnywaaay. Got everything sorted, and went off to warm up for the DR. P hasn't been to a party since Area Eventing in mid July, and not a proper party since Solihull [1]. Needless to say eyes were out on stalks, and everything was VERY exciting. Warmed up okay, a little leany on the right rein which seems to be his new game. Went in to do our test, and was actually very pleased with him. Got a 7 for our entry and then it all seemed to go downhill
I don't think the judge liked him. We got a 41.4 and I was expecting a 38-39 ish. According to our mark he did the same as T at Solihull
but he was much better than T was...but I guess it's all relative. Anyway, was a touch disappointed with our mark, as thought he deserved much higher - especially when he stayed reasonably focussed when the next door rider disappeared off at a rate of knots....
Had an hour between DR and SJ, so had a bite to eat. Went and warmed up, and he was really pinging, although he didn't like the shredded rubber warm up surface. Didn't do much with him as the surface and horse-eating ducks weren't helping. Went and waited by the ring, where the coursebuilder said to my mum "He's a lovely stamp of horse, nice looking."
Better perform now P! And he did
Fence 1 to two was a bit hairy as he stuck his head down and yelled - sat up a bit as thought he was going to buck! Got a little grumble going into fence 3 and four as was backing off the fillers. Popped over 5 to six really nicely - was giving everything plenty of air. Flew threw the double at seven, and didn't even hesitate at the planks at eight, then jumped the upright to finish. Lovely clear where he gave everything at least a foot apparently! Another comment from the coursebuilder "He really knows how to get himself off the ground."
Very pleased with our clear
Off to XC, just as it really started to rain
Was in the warm up and one lady's horse fell over - and I remembered I didn't have greasy/deep studs in. Only popped a few fences to warm up, then just kept him trotting to keep him warm. Called up to the start, bit wobbly into the start box, and then we were off! Took off a stride out to F1, a simple chase fence, then onto fence 2 which was a brush. Typical P can't hurt his legs so jumped the full height of it
Onto F3, up a slope to a house, down the other side over another one. Did the first bit fine, but got to the bottom of the slope and P went "Sh*t! There's another one!" Scrabbled over and got big pats. Left handed to a angled roll toppy thing [technical
], little looky, so got a smack on the shoulder. Popped that, then onto the sharks teeth. Decent height and width as they had a back rail. Felt him backing off a few strides out so got growled at. Must've scared him as he jumped an extra foot
. Then right handed line to a skinny palisade-brush with a good three strides to a skinny triple brush. Kept my hands up and together to block his shoulders and he went through it like a seasoned pro
big pats and good boys. Back left handed over a whacking great set of tyres, on a short two to a skinny ascending log pile. We did it on a long one
but didnt look so proud of pony
then a brief shout at some course walkers who were walking my line to a palisade-brush in the fence row, which he cleared like a true hunt horse
Gallop on to a decent tiger trap, little looky so got a smack, put in a short one, but clear. Round to the trakehner, which he flew like it was nothing
Right handed through the hedge to the white posts, again a bit gawpy - he was expected to jump THAT?! Put in a short one but clear. Left handed past the start to the top of the field to an hour glass, which was pretty decent. Then the bank complex. When I walked this I ended up sending Baydale a text as it scared the living daylights out of me - I'd watched her go over that on Hector a few weeks previous!! [Not exactly the same fence, but it was close enough for me thankyouplease
] Was a bank up with a short one to a log with a drop, then up the bank the otherside jumping another log uphill, 1 stride on the bank then down the otherside. Had defo taken on board BD's wise words, however P was over jumping everything. Tried to bring him back to trot as knew in canter we'd launch into space. Needless to say we didn't get the trot. I'm applying to Nasa tomorrow. Kicked on for the second skinnier log in true Mary-King-esque style, and gave P big fuss after as I knew I'd just panicked so ridden like a muppet
BD will shoot me. *hides* Kicked on for the corner, but collected him up and showjumped it as he'd had a bit of an iffy with them at PC training. Jumped it nicely, then kicked on for the haycart infront of the viewing mound. Flew that, but clouted the next fence as I saw a long one he saw a short one and he got his legs in a tangle.
Bit looky at the boathouse into the water, so got a bit of encouragement, one to go which was a steeplechase, and he flew that, so came home clear! Don't know about time penalties, but I was so proud he'd done a DC over what was a pretty technical PN track. There weren't many, but we weren't placed as there were far too many high 20 / low 30 dressage scores.
Very pleased with P, roll on the Novice at Winkburn
Had been told it would be quite encouraging - A] because ALW always is, and B] because it was UA. Whoever told me that please can they own up so I can shoot them?
Left the house at 7 this morning after a half five start
Unfortunately it cleared by the time we got there, and was actually quite muggy. Got there, and was pleased to see the SJ was on a surface [P hasn't quite worked out the difference between SJ on grass and XC yet
Annnnywaaay. Got everything sorted, and went off to warm up for the DR. P hasn't been to a party since Area Eventing in mid July, and not a proper party since Solihull [1]. Needless to say eyes were out on stalks, and everything was VERY exciting. Warmed up okay, a little leany on the right rein which seems to be his new game. Went in to do our test, and was actually very pleased with him. Got a 7 for our entry and then it all seemed to go downhill
Had an hour between DR and SJ, so had a bite to eat. Went and warmed up, and he was really pinging, although he didn't like the shredded rubber warm up surface. Didn't do much with him as the surface and horse-eating ducks weren't helping. Went and waited by the ring, where the coursebuilder said to my mum "He's a lovely stamp of horse, nice looking."
Off to XC, just as it really started to rain
Very pleased with P, roll on the Novice at Winkburn
