CrazyMare
Well-Known Member
What a way to finish the season!!! I was absolutely full of cold all week, to the point my husband told me off for riding at 6am in the pouring rain. Normally he wouldn't question this sort of activity, just put it down to having 'horse fever'. He even suggested I withdraw....
With excellent preparation of loosing all the glue that is currently holding on her hind shoe at Opening Meet last Friday, and the farrier not being able to replace it until Tuesday, I had only ridden three times since the previous week (Once at Opening Meet where she was ragingly in season, reared, stropped and was generally vile all day, once at 6am in the pouring rain, and the night before). I wasn't filled with confidence, however I know Callie, and I know that even if everything seems perfect in the preparation, Callie will throw her own spanner into the works. Callie has a temper and an opinion. If it doesn't match yours, hell or high water will not change it.
We set off with our previous record at Solihull in mind (that would be a retirement and an elimination....). Arrived in good time, got numbers etc and everything was going to time, going smoothly, studs went in easily and she didn't throw herself on the floor while doing said studs (has been known).
Worked in well for the dressage and did a really nice accurate test including a large buck into canter...
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711002152162/
Popped her back on the box and went to walk the xc course. Seemed nice and straightforwards, two horribly muddy patches. Those are make or break for Callie. She doesn't like mud, but if shes going, she will plough through, if shes being sticky it's likely to be the end of our ride!
Just in time to get ready to show jump, arrived with 4 to go in front of me which is perfect, she doesn't need much SJ working n.
WE had noticed fence 7 seemed to be causing bother, a triple bar with a patch of light from the skylights in front of it.
It wasn't the neatest or best round we've jumped, but it was clear - I gave a big old pony club style kick in front of 7, determined not to have an issue. She leapt it!
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711022262162/
Still no dressage score at this point, but I was feeling good. Two out of three phases good so far which is better than the normal average!
On to the XC, put my leg on in the working in and she was off like a rocket!!! Two horses to go before us, so had a good canter each way, popped two fences and into the start box. This is her big issue. Leaving the start box and getting over the first 3-4 fences, if shes going to be sticky, it can be the end before the first fence.
She left the start box like her tail was on fire, pinged one, slight thought of backing off at two, so I sat back, leg on hard and growled! Over two and she was absolutely on it! At fence 7 I thought we could be on for a clear, at 11 I thought we had a good chance of a clear, but the water was still to come where she is more hit than miss these days but can still have a moment. Pinged the double on one stride at 13. Jumped 14 well, and backed off as she saw the water at 15 but trotted in. Flew out and finished clear!
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711030612162/
We did it!! She finally jumped a true double clear!! Finished with 2.8 time penalties, but everyone was, so I'm happy with that.
My friend went to look at the scoreboard and told me we were lying in second!! Could not believe it!! Four scores still to go up, but only two of them could go ahead of us! Nerve wracking wait, but we did it!!! We finished in second!!! SO SO SO pleased with my pony!!!
With excellent preparation of loosing all the glue that is currently holding on her hind shoe at Opening Meet last Friday, and the farrier not being able to replace it until Tuesday, I had only ridden three times since the previous week (Once at Opening Meet where she was ragingly in season, reared, stropped and was generally vile all day, once at 6am in the pouring rain, and the night before). I wasn't filled with confidence, however I know Callie, and I know that even if everything seems perfect in the preparation, Callie will throw her own spanner into the works. Callie has a temper and an opinion. If it doesn't match yours, hell or high water will not change it.
We set off with our previous record at Solihull in mind (that would be a retirement and an elimination....). Arrived in good time, got numbers etc and everything was going to time, going smoothly, studs went in easily and she didn't throw herself on the floor while doing said studs (has been known).
Worked in well for the dressage and did a really nice accurate test including a large buck into canter...
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711002152162/
Popped her back on the box and went to walk the xc course. Seemed nice and straightforwards, two horribly muddy patches. Those are make or break for Callie. She doesn't like mud, but if shes going, she will plough through, if shes being sticky it's likely to be the end of our ride!
Just in time to get ready to show jump, arrived with 4 to go in front of me which is perfect, she doesn't need much SJ working n.
WE had noticed fence 7 seemed to be causing bother, a triple bar with a patch of light from the skylights in front of it.
It wasn't the neatest or best round we've jumped, but it was clear - I gave a big old pony club style kick in front of 7, determined not to have an issue. She leapt it!
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711022262162/
Still no dressage score at this point, but I was feeling good. Two out of three phases good so far which is better than the normal average!
On to the XC, put my leg on in the working in and she was off like a rocket!!! Two horses to go before us, so had a good canter each way, popped two fences and into the start box. This is her big issue. Leaving the start box and getting over the first 3-4 fences, if shes going to be sticky, it can be the end before the first fence.
She left the start box like her tail was on fire, pinged one, slight thought of backing off at two, so I sat back, leg on hard and growled! Over two and she was absolutely on it! At fence 7 I thought we could be on for a clear, at 11 I thought we had a good chance of a clear, but the water was still to come where she is more hit than miss these days but can still have a moment. Pinged the double on one stride at 13. Jumped 14 well, and backed off as she saw the water at 15 but trotted in. Flew out and finished clear!
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.e.owen/videos/10153711030612162/
We did it!! She finally jumped a true double clear!! Finished with 2.8 time penalties, but everyone was, so I'm happy with that.
My friend went to look at the scoreboard and told me we were lying in second!! Could not believe it!! Four scores still to go up, but only two of them could go ahead of us! Nerve wracking wait, but we did it!!! We finished in second!!! SO SO SO pleased with my pony!!!
