jess_asterix
Well-Known Member
So I am not banned for the moment so thought I would post out first Novice report!!
Headed off to Llanymynech feeling super prepared for our first Novice as we had a fantastic schooling session at home the day before and had done some great gallop work in the week.
Got there, got ourselves ready and headed over to dressage with about 30 minutes to go, this is a short warm up for him but he had been onside all week. I played with the lateral work, forwards and back within it, big and small steps as well as transitions on there own and in lateral movements. Went in early as the one before me was late and he felt on side and was working well.
Went tense as we got the arena but settled once on the centre line, did everything in the right place at the right time. Medium trot was nothing to write home about but I didnt want him to canter, change of rein through trot stayed straight and in front of the leg but a bit tense, Medium canters he opened his mouth and there was some tension but showed a clear difference, overall I was pleased as he stayed in front of my leg!!!
Had 3 hours between DR & SJ so went off to walk the XC, there were several long runs between fences, at 5 here was a upright to a ditch 8 was a step up 2 strides to a skinny arrowhead, 11 a,b & 12 was a log, 4 strides to a skinny brush which you could straight by angling the first log or curving jumping the log straight then a right hand curve to a jump on top of a bank, another let up fence then the double of corners, it walked a bold 3 or a holding 4, few more easy fences then the water, roll top, drop in, run out to a brush box then over the last 2 to finish.
Nothing I was too worried about, knew I would have to hold my line strongly at the corners as they were right handed which is our worst side and I wanted to ride the water positively as he has never dropped in at a competition.
Had time to chill before SJ, walked the course no real issues there, combination up the hill and a double down the hill at the end. Got warmed up and in we went just as the rain stopped, yay! Tapped 2 and tapped coming out of the combi but they all stayed and we were clear. Found out we had a 31.5 dressage which had us in equal 6th.
We are allowed to share links to these photos which are put on the photographer Facebook page for people to view so button pushers stay away please!
Click next
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...146608.1073741851.238171141607&type=3&theater
Onto the fun bit now, got ready in my new XC top from Treehouse, set my watch after a quick read of the instructions and off we went to the warm up. Had 4 to go so started warming up and had a bit of a jump then there was a hold on course for around 15 minutes, meanwhile the heavens opened and we were all drenched!! Anyway over to the start box whilst it was hailing and off we went!
Flew 1, got after him to get going between 1 & 2, little peek at the yellow flowers on 2 but safely over, over the house at 3 and up the bank to the brush at 4, long run to 5 the upright and ditch sweetly over those and onto the trakehner and chair, over both of those without an issue and onto the step, slowed up so we had control with the skinny and popped through easily, over the next nicely and onto 10 a hanging log with a downhill on land then up hill to another hanging log on 4 strides, got a nice one to the first but jumped it slowly so had to make up a bit of ground in the distance.
Onto 11, didnt ride the line I walk I just improvised and he locked on to everything asked, over the next and to the corners. I rode for the bold 3 but it was looonngg!! So I had to really hold him left use lots of leg and we got 4 without making too much of a mess! Over the wall where I lost my hat silk and onto the fence before the water, steadied for the water but rode forward, popped in nicely, gave him some vocal encouragement which wasnt needed really, landed and felt like we had stopped and lost all momentum so got what energy we could and popped out nicely. Looked at my watch for the first time and I had around 35 secs to get home so really kicked on and flew the last 2 for my watch to beep as I crossed the finish!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...146608.1073741851.238171141607&type=3&theater
[youtube]0386cXbVMfY[/youtube]
So a double clear and bang on the optimum time in our first Novice!! The time was proving an issue for most and there were several SJ faults, this meant we moved up from 6th to 2nd!!!!!!!
I literally couldnt have asked for a better start at this level, double clear and 2nd with 5 shiny big boy points to our name woooo!
I have the most amazing horse with the biggest heart of gold. I love him. Next up is Mount Ballan then Catton Park.
This is my Badminton Video for anyone who is interested also
[youtube]TOyEfqYCTFA[/youtube]
Comments and CC welcome
Headed off to Llanymynech feeling super prepared for our first Novice as we had a fantastic schooling session at home the day before and had done some great gallop work in the week.
Got there, got ourselves ready and headed over to dressage with about 30 minutes to go, this is a short warm up for him but he had been onside all week. I played with the lateral work, forwards and back within it, big and small steps as well as transitions on there own and in lateral movements. Went in early as the one before me was late and he felt on side and was working well.
Went tense as we got the arena but settled once on the centre line, did everything in the right place at the right time. Medium trot was nothing to write home about but I didnt want him to canter, change of rein through trot stayed straight and in front of the leg but a bit tense, Medium canters he opened his mouth and there was some tension but showed a clear difference, overall I was pleased as he stayed in front of my leg!!!
Had 3 hours between DR & SJ so went off to walk the XC, there were several long runs between fences, at 5 here was a upright to a ditch 8 was a step up 2 strides to a skinny arrowhead, 11 a,b & 12 was a log, 4 strides to a skinny brush which you could straight by angling the first log or curving jumping the log straight then a right hand curve to a jump on top of a bank, another let up fence then the double of corners, it walked a bold 3 or a holding 4, few more easy fences then the water, roll top, drop in, run out to a brush box then over the last 2 to finish.
Nothing I was too worried about, knew I would have to hold my line strongly at the corners as they were right handed which is our worst side and I wanted to ride the water positively as he has never dropped in at a competition.
Had time to chill before SJ, walked the course no real issues there, combination up the hill and a double down the hill at the end. Got warmed up and in we went just as the rain stopped, yay! Tapped 2 and tapped coming out of the combi but they all stayed and we were clear. Found out we had a 31.5 dressage which had us in equal 6th.
We are allowed to share links to these photos which are put on the photographer Facebook page for people to view so button pushers stay away please!
Click next
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...146608.1073741851.238171141607&type=3&theater
Onto the fun bit now, got ready in my new XC top from Treehouse, set my watch after a quick read of the instructions and off we went to the warm up. Had 4 to go so started warming up and had a bit of a jump then there was a hold on course for around 15 minutes, meanwhile the heavens opened and we were all drenched!! Anyway over to the start box whilst it was hailing and off we went!
Flew 1, got after him to get going between 1 & 2, little peek at the yellow flowers on 2 but safely over, over the house at 3 and up the bank to the brush at 4, long run to 5 the upright and ditch sweetly over those and onto the trakehner and chair, over both of those without an issue and onto the step, slowed up so we had control with the skinny and popped through easily, over the next nicely and onto 10 a hanging log with a downhill on land then up hill to another hanging log on 4 strides, got a nice one to the first but jumped it slowly so had to make up a bit of ground in the distance.
Onto 11, didnt ride the line I walk I just improvised and he locked on to everything asked, over the next and to the corners. I rode for the bold 3 but it was looonngg!! So I had to really hold him left use lots of leg and we got 4 without making too much of a mess! Over the wall where I lost my hat silk and onto the fence before the water, steadied for the water but rode forward, popped in nicely, gave him some vocal encouragement which wasnt needed really, landed and felt like we had stopped and lost all momentum so got what energy we could and popped out nicely. Looked at my watch for the first time and I had around 35 secs to get home so really kicked on and flew the last 2 for my watch to beep as I crossed the finish!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...146608.1073741851.238171141607&type=3&theater
[youtube]0386cXbVMfY[/youtube]
So a double clear and bang on the optimum time in our first Novice!! The time was proving an issue for most and there were several SJ faults, this meant we moved up from 6th to 2nd!!!!!!!
I literally couldnt have asked for a better start at this level, double clear and 2nd with 5 shiny big boy points to our name woooo!
I have the most amazing horse with the biggest heart of gold. I love him. Next up is Mount Ballan then Catton Park.
This is my Badminton Video for anyone who is interested also
[youtube]TOyEfqYCTFA[/youtube]
Comments and CC welcome
