Lolo
Well-Known Member
A funny old report from us, all stations go but just a little bit meh.
Smokes went to his first posh party, at Gt Witchingham for the BE90. Al was weirdly nervous, for the first time the pressure was on a bit as Smokes had exceeded expectations so massively.
The dressage was a bit lacking oomph, but generally sweet. The judge is the lady who loves Reggie, absolutely adores him and if he gets above 35 from her you know it was a shoddy test... Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same love for Smokes who was rewarded with a stream of 5s. His protest at the end of the test, where he saw some horses being turned out and refused to go down the centre line until he'd had a proper look, potentially didn't help. They scored a disappointing 47
Onto the SJ, and Al felt sick with nerves. She was really struck by them, in a way which is abnormal even for her. They went in, and she just sat there. Smokes negotiated the first fence leg by leg, and then went through fence 2. He managed the third and then had a complete non-stride to the fourth. He kept chipping and chipping waiting for some input from his jockey, who was paralysed with nerves still. He went, and landed spread eagled mid-oxer with Al sitting on his ears... She scrambled back into the saddle as he extricated himself from the wreckage, gave herself a kick up the bum, and rode him beautifully for the rest of the course and he jumped like a stag.
http://www.equus-imaging.com/HT/BW21-230314/BHT21-230314SQ/index.html#26
Photos from here... Think he finds 90cm quite big
Finally the best bit. The XC. And Smokes proved himself to be a complete star and missioned round without batting an eyelid at anything. He was having an absolute ball and in all the photos they're both ear-to-ear grinning.
http://www.equus-imaging.com/HT/BW21-230314/BHT21-230314SQ/index.html#43
He is the cutest pony ever!
Then this weekend Smokes and Reg had a play round the 90cm course at Isleham HT. Smokes went first and Al forgot how green he is- he's such a pro and so confident that it's an easy mistake to make. She let him cruise up to a skinny and he cruised straight on past. Once she'd sat up and pointed out the fence to him he was away He popped round really nicely bar that blip, he's such a perfect Peter!
http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=147164&zoom=yes
Photos here!
Reggie then went and did his customary cruise round. Al pointed and he went, minimal input wanted or required from his rider! He did nearly wipe her off on a tree, and had a massive goggle session at the ditch for reasons known only to himself... Al gave him a reminder that he wasn't ditchy and he sulkily jumped it and meandered over the skinny afterwards... He is such a dude! He came 9th for being miles under the time
On a hilariously dim note, Al excelled herself the past 2 weeks... At Gt Witchingham she was really worried, feeling sick with nerves and getting into a proper cycle of feeling sick and getting more stressed out. And then on Sunday at Isleham realised she wasn't sick with nerves, she was hungry... Because she felt the same again and "I'm never nervous about XC so it must have been something else!". Bless...
The plan now is all three boys are at mum's ODE next Friday. Between now and then Tango is having a JA lesson on Tuesday, and Smokes and Tango are on Friday. Al is giving herself a kick up the bum and is raring to go, and mum is desperately trying not to think about the fact the ODE is nearly full with a week before entries close. Oh, and Al is turning 20...
Lots of photos in the next report, but for now none sorry
Smokes went to his first posh party, at Gt Witchingham for the BE90. Al was weirdly nervous, for the first time the pressure was on a bit as Smokes had exceeded expectations so massively.
The dressage was a bit lacking oomph, but generally sweet. The judge is the lady who loves Reggie, absolutely adores him and if he gets above 35 from her you know it was a shoddy test... Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same love for Smokes who was rewarded with a stream of 5s. His protest at the end of the test, where he saw some horses being turned out and refused to go down the centre line until he'd had a proper look, potentially didn't help. They scored a disappointing 47
Onto the SJ, and Al felt sick with nerves. She was really struck by them, in a way which is abnormal even for her. They went in, and she just sat there. Smokes negotiated the first fence leg by leg, and then went through fence 2. He managed the third and then had a complete non-stride to the fourth. He kept chipping and chipping waiting for some input from his jockey, who was paralysed with nerves still. He went, and landed spread eagled mid-oxer with Al sitting on his ears... She scrambled back into the saddle as he extricated himself from the wreckage, gave herself a kick up the bum, and rode him beautifully for the rest of the course and he jumped like a stag.
http://www.equus-imaging.com/HT/BW21-230314/BHT21-230314SQ/index.html#26
Photos from here... Think he finds 90cm quite big
Finally the best bit. The XC. And Smokes proved himself to be a complete star and missioned round without batting an eyelid at anything. He was having an absolute ball and in all the photos they're both ear-to-ear grinning.
http://www.equus-imaging.com/HT/BW21-230314/BHT21-230314SQ/index.html#43
He is the cutest pony ever!
Then this weekend Smokes and Reg had a play round the 90cm course at Isleham HT. Smokes went first and Al forgot how green he is- he's such a pro and so confident that it's an easy mistake to make. She let him cruise up to a skinny and he cruised straight on past. Once she'd sat up and pointed out the fence to him he was away
He popped round really nicely bar that blip, he's such a perfect Peter!http://shanemcgrathphotography.com/shop/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=147164&zoom=yes
Photos here!
Reggie then went and did his customary cruise round. Al pointed and he went, minimal input wanted or required from his rider! He did nearly wipe her off on a tree, and had a massive goggle session at the ditch for reasons known only to himself... Al gave him a reminder that he wasn't ditchy and he sulkily jumped it and meandered over the skinny afterwards... He is such a dude! He came 9th for being miles under the time
On a hilariously dim note, Al excelled herself the past 2 weeks... At Gt Witchingham she was really worried, feeling sick with nerves and getting into a proper cycle of feeling sick and getting more stressed out. And then on Sunday at Isleham realised she wasn't sick with nerves, she was hungry... Because she felt the same again and "I'm never nervous about XC so it must have been something else!". Bless...
The plan now is all three boys are at mum's ODE next Friday. Between now and then Tango is having a JA lesson on Tuesday, and Smokes and Tango are on Friday. Al is giving herself a kick up the bum and is raring to go, and mum is desperately trying not to think about the fact the ODE is nearly full with a week before entries close. Oh, and Al is turning 20...
Lots of photos in the next report, but for now none sorry
