Lolo
Well-Known Member
The title says it all really! Reggie bagged himself a rosette today, and it was a lovely shiny yellow one! We're not sure how his ego fitted in the lorry, and he's now chilling in the field telling Tango exactly how to be a schoolmaster like himself 
It was Isleham, and Al had Smokes and Reg there in the 90cm- Tango was also going for the 80cm but he's having viewings atm so it was decided to not run him.
Smokes went first and did a very jolly dressage. It was all very sweet but very fresh too, and he had lots of opinions that needed saying so a mark per movement was dropped pretty much through a form of self-expression (lots of head wiggles and bounces!). He got 41, which was very fair- he's got so much to offer, it's just going to take time and exposure to produce it all.
In the SJ Al really concentrated on being positive in her riding rather than shrinking and going a bit backwards and she felt she rode considerably better than she has done before at comps. Smokes went quite green at the double, an upright to an oxer, and had a stop but it was a very genuine baby moment. But the positive is Al didn't flap but just kept going and he completed the rest of the round really sweetly. Lots of pats and smiley faces!
Finally, the XC! It was skinny central, reminding Al she needs to do some basics with him about skinnies as he's not met them outside of competition yet... The main bogey fences were:
These had a really funny approach, which made getting a good line harder
Next to the lorry park
Smokes set off really well- he really gets XC now and loves it! Fence 4 came up a bit too quickly and the line was slightly off, and he just didn't get the question so had a very understandable green runout at part A. On his second attempt though he flew through and scampered round the next couple of fences easily including the skinny into the water splash He went through the ditch complex sweetly, although he needed a bit of positive riding to get to the skinny, and he finished the round on a massive high Very clever pony!
[youtube]Sf5MEReRono[/youtube]
[youtube]Bx3lhGGY3Cg[/youtube]
XC videos inclusing the water splash and ditch complex
Reg, aka Mr Chilled, did his customary test of absolute nonchalance and minimal effort. He scored a 35 for his lack of efforts There's not much to say about his dressage really, he rocks up, does it, wonders off again... He's most interested in his polos after the test!
The SJ at Isleham has long held serious demons for Al and Reg, but a combination of a step down and a much more relaxed approach from Al has paid off in dividends. They rolled fence 2, but aside from that left them all up... Very confusing situation for everyone but they really have found their SJ mojo now
[youtube]7H9F2rZUjdI[/youtube]
And the best bit, the XC. Al just pointed him in the right direction and off they went with their usual argument at the ditch. We have no idea why this particular ditch causes issues. The one next to it is fine, the novice one is fine. Every other ditch in the world is fine- he is so unditchy it's ridiculous. But the BE90 ditch at Isleham always results in some very 'positive' riding from Al and a frankly absurd display from Reg...
[youtube]ifGkV49Z3kc[/youtube]
He wasn't awarded a stop for this, amazingly!
[youtube]3_yvnnaNIU4[/youtube]
And last week, Al and Reg finally tied the knot Al was asked if she'd mind posing with him for a bridal shoot, and there are some absurdly beautiful photos of them
This is my absolute favourite from the shoot, but there are more to be seen on this FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/ElizaBooPh...1021117925555/838248546202806/?type=1&theater
I can't believe how beautifully behaved he was- it was a wide open field, lots going on, and he was his usual relaxed self as Al rode him bareback around posing, wearing the most enormous wedding dress. He is absolutely one in a million.
Which makes this bit all the harder to have decided. Al has been asked back to where she did her WP stint as a full time groom. She can take a horse, but it'll be proper paid employment and her ideal career path- she loved her time there and this is such an enormous opportunity she would be mental to say no. But she can take one horse, and Reg would absolutely hate it there. So she's made the exceptionally tough decision to find him a loan home where he can continue being the best schoolmaster and happy hack you'd wish to meet. They'll be carefully vetted and have to be local enough that Team Reggie can check in for cuddles and kisses regularly, and there's no rush so he'll only go to the perfect home for him. If no one suitable turns up then he'll stay at home and join the retired boys club on the big fields, bit we'd rather he kept having fun with someone!
Please no comments on this decision, it's been made now after weeks of agonising.
It was Isleham, and Al had Smokes and Reg there in the 90cm- Tango was also going for the 80cm but he's having viewings atm so it was decided to not run him.
Smokes went first and did a very jolly dressage. It was all very sweet but very fresh too, and he had lots of opinions that needed saying so a mark per movement was dropped pretty much through a form of self-expression (lots of head wiggles and bounces!). He got 41, which was very fair- he's got so much to offer, it's just going to take time and exposure to produce it all.
In the SJ Al really concentrated on being positive in her riding rather than shrinking and going a bit backwards and she felt she rode considerably better than she has done before at comps. Smokes went quite green at the double, an upright to an oxer, and had a stop but it was a very genuine baby moment. But the positive is Al didn't flap but just kept going and he completed the rest of the round really sweetly. Lots of pats and smiley faces!
Finally, the XC! It was skinny central, reminding Al she needs to do some basics with him about skinnies as he's not met them outside of competition yet... The main bogey fences were:
These had a really funny approach, which made getting a good line harder
Next to the lorry park
Smokes set off really well- he really gets XC now and loves it! Fence 4 came up a bit too quickly and the line was slightly off, and he just didn't get the question so had a very understandable green runout at part A. On his second attempt though he flew through and scampered round the next couple of fences easily including the skinny into the water splash
He went through the ditch complex sweetly, although he needed a bit of positive riding to get to the skinny, and he finished the round on a massive high Very clever pony![youtube]Sf5MEReRono[/youtube]
[youtube]Bx3lhGGY3Cg[/youtube]
XC videos inclusing the water splash and ditch complex
Reg, aka Mr Chilled, did his customary test of absolute nonchalance and minimal effort. He scored a 35 for his lack of efforts
There's not much to say about his dressage really, he rocks up, does it, wonders off again... He's most interested in his polos after the test! The SJ at Isleham has long held serious demons for Al and Reg, but a combination of a step down and a much more relaxed approach from Al has paid off in dividends. They rolled fence 2, but aside from that left them all up... Very confusing situation for everyone but they really have found their SJ mojo now
[youtube]7H9F2rZUjdI[/youtube]
And the best bit, the XC. Al just pointed him in the right direction and off they went with their usual argument at the ditch. We have no idea why this particular ditch causes issues. The one next to it is fine, the novice one is fine. Every other ditch in the world is fine- he is so unditchy it's ridiculous. But the BE90 ditch at Isleham always results in some very 'positive' riding from Al and a frankly absurd display from Reg...
[youtube]ifGkV49Z3kc[/youtube]
He wasn't awarded a stop for this, amazingly!
[youtube]3_yvnnaNIU4[/youtube]
And last week, Al and Reg finally tied the knot
Al was asked if she'd mind posing with him for a bridal shoot, and there are some absurdly beautiful photos of them
This is my absolute favourite from the shoot, but there are more to be seen on this FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/ElizaBooPh...1021117925555/838248546202806/?type=1&theater
I can't believe how beautifully behaved he was- it was a wide open field, lots going on, and he was his usual relaxed self as Al rode him bareback around posing, wearing the most enormous wedding dress. He is absolutely one in a million.
Which makes this bit all the harder to have decided. Al has been asked back to where she did her WP stint as a full time groom. She can take a horse, but it'll be proper paid employment and her ideal career path- she loved her time there and this is such an enormous opportunity she would be mental to say no. But she can take one horse, and Reg would absolutely hate it there. So she's made the exceptionally tough decision to find him a loan home where he can continue being the best schoolmaster and happy hack you'd wish to meet. They'll be carefully vetted and have to be local enough that Team Reggie can check in for cuddles and kisses regularly, and there's no rush so he'll only go to the perfect home for him. If no one suitable turns up then he'll stay at home and join the retired boys club on the big fields, bit we'd rather he kept having fun with someone!
Please no comments on this decision, it's been made now after weeks of agonising.
