Trish C
Well-Known Member
Didn't want to post this in CR as I'm not sure it could be counted as a proper competition report... we're not quite at the lofty heights of our dressage aims yet, but today was still great!
There was a Trec competition running locally, and I apparently agreed to compete (whilst drunk) last week. So Knobberts (who'd had a week off whilst I was partying it up at a festival) got a bath yesterday... then another one this morning since he'd filthied himself overnight, and we wandered off down the road with our partners to the start/finish venue.
Knobber actually behaved quite well whilst standing/waiting (which he normally does NOT enjoy!) and pretty much ignored a couple of lunatic horses and a lot of goings on. For me it was worth the experience just to find out how he behaves at events.
We got through the first leg fine, then got fairly badly lost on the second... getting lost involved jumping a ditch (EEP! Brave pants on!) and climbing up a bank (even braver pants) which he did without blinking. Then when we'd recovered our way he led our more experienced buddy horse (who was kicking off big style) through a scary farmyard full of horse-eating machinery. Made the next checkpoint obviously running up a lot of penalties, so thought we were fairly out of it.
Then had to go through a very boggy field to note down a marker (went into the wrong field first - HUGE bank in, brave pants at risk), during which buddy horse pulled a shoe
we went on a bit further but then were heading into a forestry track and it was very stony so our buddies decided to withdraw and call to be picked up. The horse doesn't trailer well with other horses though, so I said I'd carry on, expecting all sorts of fireworks when I tried to ride away from his bestest bud.
Fortunately another pair caught us up so I could attach him to them. He was brilliant, he cantered/galloped in front of and behind the two other horses and didn't get strong at all. Then when we reached the next checkpoint I had to leave 5 mins ahead of them... he walked away not a bother, happy out. Then we forded a river and had a bit of a canter. Then we got to another checkpoint and the other pair arrived towards the end of my 5 min hold. He left them again without a question and made it home brilliantly - jumped another wee ditch and trotted off. He was just a superstar... I can't believe a couple of months ago I was terrified to hack him alone!
Got back to the finish line, hopped off and handed in my sheet, was pretty sure we'd been disqualified as we'd set off as a pair and only I'd finished... and even if we hadn't been disqualified once I'd lost my pal I hadn't bothered with even guessing speeds etc. So I just wandered home, absolutely beaming and delighted with the boy for being so well behaved.
Then the pal arrived back after going to collect our gear... CARRYING TWO FRILLIES! Turns out that apart from the penalties we'd got for getting lost, we'd been dead on the money on the other legs, and those that I did by myself were spot on and got second place! Delighted!
Here's us uber proud of our kids, modelling their frillies (featuring Monty's lovely new comfort bridle, which he seemed to really like)
There was a Trec competition running locally, and I apparently agreed to compete (whilst drunk) last week. So Knobberts (who'd had a week off whilst I was partying it up at a festival) got a bath yesterday... then another one this morning since he'd filthied himself overnight, and we wandered off down the road with our partners to the start/finish venue.
Knobber actually behaved quite well whilst standing/waiting (which he normally does NOT enjoy!) and pretty much ignored a couple of lunatic horses and a lot of goings on. For me it was worth the experience just to find out how he behaves at events.
We got through the first leg fine, then got fairly badly lost on the second... getting lost involved jumping a ditch (EEP! Brave pants on!) and climbing up a bank (even braver pants) which he did without blinking. Then when we'd recovered our way he led our more experienced buddy horse (who was kicking off big style) through a scary farmyard full of horse-eating machinery. Made the next checkpoint obviously running up a lot of penalties, so thought we were fairly out of it.
Then had to go through a very boggy field to note down a marker (went into the wrong field first - HUGE bank in, brave pants at risk), during which buddy horse pulled a shoe
we went on a bit further but then were heading into a forestry track and it was very stony so our buddies decided to withdraw and call to be picked up. The horse doesn't trailer well with other horses though, so I said I'd carry on, expecting all sorts of fireworks when I tried to ride away from his bestest bud.Fortunately another pair caught us up so I could attach him to them. He was brilliant, he cantered/galloped in front of and behind the two other horses and didn't get strong at all. Then when we reached the next checkpoint I had to leave 5 mins ahead of them... he walked away not a bother, happy out. Then we forded a river and had a bit of a canter. Then we got to another checkpoint and the other pair arrived towards the end of my 5 min hold. He left them again without a question and made it home brilliantly - jumped another wee ditch and trotted off. He was just a superstar... I can't believe a couple of months ago I was terrified to hack him alone!
Got back to the finish line, hopped off and handed in my sheet, was pretty sure we'd been disqualified as we'd set off as a pair and only I'd finished... and even if we hadn't been disqualified once I'd lost my pal I hadn't bothered with even guessing speeds etc. So I just wandered home, absolutely beaming and delighted with the boy for being so well behaved.
Then the pal arrived back after going to collect our gear... CARRYING TWO FRILLIES! Turns out that apart from the penalties we'd got for getting lost, we'd been dead on the money on the other legs, and those that I did by myself were spot on and got second place! Delighted!
Here's us uber proud of our kids, modelling their frillies (featuring Monty's lovely new comfort bridle, which he seemed to really like)
Last edited:
i would have gone home right there (i managed a half hour hack with one stretch of trot yesterday and was pleased as punch- haha
As soon as frilly was removed he returned to knobber mode, kicked over the bathing bucket, rid himself of that lovely cooler and put a couple of teeth marks in the frilly... but he was sooooo good all day when it mattered I allowed him a little bit of knobberism