rara007
Well-Known Member
It certainly counted as an adventure leaving today in the pitch black and blowing a gale 
Luckily C followed in his companion pony straight away and travelled very easily as usual 
Left him to survey the car park from the lorry while we walked the course. FatherR then annouced himself rather nervous and had to use the toilet Before checking there'd be experienced people watching us if we needed help 
After a few more toilet trips we put as much harness on in the lorry as we could and got him off, where he quickly went onto three legs and wondered what all the fuss was about. Decided he was looking calm enough to go down to the warm up (which can be quite lively with a number of horses and carriages in a 50X20!) and again he was very chilled! Called once but just mooched the rest of the time. Quick trot and we went in for our first round. Clear through the first cones and into the first obstacle, made all the turns we'd planned and into the top one which was tighter and scarier but still kept jogging on on a loose rein 
Tight turn towards the end was just too tight for him so down it came, but he still didn't spook! Through the last few cones and we were alive Went back to the warmup which was now getting more exciting with people cantering past and shetlands, but no, that's still not exciting. Next round he gained confidence, changed the tight route to a longer one which caught both daddyR and C out but they still made the turn, and overall were about 20seconds faster, and 3rd time round he really enjoyed though still keeping in trot and with very little contact (that's a daddyR thing ) made all the turns and was a further 10 seconds faster The class was very small and we came out 2nd 
But he went, he didn't spook at the others in the warm up, the cones, the people, the obstacles, did probably some of the tightest turns he's done, and we all came away smiling- so a very good result DaddyR even declared that finishing the first round was more of a buzz than becoming reserve national champion!
Now that first one is out the way we can look towards the outdoor season as normal indoors is just too tight for a young horse his size, so waiting for the early season ODEs to come out Very proud of him, he couldn't have behaved better and he only came back from breaking 8 weeks ago!
Little and Large in the warmup- both their first shows
Pictures thanks to Mike Watts:
Exciting We know he can produce the dressage given time as he's already offering it when asked so fingers crossed he remains this calm and bold outside and they'll soon be flying!
Luckily C followed in his companion pony straight away and travelled very easily as usual Left him to survey the car park from the lorry while we walked the course. FatherR then annouced himself rather nervous and had to use the toilet Before checking there'd be experienced people watching us if we needed help After a few more toilet trips we put as much harness on in the lorry as we could and got him off, where he quickly went onto three legs and wondered what all the fuss was about. Decided he was looking calm enough to go down to the warm up (which can be quite lively with a number of horses and carriages in a 50X20!) and again he was very chilled! Called once but just mooched the rest of the time. Quick trot and we went in for our first round. Clear through the first cones and into the first obstacle, made all the turns we'd planned and into the top one which was tighter and scarier but still kept jogging on on a loose rein Tight turn towards the end was just too tight for him so down it came, but he still didn't spook! Through the last few cones and we were alive Went back to the warmup which was now getting more exciting with people cantering past and shetlands, but no, that's still not exciting. Next round he gained confidence, changed the tight route to a longer one which caught both daddyR and C out but they still made the turn, and overall were about 20seconds faster, and 3rd time round he really enjoyed though still keeping in trot and with very little contact (that's a daddyR thing ) made all the turns and was a further 10 seconds faster The class was very small and we came out 2nd But he went, he didn't spook at the others in the warm up, the cones, the people, the obstacles, did probably some of the tightest turns he's done, and we all came away smiling- so a very good result DaddyR even declared that finishing the first round was more of a buzz than becoming reserve national champion!Now that first one is out the way we can look towards the outdoor season as normal indoors is just too tight for a young horse his size, so waiting for the early season ODEs to come out
Very proud of him, he couldn't have behaved better and he only came back from breaking 8 weeks ago!Little and Large in the warmup- both their first shows
Pictures thanks to Mike Watts:
Exciting
We know he can produce the dressage given time as he's already offering it when asked so fingers crossed he remains this calm and bold outside and they'll soon be flying!
Is Ashfields carriage centre in Essex too far for you Vallin? (I assume you're cambridge?) If not Claire Bourne is that direction I think? There's a list on the horse driving trials ass. website, as well as british driving soc. one 