summertoots
Well-Known Member
Had to get up at six o'clock, but I had been awake since four!! Got to the yard at seven and it was beyond cold!! He looked more than a little confused to be getting dragged in at such an early hour. The thought then crossed my mind I had never plaited him before, and I had only given myself half an hour to get him ready!! But despite the fact his main is like human fine hair to work with it looked very nice!
Dressed him in his new party clothes (travel boots and stain free cooler) We loaded him first as he is a good bit bigger than my friends horse, and he had a freak!!! Alisdair shouted at him to pack it in and he then gave a snort and did just that! So we loaded the other horse and away we went.
Got to the show field to find only two more lorries there so it was very quiet. Got my number, had a few looks from the secretary as I havent had a horse out for two years, but I was in no mood to fill them in.
We were dead chuffed so far as he had traveled like a dream, but his eyes were like saucers when I lead him out the trailer, he grew to about 19 hands and spun round me, slight worry about that but as soon as his travel gear came off he was bright but calm enough to stand tied up as his friend was there.
I got changed and pall and her dad got him ready. Panic number two...forgot steps to get on! But Alisdair, the clever man, put the water container under the ramp to raise it high enough for me.
He was very bright when I was on, so I walked him round the boundry so he could have a good look, and despite it all being new he never felt like he was going to be naughty, even though by this time there were a constant flow of lorries and tralers comming in and horses chouting to each other.
Pall came to help me warm up, in a huge flat field, and he walked in past all the ropes into the middle of the field without a backwards glance at his friend.
Warm up was a little tense but he was starting to relax into an acceptable outline, I was the only one there and I spotted the judge watching us, and I was over the moon with how he was behaving. Another horse came over to warm up and then went to do her test. I was suposed to go 3rd but someone had pulled out so Peter (steward) shouted me over, then made a crack about me being on a horse cos Im the groom!!!
Went round the arena on the right rein, he had a spook at the judges car, then spotted the chickens over the wall, and had another spook, gentle persuasion and he went past, and it was at this point he spotted the dressage boards!! And that was the point the horn went! Went to enter at A, and for the next four and a half mins he did all he could not to go near the boards, and I did all I could to keep us in the arena
there were flashes of nice, when we were in the middle of the arena, he refused to canter right no mater how much I asked him to please change for me!!! I just had to halt at g and laugh! Judge did too (is that good?)
Had 40 mins till the next test, so I had a walk around with him as it was very busy with kids and dogs all over the place and horses warming up, then I went and had a little warm up again, by this time my instructor had arrived and helped us out as my friend was also doing this test. By this time he was a lot more chilled and was looking wow, and we were pleased with this warm up. I did however mention how he reacted to being in the arena and not to expect a "good" test and that the day was about getting him out.
He still had a good look at the boards, and the quarters at times were beyond my control, but he did a much calmer rounder test, came against me a few times and still not wanting to go infront of my leg, but this time I felt like perhaps there was some hope that after a few parties he could do well at this dressage stuff!
I Realy am over the moon with his behavior, I couldn't have asked for more from him. The judges coments were very positive saying he was a very atractive horse, he has the paces and to persevere as he has real potential.
A few of the older members also admired him and said it was nice to see me doing things again. I hope it isnt too long till I can get him out again, there is a real buzz in taking a horse out knowing that you have put all the graft in, makes all the hard work worthwhile.
Dressed him in his new party clothes (travel boots and stain free cooler) We loaded him first as he is a good bit bigger than my friends horse, and he had a freak!!! Alisdair shouted at him to pack it in and he then gave a snort and did just that! So we loaded the other horse and away we went.
Got to the show field to find only two more lorries there so it was very quiet. Got my number, had a few looks from the secretary as I havent had a horse out for two years, but I was in no mood to fill them in.
We were dead chuffed so far as he had traveled like a dream, but his eyes were like saucers when I lead him out the trailer, he grew to about 19 hands and spun round me, slight worry about that but as soon as his travel gear came off he was bright but calm enough to stand tied up as his friend was there.
I got changed and pall and her dad got him ready. Panic number two...forgot steps to get on! But Alisdair, the clever man, put the water container under the ramp to raise it high enough for me.
He was very bright when I was on, so I walked him round the boundry so he could have a good look, and despite it all being new he never felt like he was going to be naughty, even though by this time there were a constant flow of lorries and tralers comming in and horses chouting to each other.
Pall came to help me warm up, in a huge flat field, and he walked in past all the ropes into the middle of the field without a backwards glance at his friend.
Warm up was a little tense but he was starting to relax into an acceptable outline, I was the only one there and I spotted the judge watching us, and I was over the moon with how he was behaving. Another horse came over to warm up and then went to do her test. I was suposed to go 3rd but someone had pulled out so Peter (steward) shouted me over, then made a crack about me being on a horse cos Im the groom!!!
Went round the arena on the right rein, he had a spook at the judges car, then spotted the chickens over the wall, and had another spook, gentle persuasion and he went past, and it was at this point he spotted the dressage boards!! And that was the point the horn went! Went to enter at A, and for the next four and a half mins he did all he could not to go near the boards, and I did all I could to keep us in the arena
Had 40 mins till the next test, so I had a walk around with him as it was very busy with kids and dogs all over the place and horses warming up, then I went and had a little warm up again, by this time my instructor had arrived and helped us out as my friend was also doing this test. By this time he was a lot more chilled and was looking wow, and we were pleased with this warm up. I did however mention how he reacted to being in the arena and not to expect a "good" test and that the day was about getting him out.
He still had a good look at the boards, and the quarters at times were beyond my control, but he did a much calmer rounder test, came against me a few times and still not wanting to go infront of my leg, but this time I felt like perhaps there was some hope that after a few parties he could do well at this dressage stuff!
I Realy am over the moon with his behavior, I couldn't have asked for more from him. The judges coments were very positive saying he was a very atractive horse, he has the paces and to persevere as he has real potential.
A few of the older members also admired him and said it was nice to see me doing things again. I hope it isnt too long till I can get him out again, there is a real buzz in taking a horse out knowing that you have put all the graft in, makes all the hard work worthwhile.