Hattikins
Well-Known Member
For what it's worth I thought I'd do a quick post rolling a couple of competition reports into one. Hambleden seems a long time ago now, took Hatts hoping for a confidence boosting run at PN after two Novice runs that had been encouraging (though one better on paper than the other!). Never been to Hambleden before and absolutely loved it, thought it was such a smart event and will definitely try to get there again in future seasons. To cut a rather short story even shorter, madam did a jaw droppingly good dressage to get 25.5 to lead the section which was heaving with pros - never seen so many in one section! and that's where the positives end....jumped well in the SJ warm up and then what happened next is all a bit of a mystery but we have come to the conclusion that Hatts saw the horse before us have a crashing refusal into an oxer in the arena - it sat down and demolished the fence. Being a sensitive mare we then went in and blow me down she slammed on the brakes at the first fence! The long and the short of it was I retired and we went home completely shocked as to what had happened to my mare who has never had more than 4 flts in the ring ever up to 1.10m! The following day we took her to coombelands for a 1m hunter trial which she flew round very enthusiastically and then jumped her twice at pyecombe the following week, once schooling and then again in a 1m open which she jumped a double clear in. So it seems she's just had a real wobbly loss of confidence. To nip it in the bud * hopefully * quickly we've got a lovely long legged man riding her in the PN at Borde Hill for me as she tends to have more respect for them than me especially if she's not feeling her normal uber confident self! So that's where we are with Hattie monter...
And just a quick report from Mattingley where I had a little coloured chappy in the BE90, some of you may remember I had a chance ride on him 2 yrs ago as a 5yr old and we won together at the Riding Club Junior Horse Trials Champs...well this year I've been kindly given the ride again and Matt was our first BE event together.
Firstly a 2hr journey turned into a 3 hr journey there as we had to sit on the M25 for an hour in stationary traffic after a multi car pile up
Little chap was so well behaved in the sweltering heat and had lots of visitors (people were wandering up and down the hard shoulder and playing football!) Finally got going and arrived in time for dressage though no time to walk XC - huge thanks to secretaries who shifted my SJ and XC times to accommodate a quick run round the XC! Warmed up v. quickly as so hot (thank goodness we were allowed to ride without jackets for the dressage!) and went in, he did a very sweet test, slightly flat in places and resisted slightly in a transition or two but still good. Werent sure how we'd fair as start of section was marked pretty hard...we got a 27.5 ! Which led the section (there was a 23 but it was HC) so very happy!
Onto SJing and he jumped very nicely just tipping the front rail of a oxer which he really shouldnt have - partly my fault, partly his - so a little disappointed. Onto XC and he just scampered round full of energy despite the heat - came home clear and well inside the time which always surprises me as he's only 15hh but he's just so nippy and you dont need to take wide lines to anything so I guess we just shave time off without realising. Checked scoreboards to find we'd WON ! Despite the rail down so incredibly chuffed! I absolutely adore this little chap to pieces, he's such a joy to ride and a pleasure to take out. So all in all a very happy day! Was lovely to finally meet Autumn Rose and stupidly sat waiting to SJ practically next to Chloe_GHE and still managed not to speak to her - I am a numpty!!
http://www.pleasureprintsgallery.co.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=93882
Thanks for reading if you got this far without your eyelids drooping! ice cold orange juice available to all And just to brighten it up my 10month old terrier who came and played "trailer dog" at Mattingley and was so well behaved
And just a quick report from Mattingley where I had a little coloured chappy in the BE90, some of you may remember I had a chance ride on him 2 yrs ago as a 5yr old and we won together at the Riding Club Junior Horse Trials Champs...well this year I've been kindly given the ride again and Matt was our first BE event together.
Firstly a 2hr journey turned into a 3 hr journey there as we had to sit on the M25 for an hour in stationary traffic after a multi car pile up
Little chap was so well behaved in the sweltering heat and had lots of visitors (people were wandering up and down the hard shoulder and playing football!) Finally got going and arrived in time for dressage though no time to walk XC - huge thanks to secretaries who shifted my SJ and XC times to accommodate a quick run round the XC! Warmed up v. quickly as so hot (thank goodness we were allowed to ride without jackets for the dressage!) and went in, he did a very sweet test, slightly flat in places and resisted slightly in a transition or two but still good. Werent sure how we'd fair as start of section was marked pretty hard...we got a 27.5 ! Which led the section (there was a 23 but it was HC) so very happy! Onto SJing and he jumped very nicely just tipping the front rail of a oxer which he really shouldnt have - partly my fault, partly his - so a little disappointed. Onto XC and he just scampered round full of energy despite the heat - came home clear and well inside the time which always surprises me as he's only 15hh but he's just so nippy and you dont need to take wide lines to anything so I guess we just shave time off without realising. Checked scoreboards to find we'd WON
! Despite the rail down so incredibly chuffed! I absolutely adore this little chap to pieces, he's such a joy to ride and a pleasure to take out. So all in all a very happy day! Was lovely to finally meet Autumn Rose and stupidly sat waiting to SJ practically next to Chloe_GHE and still managed not to speak to her - I am a numpty!!http://www.pleasureprintsgallery.co.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=93882
Thanks for reading if you got this far without your eyelids drooping! ice cold orange juice available to all
And just to brighten it up my 10month old terrier who came and played "trailer dog" at Mattingley and was so well behaved
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