The good, The bad and The down right ugly! Lessons Learned *pics*

[Hemirjtm]

Lessons learned :

* The calmer that H is on DEFINATLY works!
* When I think I need to give him a syringe I need to DO IT!!
* H is not allowed to have too many days off at grass as he turns into a monster!
* If I'm ill I still have to do something with him as noone else will/can!!
* H is NOT and never will be a dressage pony!!
* Pull out of a comp if I don't think either of us are ready!!

For 3 days last week I was in bed, everytime I got up I felt sick/dizzy. So H spent 4 days out in the field with no hard feed - so no calmer!

We had a good lesson a week ago, and everything was planned for a good week so that yesterday went well But me being ill wasn't on the books!! I lunged him on Saturday night and took him to a dressage comp on Sunday...bad idea!!

Think I will start with the bad....

I thought about giving him a syringe but he was being so laid back whilst we were plaiting, I didn't! He warmed up really well for our first test. Got into the arena and he felt really sluggish, dead to the leg and it didn't feel like the horse I had underneath me in the warm - up Anyway went in and it started ok, we trotted up the centre line in an outline, got to the judges and he yanked the reins from my hands and proceded to go round like a giraffe, or fight me constantly!! His canter was awful I had to literally keep kicking to keep it together, and he broke into trot once. Got 58% for that test, as marks were all over the place!! We got 3/4's and we got two 8's!! And 8 for his walk Double marks, and an 8 for my riding!! Comments at the end were ' Very well ridden, very good rider. Despite the horse messing around, you kept your cool and rode him very well!' Oh and we came 2nd!! So not that bad!! But this was our warm-up test

The Ugly...

I had thought long and hard about giving him a syringe but as he was so dead to the leg in the first test I decided not to....oops!

We had a LONG wait for our 2nd test so watched some other things going on! Had decided I was going to warm up for alot longer this time, and get him really listening to my leg, round and using his back end. Someone had other ideas!! He thought it would be best to show everyone his belly and not relax at all. The judges said I could go into the arena and warm up as my test was another 20mins wait and noone else was competing before me! (I think that this was very nice of them!). He stopped standing up whilst we were in the arena and settled really well, was going really really well, felt as though he was really swinging through his back and using his back end

Anyway we started our test, and going down the centre line he felt amazing best he has felt so far going down the centre line! Got to the judges and turned round the corner and he stood up, why?? I didn't even put my legs on! Carried on and most of the test went well, canter was appauling, but then he is never going to have a great canter! but trot felt really good!! Free walk on a long rein we got another 8 and as we were turning back up the centre line I think he stood on his hoof and he stood up and really showed the judges his belly! Then he proceded to trot down the centre line as if nothing had happened! nice square halt to end (7 ) finished with a score of 63% and came 5th! Comments were 'Shame about the unrequired elements, would have been a really nice test', 'very well ridden, and very well done for keeping your cool' So I suppose it's not that ugly, but it could have been alot better!!

And the good...

All the comments from spectators!! - there were lots of gasps, 'well sat', 'you're a very good rider', and the one I love 'how the hell did she manage to get that test out of that horse'

So H went staright back on the calmer last night, and he is having to have the loading dose again!! And we are going jumping on wednesday hopefully so we will see if not doing dressage changes his attitude!!

A few pics

First test:

2nd test

Landing after standing up showing the judges his belly !

And just to show that he can actually look ok!!

Thanks for reading!!

 

[cobface]

Lol i enjoyed reading that, sounds like my mare!
i know what you mean about the head thing, i did a test yesterday and have near enough the exact same picture (with the head right up there) in my post yesterday

 

[Hemirjtm]

lol! Thanks! The only difference is that he is 15, and should no better!!

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

Well done! 2 placings inspite of the 'unrequired movements' is pretty good we struggle to get that and we keep all 4 feet on he floor!
I hope you're feel better.

 

[Booboos]

Huge well done for keeping your cool and riding him in between his little temper tantrums! As you say it was a bit of an unfortunate prep, so all in all you did amazingly well. So nice to get an 8 for your riding!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hemirjtm]

Felicity_09 - thank you I was very pleased with our placings, just would have been nice to have had him on all fours!!

Booboos - thank you It's easier to let him get on with it when he is having a temper tantrum, as I would just make it worse!! I was VERY happy with an 8 for my riding!! I'm used to getting 6's and 7's for it!!

 

[diggerbez]

oh well done for keeping your cool its so frustrating when they are so naughty isn't it, especially when you know they CAN go well at home

 

[Hemirjtm]

Oh yes!! We school at a higher level at home, so that this level will be easy and we'll breeze through it!! maybe I should enter him in at a higher level!!