SOS
Well-Known Member
So I promised a report if I got to me ODE this weekend and great surprise, I did! However not quite what we expected.. here is my first report. Introducing Larry, a horse I have owned just a few months, and myself.
Saturday I went ahead with my showjumping plans, it was a beautiful sunny, if cold, day and so we left very relaxed at mid-day for a thirty minute pootle to a large venue near us. I decided against going through a large market town on Saturday and opted for the scenic route, on reflection this was where I made my first mistake of the weekend. Various gated roads were indured after a wrong turn, all single track (one signposted to say that 50ft holes have been known to appear if you stray off the track).
So the journey was going well... then we passed the hunt. Now I seem to have form for this as one our lesson at a borrowed arena on Thursday the hunt also trotted past just as we went to load. Larry has hunted, and we did the first half of the season together but we are pretending to be eventers now. This was too involve not seeing or hearing hounds/large groups of horses careering down the road for a while. Luckily he did not turn around and jump out the trailer after the field therwell-style!
Got to the venue in perfect time to warm up for my 85cm class. He was very buzzy (read: ruder word) in the warm up, rushing to the fences, jumping 2ft too high over them and threatening to take off after any horse that passed him. I am starting to learn that he does focus once in the ring so tried to ignore as much as possible and just focus on being warmed enough to jump round. He had to go from an outdoor warm up to an indoor arena with music on for the jumping. But he absolutely soared round, getting his clever cap on as soon as we started and even going off a horrendous stride I pushed for over an oxer - clear round and 6th place! Qualifying us for the Trailblazers 2nd rounds, which we have also achieved in dressage. The 95cm was the same course, although was an imposing with full width oxers. He also jumped nicely around that, just tapping an upright for 4 faults and 7th place. We are not the fastest yet but was so pleased for a great schooling round.
Back to the box, he was a star to untack and get ready for loading by myself. Loaded up and on our way... for 5 metres before the clutch went on my truck. Thankyou to the kind man who pushed my trailer (minus horse) and truck back into a space and not on the driveway of the venue. AA recovered truck some 2 hours after, and my lovely friends collected Larry and trailer and took him home. He had to stand outside the trailer for around an hour before he was collected whilst everyone else left the venue. Couldnt of faulted his behaviour and luckily I had an extra rug in the back as it was chilly too.
Said friend who collected me is amazing and offered to tow us to the ODE today. So we spent Saturday night tack cleaning whilst have a few G&Ts. We woke up at 4.45am and it wasnt frosty so off we set! Quickly plaited and hot towelled horse so he looked sort of presentable, and a nice easy journey to the venue entailed.
We collected the numbers (and paid £10 more for a non-member fee which I thought was included in the entry), tagged my new hat and walked the cross country. A very to height and some big questions for a Riding Club ODE, including a step down a bank to a corner and two narrow roll tops on a steep hill. However I tried to convince myself that with my brave horse and some positivity we could get round!
Had a short but sweet dressage warm up and in for the test. The test was a BE100 which at this point is a bit too much for us however he was willing and is reducing in tension with every test we do. I believe we got a 38.3, but have no sheets (keep reading) so unfortunately not sure what the judge thought.
A quick break then onto SJing, fine in the warm up, bar eye balling a ladies electric bicycle that was laid at the side. Course looked to be lovely and inviting and was looking forward to riding it. 1st fence popped nicely and got the 2nd and could feel him backing off, he stopped. I have never had him stop before so this really threw me. Fence was a straight forward oxer with no fillers. Picked up canter again brought him round and he poppped over. Heading towards number three and feel him backing off and look down. Our martingale strap had snapped open leaving the rings dangling from reins. This happened as he rejumped number 2 (the benefit of video). After the unexpected refusal and this, I was unsure what to do so asked the steward who reattached us and asked if we could continue to the SJ judge even if HC. They said no as I must of raised my hand when pointing to the martingale and thought I retired There was no one in the warm up waiting to go in nor a competitor waiting so really wouldnt of been much of an ask.
Really disappointing. Asked the secrataries if we could run XC HC, they needed to check with the SJ judges. Decided against it as its not like him to refuse and with the beefy course I needed us both on the same page. Asked if we could take our dressage sheet, apparently not until the whole section (which ran most of the day) had been XC and scored. So we got a hot drink, packed him away and left.
Trying not to beat myself up as keep thinking if I had rode more positive into fence 2 then perhaps we would of been fine. He has the physio coming anyway on Wednesday and going to get the saddle checked and go from there. He is normally the keenest jumper and will give leads over most things out hunting and never hesitates so definitely want to listen to him if he isnt happy about jumping something.
Sorry my report is so long and unsuccessful! I think this ODE was never meant to be
Saturday I went ahead with my showjumping plans, it was a beautiful sunny, if cold, day and so we left very relaxed at mid-day for a thirty minute pootle to a large venue near us. I decided against going through a large market town on Saturday and opted for the scenic route, on reflection this was where I made my first mistake of the weekend. Various gated roads were indured after a wrong turn, all single track (one signposted to say that 50ft holes have been known to appear if you stray off the track).
So the journey was going well... then we passed the hunt. Now I seem to have form for this as one our lesson at a borrowed arena on Thursday the hunt also trotted past just as we went to load. Larry has hunted, and we did the first half of the season together but we are pretending to be eventers now. This was too involve not seeing or hearing hounds/large groups of horses careering down the road for a while. Luckily he did not turn around and jump out the trailer after the field therwell-style!
Got to the venue in perfect time to warm up for my 85cm class. He was very buzzy (read: ruder word) in the warm up, rushing to the fences, jumping 2ft too high over them and threatening to take off after any horse that passed him. I am starting to learn that he does focus once in the ring so tried to ignore as much as possible and just focus on being warmed enough to jump round. He had to go from an outdoor warm up to an indoor arena with music on for the jumping. But he absolutely soared round, getting his clever cap on as soon as we started and even going off a horrendous stride I pushed for over an oxer - clear round and 6th place! Qualifying us for the Trailblazers 2nd rounds, which we have also achieved in dressage. The 95cm was the same course, although was an imposing with full width oxers. He also jumped nicely around that, just tapping an upright for 4 faults and 7th place. We are not the fastest yet but was so pleased for a great schooling round.
Back to the box, he was a star to untack and get ready for loading by myself. Loaded up and on our way... for 5 metres before the clutch went on my truck. Thankyou to the kind man who pushed my trailer (minus horse) and truck back into a space and not on the driveway of the venue. AA recovered truck some 2 hours after, and my lovely friends collected Larry and trailer and took him home. He had to stand outside the trailer for around an hour before he was collected whilst everyone else left the venue. Couldnt of faulted his behaviour and luckily I had an extra rug in the back as it was chilly too.
Said friend who collected me is amazing and offered to tow us to the ODE today. So we spent Saturday night tack cleaning whilst have a few G&Ts. We woke up at 4.45am and it wasnt frosty so off we set! Quickly plaited and hot towelled horse so he looked sort of presentable, and a nice easy journey to the venue entailed.
We collected the numbers (and paid £10 more for a non-member fee which I thought was included in the entry), tagged my new hat and walked the cross country. A very to height and some big questions for a Riding Club ODE, including a step down a bank to a corner and two narrow roll tops on a steep hill. However I tried to convince myself that with my brave horse and some positivity we could get round!
Had a short but sweet dressage warm up and in for the test. The test was a BE100 which at this point is a bit too much for us however he was willing and is reducing in tension with every test we do. I believe we got a 38.3, but have no sheets (keep reading) so unfortunately not sure what the judge thought.
A quick break then onto SJing, fine in the warm up, bar eye balling a ladies electric bicycle that was laid at the side. Course looked to be lovely and inviting and was looking forward to riding it. 1st fence popped nicely and got the 2nd and could feel him backing off, he stopped. I have never had him stop before so this really threw me. Fence was a straight forward oxer with no fillers. Picked up canter again brought him round and he poppped over. Heading towards number three and feel him backing off and look down. Our martingale strap had snapped open leaving the rings dangling from reins. This happened as he rejumped number 2 (the benefit of video). After the unexpected refusal and this, I was unsure what to do so asked the steward who reattached us and asked if we could continue to the SJ judge even if HC. They said no as I must of raised my hand when pointing to the martingale and thought I retired
There was no one in the warm up waiting to go in nor a competitor waiting so really wouldnt of been much of an ask.Really disappointing. Asked the secrataries if we could run XC HC, they needed to check with the SJ judges. Decided against it as its not like him to refuse and with the beefy course I needed us both on the same page. Asked if we could take our dressage sheet, apparently not until the whole section (which ran most of the day) had been XC and scored. So we got a hot drink, packed him away and left.
Trying not to beat myself up as keep thinking if I had rode more positive into fence 2 then perhaps we would of been fine. He has the physio coming anyway on Wednesday and going to get the saddle checked and go from there. He is normally the keenest jumper and will give leads over most things out hunting and never hesitates so definitely want to listen to him if he isnt happy about jumping something.
Sorry my report is so long and unsuccessful! I think this ODE was never meant to be
Thank god your clutch didn't go while on the road!
