Today I faced my fear...

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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Wasn't sure whether to post or not as I cba with abuse, but I know a few people on here like hearing Andy's updates..

A couple of weeks ago we changed his feed to Topspec conditioning cubes and you wouldn't believe how fab he looks! He's at 420kg now and really is looking well (and feeling it)

So last night we rung DC and manage to get squeezed in for a xc session today at Deerpark :o

Those who don't know I'm a nervous wreck xc! Andy was a machine really knew his job and took me round, albeit it was at his speed which was bloody fast!

At first I think I was bit hard with my hands but I think I started relaxing and letting loose a bit, I also hooked a finger under the breastplate just to steady me. :)

I got used to him after while and started going with him a bit more. He is so full of it lately though, after the session round the course he was still prancing around the lorry park, not a sweat or puffing. I think he's a lot fitter then I thought. He also had a yippee moment after the last fence and had a nice gallop up the hill.

Someone suggested I do team chasing with him!! I couldn't help but laugh at that, me team chasing would be a complete disaster, would probably have a heart attack :p

Do you think I should do something to try and calm him down or just go with it? He also broke a boot today so does anyone know of nice cheap boots that still offer protection?

[youtube]3NEV4AIrfOY[/youtube]

CC as always- CONSTRUCTIVE though I don't just want abuse.
 
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Firstly he is looking so muc better, deffiantly gaining weight!
like you said just relax your hand a little & that may help him settle a bit, he certainly looks like he enjoyed himself & well don you for getting out there and doing it!
Have you taken him XC before, if he hasn't done it before he may just be excited, I would say see how he is next time beofre trying anything.
 
You did really well. You'd never have known that you were nervous. You were doing some meaty things for a nervous person! He looks as bold as brass, but a bit scarey with his head up in the air bouncing around towards the fences! He certainly is honest anyway. Do you feel better about it now you've bitten the bullet?
 
Wow! I think he was enjoying himself!

I hope you enjoyed it too ;) You are right though, he really goes for it. Sometimes I think I am going incredibly fast but when I watch videos it appears I am going about 2mph, but he was zooming along!

No crit from me... I'm not good enough to give it :)
 
Well, wasn't he amazing! Yes very fast, maybe work on getting it a bit more controlled but looks fab! Also love your commentators!
I've been to deer park before for a XC competition, your lucky it's near you to hire out!
And i think you did very well considering (i think you've said you dont like cantering in open spaces)
 
Love hearing Andy updates :)

Congrats on facing your fear, now I for one am expecting lots more updates!! Lovely that he's looking and feeling even better than before and putting the pounds on gradually!!

P.S. Christ he does go fast!!
 
He is looking loads better :)

Personally I would like to see him a bit steadier at times, there were moments where I was a bit 'eek'. But that could just be him being excited, you being nervous etc. There was some really nice moments though :)
 
Thanks for all the lovely comments! The fences don't bother me its after the fences when I think krap I can't stop! Which as you can see happened fairly often :rolleyes:

It was my first go on him and probably his first time out since late summer maybe a bit before then. He felt a lot faster then he looks aswell which is quite unfortunate! :p

Sanolly- do you mean the blue cart where he took a flying leap and everyone shouting?
He managed to land a stride away from the fence! :eek: possibly trying to make things more interesting?


Dare I say it but I think I started enjoying myself :eek:
 
Kokopelli said:
Sanolly- do you mean the blue cart where he took a flying leap and everyone shouting?
He managed to land a stride away from the fence! :eek: possibly trying to make things more interesting?


Dare I say it but I think I started enjoying myself :eek:
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Yes, looks like it has milk churns on? I wouldn't be jumping it anyway so kudos to you! LOL he did look bloody quick though!
ETA: what was the end of the sentence at the blue cart - "Oh Lizzie don't forget to...."?
 
I LOVE Andy!!!!!!
He is so cute and looks like great fun. I am loving your mum(?) commentating at the beginning and the naughty pony trying to roll in the water. Love his special legs at 2.35 :D but looking good if you didnt tell people I would not have known you were nervous, I think with a few more practice sessions behind you your going to be a fab team. Andy is looking fab to and feeling it by the looks of things :cool: it would be nice to see an up close photo to see just how much he has put on.
If you are after front boots premier equine have some in the sale I have some but have yet to use them :(
 
I have a feeling if he just went around a course at once he'd be better I think the stop starting really wound him up. Especially once we were heading towards home!

Yes I thought it was the small cart which is about 80cm but it was the big one which is about 95 and fairly wide, made wider by his massive leap! I think the RI said don't forget to check him. I think we kept giving her heart failure today. He knows what he's doing though as I think he evenetd up to intermediate PC which is BE100 I think.

May I say that resuce remedy is bloody brilliant! :)

Dafthoss- Will go have a look at them thanks! Yes its my mum commentating, apprently she couldn't watch she just pointed the camera in my general direction, she missed quite a lot :p
 
:D So much fun! He's really enjoying himself isn't he!?

He does need to slow down and concentrate tho: he'll end much making a mistake and hurting himself.

It looks like sheer excitement so more practise may help slow him down. He does listen tho, as he checks back when told so at least controllable, so again practise and schooling should help.

I just wish my horse was so brave and gungho!
 
I'm hoping that when I take him out again it will be a lot less exciting- but knowing Andy I highly doubt it.

I think when I check him I need to pull- release more as I sometimes just pulled which didn't help so once I worked that out he might slow down. When I'm less nervous aswell hopefully it willl be a bit calmer.

I must admit I like the braveness but not so keen on the gungho- I'm more then happy to share that :p
 
Bless him, his speed is pretty impressive :D Haha you're braver than me, he certainly looked full of beans, but I think you both did fab! (and I do really like Andy!) only thing I could think of is to lower your hands a little, I do the same if my horse is a bit nervy of a jump, it is sort of a protective position, but lower hands should encourage him to lower his head slightly and perhaps even steady up a little :p

Is he this enthusiastic when he jumps in an arena? I would say a lot of XC schooling is the way to go, also a lot of flat schooling on grass, making him listen and canter in a steady circle. When you're on a cross country course, ask him to go onto a large circle, do lots of flexing and hopefully he will eventually lower and relax, and then incorporate a little jump into your circle, so that sometimes you jump it and sometimes you go round it, and always maintain a steady, collected canter, and do not jump the obstacle if he isn't listening and going at a sensible speed.

He is so brave though, and I think you two will do very well :D
 
He goes like my old horse did- hell for leather but absolutely honest. I spent ages fighting him and desperately trying to make him stop, but in the end found that it was a game of give and take with him- if I let him have his fun, he'd come back to me more when I asked rather than constantly asking to hold back. First time I tried it I thought it was going to be suicide, but it worked!!

You'll be eventing in no time at all- he looks SO happy to be going XC, and the more you do the more chilled he'll be about it.

Only bit of CC would be to maybe but your stirrups up a hole, as I think if you rode a bit shorter you could get off his back a bit more between fences and let him have his fun...
 
In the arena he is enthusiastic but no where near how he was today, when I take him out show jumping we are normally in a snaffle and I have a fair amount of control.
I will try lots of exercises to try and get him to lower because once he lowered his head he slowed down.

Lolo- I know what you mean by going with them, eventually I just grabbed hold of my breastplate and let him do what he does best! My stirrups had a twist in them as it was :eek: I should go and buy a shoter pair really :p
 
He is lovely - and for someone who is nervous you were jumping some meaty jumps there! :)

I haven't jumped anywhere near as big on my TB, and he is retired now from jumping, but he is like Andy in terms of him being so brave and honest. If I hold him back he is all bouncy like that but if i let him go he would sail over them lovely (I'm not advising that tho - I'm no expert at all on xc!!)

Looks like a lovely course and like you had great fun. I thought you were going to get a bath in the first water shot!! :D
 
He looks fab as sooo scopey! Well done!

Are you going to do the HT in April? I'm hoping to go and will be sticking to the 2'3" 'cause I am a wimp!

He would make a fab team chaser, will look forward to seeing you at Foxcote in November! ;)
 
apart from the first jump, which scared the crap out of me(!) he looked fine, keen as a bean but safe, he's scopey and clever and seems to know his job.

think you rode really well, apart from the one he stood off you had a cracking stride every time.
 
PS It scared the krap out of me aswell! I think we do need to work on control :p

marmalade- I'm not so keen on doing a comp there as not so keen on some of the jumps, not sure all of them are safe spesh the new water which is just concrete! You gott be kidding! I saw the pictures from Berks today in the novice and they were bloody huge! :p
 
need to combine andy and CS, if CS isnt sure his theory is to stop, curl his lips at it, and swish his tail in a thoughful manner! mixture of his captain slooooooow thinking and andy's bravery would be perfect!
 
I agree, the new water is a really bad idea, but they haven't used it (ETA or any of the other dodgy looking fences) in any of the comps I've done there. I suppose you won't know until you walk the course whether they've put it in or not (could ring the sec to check though).

As team chases go, the Cotswold isn't the biggest, I've managed to get round several times unscathed.
 
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Andy the Lionheart it seems! It looks like you were having a ball, and I'm sure with some schooling you'll get the speed/enthusiasm/control balance just right. He's looking great - happy as larry and fit as a butcher's dog!
 
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