Sarah_Jane
Well-Known Member
Who had the silly idea of entering Salperton as their second Intermediate? 
I did discuss entering with my trainer (books say not a first timer course - well it was second intermediate 
) Caroline said enter as she remembered there being alternatives for the tougher fences.
Arrived on the Friday and walked the show jumping and cross country. Firstly can I say what a fabulous event, real big event feel, beautiful courses all immaculately dressed and with the rain perfect ground. However lets just say I went to bed that night feeling rather ill (it was nothing to be with anything I ate or drank
) I was actually fairly convinced we wouldn't get round (if we got that far after the show jumping ) The course was very big with lots of wide fences, there were two combinations that concerned me a tricky double of brush hedges and a decent log into the water to a bull finch brush - the water particularly as she had been a bit tentative at Pontispool. However it was 11ab that totally sent me into meltdown.
This was coming out the woods, quite spooky with a decent drop on landing, on 4 decent strides to a skinny triple brush, with nothing to keep you in or on your line - I honestly didn't think I had a hope!
So poor mum spent the evening trying to jolly me along (insert green sicky smiley!) Next day at least we weren't that early so I could watch some and get some confidence from seeing it jumped (that was the theory )
So dressage test 117, not particularly focused on this with bigger things to come. Scored 34.1 which I was pleased with. All 6's and 7's but no 8's so need to be a bit less safe. Haven't inserted video although it is on my youtube page if anyone wants a nose, it was taken at a funny angle and a bit far away as mum wasn't allowed to get that close.
So horse was flung at my kind helper (thanks Jane and I hot footed it around the dodgy elements of the xc) Sadly I was not encouraged! The main area of concern was part of a loop at the top of the course. I passed a jump judge I know well and he wanted to know what was up there as he kept seeing them go up and more were walking back than coming back on course Watched the drop to arrowhead and some combinations made it look easy others had faults and never made it over. (In actual fact it took the scalp of Andrew Nicholson, Phoebe Buckley, Mart Todd among many others) I honestly felt there should have been an alternative here. The double of corners were also causing issues, as was the turtle at the hill above the water.
So back to the show jumping. Whilst maybe not quite as huge as at Pontispool it was on an undulating ring, was extremely technical and causing havoc. We are struggling with this phase but I tried hard to ride more forward and in the end was pleased with 8 faults - about average!
[youtube]WhdXHrNZQck[/youtube]
So onto XC with the feeling maybe it was time to retire
Luckily not long to wait and we were in the start box. Set out over the first 3 big fences and gave me a super feel over the big fences, 4 was pair of offset brushes on two strides and she jumped these neatly.
[youtube]if6YjL4frBs[/youtube]
A few simple ones then over a double of severely angles houses.
She had given me a great ride to this point but next was fence 11! I rode through the woods and really set my line up popped the drop and rode positively at the triple brush giving her every chance to jump it and guess what she did I remember being in mid air and thinking WOW 
Pro pictured us through HERE (Matt Nutall Photography) use the next arrow
So a few more simple fences before the brush corners
Funnily enough this was the only fence with an alternative!! I had always planned to go straight and I have to say she stayed on line and jumped them copybook style Flew over the next combination and then the turtle, she did slightly leave a leg but I kept the shoulders up and set up for the water.
Having been slightly sticky at Pontispool I gave her a slap and rode quite strongly at the water. She launched in totally unseating me and sadly never even pointed in the direction of the brush (good job really if she had jumped it I would have got wet
) Eventually I got seat and knitting back, was way past the brush so turned round and popped it. Hate 20 penalties but as I never imagined her getting that far and the mistake was mine in not sitting there it was forgiveable totally for Pip. I need better super glue
Just one big combination left to jump and she jumped the wide double of logs brilliantly (this was where Mary King had her fall)
Came home with 15 time which wasn't too bad as at least 5 of them was through the water incident and I slowed up a bit afterwards.
Actually finished with a huge grin which for someone as result focused as me is very unusual. However she really showed me what a class horse she is and that Intermediate and maybe one day advanced is well within her capabilities.
Looking at the results that night it was even clearer how well she had done. The course caused huge problems in all classes including the OI and AI with bad falls for a number of top riders. I suspect there may be a bit of tinkering with the course as I think the results show that maybe it was a bit too tough, saying that although 11ab was the main cause of run outs, the falls and other problems were well spread out. It is a fantastic event and certainly one I will be heading back to.
Returned home by 9pm, stayed in the lorry as had a 4.30 start the next day for Sarnies eventing comeback at the RC area horse trials. That will be tomorrows report
I did discuss entering with my trainer (books say not a first timer course - well it was second intermediate ) Caroline said enter as she remembered there being alternatives for the tougher fences. Arrived on the Friday and walked the show jumping and cross country. Firstly can I say what a fabulous event, real big event feel, beautiful courses all immaculately dressed and with the rain perfect ground. However lets just say I went to bed that night feeling rather ill (it was nothing to be with anything I ate or drank
) I was actually fairly convinced we wouldn't get round (if we got that far after the show jumping ) The course was very big with lots of wide fences, there were two combinations that concerned me a tricky double of brush hedges and a decent log into the water to a bull finch brush - the water particularly as she had been a bit tentative at Pontispool. However it was 11ab that totally sent me into meltdown.
This was coming out the woods, quite spooky with a decent drop on landing, on 4 decent strides to a skinny triple brush, with nothing to keep you in or on your line - I honestly didn't think I had a hope!
So poor mum spent the evening trying to jolly me along (insert green sicky smiley!) Next day at least we weren't that early so I could watch some and get some confidence from seeing it jumped (that was the theory
)So dressage test 117, not particularly focused on this with bigger things to come. Scored 34.1 which I was pleased with. All 6's and 7's but no 8's so need to be a bit less safe. Haven't inserted video although it is on my youtube page if anyone wants a nose, it was taken at a funny angle and a bit far away as mum wasn't allowed to get that close.
So horse was flung at my kind helper (thanks Jane and I hot footed it around the dodgy elements of the xc) Sadly I was not encouraged! The main area of concern was part of a loop at the top of the course. I passed a jump judge I know well and he wanted to know what was up there as he kept seeing them go up and more were walking back than coming back on course
Watched the drop to arrowhead and some combinations made it look easy others had faults and never made it over. (In actual fact it took the scalp of Andrew Nicholson, Phoebe Buckley, Mart Todd among many others) I honestly felt there should have been an alternative here. The double of corners were also causing issues, as was the turtle at the hill above the water. So back to the show jumping. Whilst maybe not quite as huge as at Pontispool it was on an undulating ring, was extremely technical and causing havoc. We are struggling with this phase but I tried hard to ride more forward and in the end was pleased with 8 faults - about average!
[youtube]WhdXHrNZQck[/youtube]
So onto XC with the feeling maybe it was time to retire
Luckily not long to wait and we were in the start box. Set out over the first 3 big fences and gave me a super feel over the big fences, 4 was pair of offset brushes on two strides and she jumped these neatly.[youtube]if6YjL4frBs[/youtube]
A few simple ones then over a double of severely angles houses.
She had given me a great ride to this point but next was fence 11! I rode through the woods and really set my line up popped the drop and rode positively at the triple brush giving her every chance to jump it and guess what she did
I remember being in mid air and thinking WOW Pro pictured us through HERE (Matt Nutall Photography) use the next arrow
So a few more simple fences before the brush corners
Funnily enough this was the only fence with an alternative!! I had always planned to go straight and I have to say she stayed on line and jumped them copybook style
Flew over the next combination and then the turtle, she did slightly leave a leg but I kept the shoulders up and set up for the water.
Having been slightly sticky at Pontispool I gave her a slap and rode quite strongly at the water. She launched in totally unseating me and sadly never even pointed in the direction of the brush (good job really if she had jumped it I would have got wet
) Eventually I got seat and knitting back, was way past the brush so turned round and popped it. Hate 20 penalties but as I never imagined her getting that far and the mistake was mine in not sitting there it was forgiveable totally for Pip. I need better super glue Just one big combination left to jump and she jumped the wide double of logs brilliantly (this was where Mary King had her fall)
Came home with 15 time which wasn't too bad as at least 5 of them was through the water incident and I slowed up a bit afterwards.
Actually finished with a huge grin which for someone as result focused as me is very unusual. However she really showed me what a class horse she is and that Intermediate and maybe one day advanced is well within her capabilities.
Looking at the results that night it was even clearer how well she had done. The course caused huge problems in all classes including the OI and AI with bad falls for a number of top riders. I suspect there may be a bit of tinkering with the course as I think the results show that maybe it was a bit too tough, saying that although 11ab was the main cause of run outs, the falls and other problems were well spread out. It is a fantastic event and certainly one I will be heading back to.
Returned home by 9pm, stayed in the lorry as had a 4.30 start the next day for Sarnies eventing comeback at the RC area horse trials. That will be tomorrows report
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