saskia295
Well-Known Member
Well.... let's just say my preparation to Tweseldown didn't go too well!! My boyfriend decided to split up with me on the Friday afternoon which was just fantastic timing (a*sehole).
I had ridden in the morning on Friday and cleaned my bridle at work in my lunch hour! After work was bathing, studding and plaiting time. Well, after 2 hours of trying to get one stud in, floods of tears and generally just feeling completely useless, I decided that I couldn't do it, I was too pathetic to ride and the whole thing would be a disaster.
So after a pep talk/shout with my instructor, I went home, cleaned my saddle and tried to get some sleep. I thought I could get to the yard early and try the studs again.
I tried for another hour in the morning and they just wouldn't go. Kept going in wonky and just not having any of it. I figured I must have cross threaded them last time (I can't imagine I did it on every hole though?!) so I just thought I'm going to have to go without.
Walking the xc I thought we'd be ok because the going is so lovely. The SJ I thought we will just have to go wide as it's a nice big arena and just take the time faults.
Anyway... the dressage. The warm up area was quite chock a block. I just couldn't get him to relax. Normally he lulls me into a false sense of security by being nice and relaxed in the warm up and going in and being tense... Well at least this time he gave me what we were going to get! A tense little horse that spooked at the judge's car on our first down the centre line, how embarrassing! He settled down in the second half of the test. He didn't do anything 'wrong', just not a relaxed boy which was reflected in our score of 37 which I think was fair and about average for the section. It was ok, just annoying as I know we should be around the 30 mark.
Onto the showjumping. Well, I was angry when we got there as they'd decided they weren't doing times anymore and it was a free for all so there were 18 horses to go before me
. So we were stood around like idiots for ages!
Anyway, so we went in and then we came round to the first fence. He was ok to start with, I don't really know what happened at number 2 as we had that one down, we met it fine, I think it was just a little unlucky which is a shame. The rest of the round was ok, a few flyers but left them up... Until the double. He was coming in quite strong so I checked him (it was 2 uprights with 2 strides in between), but I didn't keep my leg on (doh!) and so he died a bit too much. Consequently, we ended up getting 3 strides in there and he just had no hope coming out, so we had the second part down. The last 2 fences were great and we got 2 time (I'm putting that down to me having to go wider with no studs!). So all in all, an ok round, although I was annoyed with myself at that mistake.
Onto the fun bit! Well, obviously we missed our time but it wasn't a problem as they were just taking people as they came and I think there were only 5 to start before me so not too long to wait.
Well, it worked out brilliantly. I cannot praise that horse enough cross country, he was absolutely phenominal! At fence 7, it was 2 big brush boxes. He jumped the first one really big so I had washing line reins for the second part (see below, I bought the photo!). He is such a genuine boy, he didn't even faulter on his line, what a superstar
Number 8 was a hanging log, you then turned right up a little hill to another one. Well, I got it COMPLETELY wrong at the first element, but he just chipped in a little one and sorted himself out. I just can't believe him sometimes, absolutely incredible. I've always been a little wary about us not getting the time as his ground coverage isn't great (he only has little legs!) so I was making a conscious effort to up our speed. We came home clear and inside the time so I was absolutely thrilled.
We finished on 47, which I think was ok for our very first one. I also met a few HHOers which is just brilliant to know that you guys actually exist in RL!! You get so used to seeing all these words so it's so lovely to meet people
Here's the photo:
Sorry, I've gone on haven't I?! A Bounty ice cream and some bonjella if you get this far - what a treat!!!!!
I had ridden in the morning on Friday and cleaned my bridle at work in my lunch hour! After work was bathing, studding and plaiting time. Well, after 2 hours of trying to get one stud in, floods of tears and generally just feeling completely useless, I decided that I couldn't do it, I was too pathetic to ride and the whole thing would be a disaster.
So after a pep talk/shout with my instructor, I went home, cleaned my saddle and tried to get some sleep. I thought I could get to the yard early and try the studs again.
I tried for another hour in the morning and they just wouldn't go. Kept going in wonky and just not having any of it. I figured I must have cross threaded them last time (I can't imagine I did it on every hole though?!) so I just thought I'm going to have to go without.
Walking the xc I thought we'd be ok because the going is so lovely. The SJ I thought we will just have to go wide as it's a nice big arena and just take the time faults.
Anyway... the dressage. The warm up area was quite chock a block. I just couldn't get him to relax. Normally he lulls me into a false sense of security by being nice and relaxed in the warm up and going in and being tense... Well at least this time he gave me what we were going to get! A tense little horse that spooked at the judge's car on our first down the centre line, how embarrassing! He settled down in the second half of the test. He didn't do anything 'wrong', just not a relaxed boy which was reflected in our score of 37 which I think was fair and about average for the section. It was ok, just annoying as I know we should be around the 30 mark.
Onto the showjumping. Well, I was angry when we got there as they'd decided they weren't doing times anymore and it was a free for all so there were 18 horses to go before me
Anyway, so we went in and then we came round to the first fence. He was ok to start with, I don't really know what happened at number 2 as we had that one down, we met it fine, I think it was just a little unlucky which is a shame. The rest of the round was ok, a few flyers but left them up... Until the double. He was coming in quite strong so I checked him (it was 2 uprights with 2 strides in between), but I didn't keep my leg on (doh!) and so he died a bit too much. Consequently, we ended up getting 3 strides in there and he just had no hope coming out, so we had the second part down. The last 2 fences were great and we got 2 time (I'm putting that down to me having to go wider with no studs!). So all in all, an ok round, although I was annoyed with myself at that mistake.
Onto the fun bit! Well, obviously we missed our time but it wasn't a problem as they were just taking people as they came and I think there were only 5 to start before me so not too long to wait.
Well, it worked out brilliantly. I cannot praise that horse enough cross country, he was absolutely phenominal! At fence 7, it was 2 big brush boxes. He jumped the first one really big so I had washing line reins for the second part (see below, I bought the photo!). He is such a genuine boy, he didn't even faulter on his line, what a superstar
Number 8 was a hanging log, you then turned right up a little hill to another one. Well, I got it COMPLETELY wrong at the first element, but he just chipped in a little one and sorted himself out. I just can't believe him sometimes, absolutely incredible. I've always been a little wary about us not getting the time as his ground coverage isn't great (he only has little legs!) so I was making a conscious effort to up our speed. We came home clear and inside the time so I was absolutely thrilled.
We finished on 47, which I think was ok for our very first one. I also met a few HHOers which is just brilliant to know that you guys actually exist in RL!! You get so used to seeing all these words so it's so lovely to meet people
Here's the photo:
Sorry, I've gone on haven't I?! A Bounty ice cream and some bonjella if you get this far - what a treat!!!!!
