HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
I've not frequented the forum that much in the last few months as I've been so busy, so apologies you are getting it all at once 
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First up was our first AF at Northallerton, which is where two years ago we qualified at Elementary! However this time round we were in the indoor, and ahem Topaz doesn't like their indoor... Topaz doesn't like their indoor to the extent that we may have been last
, and paraphrasing the judges comments would go like 'horse bogging off - TENSE' :lol:. So not our finest hour by any stretch of the imagination and left us somewhat scratching our heads and wondering if indeed Medium was a bit above us .
So I thought none of this wallowing nonsense, yes we got 53% from one judge, but we have also scored well this year! So I booked us into two Elementaries at a venue Topaz loves to do some nice easy, confidence boosting rounds and also look at gaining some Winter regional points. This strategy worked well, despite flying changes in both tests giving us some deserved fours , we also scored 9's for both entrances (we like to make an entrance :lol: ), to give us 68% in both tests and become that annoying gold rider who wins and takes all the prize money 
.
Preparation complete and I was feeling a touch more optimistic about our next AF at Warren Farm, if for nothing else we were guaranteed to be outside :lol:. Decided on two short warm ups for her, so we could do the arena walk and do some simple stretchy work and then get changed back on and pick her up and not do too much in the very scary indoor warm-up. Seemed to work well, even if I did feel like I should be doing more of a warm-up for a Medium test!
However into the test, kept her listening and forward with some shoulder-in around the edge, up the centre line and we were away! Medium trots are still a bit of a struggle for her, if I ask for more we get hurried comments and if I leave it where I know she is strongest we get 'not enough ground cover', we went for option two in the test to try and maintain the softness over trying to flash the trot. Trot work was all sweet enough but we know she is fab in her trot, walk went really well didn't feel at all brittle which meant our walk pirouettes were good and we got our best scores ever for them. Into canter and our weakest phase, but blow me down did Topaz not pull her socks up stay with me and keep the softness and rideability ! We also had NO FLYING CHANGES it was a hallelujah moment if ever there was one . Very last transition back to collected trot was a touch sticky and we had a jog step in the first simple change, but overall I was beyond thrilled 
.
Popped her away, and went over to the scores and we managed a tear raising (I'm a soft sod sorry), 66.96% and came second . Which means I think we're qualified for the finals , want to get confirmation from BD before I really believe it lol.
Topaz is the best horse ever.
.First up was our first AF at Northallerton, which is where two years ago we qualified at Elementary! However this time round we were in the indoor, and ahem Topaz doesn't like their indoor... Topaz doesn't like their indoor to the extent that we may have been last
, and paraphrasing the judges comments would go like 'horse bogging off - TENSE' :lol:. So not our finest hour by any stretch of the imagination and left us somewhat scratching our heads and wondering if indeed Medium was a bit above us .So I thought none of this wallowing nonsense, yes we got 53% from one judge
, but we have also scored well this year! So I booked us into two Elementaries at a venue Topaz loves to do some nice easy, confidence boosting rounds and also look at gaining some Winter regional points. This strategy worked well, despite flying changes in both tests giving us some deserved fours , we also scored 9's for both entrances (we like to make an entrance :lol: ), to give us 68% in both tests and become that annoying gold rider who wins and takes all the prize money .
Preparation complete and I was feeling a touch more optimistic about our next AF at Warren Farm, if for nothing else we were guaranteed to be outside :lol:. Decided on two short warm ups for her, so we could do the arena walk and do some simple stretchy work and then get changed back on and pick her up and not do too much in the very scary indoor warm-up. Seemed to work well, even if I did feel like I should be doing more of a warm-up for a Medium test!
However into the test, kept her listening and forward with some shoulder-in around the edge, up the centre line and we were away! Medium trots are still a bit of a struggle for her, if I ask for more we get hurried comments and if I leave it where I know she is strongest we get 'not enough ground cover', we went for option two in the test to try and maintain the softness over trying to flash the trot. Trot work was all sweet enough but we know she is fab in her trot, walk went really well didn't feel at all brittle which meant our walk pirouettes were good and we got our best scores ever for them
. Into canter and our weakest phase, but blow me down did Topaz not pull her socks up stay with me and keep the softness and rideability ! We also had NO FLYING CHANGES it was a hallelujah moment if ever there was one . Very last transition back to collected trot was a touch sticky and we had a jog step in the first simple change, but overall I was beyond thrilled .Popped her away, and went over to the scores and we managed a tear raising (I'm a soft sod sorry
), 66.96% and came second . Which means I think we're qualified for the finals , want to get confirmation from BD before I really believe it lol.Topaz is the best horse ever
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