Weekend plans :D

[blood_magik]

there's a reason it's the regionals test, don't be too hard on yourself. I can still remember the first time that M75 felt easy to ride, and it was on a horse that had been doing medium for quite a while I used it as a benchmark with Kira too, and she was already starting AM before I felt like we could cruise around the floorplan just enjoying it. When it all slots into place it's a really nice test but it's definitely not straightforward at the beginning. So don't be too disheartened.

I still prefer m76

We fixed a few things in my lesson but it’s still not feeling great - I think i’ll be putting it to one side after next weekend and not touching it again unless I have to.


On a happier note, I got two Petplan qualification emails through so we’re off to our first area festival. Unfortunately I’ve missed the deadline to enter my local one so it looks like it will have to be Myerscough - about a 4hr drive away. Road trip anyone?

Oh, and jump trainer reckons Ellie is ready to go to her first show next week. Happy days

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Xc schooling today got cancelled last night as Pachesham too wet, rc sj tomorrow is postponed.

Had a jolly hack first thing tho, with the 2 friends who were going to be schooling the xc with me

Ruddy rain!

 

[milliepops]

Sorry to hear about all of the cancellations

We had a good day out yesterday. Started out fairly unpromising, the warm up was hair raising and poor Kira got mown down a couple of times but we survived.. and then the organisers had swapped the times round but without telling anyone or changing the times on the notice boards... :rolleyes3: so I was about ready to go when Laura Tomlinson's helper announced that she was supposed to be in my slot Which put me in an uncharacteristically pants frame of mind and meant Kira was overcooked by the time we headed down the centre line.

Nevertheless, she truly pulled her socks off and tried really hard, one mistake in the 3s when the petrol gauge was on empty and the piris were not as good as she did in the warm up, but other than that a really pleasing effort and feeling like we deserve to be doing this level

65% was the score, with plenty more to come on another day when she doesn't have to do 10 mins additional warm up :wink3: and a comfortable win in the bronze section. A lovely comment from the judge too. There's lots to improve so we'll keep on trying! That's her area festival qualification sorted, hopefully by the time that rolls around we will have tidied a few bits up

 

[Tiddlypom]

Wow, that's great MP!

My homebred has unexpectedly come home from her loan home this week , so I'm supervising the now three mares here in the field. Tammy and M hadn't met before, but Tammy has asserted herself as boss and M has slotted into no 3, below her mum, so looks good.

Hopefully though this is just a temporary blip, and M can soon go back to her young rider and a summer of training and competitions.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Well done MP - great comments!

The horse-box I was hoping to buy failed its vetting so no lorry for me. I've come down with a stinker of a cold so can't be bothered doing anything with Amber. And Max ia slightly lame so no showjumping tomorrow for him! Roll on next weekend!!

 

[Wheels]

That's a great score MP and lovely comments from the judge

What a shame about the box purchase AE .

 

[Rollin]

An update. The National Stud have issued a formal announcement today, re EHV out break, (they do notify all of us by email of any virus anywhere in France) this sounds more serious though. It looks like no more competitions for us for a while. I know you folk in the UK who event have had disappointments with cancellations caused by bad weather. I can now share your pain it is hard when you have worked to keep horses fit over an awful winter.

Well done MP.

 

[SOS]

We are off to an unaffiliated ODE tomorrow. Was meant to be last month but got rained off, apparently if definitely going ahead this time however we have had a lot of rein... I think we will judge the XC when we get there. Luckily SJ is on a surface and for once I am happy to have a truck and trailer so we are less likely to get stuck!

Bathed and plaited horse today. Did my first ever sew in plaits, having never used needle and thread before as I find bands easy and it takes me very little time. Quite impressed with how smart they look and seemed secure. Let’s see how they look early tomorrow morning.

The decision to sew in was mainly however because I keep seeing averts for that bl*dy “Quicknot” but am convinced it won’t work and even if it does it would be incredibly expensive when I plait 1-2 times a week. So I told myself I have to try sewing in first.

 

[buddylove]

Very proud of my new baby mare today. My sharer is v pregnant and hasn't ridden her yet. But she decided she wanted to try her out before she evicts the baby and loses her nerve!!
Baby mare looked after her like a little pro, I turned my back to chat with my kids over the fence, looked back and she was cantering round the school!! 😍

 

[Snowfilly]

The Clyde came home in one piece and after a month where I thought I was going to have to have him put down, I'm still pinching myself when I see him in the field. The foot is almost healed completely.

And dressage today was amazing. It was a yard competition only, with 11 of us in my section (test was cobbled together with some novice and some elementary (I think) movements, so rein back, leg yield in trot and 10m trot circle which was quite something for a bunch of mainly showjumpers. The wonderful mare I'd been riding since Christmas has been sold and the little fjord who I really like was lame after a kick, so I had a big cream gelding who I rode for the first time on Tuesday.

I found him to be very rushy with a tendency to go fast and bend into a nice outline but not actually use his back and quarters very much, so I went into the test thinking 'slow, slow!' And 'legs on!' Even when it felt we were going forward - he's got a deceptively big trot that made me think he was tracking up at first but he was actually nowhere near.

Anyway, I think a busy test suited him and he felt super on a couple of bits, although I lost the canter on a corner where I tried to shorten him too much and we broke to trot instead. Watched a few others after, and I thought we'd done enough for 4th or 5th...back in for the prize giving and was amazed to be called in first! 66% and an 8 for our free walk on long rein and 7s for the rein back and right leg yield, with the lower scores all coming in the first half before I really got him working forwards so a longer warm up might fix that.

Very happy weekend all around!

 

[Ambers Echo]

Well done MP - great comments!

The horse-box I was hoping to buy failed its vetting so no lorry for me. I've come down with a stinker of a cold so can't be bothered doing anything with Amber. And Max ia slightly lame so no showjumping tomorrow for him! Roll on next weekend!!

Well the weekend redeemed itself: Max is now trotting up fully sound which is a great relief and we took Ginny showjumping as it was her last chance to qualify for Trailblazers: Fab clear to not only qualify but WIN!

 

[JFTDWS]

What a fabulous photo!

 

[milliepops]

Well done snowfilly, and cracking shot there, AE!

 

[rara007]

Evening dressage friday night with Pippy (roped in from the field having only hacked for 6m!) for a very pleasing win on just shy of 74% in the novice:

work saturday and a romp around a local TREC POR today (our first go at that). no idea on results from that yet!

3 day week then off to Ashfields national HDT with Cheeri

 

[Ambers Echo]

Well done snowfilly, and cracking shot there, AE!

Haha thanks JFTD and MP. The face of a kid who has FINALLY qualified for Trailblazer. Was her last chance to have a go.

 

[Wheels]

Great pics rara and great score too!

We had a brill jumping lesson this morning. Starting of with 2 canter poles and building up to a bounce grid of groundpole into 4 fence bounce grid. M is showing himself as a very clever jumper who can get himself out of sticky situations by remaining forwards and balanced even off a dodgy stride. He was knackered bless him but what a trier he is.

 

[nikicb]

Well done MP - you must be thrilled and it sounds as though there are plenty more marks to get.
BM - your youngster looks to be doing really well.
Sorry to hear that Rollin - what a pain when you have horses fit and ready.
Saddleoversofa - I've seen the Quick knots adverts and am interested to see whether they work or not. Also what size I would need with a Welshie mane.
Congrats Snowfilly - sounds like you ended up with a good horse there!
Wow AE - your daughter (I think?) did a fab job!

A little recap of our week..... second week back in work after a few weeks off for the sassy one due to other things going on in my life. A couple of rather fuzzy 'phone on the fence' shots, but pleased with how she has come back.

Went for a lesson on Wednesday. She was somewhat bouncy - she always is a couple of weeks after coming back into work. Her body never really seems to lose much fitness, but her mind loses focus. That said, she did some cracking work. Photo after the lesson - note, still wired!!

Then I took her over to a local venue today for a couple of tests. I knew she wasn't totally ready mentally in terms of getting back to work, but she's not young (11 tomorrow) even though she is still relatively green, and she needs to be immersed a bit before she learns to concentrate so it was more about experience than expecting any decent scores. She was like a dragon who'd been eating blue smarties for most of the first warm up - lots of snorting!! Considering we didn’t have much preparation for today, I’m not too disappointed with 63.46% for the Prelim and 64.35% for the Novice leaving us very much in the middle of the pack in terms of scores. Lots of 7s and lovely comments from the two judges. At least we are back on track with getting out and about and have our first scores on the board for our Quest campaign this year. A picture of a very tired dragon - of course her fatigue had nothing at all to do with the fact that for most of the first warm up, she bounced around like a snorting Tigger.

I'm looking forward to next week. We have an in hand lesson booked with Diane Thurman-Baker and a lesson with Sara-Jane Lanning. We've not had a lesson with Sara in quite a while, so I'm looking forwards to seeing what she thinks of our progress. xx

ETA well done Rara! Pippy is such a superstar!! xx

 

[McFluff]

Well done to those of you who did so well, and so sorry for those with disappointment.

Can highly recommend horse back archery. If you get the chance to go, it’s ell worth a shot. My wee mare did all the desensitisation very well, but really didn’t like me actually firing an arrow from her. Happily watched everyone else without flinching but not when it was our shot. Bless her, she was trying to please me.

Now to focus and get ready for PetPlan.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Lovely pics Nikicb- love the falling asleep on her feet one!

 

[zaminda]

Sounds like some great results all round! Great to see people enjoying their horses!
Today has been a good day with my quirky mare. Caught and loaded well, not always a given, and warmed up happily, even giving someone a lead into the start field. However, when she went through for her turn, she decided to try an nap, showing exactly why she has the rep she has. Having managed to get her listening again, we set off, and we were off. She was very spooky, gawking at all the judges cars on the way around, but jumping everything first time to come 2nd. I'm thrilled to bits with her, and just need to get her out more. Back to endurance for her next week!

 

[Starbucks]

I've had a lesson with Jeanette Brakewell with both of my mares today. It was great!

First one has only been back from breaking a couple of weeks so it was her first outing. She was such a good girl! She's more chilled out than her older sister at being separated, worked on the flat getting her forward and relaxed then did some pole work and a little cross to finish. So pleased with her!

Second one doesn't always have the best technique so did some grid work which really got her using herself.

So both good girls today.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Sounds like everyone has had a really super weekend, well done all!

We had another event this weekend. It was rather warm and VERY dusty all weekend.

Coolie put in a nice test, much less tense than our last one, and we had the second fence down in the show jumping due to pilot under powering and over thinking. The rest of the round was really super though.

XC was once again the highlight. I walked the course not thinking there would be too many problems out there. The only thing I thought might read a bit odd was a house the 4 strides to the bank that was painted the same colour so a bit hard to see they were separate until up close. Coolie tried to take over the ride early on but a discussion about who was in charge settled him and he cruised around, only hesitating at the house but a tap on the shoulder saw us flying over with no dramas.

It was a really smooth round and we came in clear with 3 seconds to spare. We packed up not thinking I'd be in the placings only to get most of the way home and finding out we were 5th! Couldn't be more thrilled with the weekend, and how super my pony is!

 

[Embo]

A loooooooooooooooooong day fence judging at Chilham yesterday for the 100 & Novice. Saw some fantastic (and brave!) riding, especially considering the pretty rubbish weather! All but one rider (with a very cheeky horse!) went clear at our fence so a good day for us. Well done to all those that completed. Finally started making our way home at 19.30, just glad we got to stay dry and warm in the car

Well done to all that were successful in their competitions this weekend

 

[monte1]

Wow quite a busy weekend for most people by the sounds of it.
well done MP, awesome
we didn't have much planned at all, but Saturday morning decided to go to do some Clear Round Sj at a local yard.
trailered up there just as the rain started ;-(
got to ride in their indoor to warm up, which was nice and opportunity to do a bit of flat work in the dry. jumps were at about 80cm once we were warmed up, so i popped him round the course, made a bit of a mess of my lines so knocked a couple down. then pulled myself together, jumped a second round straight after, really thinking about rhythm and getting the right canter, much better round and horse was not nappy or looky at all.
Really pleased that we are at last starting to work as a team. decided wanted to jump one more round, so went back to the indoor for a bit to walk about out of the rain, then came back to jump the 90cm.
he jumped really well, listening to me and I even managed to see the strides I wanted on most of the jumps ( I have a real problem with rushing him along instead of sitting and waiting!) we had one pole down at the oxer where i didn't give him the best approach. but overall very pleased. we really need to be starting at 90cm, as he jumps so much better over a reasonable height. i just have to be positive and stop panicking about it all.

Sunday afternoon we had a lesson in the field with my trainer, worked on getting him really round and soft in both reins, canter is my worst pace for "carrying him" still.
she set up a line of raised canter poles then round and up over a decent sized cross, to get him really working and making a better shape over a jump.
it was hard work for him, but he really did try, lovely work over the poles and felt so powerful up over the jump, lots to work on still, as I have a habit of hanging onto his head mid air. but we will get there, - (I still have to make myself do less and let him do the work -easier said than done LOL)

overall an unexpectedly good weekend, despite the weather !