Weekend plans

[muddy_grey]

Snowfilly try to stay positive, though I know how hard it is.
I had a lesson today and we JUMPED A COURSE!! The jumps ranged from probably 50-60cm and we had place poles so she had to trot in but it counts. I never thought jumping a tiny course could make me so happy 😀. I also tentatively suggested looking at going out to a show in January (weather depending) and RI agreed.
In 9 days it will be 1 year since she had surgery on her ddft and if you had told me then this might be possible I probably would have bitten your head off.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Well we did it! I'm sure I have the bestest horse. She's so chilled about everything and makes taking her out so easy really. We're very much novices at getting out competing so it's all a big learning curve right now. I might have the bestest husband too actually. Sorry.

I was really please with how The Beast went but I didn't push her forward so we had "needs more purpose" all over the place. But I that's ok. I know where we're at. I'm rubbish at sepentines apparently and The Beast stopped and had a poo at one point. She can just about walk and poop but trotting and pooping is beyond her so he dropped a couple of marks there. And everything was just a bit tense and wobbly from me. I was so terrified before the first test. It wasn't so very long ago that I couldn't even school at home is other liveries were watching so rising in front of people and literally being judged was a bit mind blowing. But the I was almost crying with relief in the arena because she was being good and I was remembering my test! Second test was a bit less emosh. Lol.

Anyway got a 62.something for Intro B and 64.something for Intro C. Lowest mark a 5.0 for my trot circle with a poo pit stop... highest mark an 8.0 for our free walk in Intro C. Positive feedback from the judge. Lots to work on but Im a very happy bunny with all that. We got 1st and 2nd frillies but I think I also came last in both classes. Not a big turnout!

Hope everyone else had fun too, however it went. Good on you and your mum still getting out, Snowfilly.

 

[scats]

A much more successful day for us than last time. Millie produced probably her most consistent test to date and managed 66.81%, coming 5th out of a big class of 17. Only her second ever prelim and her fourth time out.

We’ve been together 5-months now and I’m really pleased with her progress.
Couple of pics

 

[vam]

No pics as I was on my own yesterday. Arrived running late to the yard to find my horse was a hippo. Tried a cold shower which he was very unhappy about but all I did was smear mud over us both and make us late.p as the traffic was bad too. Not the best of starts.

Very glad my sj lesson was indoor as I hadn’t checked the forecast to see what a miserable day it was going to be. But once we got going it was very good, not technically hard or arduous, but blimming heck I found it mentally tricky as we’re trying to get rid of some very ingrained bad habits so it took all of my brain power to do that! Tough going but I’ve got stuff to practice on at home until my next one in Jan.

Slightly random and trying not to be to stalker like but was your lesson with a trainer in Elstead?

 

[Bernster]

Slightly random and trying not to be to stalker like but was your lesson with a trainer in Elstead?

Stalker! 😉 were you after me in the school by any chance?!

 

[vam]

Stalker! 😉 were you after me in the school by any chance?!

I was! I thought it might have been you as coming out mentally knackered after her lessons is a common thing, for me its mainly cos I'm trying to remember my left and right! She is very good at getting you to undo and put yourself back together again.
And he really didnt look dirty to me

 

[Mule]

I'm in Ireland and we have no EI80 classes

Such a shame....

My little chap is about 13.2 ish, so we do thankfully get into the 143 class

Fiona

If you'd like to do 80cm you could do Try Eventing. There are 80cm, 90cm and 1 metre classes. They are held throughout the eventing season and they're on in the same venues as the eventing Ireland events.

If you keep an eye on the eventing Ireland calendar next season you'll see when they are on. More are added to the calendar throughout the season.

I'd recommend them over riding club events as they are much better organised.

 

[Accidental Eventer]

Sounds like everyone had really super weekends!

Snowfilly, I'm very sorry to hear about your mum, all the best to her.

We had a totally awesome weekend, where my baby horse really shone. Saturday we had a great ride out with a friend, Henry really enjoyed himself and so did I!

Sunday we headed off to a new place to do some jumping and dressage. I honestly couldn't be prouder of my horse. He unloaded in a new place happily, watched all the goings on and then happily munch on his hay. He stood to be plaited, went into a tiny warmup ring and handled other horses jumping near him.

He was such a star, it was his second ever round of show jumping and he was just so happy to do his job with a lot going on around him. He jumped all the jumps and won! I decided then that dressage is overrated and so we swapped our test for a 60cm round instead.

Again he warmed up perfectly and then as we were trotting down to the judge some people started putting a gazebo up and it caught the wind. Poor Hen got the biggest fright, spooked and got me off. Landed on my feet and calmed him down. Not his fault at all. Husband gave me a leg up and we started our round. Unfortunately didn't get him back quite enough after his fright so he was far less confident but he tried his heart out and we jumped all the jumps. 60 is a stretch for him too, we usually keep the jumps smaller than that to keep him confident. He just gets a bit more anxious over the bigger fences.

I am so proud of us both, I stayed calm, he stayed calm and we had a fabulous day out!

 

[Bernster]

I was! I thought it might have been you as coming out mentally knackered after her lessons is a common thing, for me its mainly cos I'm trying to remember my left and right! She is very good at getting you to undo and put yourself back together again.
And he really didnt look dirty to me

Haha, i hope she can sort me out as we’re trying to undo years and years of jumping habits that aren’t helping either of us. He is part hippo but looks kind of palomino now with all that dried mud.

Your horse is super smart and you both looked very accomplished!

 

[Fiona]

If you'd like to do 80cm you could do Try Eventing. There are 80cm, 90cm and 1 metre classes. They are held throughout the eventing season and they're on in the same venues as the eventing Ireland events.

If you keep an eye on the eventing Ireland calendar next season you'll see when they are on. More are added to the calendar throughout the season.

I'd recommend them over riding club events as they are much better organised.

Sadly there are none in NI mule

And not likely to be either.

The closest is the flexi eventing in Jan/Feb where the XC starts at 80, but its in an arena, not the real thing.

Fiona

 

[PapaverFollis]

Found out I was actually 1st out of 2! So not just plain last both times. 😂👍

Picture of the clever Beast chilling after her tests. She was pretty tired by the end of the second test.
Bless her cottons.

 

[Bernster]

Gorgeous PF well done!

 

[Fiona]

Super PF x x

Fiona

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Snowfilly, so sorry to read about your mum. Sending lots of positive vibes to you all. And great work PF!

I'd secretly spent the evening listening to the storm and crossing everything that the dressage might be cancelled so I could play with my new addition, but alas it was still going ahead so I got my bum in gear and M on the box. It was a new venue for both of us and not one that M was keen on. Warm up wasn't particularly useful, unless BD are planning to start judging giraffes that can side step puddles at speed anytime soon!

Into Novice 27 and had a little wobble at how claustrophobic the indoor school was, coupled with the fact the whole thing was overlooked by a gallery so a fair few spectators. Quickly shut that away from my brain, mentally reminded myself to keep my legs forward, head back and that the outside rein should most definitely not resemble a washing line! The markers didn't seem properly spaced out (M and H were pretty much on the same line as C), which led to a squiffy 20m circle as my usual points I aim for made it more of an oval. First canter was awful, M literally felt like a riding school dobbin, cue a swift reminder that leg on means go! Canter across the diagonal was interesting. Last week's test required a change across the diagonal through trot at X, which we struggled to get a smooth transition on at the time, but of course a week later and a different test and he's sitting connected and waiting for my trot aid....blooming horses eh?! We had a minor sat nav error when my caller skipped a huge chunk, no bother I thought as I knew this bit...only to find I'd missed out the second trot walk trot before C which dropped our mark to a 3 for that movement, annoying when the other one scored a 7. Ended 4th on 63 something with a couple more 8's to boot

Back into the warm up and M's still twatting about. He was incredibly backwards thinking, so I revved him up with some two point canter and then had a quick play through of the canter bits in the Ele. I was absolutely positive that he'd stick two fingers up coming out of the medium canter and I knew if I didn't get him back and through both reins before the 10m loop back to track I had zero hope of making the turn. By this point my nerves were getting the better of me and I very nearly withdrew, but my wonderful OH gave me the necessary kick up the bum and in we went reminding myself that as our first Ele this was essentially a schooling session and to just try and focus on the movement in hand rather than worrying about anything else.

First medium trot was a bit sticky, but I blame that on the ridiculously tight turn from C given the layout of the arena. 10m circles were circle shaped and both landed smack bang on the centreline so all the prep work with our trainer is clearly paying off there! Praise for our square halt at X, but lost marks for tension. Into the canter and a literally huge difference as he leapt into the transition! 15m circles were iffy, and definitely need some work, but he stayed with me out of the circle and into the medium canter which felt huge to me, but typically didn't show enough ground cover for the judges liking. Amazingly he was switched on and listening coming back to working canter and whilst our 10m loops weren't as balanced as I'd like I was made up to actually have completed all the canter work without breaking into trot. Was so ecstatic we'd made it through with no mistakes I almost saluted with my whip, before giving M lots of pats and kisses as we left the arena. I was shocked to see we were 2nd on 65%, so much so that I didn't realise we hadn't been marked for our final halt until we were half way home. No idea how that would have impacted final scores, I was just pleased we'd had another confidence giving round.

We're off to a dressage clinic next week, so having a week off from competing so we can get ourselves prepped and ready for that.

 

[Mule]

Sadly there are none in NI mule

And not likely to be either.

The closest is the flexi eventing in Jan/Feb where the XC starts at 80, but its in an arena, not the real thing.

Fiona

Oh I didn't realise that. I'd say Eventing Ireland might bring in the 80cm soon. It would make sense because it would bring in more revenue.

 

[Fiona]

Oh I didn't realise that. I'd say Eventing Ireland might bring in the 80cm soon. It would make sense because it would bring in more revenue.

Hubby is on EI regional committee, and he says not in the north......

Believe me, I have TRIED

I actually googled distances to kilguikey a while back as they ran one at the end of the season.....

Fiona

 

[vam]

Haha, i hope she can sort me out as we’re trying to undo years and years of jumping habits that aren’t helping either of us. He is part hippo but looks kind of palomino now with all that dried mud.

Your horse is super smart and you both looked very accomplished!

Thank you but we really aren't! Very much all the gear, still no idea!

 

[Mule]

Hubby is on EI regional committee, and he says not in the north......

Believe me, I have TRIED

I actually googled distances to kilguikey a while back as they ran one at the end of the season.....

Fiona

That's annoying 🙁

 

[Fiona]

That's annoying 🙁

Tell me about it

Fiona

 

[blood_magik]

The baby and I had our weekly lesson today. She was really good, actually - not quite so wobbly this time and we made around the full course first time with minimal cursing 🙈😄

Second attempt at a show tomorrow so if I remember to ride like I did today we should hopefully get round 🤞🏻👌🏻