weekend plans

[Xmasha]

Sorry for de-railing with my ELand rant. Anxious mum moment. I do like the venue generally!!

Im with you on that, that fence looks unfair in a 90. But im sure Dolly will look after Katie. Hope all goes well !

Im actually having a pole work lesson this weekend. First one in ages.. i think since last year.
Other than that pregnant mare watch.

Have fun everyone

 

[Xmasha]

Any tips on how to tame Bears fuzzy mane!?

He’s had a week off and I love that even though he’s not yet 5 I can just hop back on for a solo hack and he’s great.

Bog has an sj lesson today, then a yard clinic tomorrow, then boxing out for a hack Sunday so busy weekend to keep his busy brain occupied. I am determined to tire him out..:

View attachment 69957

is it wrong that i love fuzzy manes ? leave it as it is please... its sort of Elvis like

 

[Michen]

is it wrong that i love fuzzy manes ? leave it as it is please... its sort of Elvis like

Ha well it’s fine for now and for the summer but come autumn it will need plaiting! Such a hairy toad!

 

[KEK]

Good luck everyone competing and have fun, glad you are getting nicer weather. Still very hot here.
Trialling the dogs tomorrow .. baby dog managed to win overall out of all the heights in her first go at masters (she’s only 35cm tall) last trial so that was a nice start to her masters career.
Hacking with my friend riding the Connie on Sunday just locally. He’s also had time off as he had a lot of dental work plus he’s gone up a whole gullet size so his saddle had to be taken away (saddler told me he was looking “well” hmm pretty sure I know what that is a euphemism for!)

 

[Squeak]

is it wrong that i love fuzzy manes ? leave it as it is please... its sort of Elvis like

Another who is a fan of fuzz. If it's not thick you may not have problems plaiting it?

Good luck to all out competing and training. Healing vibes to all that have sick notes or are recovering. Catembi also looking forward to photos of the new horse.

 

[Squeak]

this is what I was getting at earlier I know amber used to launch herself over things but Dolly seems to be more economical, so I'd have expected it to jump quite well. it looks horrendous but if the ground was filled in all around and it was just a normal palisade off a step or bank it wouldn't be half as imposing. Hope they have a good run. the brush thing is annoying but it happens all over IME and once they've got their blood up I'm sure it won't be a problem

Completely agree with this. It's been built to look worse than it is, it felt no worse to jump than other walls and hedges with drops at other courses and with their blood up they'll fly the brush - make sure you've got a photographer ready to get photos of both those fences though

 

[j1ffy]

AE - good luck to Dolly and Katie! I'm sure they'll be fine and there'll be a fab photo for them at the end
Oldie48 - great news about Rosie! Sounds like she's doing well
AE2 - I hope Henry's break does him good. Having had a navicular horse (when he was 6) I know the feeling but he came through it brilliantly and is still happy and sound at 16
Catembi - I hope we get photos soon!

We've got a busy one planned. Hacking today, but on Chili instead of Danny His first time ridden off the yard with his uncle Pocholo as nanny horse - although when I led him out with P it was Chilli who had to give him a lead past a terrifying pony ridden by a small child and led by an adult (reliable Mr P has a real thing about small ponies with adults on foot - very bizarre!).

Tomorrow I'm taking Danny's owner to her first ever Prelim dressage with her other horse. She's very nervous but her boy is a dude so it will be fine. Then Sunday it's our turn, with two Elementary tests in which Danny will have to go backwards and sideways for the first time in front of a judge. My expectations are low, as long as we can do the moves and he stays vaguely in front of the leg I'll be happy. I find that I put a lot of pressure on myself to get good scores now as he's capable and found it very easy at Novice, I need to remind myself to give us both a break at times particularly as he only did his first BD Prelim last August.

 

[J_sarahd]

We have a little clear round on Sunday to put into practise what we learnt last weekend. I’m very nervous, even though it’s a no pressure thing. But if all goes well we are probably going to enter the ODE at Vale View next weekend. Entries close on Tuesday so got to make a quick decision.

Anyone done the 70cm ODE or arena eventing at Vale and can help with my decision?!!

This chat of Eland reminds me that the ditch brush thing was the ONLY fence we had problems with in our ODE last year and we were only doing 50cm. It would be so much better for the 50cm if they didn’t have the ditch in front of it and it was just a brush. I’m planning on doing the clear round xc in June but I already know I’ll likely be opting for the 50cm option at that fence (after taking him schooling over the course sometime next month!)

 

[Roxylola]

In my experience arena eventing (not at Vale view) is nice, I've never felt concerned about the fence sizes and it's all flat amd on a surface.
I think eland are good at rider frighteners, Charlie can be a touch ditchy at somerford where its open and obvious, but round eland he never knew there was a ditch there. Nor did I tbf as we schooled round the first time we were there.
Had a lovely hack last night, we were passed by the most courteous off road biker ever - they were as quiet and steady as possible checked as they passed, and again once they were well clear - I gave them a wave then and they waited til then to crack on

 

[milliepops]

just musing. Not having had easy access to schooling venues or eventing centres when I was eventing, the concept of doing camps or regular trips to a competition venue is a bit alien to me. Unlike being able to do arena hire for dressage we used to rock up to somewhere that ran once a year and that was your chance to see the course and have a crack at it.
does having familiarity with the questions available make it a bit harder to just take it as it comes? I can't remember getting dread about a particular fence, because we didn't know what was coming until the hours after walking the course, haha!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

just musing. Not having had easy access to schooling venues or eventing centres when I was eventing, the concept of doing camps or regular trips to a competition venue is a bit alien to me. Unlike being able to do arena hire for dressage we used to rock up to somewhere that ran once a year and that was your chance to see the course and have a crack at it.
does having familiarity with the questions available make it a bit harder to just take it as it comes? I can't remember getting dread about a particular fence, because we didn't know what was coming until the hours after walking the course, haha!

This was my experience too. Better for my anxiety, tbh ?

 

[Roxylola]

just musing. Not having had easy access to schooling venues or eventing centres when I was eventing, the concept of doing camps or regular trips to a competition venue is a bit alien to me. Unlike being able to do arena hire for dressage we used to rock up to somewhere that ran once a year and that was your chance to see the course and have a crack at it.
does having familiarity with the questions available make it a bit harder to just take it as it comes? I can't remember getting dread about a particular fence, because we didn't know what was coming until the hours after walking the course, haha!

I think so. I thought eland was great for schooling round, I could ride it blind and knew that anything 80 or under was "safe" - somerford is fab but lacking labels on fences means if I went on my own I'd pootle over logs the whole time

 

[milliepops]

i find it so interesting as a change in the way we approach the sport, i completely understand AE's wobbles over the fences in question as there's some history there, but I wonder whether if you only had the kind of competition that i did, would you really contemplate withdrawing?
if you haven't had time to walk the course the day before, and you've done your dressage and got time to nip round the XC in your trainers before showjumping, i think it gives less time to get worried? there were always people who would withdraw on the day after dressage, because of the ground if we were having a mad summer or if the XC was a bog but I understood those centres were often all weather take offs/landings so you know what you're getting, to a degree.

Like I say, just a musing and naturally things change over time, i accept I'm a dinosaur haha.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Things have perhaps changed within the sport, but in my case, also within myself. I'm much more cautious now then when I was in my late teens and early 20's flying around courses. I realized I don't bounce like I used to and actuall see risk now
As we age, this happens to many of us (but not all) regardless of our past experience in the sport, I think.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

just musing. Not having had easy access to schooling venues or eventing centres when I was eventing, the concept of doing camps or regular trips to a competition venue is a bit alien to me. Unlike being able to do arena hire for dressage we used to rock up to somewhere that ran once a year and that was your chance to see the course and have a crack at it.
does having familiarity with the questions available make it a bit harder to just take it as it comes? I can't remember getting dread about a particular fence, because we didn't know what was coming until the hours after walking the course, haha!

Very good question! I am not aware of any other venue that lets people school over their BE course. Somerford and Kelsall both have separate XC schooling field and farm rides for schooling. The course at Somerford is built differently evey year too. So Eland is unusual in that respect and I am not sure it helps. Though if you do the same events every year you get to know the courses as they can stay fairly similar from year to year.

Eland do not open the course till after the first event of the year, so no-one has been on it this year yet. And there are a few new fences every year too. But once the forst one is done, people can come and train over the course which sounds helpful but may actually not be!

 

[Michen]

just musing. Not having had easy access to schooling venues or eventing centres when I was eventing, the concept of doing camps or regular trips to a competition venue is a bit alien to me. Unlike being able to do arena hire for dressage we used to rock up to somewhere that ran once a year and that was your chance to see the course and have a crack at it.
does having familiarity with the questions available make it a bit harder to just take it as it comes? I can't remember getting dread about a particular fence, because we didn't know what was coming until the hours after walking the course, haha!

Makes sense I think. When I used to do the dizzying heights of 90cm I purposely didn’t get close to any fences. I used to just walk the course to know which general direction incase it veered off but I wouldn’t go up to or look at any fence, it would be at least 10 metres away!

Much better IMO as meant I didn’t fret about specific fences ?

 

[Roxylola]

I don't go near anything michen - if I know the route that's good enough for me. I can spot any possible issues such as bright colours, landing down hill etc where I might need to adjust my riding without needing to get close to anything ?

 

[humblepie]

On the walking courses - many many years ago I did a fun ride at a local event course (only one I have ever done) on my show jumper. Was with someone else who was doing the little logs and things that had been put out. I was jumping the proper cross country fences and said I will jump that, you go through the gateway and we will join back up - off I aimed horse at this fence of large tyres - we took off and at that point discovered it had a rail behind it. Was told later it was off the intermediate course and should have been flagged as not for jumping. Hey ho, we made it, good job horse was ex racehorse jumping Foxhunter level so had a huge jump on her!

Now I do dressage which we are off to tomorrow - using it as a getting back session as both very rusty.

 

[LEC]

i find it so interesting as a change in the way we approach the sport, i completely understand AE's wobbles over the fences in question as there's some history there, but I wonder whether if you only had the kind of competition that i did, would you really contemplate withdrawing?
if you haven't had time to walk the course the day before, and you've done your dressage and got time to nip round the XC in your trainers before showjumping, i think it gives less time to get worried? there were always people who would withdraw on the day after dressage, because of the ground if we were having a mad summer or if the XC was a bog but I understood those centres were often all weather take offs/landings so you know what you're getting, to a degree.

Like I say, just a musing and naturally things change over time, i accept I'm a dinosaur haha.

I think I have only ever walked one xc course and been stressed about it but I had chucked a green horse in the deep end which was Dauntsey Novice. I just reminded myself that the horse could answer all the questions as we had done enough training, worked out my plan for the fences I was most worried about and then rode accordingly. Course photos don't help either so they give me a broad idea of a venue but I don't take them very seriously.

 

[Wishfilly]

Good luck to everyone out and about this weekend!

I'm still trying to sort out a saddle fitter for us, going to try some saddles to borrow in the short term too, so a quiet one here. I do think I need to keep him ticking over because it's likely to be at least a couple of weeks before we can get a saddle fitter out, but I don't want to ask a lot of him in a saddle that clearly doesn't really fit anymore.

 

[Chippers1]

Anyone done the 70cm ODE or arena eventing at Vale and can help with my decision?!!

I've done the 70cm ODE at Vale View (in 2019, best dressage score of the class *smug* but we did have a stop xc so came 6th aha). It was a great day and I really enjoyed it, it was actually my first ODE. The SJ was outside and jumped really nicely, my only gripe is that some of the fences looked a bit scary (to me!) when I walked the course, quite big and solid but they will only be 70cm, it was just me being nervous about them. They're a friendly place and you'll be there quite early.
We got laughed at over the commentary for plodding through the water as slow as he could possibly go

I love the fact I can school around Eland before competing but to be honest I don't think it helps as I then know that they've used one of the 'bigger' heights in the class - for example the second fence they sometimes use the bigger one, sometimes the smaller so then i'd freak out as I know which is which! I try not to get too close on foot either...

 

[J_sarahd]

I've done the 70cm ODE at Vale View (in 2019, best dressage score of the class *smug* but we did have a stop xc so came 6th aha). It was a great day and I really enjoyed it, it was actually my first ODE. The SJ was outside and jumped really nicely, my only gripe is that some of the fences looked a bit scary (to me!) when I walked the course, quite big and solid but they will only be 70cm, it was just me being nervous about them. They're a friendly place and you'll be there quite early.
We got laughed at over the commentary for plodding through the water as slow as he could possibly go

I love the fact I can school around Eland before competing but to be honest I don't think it helps as I then know that they've used one of the 'bigger' heights in the class - for example the second fence they sometimes use the bigger one, sometimes the smaller so then i'd freak out as I know which is which! I try not to get too close on foot either...

Ooh thanks Chippers. I've spent a good while looking at photos and videos of the course and it looks okay. There will be no ditches, which is good! But I'm not a fan of that owl hole! The show jumping is fine as that's our best phase and the dressage is meh - our dressage is not great, but I know that and I'm trying very hard to make it better. He just doesn't have a lot of experience with cross country and whilst he's got the scope and ability to jump round probably the 90cm, he doesn't have the confidence at all. My instructor said I can trot and pop if needs be.

I think I'll probably end up giving it a go if Sunday doesn't go terribly and there's space by the time I get to book (and there's space in transport for me) as I'll probably kick myself if I don't go. If I'd done at least one cross country schooling session recently (we went to a local gallops and popped a few of their 80 and 90 fences but it was January and snowing so not quite the level of schooling I would have liked) I would probably have booked onto this weeks ago!

 

[Chippers1]

I've got some pics if you wanted to see what they were like compared to a 14hh...

 

[J_sarahd]

Thanks for those Chippers! My boy's only 13.2 and they look a decent height where he actually has to do something (unlike some of the 50cm at Eland where we did our first ODE) but small enough that I can just trot and pop if needs be.

 

[ycbm]

Looks like I'm spending Sunday picking up a horse ?

What ?? No, you can't, not till he gets here ?. ?

 

[Northern]

Looks like I'm spending Sunday picking up a horse ?

What ?? No, you can't, not till he gets here ?. ?

What? No details? That's cruelty!

Hope all the sick notes heal up well, and all the scary jumps are conquered!

I've got a quiet weekend planned, might clip the pony if the weather is nice. I am quite excited because I seem to have cracked some really nice canter transitions this week, she tends to come above the contact normally, but managed some really nice transitions into the contact this week. I am also concentrating on lateral work this month, we need more suppleness in our life!
My friend next door also got her new pony yesterday! She's a cute and chestnut 2y/o Anglo Arab. Of course she went right through a fence in the first 5 minutes, but seems to have settled down quite well after that. I will be helping with her handling and in general, I love the youngsters

Have a dry/wet/sunny (take your pick!) and safe weekend all!

 

[mavandkaz]

Not as busy as I was hoping it would be, but hey ho. Should have been taking the main man to his first party since he broke 2 years ago. Would have been a nice low key class, just to see if the judge spots any issues before I decide whether to step him up and take him out 'properly'. But the timings clashed with personal stuff so nothing much happening tmw horse wise - although have a meeting with the neighbours to see about buying some land to extend my grazing ?
Sunday I should be heading out to xc clinic with the coblet. Really looking forward to it as she is just so reliable and confidence giving ( I have a real fear of solid fences) although the ground is so hard I'm not sure how much we will actually be able to do.
Then back to work on Monday after two weeks off.
Good luck to all those out and about this weekend.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

No longer feel bad about dropping off the Spanish mule (aka my horse) for a short stay at the clinic for tooth extraction on Sunday. Decided to be an arse and completely lose the plot over a bin bag attached to the water trailer (yeah, idk why it was there either) blowing in the wind since it was cold and windy today and I should've just went inside, but hindsight and all that. Hasn't put on a spinning and panic show in a longgg time. Took a detour to the outdoor school where he proceeded to do his best impersonation of a sewing machine. Ahh, and to think it had all been going so well ?

He can enjoy his vacation at the clinic. I'll enjoy my sanity while he's away ? yes, I am a terrible person and all that.

 

[AandK]

More of the same for me and Charlie. Have been building up the trot this week, had a lovely session in the school this morning, so pleased with how he’s starting to really stretch. Was supposed to be hacking yesterday morning but had a watch related alarm issue so didn’t get up early enough, despite thinking I had until I logged on to check my emails just before leaving the house ??
Tomorrow will be a slightly longer hack up the downs and day off Sunday.

 

[oldie48]

A few seconds of Rose trotting this afternoon. She is happy and nicely in front of the leg and considering she's been off for several weeks, I feel she's coming back into work quite nicely.