Chloeap
Well-Known Member
Sorry in advance... just gushing about my wonderful pony! After a hell of a lot of difficult times with him it makes a change!
I've always wanted to event and finally bought a horse capable of doing it just under 2 years ago. Turned out he was not ready and very very nappy when I first got him as well as terrible to load. So it's been a very slow and steady progress, getting him working nicely in the school as he wasn't great on the flat, then getting him to a few SJ comps last summer as he loves jumping and that's all he'd previously done. Finally sorted his loading issues out and this summer I planned to do some mini ODE's.
I nervously entered him into the 80cm class at the small local ODE in April. He was a nightmare before the Dressage and seemed genuinely scared, but soon as we got in the ring he was fab! Not our best, he was very strong but behaved well! Very strong again SJ so had a couple of poles down. XC went well but a couple of run outs as he had only been XC schooling twice ever, but he's very brave jumping and it was mainly just me being rubbish! Eliminated at the water but carried on anyway. I was really pleased with him.
Following this, one evening I emailed and put us on the wait list for another ODE. Last week I had a call to say they had a space - Great I thought... Drove there for the course walk on Saturday and it was absolutely huge!! Turns out I'd entered the most full-up 80 course I could have possibly found with a few fences that were most definitely way over height. It was a very 'proper' event too. I was terrified!
Get there Sunday morning for the dressage and my normally terrified, tense, anxious horse worked in like a pro! He went almost as well as he does at home and was an absolute dream in a very busy warm up. Then went and had a lovely test, just a couple of moments where he neighed but apart from that very calm, listening to me and working beautifully.
Then went and had just one pole down in the SJ as we got underneath it, but he was so calm and steady into them all. It really felt like he was listening.
We then headed for the XC... He was absolutely amazing!! Jumped everything first time, even the water which is normally his nemesis! First time I've ever ridden him through water
he kept looking for the next jump (even after we finished and thought we were going to jump the warm up fences!) and took me into everything, even the ones with huge ditches in front of them. Only hiccup was at the steps which I just couldn't get him down but we carried on and had a brilliant round. I just can't believe how amazing he was! He just gave me such an incredible feeling with his brave/forwardness.
I've gone from worrying about us not even getting out of the start box to bombing it round a very full up 80 course!
I am overwhelmed by how amazing he was, I can't believe how quickly he has taken to XC! He was once so tricky but seems to genuinely love eventing. He just seemed so happy and relaxed. I'm so excited for his future and already considering doing a 90 soon...
I've always wanted to event and finally bought a horse capable of doing it just under 2 years ago. Turned out he was not ready and very very nappy when I first got him as well as terrible to load. So it's been a very slow and steady progress, getting him working nicely in the school as he wasn't great on the flat, then getting him to a few SJ comps last summer as he loves jumping and that's all he'd previously done. Finally sorted his loading issues out and this summer I planned to do some mini ODE's.
I nervously entered him into the 80cm class at the small local ODE in April. He was a nightmare before the Dressage and seemed genuinely scared, but soon as we got in the ring he was fab! Not our best, he was very strong but behaved well! Very strong again SJ so had a couple of poles down. XC went well but a couple of run outs as he had only been XC schooling twice ever, but he's very brave jumping and it was mainly just me being rubbish! Eliminated at the water but carried on anyway. I was really pleased with him.
Following this, one evening I emailed and put us on the wait list for another ODE. Last week I had a call to say they had a space - Great I thought... Drove there for the course walk on Saturday and it was absolutely huge!! Turns out I'd entered the most full-up 80 course I could have possibly found with a few fences that were most definitely way over height. It was a very 'proper' event too. I was terrified!
Get there Sunday morning for the dressage and my normally terrified, tense, anxious horse worked in like a pro! He went almost as well as he does at home and was an absolute dream in a very busy warm up. Then went and had a lovely test, just a couple of moments where he neighed but apart from that very calm, listening to me and working beautifully.
Then went and had just one pole down in the SJ as we got underneath it, but he was so calm and steady into them all. It really felt like he was listening.
We then headed for the XC... He was absolutely amazing!! Jumped everything first time, even the water which is normally his nemesis! First time I've ever ridden him through water
he kept looking for the next jump (even after we finished and thought we were going to jump the warm up fences!) and took me into everything, even the ones with huge ditches in front of them. Only hiccup was at the steps which I just couldn't get him down but we carried on and had a brilliant round. I just can't believe how amazing he was! He just gave me such an incredible feeling with his brave/forwardness. I've gone from worrying about us not even getting out of the start box to bombing it round a very full up 80 course!
I am overwhelmed by how amazing he was, I can't believe how quickly he has taken to XC! He was once so tricky but seems to genuinely love eventing. He just seemed so happy and relaxed. I'm so excited for his future and already considering doing a 90 soon...
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