up at 6am to get there for 8.15am which gave us plenty of time as dressage at 9.47. He enjoyed a nice massage from his Equilibrium pad while we studded up then walked the very long walk up to the dressage warmup as we were parked by the SJing. They were just starting the show-jumping as I tacked up which got his attention. Dressage warmup went well until people started warming up for XC and the tannoy started going. Got him settled again though and have to say he was doing the nicest, softest work he's done in a long time so was v pleased with him. Went up to my arena and the little beast threw a nappy hysterical fit at being asked to walk round the outside of the white boards. Fortunately the judge was on her break but I suspect she might have caught sight of it on the way back to her car as it was quite impressive. He pretended to spook at a white board then spun to the left, rearing in the process, did some impressive Spanish Riding School leaps to the side, even more so when I insisted he turned back to the right (remembering advice from on here last week!). Dug him in the sides with a spur, v pleased I put them on as no whip, and he gave in and turned back into nice, normal pony. Trotted happily around the outside, all soft and lovely again. Went in and tried the odd spook but in general did the nicest test he's done since I've had him. Really struggle with keeping him round in the upwards transitions but today's were a million times better than usual. Judge didn't quite agree and we got 39 (only a 6 for his FWLR, normally gets 8's!) - thought 39 was slightly on the stingy side but hey ho. It put us about 17th after dressage (44 in section).
http://youtu.be/wrtzo3EDXWk
Quick change of tack and into the SJing. Little nervous as for some reason he's been taking the mick recently with his jumping but needn't have worried. Stormed over all of the warmup fences. My heart was pounding as we waited to go in but he blitzed the course. We had some slight issues with him only changing legs in front and then ignoring my requests to slow down and change legs behind so we got in a tangle to a couple of fences but he cleared them all fine including the horrible last fence - skinny rainbow stile. Good pony!
SJ vid:
http://youtu.be/6Jm3ZODA6ns
pics:
pinging over fence1:
fence 4 the planks:
fence 8:
scary fence 9:
on the way to fence 9 - look at that expression
so, clear round out of the way, no idea of dressage score at this stage, onto the XC. Few minor tack and dress alterations and over to the warmup. He was pinging - flew the warmup fences no probs. Well, apart from when some idiot jumped one the wrong way just as I was coming at it from the right way and we nearly had a headon crash. I'm not normally one for confrontation but as she ignored me saying she was jumping it the wrong way I went and had a word as didn't want that to happen again! She just mumbled something about it being her first time and she didn't know. I mean, come on - how on earth do you get yourself into the XC warmup of a ODE and not have learnt that red flags go on the right! I saw someone else jumping the SJ warmup fences the wrong way later on. The stewards seemed oblivious to the dangers and did nothing. Grrrrr.
Anyway, after our near crash jumped it again nicely and was then sent down to the start box with 90secs to go. Right next to the finish - not a good plan! Managed 30secs there before we had a 30second rearing napping plunging fit when a horse came through the finish. Fortunately stayed on (that would have been embarassing!) and made it into the start box where he calmed down and the timing judges finished laughing! So off we went, bit of a funny line over no.1 as had to turn right afterwards not carry on down the hill so took that one a bit cautiously but then stormed over 2, sharp left up the hill, down the other side, past loads of other jumps until finally got to 3 A and B which was a log to a brush, no probs there. Raced up alongside the racecourse to jump 4 and then tried to steady up coming to 5 which had a little ditch in front of it so needed a bit of riding but was followed by a 90degree bend to a hanging log with a drop followed by downhill and round to fence 7. Well, the brakes just didn't happen, and we ended up doing a handbrake turn followed by a launch over the log which nearly saw me eat some dust and def wasted a lot of time. (see video!)
XC vid:
http://youtu.be/8YhApnTMz7Y
then down to 7 which worried me as very easy to run out at but popped it sweetly and managed the 90degree turn to 8 no probs (we can turn left, but not right!), over the log pile at 9 then a horrible twisty wiggly line round the Intro corner and over a little ski jump then down a hill. He got confused by all the other jumps and all the turns and wasted a bit more time spooking at nothing much (best if kept going fast so he cant see stuff to spook at!). Then down to the coffin at 11ABC - they'd cleaned the ditch out so he half looked at that on the way over but gave him no option but to jump C and then 12 was a log just afterwards, no probs. Foot down for a bit, along past the sunken road and round the corner to a skinny log - concerned as he's been running out lots at skinnies but no probs, over towards the water and over 14 another hanging log then steadied again for the water - trotted through both lots no probs and then round over another skinny before up into the woods and then down and out and there was the dreaded haycart. Well, needn't have worried - he locked on, I might have given some loud encouragement and he flew it without hesitation. Flew up over the chair and the final fence and galloped strongly through the finish. Took me a while to pull him up - certainly fit! He was breathing normally before I was! No pics of the XC - photographer was at the smallest fence on the course and the drop that I buggered up royally. Why wasn't he at the haycart?!
So, the bit you've prob just scrolled down to read - we ended up with 10.4 time penalties XC which put us on 49.4 and 6th out of 44. 1st was on 42 or something like that so my lack of brakes and steering cost us dearly and if anyone has any suggestions as to what I could try next I would appreciate it. We ran today in a french link snaffle and flash noseband. If i put anything too strong in he tends to back off and I dont want that, but I do need a bit more control so I can gallop on and then get him back quicker without the fight!
my frillie:
Cookie dough ice-cream if you made it to the end!
He is having a little holiday now before picking him up again for the unaff 90cm at Mattingley. I bit the bullet and registered us with BE so planning on doing the BE90 at Tweseldown end of May as our first affiliated! I'm loving this eventing thing - can see why you guys all love it so much. Not so enthralled with 6am start and that's with living down the road - I forsee it getting earlier!
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