Monty Borde Hill BE90 29-05-11

Alarm went off at the ungodly hour of 5am again this morning.  At least having not walked the XC course I got some sleep as was blissfully unaware of what lay ahead.

We got to Borde Hill at 8am.  Dressage not till 10.30am so plenty of time to walk the course.
Link here to pics of the whole course:
http://community.webshots.com/album/580268898Lfoaot?vhost=community

Few things to concern me - 1st in the SJ the final line consisted of oxer then related distance to a 1 stride double then a short related distance to a final upright - could forsee this causing problems (how right I was!)
Then XC - all was fine until fence 9 and 10 - 2 brush fences full up 1.10m including the brush on top - they came up to my chest and I'm not short!  To make matters worse they were on an angle inviting a left hand run out (his favourite!) and they were on a very short 2 strides or an incredibly long one stride.  Following that there were a few twisty turny fences, a big wide one with another max height brush on top following by 90degrees left to narrow log then 90degrees right to another log.  The narrow log was flagged back to front when I walked the course - pointed it out to the steward who swapped them round - that could have caused some confusion!  Then there was a little narrow hedgehog fence followed by sharp 90degrees left to a narrow log then right into the water.  2 loops went close to the collecting ring - not great on a orange monster prone to napping!

Anyway, onwards with the dressage.  He did a very sweet test and at the moment I couldn't have asked for anything more.  I have worked damn hard on his dressage over the winter so was overjoyed to hear a score of 31.5 when I went into the SJing - didn't half put the pressure on though!

That was, once we made it to the SJing.  Apparantly having to walk past portaloos and marquees is so scary we had to have 5minutes of napping and leaping round the car park first.  I apologise to the group calmly enjoying a picnic who I may have nearly sat on as well as multiple other people and cars.  Little bugger.  Ended up shoving him up someone else's bum to get him out of there.  Anyway, once we made it there all went well until the dratted final line when he didn't come back to me enough to the last fence, got too close and took it out with a front leg.  Should have asked him to go longer, not shorter in hindsight but there we go.  It turned out to be an expensive rail.
Video here:

Pics:
fence 4:

fence 8b

So, finished kicking myself over the rail down and went up to the XC - went over the first warmup fence and pony promptly tripped on landing and we both nearly ended up on the floor.  Thankfully he managed to pick himself up but on glancing at his legs I realised I hadn't changed his boots to XC ones!!!  Had to despatch helper to leg it back to the car park and collect them, put myself back several places with the steward and then jump off, reboot, jump back on, pop over a fence then got sent to the start box.  Fortunately course then got held (it was causing carnage which was really reassuring - not!) so we got a little longer to chill out again after rush to get boots on.

Finally set off, serious determination to make the time after Tweseldown last week.  You can see by the getaway from this fence I meant business!

So, away over 1 no probs, huge amount of spooking about fence 2 which to me seemed completely innocuous.  Got a slap on the shoulder and a big growl after that one - plenty more troublesome things to come!  Fine over the log at 3, roll tops at 4 and 5, down a steep hill then back up another one and straight away faced with wall of people, motorbikes, commentary tower and the collecting ring - had to work hard to get over 6 then right turn and got a good shot at 7:

another right turn, pop over the roll top then over the little ditch that wasn't even really a ditch, just a take-off rail but he was really looking at it - I think he was searching for the ditch that wasn't!

Then, onto those horrid brushes at 9 and 10, he's not a big horse so decided to go short on 2 strides, he locked on well, popped in 2 strides and hopped out over the 2nd part no probs, huge pats and good boys and on we went, next few big oxers that he flew then the sharp bends to the logs at 13 and 14 no probs.  Steadied up to a trot for the hedgehog at 15 as v sharp turn after to the log before the water - no probs to any of that though

And then it was just a case of galloping flat out to home over the final 2 fences.

Didn't hear the commentator when we finished so had to wait for results to go up on the board desperately praying we didn't get time faults as was =5th after dressage which is by far our best yet.  36 starters so not a small class!  Dressage sheet showed mix of 6's and 7's, but three 8's!!!  For our entry, FWLR and for his paces!  Gobsmacked!  Then his time went up as 4mins 13secs.  Optimum time: 4mins 13secs!!!!  So I went ahead of the other 2 on the same score as me as you cant get much closer to the optimum than that!  Someone pipped me to the win finishing on 35 (damn expensive show jump!) but we were 2nd!  Cant quite believe it!  We got a frillie and some prize money although have to say BE prize money is quite pathetic -- you could at least get your entry fee back!  SO, I do believe most importantly that gets us a qualification to a regional final and also a nice clutch of foundation points (no idea how many!)

Over the moon with the little orange pony (picnic squashing all forgiven!)

Next stop BCA (and some more dressage practice next week at GBEC too!)

I have strawberry smoothie and chocolate buttons to anyone who made it to the end!

Tweseldown BE90 22-05-11

Alarm went off at 5am finally this morning - I dont think I slept at all last night. I pretty much saw every half hour in on the clock. No idea why - wasn't esp nervous, more excited I think. I was quite glad when the alarm finally went off! Not so glad when I looked out the window and it was absolutely chucking it down - thank god for the sand at T/down meaning it wouldn't get slippery! Got to T/down at 7am, toddled off to walk SJ course which looked fine and then set about warming up a rather lively orange thing. Left 45mins for warmup which is normally enough for him but he was rather pingy today - perhaps the early start or maybe the rather high winds! Prob not helped by the loose horse galloping past either! We got sent off to the further away arena (not good for mr.nappy) and he was not listening to me at all - thought about one nap but managed to stop him. Test was BE92 which I cant say I like much. I thought he went worse than last time we did it at T/down last month and we got 39 then so wasn't expecting anything good! The only bit he did nicely was his right canter transition which he's been telling me for the last 9mths he cant possibly do nicely. Shame he forgot how to do a left canter one as well! FWLR was more like gaze into space and our final halt was decidedly squiffy!

Anyway, onto the fun stuff. Over to the SJ warmup and they were letting people in when you were ready so went in 15mins early. Forgot how to ride in a nice rhythm, got a terrible shot to the first fence and somehow he took the long one I gave him and cleared it, wiggled round the line to 2, 3 and 4 went ok, double at 5 no probs, 6 fine, 7 big triple bar but no probs there then I put him on another god awful stride to 8, he didn't fancy the long one I asked for, tucked in another and took out the front rail, luckily managed to hold onto him to clear 9. Totally my fault - very annoying 4 faults - didn't feel anywhere near as smooth as our round at Mattingley. They were announcing most people's dressage scores as they went in to jump but not mine and not enough time to go and look so went off to XC assuming it was over 40 and with 4 faults as well decided not to go breakneck across country.

Got him into the warmup and he turned into the devil possessed. Bouncing around like a tigger on speed. Wouldn't stand to talk to the steward, kept half rearing and buggering off. Warmed up rubbish - kept getting in deep to the fences and not jumping forward at all. Gave up in the end and they were wanting people to start early so off we went.

Didn't buy the pro pics as I'm too broke, there is a vid of me somewhere but not on my phone so picless report I'm afraid.
Despite our inability to get the stride right SJ or in the warmup he flew the XC no probs. Was totally out of control between the flower bed at 1 and the pheasant feeder at 2 - we came flying down the hill flat out - fortunately he jumps well from a gallop! Same to the hay feeder at 3. Regained some control before the narrow box brush at 4 (good pro pic over this one) and then tried to pick the shortest line round the corner to the palisade which then dropped away downhill and somehow wiggled my way around onto a half decent line for the double of log piles which are very square and solid and wide for my liking! Curved 3 strides to the 2nd part which is on an angle inviting a run out to the left (his fave way to go!) but he held the line well, then shot off over to the hay barn at 7 completely out of control again. Steadied a bit up the hill to the corner which he flew no probs then downhill to the next fence and you had to come down out of a narrow path and then somehow turn 45degrees to the right to jump a narrow hanging log - I erred on the side of caution and brought him right back to a trot as I envisaged us flying straight past it if I kept going the speed he wanted! Managed the 90degree turn to the 2nd hanging log no probs then, sped through the sunken road and then over to the water. He was looking at everything else around but got his attention back to jump the narrow box brush and then brought him back to trot as the water a bit fiddly - in and out then back in then turn 90degrees right then back into canter and out over the tube. Legged it up into the woods, steadied up for the hanging log to the step down - it does look a long way down from up on top! Landed and put foot to the floor over the chair and the final house. How on earth I ended up with 7.2 time pens I have no idea - I know I lost a little time trotting at the hanging logs and the water but 18seconds??? The rest of the time he was flying and given my attempts at slowing him down were completely ineffective I cant see we lost any time anywhere else. I might not have set out to go roaring round but he had different ideas. Honestly dont think I could have made the time without riding dangerously fast. It felt far too out of control as it was. He was 8secs inside the time at Mattingley 2wks ago so it's not like we cant make the time. Oh well, will see what next week holds!

Dressage mark wasn't as bad as I thought - 35.5 Plenty of 7's, no 5's.  There were plenty of faults going up in the SJ esp time faults and also plenty of XC time faults so at least I wasn't alone! So, 17th out of 33 starters. Would have been 5th if we'd finished on dressage score.  Not too bad for 1st affiliated. Now, a bit more rain would be nice as we have Borde Hill then BCA then Rackham coming up and I want to prove we can go fast enough XC!

Was back at the yard by 11.15am and am now about to go back to bed for an afternoon snooze - this eventing lark is exhausting but much much fun 

Llewi - dressage at Pachesham 12-05-11

Not happy with how he travelled - kept falling over round left hand bends which is what happened last yr that initially made me think something was wrong with him.  Managed to pull a travel boot off as well.  Haven't travelled him on his own much recently as always been with Monty and on the left hand side of the box.  I know you're meant to travel a single horse on the right but tempted to try him on the left to see if he's any better.  Not sure if it's just remembered pain or if it really is hurting him to lock out his right stifle and take his weight on that side to balance round the corners.  I always try and go very steady when towing and Monts doesn't have a problem standing up.  Worried it means his leg is not better :(

Anyway, got on and warmed up ok.  First test was P15.  Judge a bit rubbish at making comments - only got 3 comments for the whole test!  Got an 8 for our 20m circle right in trot and our final halt, a 5 for our canter to trot across the diagonal from right to left, otherwise mix of 6's and 7's finishng on 65.65% and 2nd of 8.  7667 collectives.  Judge (list 6) said " Promising paces and some active, rhythmical work shown.  Needs to improve ground cover and suppleness in canter and work consistently on both reins, but a good try.  Positively ridden"  I feel she was rather generous or it simply didn't look as bad as it felt.  The wind was blowing hard, gates kept banging and he really wasn't concentrating.

Had 40mins between tests so got off him and stood him in the indoor school to have a little rest.  He was actually shaking - really not sure his brain is cut out for this competing lark.  Eventually he calmed down and then got back on and did a little more warmup before 2nd test - N22 - first novice since last yr pre-lameness. Not the easiest one with medium work and counter canter but long arena so plenty of room.  At first it felt better than the prelim, he concentrated better in the trot work but the medium trots didn't happen at all and then the canter work wasn't too hot.  V tense, just about managed the counter canter but medium canter was fairly non existant and very quarters in.  Still, could have been worse.  Final score of 64.13% and 2nd of 3.  Again managed an 8 for his final halt.  2 lots of FWLR which should play to our advantage but he was too tense and only got a 6 and a 7.  Got 5 for 2nd medium trot which said "uneven steps behind, no med shown" which is a bit concerning.  He didn't feel unlevel but I'll need to get the vet to check that when he goes back for final check next week.  Test started with a few 7's for his trot work and finished with a few 7's but the whole middle section with all the canter work got 6's and some of it probably deserved less.  Again I feel judge was on the generous side (same judge as the prelim).  Collectives 6677 "An accurately ridden rhythmic test but some marks lost through stiffness behind esp in canter"  Def concerned about the stiffness behind comments, coupled with the bad travelling and will be very interested to hear what vet thinks next week - just a lack of strength which will come with more work or is the underlying problem still causing him issues?

Debating whether to take him back there to do same tests again next week - could possibly take both of them and just do P15 on both but Monty is eventing both Sundays so I'm not sure he needs to go out midweek as well.  Think might just save the money and so next outing for Llewi wont be until 5th June at GBEC for the open show.  Sharer doing P18 (will be first time anyone else ever ridden him at a show!) and I might do the M&M Ridden if he finally loses his winter coat or maybe the DTM class - Jungle Book needs digging out and practising ready for the RC qualifier in July.  Might take Dan if he's got his summer coat or might take Monty for WH and SJ if ground ok or dressage if not.  Decisions!

Next outing is this Sunday - Tweseldown - first BE90 for Monty.  Then desperately hoping for rain before next Sunday at Borde Hill as ground more clay like than the sand at T/down and I dont want to hammer him on hard ground.

Mattingley unaffiliated horse trials 90cm (Intro) 08-05-11

Pony gave me a heart attack last night coming in with a big wire wound all the way round a front pastern - I found the wire in the field whilst poo picking earlier in the day and wondered who might have been playing with it.  Fortunately it was all very superficial once I clipped it up so gave it a good wash and shoved some rules legal barrier cream on it and hoped for the best!

Sound horse this morning, no swelling round the wound so off we went!  What a fab day!  Late times so didn't have to leave the house till 9am which was lovely!  Our 2nd ever ODE and first ever at 90cm.

Got to Mattingley about 11am.  He was a bit pingy in the dressage warmup - it was buzzing with a zillion arenas on at once and one end right next to the back of the trade stands with all the generators and noise so deliberately worked him at that end as my arena was on the end there too.  Eventually he settled and was working as nicely as he does.  He still needs a bit more engagement as we still get head up to right canter at the moment, but considering he closely resembled a giraffe crossed with a banana 8mths ago I am very happy with his progress.  He did some giraffe impressions on the trot round the arena but then settled nicely. Test was BE91. I was very pleased to find a nicely mown centre line with a line across where G was for the final halt - very helpful!  It was a bit bumpy in places so we did lose our balance a bit as not that used to working on grass yet.  Was very pleased to go and look afterwards and find we had 34.5 (39 at Tweseldown 3wks ago) and was in joint 2nd with half the scores up - no pressure then!  Will prob get the vid up tomorrow - it takes hours to upload (and I'm sure not that interesting!)  We got one 5 for our right canter trans as predicted but otherwise all 6's and 7's and nice comments.  Nice to have a judge who at least knows something about dressage after Tweseldown (only a List One lol - good thing I didn't know that until after or I might have been a bit awestruck and forgotten the test!)

Had nearly 3hrs before SJing, so managed to force down some chips, have a natter to some friends who'd done the Pre-Intro, walk the SJing course and leisurely get ready for SJ.  Really not good with time to kill, every time I stood still my heart started pounding!  No need to worry though - Monts is a pro at the SJing lark - flew over the warmup fences all calm and collected, into the ring and he lit up - I just sat there and steered and he pinged them all no probs!  Lovely clear in the time.

http://youtu.be/SW6eandHjDE

fence 2:
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fence3:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2774290020048766437rUTpWN][IMG]http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/48811/2774290020048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

fence 5:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2364541330048766437egoqfi][IMG]http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/45217/2364541330048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

2nd part of double at 7:
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last one at 9 - got a little close here I think!
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2102040380048766437DzEBgL][IMG]http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/46516/2102040380048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Meant to have 45mins until XC but they were calling people to come early so we toddled on up about 10mins before time.  He pinged each of the warmup fences once, they were waiting for people to go so off we went!  Determined to go all the straight routes and try and make the time having been 27secs over at T/down 3wks ago and that was at 80cm so knew I needed to put my foot down!  Shot out of the box, great stride to the brush thing at no.1, bit spooky down the hill to brush rolltop at 2, bit more spooking through the woods and literally shot out of the woods and over the sheep feeder at 3 then foot to the metal and gallop up the hill to 4, a little log no probs.

http://youtu.be/HKE176gcVAU

galloping away between 3 and 4:
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up some more hill then steady up for 90degree left turn to the double at 5 - big meaty palisade followed by a roll top 2 strides later.  no probs there, onwards to the combination at 6.  steadied up so he could see the ditch, popped over no probs (might have given a bit of verbal encouragement!) and then 3 strides to a roll top.  onwards a bit more then had to anchor up for 90 degree left turn to the corner - never jumped one before but it was more like a skinny than a corner as not much spread so no probs there.  Down the hill to the ski jump and really steadied for this as he likes to launch off drops.  The pro pic is funny - I have a right grimace on my face and a proper hunting safety seat going on but I bought it anyway as needed a record of such a good day!

permission to post courtesy of John Britter Photography.
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2263585100048766437ASUzLi][IMG]http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/47060/2263585100048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Down the hill to the 1st water - a big muddy puddle - lots of verbal encouragement and through that then launched himself over the tyres and shot off through the woods, only just making the 90degree turn over the bridge, spooking at something on the left and nearly jumping the right hand pre-intro brush box instead of his own - took a flyer and landed halfway up the hill, back round over another bridge (more to spook at!) and then up onto the bank and over the tyres, wasn't expecting him to try and leap off the bank in one go so had a wobbly moment there!  Onwards to a little house at 12 then 90degree right bend to the crocodile before the water, he was thinking about the water so big growl and he absolutely leapt into it

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Flew out the other side and no probs over the bright blue woodburner.

http://youtu.be/-aX-MARZEO8

woodburner at 15 ( bit disappointed with how dark green the new XC top is - it all looks a bit dull dont you think? :( )
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away from the woodburner:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2930019010048766437EpvqcN][IMG]http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/48501/2930019010048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Homewards bound now, saw a bit of a dodgy long one to the chair at 16 but pony saved us and tucked in a little one then up the final hill to the step up and log at 17, bit wobbly to the log but over and away up the hill to fly over the final flower box fence and finish full of running to hear the commentator announce we had gone into the lead (equal score to another double clear but closer to the optimum time! - 8secs inside the time)  Amazing!  Nearly fell off the horse, then nearly cried.  Have wanted to event my whole life - am so chuffed to finally be doing it.

I finished far more out of breath than the horse - damn asthma - had a tight chest for the rest of the day - have no probs with holding my position for 5mins of galloping so dont hinder him in any way but my lungs do let me down!  After washing off, icing legs, bandaging legs etc etc etc we went off to see the scoreboard and the rest of the section were fab at dressage and almost all could push me down so agonising wait till the ends.  Turns out most of those who are fab at dressage aren't so hot at SJing and we ended up 2nd out of 34 starters!  Winner was on her dressage score of 31.5 and I know we simply aren't good enough to get that yet so am just simply thrilled at finishing on our dressage score at our 1st attempt at 90cm and really buzzed up about going BE now.  1st one at T/down in 2wks time then Borde Hill the week after then probs BCA 2wks after that and continue to work on the damn dressage as I suspect 34.5 wont be good enough to get us placed at BE.

We got a lovely ribbon and £55 prize money which might have covered the diesel and the photo!
pretty frillie thing:
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Sorry it got very long - very excited!  Strawberry ice-cream with a flake (my lunch lol!) if you made it to the end!

Evening dressage - Great Bookham EC 04-05-11

Took both the orange ones to GBEC last night.  Only entered P18 for both of them as intended to jump Monty round the 3ft clear round but scrapped that plan based on the rock hard ground.

Monty was up first - somehow ended up with only 20mins to warmup but actually he was very calm and well behaved so didn't need more than that.  He was rather spooky and tried to do a shoot through the shoulder job on way to warmup but pleased that managed to ride him through that.  Then stopped when someone asked me a question and he tried to do a spooky nap back towards car park - quick reminder with the spurs and a growl so loud everyone turned to look and we were back on track.  Hopefully am showing him I mean business and he wont get away with this napping shite.

New test regime is spurs and no whip as per eventing which he responds best to as he hates the whip.  He was v tense and spooky on the go round but judge nicely gave us a few laps and we were allowed in the arena so I did some changes of rein through half circles and got him bending and listening and then he worked really well.  Test went smoothly.  Little bit above the bit into trot/canter on the R rein but big improvement on few mths back. Lots of 7's, an 8 for his FWLR (bit generous watching the vid but not complaining!).  7767 collectives. "Consistently presented test with lovely flow throughout.  A little more engagement into right canter trans to prevent slight hollowing.  Great combination!"  Pleased with that - think marks and comments pretty accurate.  Final mark of 67.9% and 2nd out of 13.  Very happy!

Then had a little rest before little Llewi's turn.  He was on speed in the warmup.  Very off my leg, felt a bit like an unexploded bomb!  Perhaps they have swapped around and it is now him that needs the 45mins warmup instead of the 20 he was having.  Luckily only one line of white boards across the arena in front of the judge's car as arena is exactly 20m wide so not too much to eat him, although apparantly walls can be equally spooky!  He was a bit tense but I obviously hid it well as he got straight 7's for the first 5 movements and even 7's for his left canter work.  Only a 6 for his FWLR which looking at the vid isn't much different to Monty's but maybe bit less consistent stretch.  Then it went a bit downhill after that and only got 6's for right canter with a 5 for the final long side as he tried to throw in a huge spook and piss off with me, but got him back in time for trot trans at corner.  Did mean he was a bit tense for final centre line.  Bit mean with 6 for final halt - said he stepped sideways but looking at the video he went to halt quite all over the place and then deliberately sorted himself out and stood out, neatly placing all 4 feet into a square halt like I've been teaching him - v impressed!  Anyway, he managed 64.6% and 5th place so pretty chuffed with that too. 6767 "some tension on right rein canter today.  otherwise test flowed and lots to like.  Well ridden"

I do have the vids but they'll take about a week to upload!