Monty Rackham BE90 25-06-11

Yesterday went down to Rackham at a lovely civilised time for once.  I'd asked for late times and then ended up in an afternoon section so didn't even get up till 9am - bliss!  Also took less time than I thought to get there so we were there by 1.15 and my dressage wasn't till 4.20pm.  Took a nice leisurely walk round the XC course watching the BE100 as we went.  Thought the BE90 looked lovely - few little questions like 2 steps up to a slightly angled brush and the trakehner followed by 2 angled dog kennels with the 2nd one a bit narrow (separately numbered but we dont do alternatives as we're normally too slow anyway without turning circles everywhere!)  The BE100 looked like it had quite a few more questions though - quite a few skinnies as final parts of combinations, difficult line from a roll top with brush to a corner and the new sunken road was causing problems!

Course pics of the BE90 here:
BE90 course pics

So, finally time came to get on and we walked over to the dressage warmup, stopped to talk to the steward for a minute then before I knew it we were in orbit somewhere as the poxy pony threw one of his nap attacks.  Description from the ground was a big rear followed by a series of mini fly bucks.  Managed to lose a stirrup (he normally saves these naps for when I have my nice secure jumping saddle on!) but just about stayed in the plate.  Naughty bad pony.  Put him into trot to try and settle him and had to remove his ears from up my nose as he jigjogged around like a loony.  The XC was the other side of the hedge and the SJ was the other side of the marquees but it doesn't normally turn him into a loony!  He has been half dead at home all week so I wasn't expecting a mad thing to warmup!  Fortunately he did settled and then did some of the nicest work I've ever had from him.  Although every time we had a walk break he turned into a jigjogging giraffe again, launching into canter every time I put my leg on.  He's normally really hard work on the flat so dont know what got into him!  There was me worrying he wasn't fit enough at the moment.  Thought we might try trotting into the arena to avoid the napping but that didn't work as we quickly ended up facing the wrong way so tried again in walk and got him over there, then he went back to jigjogging giraffe and I had visions of a dressage test in the 50's.  Fortunately he settled and then went on to produce the best test of his life!  The only thing we fluffed was the final centre line where he swung his quarters right and did a wonky halt but to be honest I was so relieved we had got through it I just didn't correct him.  We got 30.5!!!!!  Three 8's and straight 7's for collectives and only four 6's in the whole test.  Am so chuffed with him.  Sub-30 test here we come!

So, onto the jumpies.  My worst part at the moment - I'm either fiddling and hooking him back or kicking him onto ridiculous long strides and firing him flat.  Mission today was to just relax and ride in a rhythm which we mostly managed in the warmup and we got him up in the air with a few bigger fences.  Got him in the arena with no napping - didn't hang around at the entrance, got them to open the gate and just trotted straight in.  1st half of the round I managed to just sit there and we got lovely strides into everything, I heard him wallop the planks (which had been causing lots of probs) but he popped over the next 3 fine.  I just could not see a stride to the double though and hooked him back so much he had no choice but to put 2 strides in a 1 stride distance and managed to clear them bless him.  Again too close to the next one, but then got a nice stride to the final line.  Turned round at the end and the planks were still up and the commentator announced clear round - was amazed they'd stayed up as sure we'd clouted them (more to come on that later!) but pleased with pony for not knocking fences down despite my rubbish riding.

Onto the XC - best bit!  Determined to make the time after our slow round at BCA and he flew!  He didn't wobble at anything.  He took a stride out to fence 1, then flew 2 and 3:

Floundered through the woods as the ground was revolting, popped out lovely over 4, spooked a bit to the double at 5 and we nearly lost our line to the 2nd part but he came back to me and jumped it fine then popped through the sunken road at 6 and 7 no probs:

Back into some more woods and through some revolting ground to fence 8, he then shot out of the woods like someone had set a rocket up his arse spooking at who knows what.  Took all my power to turn him right and we went over the ditch to rolltop at far too quick a speed for my liking - fortunately he quite likes ditches so no probs there!  Galloped onto the stick pile and saw a flier and then steadied for the 2 steps up to the brush which he popped up like a pro - love the video - he makes it look so easy!  Then onto the water no probs at all:

Onto the trakehner, got a bit of a rubbish stride so let him move over to the right a bit to give himself a bit more room but never any thought of stopping:

Onto the angled dog kennels no probs at all then popped the hanging rail with piggies underneath it:

And flew down the hill to the finish - what a fab round!  It was roasting hot by this point in the day but he recovered nicely so I think I can stop worrying about his fitness.  Commentator announced double clear and the results and we were in 4th.  Bit gutted as was really hoping for top3 and another RF qualification but still super pleased as he couldn't have done any better.

Then took a look at the SJing vid from earlier only to see had quite clearly knocked the planks down and the judge must have missed it.  Legged it to the secretary to sort it out as they were just about to do prize giving.  It dropped us from 4th to 7th but still very pleased with him as personal best in the dressage and only 4 faults so not awful.  Checked the XC times and we were 25secs inside the optimum.  Talk about sublime to the ridiculous!  Somewhere in the middle would be quite nice!

Off to take my other one to the RC Area dressage/riding test qualifiers now.  Not sure my legs are up to doing anything useful so preparing to get slaughtered in the riding test.  Hope the little one is in a co-operative mood!

SJing vid: