Got to show in plenty of time - nowhere decent to warm him up though. Both warm up rings had jumps in them and he is petrified of poles and jumps so that didn't go too well. Asked for canter and got buck. Got canter and asked for extension and got buck buck buck. Good! So, hopefully we got that out of our system and finally in we went. It was like riding a steam train - thank god for the pelham! In the second lot of canter someone clattered the practice jump next door just as we went past which obviously necessitated a huge leap in the air, flying change, buck and then just stop dead (luckily all behind the judge!) Got going again and then they made us gallop in the go round - managed to keep a lid on him but it was more of a medium canter than gallop for safety's sake! Couldn't possibly stand still in the line up but did happily walk away to do his individual show which was foot perfect and again kept a lid on the bucking in the gallop.
trotted up nicely in hand too so bit disappointed to be called in 5th but the top 3 did look like county show horses and everyone went very nicely - v strong class for local show. Was sulking a bit until judge came up and said how impeccably schooled he was and how beautiful his manners were (guess she missed all the bucking and fidgeting then lol!)
here are the pro pics - he is the only chestnut in the class so easy to spot and there are some great ones of his gallop on page 4, but lots of him throughout the album.
I-visualise pro pics
and video stills:
quickly rushed off to find the other orange one and take him into P15 - warmed up in a tiny indoor school but he was really unsettled, screaming his head off and behaving like a complete numpty! This carried on into the test but fortunately he managed to make up enough marks on the bits that didn't involve screaming to somehow still come top of the class with 68% and a listed judge too so v pleased with that. He even got an 8 for the canter to trot trans across the diagonal which is not easy so v pleased with his progress.
Went to try and find somewhere better to warmup but only place was the working hunter warmup ring and then he thought he was jumping (reasonable given how much eventing he's done recently!) so we gave up on that and walked him round the car park trying to stop him screaming! 2nd test was P18 and he thankfully resisted screaming but instead decided that every time I sat to change diagonal I wanted canter! Judge must have missed the first one cos he got an 8 for that movement but he got docked a couple of marks the 2nd time he did it - grrrr. Few more 8's scattered through the test and a very nice 8 for my riding from another list 6 judge (same one as at Borde Hill last week) and we finished on 70% - his highest score yet! Class of 30 odd so v pleased to finish 2nd.
Anyway, his punishment for inattentiveness is to go by himself to Merrist Wood on Wed evening to do P12 - dont think I can cope with both of them again so soon! Riding back to the trailer we had an interesting nap attack at being made to walk up the hill instead of through the cars in a straight line and then we met a pushchair and umbrella all in one and had a complete freak out narrowly missing sitting on a car bonnet (rather expensive looking one too!) before finding forward gear again and gaining a comment of well sat from an observer. Poxy pony! At that point I decided I'd had quite enough of him for one day and despite their efforts with the ground it was still too hard for my liking so didn't bother entering the WH or the open SJ which I had as an idea for the end of the day.
So, all swap again and back to the little orange one for Novice dressage to music. Had absolutely no idea of a floor plan as couldn't remember it from the last time I rode it. Had something vague in mind with lots of contingency plans which turned out to all be needed! They had erected a speaker along the long side but covered it with a plastic bag coz of the rain (yes, we had rain today!) which they then took off just as we trotted down the side. Cue stop dead, leap in the air, spin round and bog off nearly depositing me on the floor in the process! Made it past and judge kindly leaned out and said we could have another circuit so round again to a slightly less extravagant spook and on with the music. It was an interesting floor plan I ended up devising - cunningly avoiding the speaker and the set of jumps just outside the gate. I basically ended up completely winging it and nothing really went to plan but I dont think it looked too bad in the end.
Judge loved him - came up after and admired him, asked if she could take him home (nearly said yes!) and he won it on 75.3% got a 9 for his first halt! 8.5, 8, 8 and 8.5 for artistic marks. he did get a 5 for his free walk as he just wouldn't chill. Not a listed judge so possibly a little generous on the overall score given his tension in places but we are very proud of the nice red rosette given last year I was given less than 50% chance of ever riding him again.
Then my sharer got on him for her first test in years and the first time anyone else has ever competed him and he tootled round P18 without a spook in sight (different arena) and managed 6th place out of 30 odd. Watching it I thought she might be giving me and the big orange one a run for our money! So chuffed that he behaved for her as possibly thinking of loaning him out or even finding him a whole new home if someone very special wanted him so it's very reassuring that despite all his confidence issues he could do that for her.
So, a good day and even better, it is still raining harder than ever now (and hopefully is in Maidenhead too so perhaps BCA ground wont be too bad for Sunday!)
No comments:
Post a Comment