Larkhill BE90 today. Went to an EHOA clinic on Wednesday and Monty excelled himself in the SJ and XC making mincemeat of every exercise he set us so was feeling confident about the jumping phases today, not so confident about stressage.
Nice relaxed start to the day as dressage not until 12.22. Got there in plenty of time and wandered over to the SJ in time for a course walk - lucky as there were some funny old lines and it helped to walk them on foot.
Then got on in time to do 30mins warmup for dressage which is normally plenty. Only Monts was in a funny old mood today. He came off the trailer a bit mad and stayed a bit mad all day. Wouldn't stand still to have his studs done, swinging his bum around, head up, in hindsight should have lunged him or something to settle him down but he's not normally like that so took me by surprise. Got on him and he jogged over to the dressage warmup (not like him at all) and then he just wouldn't go forwards. Tried to get him into a nice forwards trot to warmup but he kept backing off, napping and threatening to rear (common problems when the orange one gets overexcited) Kept having to dodge Laura Collett as well which didn't help as really didn't fancy mowing her down with one of our spin and run manouveres!
They were running early and I hate keeping judges waiting even if it is just to go at my alloted time so I asked him to go through into the dressage arenas and he leapt in the air and spun. Cue large kick so then he took off with me into the dressage arena area in full on canter - pesky pony! Settled him around the arena in canter and then braved trotting again and it wasn't too bad. Went to enter the arena and he did a huge spook at the flowers either side of A (can I roll my eyes yet?) The test felt hideous - he was tight and tense, his right canter felt like a donkey and his walk work was awful (normally can pick up some marks here). Took him back out in the warmup and made him canter round a few times but he still felt rubbish esp in right canter. Yesterday when schooling he went disunited in right canter a few times so started to think something was actually wrong, although in no way did he feel unlevel. Was assured test didn't look as bad as it felt so decided to go and walk XC course and then get on to warmup for SJ and see how he felt.
Here is dressage vid:
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150802309915522
And a couple of stills:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2709328830048766437dZblQH][IMG]http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/51275/2709328830048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
1st centre line:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2695715960048766437oxnHzu][IMG]http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/49928/2695715960048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Walked XC course and it was fab! Rediscovered enthusiasm for rest of the day and went to check dressage scores. Well, blow me down but we only got a 30.5 (equal to our best ever eventing score). Seems judge was in a generous mood though as that still left us loitering in =12th after dressage with loads in the 20's. Still, at T/down we moved up from 23rd to 3rd and the SJing looked a bit challenging so I lived in hope of the jumping causing everyone else probs except us lol. Dressage sheet revealed 8's for canter transitions and the FWLR (very generous I feel but not arguing!), 6's for the canter to trot transitions and the 2nd medium walk (again generous, I wouldn't have argued with 5's!) Collectives 7767 "Some super work, just needs more round outline to relax at times. Well done!"
So, onto the SJing. He warmed up brilliantly - taking on the fences, feeling nice and forwards so put the rubbish dressage behind us and got on with the fun stuff. Fortunately the video on the phone died so I cant show you my worst round for a long time! Fences 1 to 4 were straightforward then we had a nasty turn to a narrow planks which went really well but then fluffed up the weird dogleg to the double and totally forgot to ride him forwards into a big oxer then 1 stride to a vertical so he tucked in a little extra one, landed short and had to put 2 in the double then turned himself inside out to jump the vertical. Gave him a big pat and myself a kick up the backside and he went on and jumped the followed 2 really well but then final fence was uphill and I didn't keep the motor running well enough, he got right on top of the final big oxer and again had to turn himself inside out to clear it. So we went clear but it was all down to him, not me!
Finally onto the fun stuff. He was a complete idiot in the warmup, wouldn't go near the exit but jumping fab. Had to be led over to the start box and led around as he was leaping all over the place, spinning, rearing etc. In future I'm going to take the degree of madness as a show of how well he's going to go XC as he was absolutely on fire today! Definitely the best XC round I've ever had on him. Flew out of the start box and over no.1, then made sure kept positive riding as big chance to nap around the corner towards the lorry park but no worried as he flew the little log at 2 then house at 3. Up over the parallel at 4 in fine style. Round right hand bend to a picnic table thing then down the hill, steadied beautifully for left hand turn to a double of logs with a long 2 strides in it which he ate for breakfast. Onto the water, steadied a little so he could have a look, bit of verbal encouragement and in we went. Popped out over the skinny brush then on again to a rolltop and a sloping palisade. Steadied round a left hand bend to go downhill over a brush then back uphill and round to the right. Steady up again to pop a brush rolltop then launch into outer space down a big drop running downhill which he flew. Then uphill and up a step which had a funny coloured landing so he spooked at that which was quite funny as it was almost like he tried not to land on it but was kind of committed! Then over the house which was part b. Onwards to a log pile thing then the sunken road, little steady, flew through there, took an absolute flyer at the brush fence then met the final 2 fences spot on and lolloped through the finish. Am still on a high because he just gave me the absolute best ride ever. Turns out we came in spot on the too fast time limit so narrowly avoided time pens. Thing is, I didn't feel I was pushing him on - he was just running at a comfortable speed and didn't need setting up as he was just taking it all in his stride. To hold him back from that speed would have been uncomfortable for both of us! Lex was riding just after me and by the time she finished XC (also in the time) Monts already had his breath back and was looking fairly nonplussed about the whole event! No worries about his fitness!
So, turns out the jumping didn't cause enough problems as we only managed to pull up to 8th place, but still another DC on our record and I wont forget that XC round in a hurry - it was just magic! What a feeling to meet every fence spot-on! :D
Video of the last few fences - can just see the sunken road top of the shot then taking a flyer at the next and coming home:
http://youtu.be/Xzqh6M76qJc
Piccies - no pro ones I'm afraid - am far too skint to pay £14 for a piccie :(
This is me, Lex and luce with our prizes
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2429359720048766437gkTQot][IMG]http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/49161/2429359720048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
over the last fence:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2933619730048766437mxZdor][IMG]http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/48919/2933619730048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
landing:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2605492280048766437eHJhJf][IMG]http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/48832/2605492280048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
and getaway:
[URL=http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2692491620048766437ZVETOp][IMG]http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/15264/2692491620048766437S425x425Q85.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
course pics - click next for more:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2278290470048766437IJoqTn?vhost=pets
Onto Ascott under Wychwood next Sunday - let's pray for a challenging SJ/XC and see if we can climb a bit further up the leaderboard this time. I think praying for a decent dressage test might be a step too far. Anyone any useful tips for getting a seriously tense horse to relax for the dressage? He's totally different at pure dressage events but when he knows the XC is coming next he's a complete nightmare!
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