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The Horse Update / Pic Thread


Clare

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Thanks. Am sure she just doesn't think sometimes. I don't need a sharer, just thought I would let her ride Blue as she can't ride hers as she is a youngster.

 

A very excited for Sunday as I am writing for a dressage show :biggrin: I follow croft dressage on Facebook and they asked for writers for this weekend. We usually do hydrotherapy with the dogs on Sunday but as they are poorly, we have had to cancel. So thought I would give it a go, as people always say you can get lots of helpful hints and tips. I also figured that by sitting in the judge's box, I would realise the judge is human and maybe relax more when I compete :) I am writing from 9am till 12pm - hope I don't get cramp :laugh: :rolleyes:

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Have had a fab morning dressage writing. The time absolutely flew, the judge was lovely and I learned loads :) Some of the mistakes riders were making though was surprising. Loads were riding with washing lines for reins, totally overshooting the centre line and riding about 5 foot to the left or right without bothering to correct it. The judge said she usually starts every movement with a score of 6 and then adjusts up or down as needs be. It made me realise there is no reason why I can't get out and compete with Blue - I always think that all the other riders have perfect horses that bend and flex - the truth is that in the 2 classes I wrote for most of the horses weren't on the bit and hollowed through their transitions (I wrote for an intro and beginners prelim). So that made me feel a lot happier to know that all the other riders aren't riding about on Valegro/Uti type horses :)

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Have had a fab morning dressage writing. The time absolutely flew, the judge was lovely and I learned loads :) Some of the mistakes riders were making though was surprising. Loads were riding with washing lines for reins, totally overshooting the centre line and riding about 5 foot to the left or right without bothering to correct it. The judge said she usually starts every movement with a score of 6 and then adjusts up or down as needs be. It made me realise there is no reason why I can't get out and compete with Blue - I always think that all the other riders have perfect horses that bend and flex - the truth is that in the 2 classes I wrote for most of the horses weren't on the bit and hollowed through their transitions (I wrote for an intro and beginners prelim). So that made me feel a lot happier to know that all the other riders aren't riding about on Valegro/Uti type horses :)

Go for it!! just ride like you are having a lesson.... nice straight lines, accurate and even transitions....and ride into your corners...oh and my weekness...dont forget the test...:D

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I have found a dressage on 25th August at a new venue to me. It is p19, so a long arena test. Wish I could go to croft for my return to dressage, but mum and dad are away for the next one at croft and I am away for the one after :rolleyes: I want to start learning the test now, so I have it nailed by the time August arrives :)

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That is exactly what I found when writing, I had a preconception that everyone had perfect horses and rode perfect tests but actually you soon realise for the majority its the opposite and actually the judge isn't looking for much more than the basics well done :laugh:

 

We went eventing on Saturday, with the objective of seeing how he felt and doing as much as he felt capable. He did a nice dressage test and suddenly found his umph from somewhere but have to say I wish he didn't find it when we were heading down the centre line lol. Considering how flat he has been feeling I was delighted with the test, it was a bit untidy in places as he was keen but that was fine with me!

 

Had a long wait until the showjumping which in hindsight I didn't deal with very well, I went over to watch and learn the course and wound myself up proper :rolleyes_anim: Then I checked my dressage score which was 32 and well in touch with the leader on 27. By the time it came to get on I felt sick and my legs were like jelly, I have no idea why after some good showjumping efforts lately but heyho. I won't defend our performance but I will say I got there with plenty of time to warm up to be told they were running ahead of time and there was one more to go after the person in the ring. So I had a quick trot and canter, popped a cross pole and went in ....... and proceeded to decimate the whole course and Im not really sure why :sad02: When we came out they said 20 faults but 24 was on the final score so we smashed our personal worst in some style :banghead:

 

Having walked the xc course the day before I knew it was really strong and the hardest test we had ever faced, people were saying it was harder than the prenovice, I have to admit to not feeling very motivated, but of course he skipped round feeling fantastic i kept a hold of him as not point in going for the time but he gave me a wonderful ride, only one real sticky moment coming out of the coffin at a very spooky railway bridge fence with train tracks and a wooden train on top! So all was forgiven and I was left to rue our showjumping as even with three fences down showjumping we would have still been placed.

 

August is the month of showjumping boot camp, I am making myself go out every weekend to jump, showjumping competition this weekend then to my trainer next weekend to get a plan together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That is exactly what I found when writing, I had a preconception that everyone had perfect horses and rode perfect tests but actually you soon realise for the majority its the opposite and actually the judge isn't looking for much more than the basics well done :laugh:

 

We went eventing on Saturday, with the objective of seeing how he felt and doing as much as he felt capable. He did a nice dressage test and suddenly found his umph from somewhere but have to say I wish he didn't find it when we were heading down the centre line lol. Considering how flat he has been feeling I was delighted with the test, it was a bit untidy in places as he was keen but that was fine with me!

 

Had a long wait until the showjumping which in hindsight I didn't deal with very well, I went over to watch and learn the course and wound myself up proper :rolleyes_anim: Then I checked my dressage score which was 32 and well in touch with the leader on 27. By the time it came to get on I felt sick and my legs were like jelly, I have no idea why after some good showjumping efforts lately but heyho. I won't defend our performance but I will say I got there with plenty of time to warm up to be told they were running ahead of time and there was one more to go after the person in the ring. So I had a quick trot and canter, popped a cross pole and went in ....... and proceeded to decimate the whole course and Im not really sure why :sad02: When we came out they said 20 faults but 24 was on the final score so we smashed our personal worst in some style :banghead:

 

Having walked the xc course the day before I knew it was really strong and the hardest test we had ever faced, people were saying it was harder than the prenovice, I have to admit to not feeling very motivated, but of course he skipped round feeling fantastic i kept a hold of him as not point in going for the time but he gave me a wonderful ride, only one real sticky moment coming out of the coffin at a very spooky railway bridge fence with train tracks and a wooden train on top! So all was forgiven and I was left to rue our showjumping as even with three fences down showjumping we would have still been placed.

 

August is the month of showjumping boot camp, I am making myself go out every weekend to jump, showjumping competition this weekend then to my trainer next weekend to get a plan together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Im on your side here...I hate show jumping...:) would gladly do Dressage and X Country all day.... but...the more you do the better you get....but make it fun....if you can have jumps up at home...dont just do a 'course' do a line of bounces...or a 'X' shape in the middle so you can do a figure of '8' over them....get friends over...anything....to liven it up a bit ...try it bareback....

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Hi all,

 

I do apologise for the lack of update. I sat for about an hour not long after I got back from camp and wrote you a huge report only for my computer to crash about 3 seconds before I pressed send and then I lost the will to live!!

So finally a long awaited update!

 

Our first trip out last month was dressage at Windsor. It was a popular gathering with lots of very smartly turned out horses and riders, as you can imagine! Fortunately I had spent all week washing milo with blue shampoo so he was so white he looked like something from a Daz advert!! Anyway we were entered for Intro B and Prelim 12. I was using it as practice for the riding club event the following weekend, which ended up being cancelled L

Anyway, he warmed up nicely and we went in for the Intro. As I have nowhere to practice I always find those arenas so tiny when you get in, and this was no different except we were on grass with white boards, and those letters just came up so quickly! We got round it but I didn’t think it was anything amazing. I knew there were about 12 entries and I saw lots of really nice tests so came away thinking id be really happy if I got a place. I came back half an hour later to find that WE HAD WON :O !!!!!! With 68.something%!! We got 8’s for our transitions and changes of rein across the diagonal so really pleased.

Feeling positive we went into the Prelim 12. I was a bit worried about this one as it involves cantering across the diagonal, trotting and then picking up canter again in the corner but I needn’t have worried, he didn’t bat an eyelid! Had 2 things go wrong, he tripped on one change of rein and picked up right canter lead when it should’ve been left (I changed it quickly) but other than that it went really well. This was a bigger class of about 17/18. Again I was delighted to find that although we’d just missed out on a place we’d come 7th with 64% and only 5% behind the winner!! So I was absolutely over the moon with him. Bearing in mind we have no dressage lessons or anywhere to practice that’s not bad going :)

 

SO, onto riding camp! We had a fantastic time. We had 5 lessons over the course of 2 days with a quiz and bbq in the evening. Biggest achievements involved our dressage lesson where he ended up feeling like Valegro!! I really must do more dressage with him, hes really quite amazing. Cross country was fantastic (pics to follow!) and in our jumping lessons he just amazed me. I actually ended the weekend jumping him round this gigantic course (about 3’3” which is enormous for us) but he pinged it like a spring lamb, and best of all he did it in a snaffle without wrenching my arms out of my sockets. So thrilled with him. We also had a go at some TREC obstacles, walking over a tarpaulin, through a maze, walking over some pallets, ducking under a bridge and doing the control of paces. He was impeccably behaved throughout and I was so pleased with him. Hes been an absolute star. Following that, I gave him a week off and we’ve spent the last week doing some nice leisurely hacks. Next outing will be dressage I think!

 

XC Pics :D

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

How are we all getting on?

 

I have entered a dressage on the 25th August - am doing prelim 19. Ran through it tonight, we had a couple of temper tantrums on the canter transitions, they have to be on the centre line, so trying to get it on the centre line was a bit of a challenge, I much prefer to do them between 2 markers, so I can prepare more for them :)

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We went to Hartpury horse trials last weekend - had a fab time. I was standing a couple of feet away from Mark

Todd at one point :biggrin: I wasn't brave enough to walk up to him and ask for a photo though :)

 

I did get some pics though :)

 

William Fox Pitt and Lionheart (his Olympic horse)

 

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A French rider

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Me and Pippa Funnel (on her horse she didn't get eliminated on)

 

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Fab pics Gooster :happystrange:

 

How are your preparations going for your test this weekend?

 

Things are going well, Loki definately working better with the cooler weather. We went showjumping at the weekend and he jumped super with a clear in the first class and then in the second class I messed up at the second last fence in the jump off otherwise it would have been another clear but that was 100% my fault.

 

I'm having a battle with myself at the moment as have the chance to buy my friends horsebox, dithering as it would mean refinancing my loans and topping it up putting more stress on things and the trailer works ok other than I won't tow it, so the box would give me the freedom to go off on my own without having to drag OH around, plus I would travel further to event as at the moment I don't like taking the trailer on the motorway, and to be honest its always been a dream of mine to have a lorry, but there is so much more to go wrong with one isn't there :crying_anim02:

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Difficult one. Do you maybe have a friend who would buy it with you?

 

I really need to do my trailer test, was saying to my YO the other day that it would give me a lot more freedom to compete as I wouldn't be reliant on mum and dad to tow me to places :)

 

Preparation is going ok for the weekend, I read through the test before bed, and he has been a little superstar the last few times I have ridden him :) We did pole work today, which led to a beautiful floaty trot :). Have also got one of my friends at the farm to plait him up on Saturday night for me - she is also going to pull his mane - I offered to trim it with scissors as I usually do, but she told me off and said she would sort him :)

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Aaaagh, got my time for Sunday! It feels a lot more real now :unsure: We have a nice time of 1.40 in the afternoon, so plenty of time for a lie in, get up, panic and get there :laugh: :rolleyes:

 

I pretty much know the test now, but am still going to have a reader so that I am not worrying about forgetting the test. Hopefully my instructor can come along for moral support, but will have to see if she is free :)

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