Hunters May Day 2011

Today we went back to Hunters, love the venue, well run, nice clean loos, the ever lovely Frank and of course fat cat :-)

Loaded up at 09:50 and arrived at Hunters 10:40, parked up and went to say hello to Yvonnne who I spied in the distance and parked next to her was Sue Baker so lovely to see them both.

Tacked up the boy and was in the warm up for 11:30 (test at 12:04) warm up started well then warm up filled up and C spent most of it with his ears back, feeling 'humpy' over the back and just not himself. Decided to go ahead anyway and see how he felt in test. Didn't feel as per normal wasn't convinced he was right, but equally not convinced he was wrong.

Asked Tony to hold him and trotted over to judge's car asked steward if I could approach the judge. Spoke to judge (Maggie Copus) who was wonderful as she was between tests and could have quite rightly asked me to come back at break. Anyway her opinion was that he wasn't lame but was unbalanced and was I aware I was holding onto right rein on left turns *bangs head*.

So that pretty much explained why left rein was worse. Buggering stress habit!

Back to lorry, offered him water which he refused so offered apple juice which went down in one :-) loosed girth and loaded him up for half an hour or so, quick look at video decided he wasn't lame and set about learning novice test.

Clare and Katherine arrived :-) lovely to see them walking to lorry, tacked boy up and back into warm up. Husband bravely agreeing to call test. Warm up quiet so walked boy on loose rein (that would NOT have been possible last year!) did a bit of trot and into indoor.

Indoor looking very smart having been painted and C became a pocket rocket. Was so pleased he was joyful just decided to go with it and just let him enjoy. So test was a bit whizzy and he was not over the back but he was listening.

AND I wasn't hanging onto the front end and was enjoying his being happy; playing the long game with this one! Free walk on a long rein was a little scenic but rider woke up before we we landed at B as opposed to F.

Collected novice sheet comments spot on had quick glance at prelim sheet again comments spot on but couldn't collect prelimn sheet as was at that point lying second (!) suspect scorer confused and didn't realise class was mixed test prelim to elementary.

Lovely lovely day :-)

So Proud- his name in lights

Chorrie has his name in the WORC newsletter for coming third on the 27th Feb at Worton Park in each of his classes :-)

Videos are here

Isis Sunday 6th March 2011 P19

Woke up feeling yukky again, really didn't feel like bothering going but if I do want to ride Elementary come June I need to get my ass out to as many competitions as possible.

Tried some tea and toast to see if that helped, Tony wonders if I should see our GP but what can I tell him? I sometimes feel a bit nauseous in the morning and occasionally get an upset stomach. Entirely possible the feeling yukky was nerves who knows? Of course the other problem is on a non competition day I'd not eat until after I'd done the ponies but given how long the day will be I simply can't do that

Anyway went to yard as not leaving until late so can make go/no go decision later.

Come 10:00 was improving but also starting to suffer from can't be assed - itis all the prep for five minutes. As Tony said it will always be that way so either embrace it or don't compete.

Anyway decided to go and resisted adding gold sparkle to Chorrie's tail.

Arrived and managed to park next to someone I know from a horse forum so small world, not that I'm very chatty pre competing as Tony would say the only times I'm quiet are when I'm about to compete and when I'm asleep!

Got boy tacked up and tried to decide on white or navy gloves, really must get gloves that match my breeches and get a stock to match or embrace white and buy white breeches. How do some things from your early days stay with you so much? I get vaguely irritated if my stock/breeches/saddle cloth/gloves don't match and always wear a hair net but never notice what others are wearing and anyway as if it matters one jot!

So OK time to get a cream set together and a white set together there decision made!

So warmed up indoors and stuck to my plan so tick in the box, slightly wide eyed at people walking on the outer track but just avoided them as couldn't be assed to shout 'track please' as warm up quiet. Clearly they've not ridden over at Sue's where she screams at anyone not obeying basic rules.

Warmed up with Maggie B again never got time to chat as once she'd finished she was off to pick up second horse.

Warm up more structured and I stayed connected better so another tick.

So went into outdoors had to wait for a tractor pulling a low loader with a digger (?) on to go past and Debby Carpenter (List 6) rang the bell up centre line turn right 15m circle at R, change rein B -K and it just felt like no petrol in tank.

On plus side I stayed connected but the test was desperately lacking in forwards and 'zip'.

Cantered early right rein but stayed with it as too close to centre line to correct (see that's good that I can make that judgement call whilst riding a test)

Score was fair at 60.9% but I know we can do better and have done better.

So need to review with Clare and get some feedback on what to do differently next time out.

Also want to start working on having him off the leg and being connected as opposed to bunny in headlights.

Talking of bunnies baby bunny ran out in front of car and couldn't avoid him :-(

WORC Sunday 27th February 2011 P-DTM N28

Weather forecast for Sunday was changing on a daily basis went from heavy rain to no rain to sunny intervals by Saturday lunchtime, come Saturday evening heavy rain was forecast for when we would be out strutting our stuff.

So Saturday early evening was spent cleaning boots/bridle washing Chorrie's tail and socks. Got home stupidly late to baked potatoes cooked by my lovely husband, didn't go to bed early as planned *doh* anyway slept well and got up with a bit of a ho hum feeling that I squashed with some positive affirmations and so to the yard.

Lovely sunshine (so forecast right so far) turned Fred out, mucked out, groomed the now dry mud off C. Faye was back from Worton and reported very muddy outside arena so skipped a second wash of his socks, started to plait and then thought better of it as not enough time.

Got lorry out and sorted went to get changed into breeches and shirt, was putting boots on Chorrie when he poohed and I wasn't quick enough so ended up with pooh all down the front of my cream shirt and lots of splashes on my breeches!

And to top it off the rain started; a year ago I'd have cancelled but today reasoned shirt would be covered by stock and jacket and tough about breeches as what's done is done and given all the effort that the RC put into organising shows it'd be pretty poor not to make a bit of an effort.

So loaded up and off we jolly well set arrived parked in the VIP area :-) and walked through the court yard, through the normal parking and round to the arena and yes Faye was dead right about the mud :-( my lovely clean boots now looked like well muddy boots.

Warm up 1

Got on only one other horse in arena that was squealing and had been bucking so stayed well away and was even more appreciative of what a good boy Chorrie is. Didn't do all of my warm up plan as avoiding squeaky horse.

Dressage to Music - Prelim - Judge: Clare Goldie

Went in said my name to the writer who knew who I was anyway :*) but tis only polite, trotted C around arena and he cantered so went with it, judge rang bell trotted to position halted and very professionally :-D a la Laura B raised hand for music to start.

Intro music is Jaws - well it amuses me. Trot music is Wanna dance with somebody which I like as it seems appropriate. Managed to go wrong assuming you can indeed go wrong in a freestyle?

Ended up doing a few moves to cover it up and luckily managed to end up on centre line facing judge for final halt.

Got a round of applause from the spectators which was lovely; C gave them a bit of a Paddington stare but then realised they were clapping him so bowed to his audience :-)

Chuffed to bits as I kept our connection and managed to think when music was going awry.

Warm up 2

The heavens opened and it p1$$ed down oh and hail too, poor old C was soaked (guess who forgot his waterproof sheet) I had rain dripping off my hat and the arms of my jacket, You can hear the rain on the video and see just how wet C was :-(

Novice 28 Judge: Carol Hogg

Again chuffed as kept connection and didn't get bothered by my not riding so he broke to trot on 15m half canter circle back to track. Just caught the error and made sure I had him balanced for second 15m half canter circle back to track.

Scores

Came 3rd in both classes

P -DTM: 72.77%

N28: 64.58%

very fair comments from both judges.

Was spectacularly chuffed when Clare said she was proud of me, that meant more than anything. Actually am proud of myself for

• going in-spite of rain/pooh
• first time out without trainer
• first time DTM
• kept the connection
• did I mention kept the connection? :-D

and the shirt and breeches took two washes to get clean! Chorrie had a Kit Kat Chunky Duo as his post competition treat. I lucked out when he came into my life, he had me at hello that day I walked into his stable and he turned around and wuffled at me and still has me and always will.

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,
Friendship without envy,
Or beauty without vanity?
Here, where grace is served with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.
There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.
~Ronald Duncan, "The Horse," 1954