A very early start to our first BE event of 2016, first on in our section M3 BE90. Dressage was at 8am in thick fog! Guy warmed up extremely well but I felt he got behind the leg in the test which was a shame but the judge must have been impressed as it was a PB with 29.8 a first time for us breaking the sub 30 score!!!. A clear in the showjumping was quite a surprise as we didnt really get in a flow over the fences but our determination to leave them up out weighed this hiccup! Great feeling coming out of the showjumping arena with a CLEAR ROUND being announced over the tannoy again!! The fog has started to clear enough for the XC to start although it was still absolutely freezing. A change into XC attire and a pop over the xc warm up fences we were ready to go. This season BE rulings have change and we are now allowed to wear an optimum event watch and a change to how/when you occur time pens. Setting my event watch to count down from 10secs as Guy is well know for getting lively into the start box we were soon heading off to the first fence. With the help of the Crosscountry app whilst walking the course I was able to plan where my minute markers were. We were on track at the first minute and up on time 1/2 way Guy easily flowing around the course so I didnt push on for the last quarter. Pressing the stop button we had done it in 4mins 14secs-but unfortunately I got confused that I thought I would be ok with 15sec over the OP time (4min 05secs) but in actually fact it needed to be 15secs under to get no time penalties-slap my wrists!!!!! This dropped us from 2nd place to a costly 5TH with 3.3 time penalties- a mistake we will never make again.!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway onwards and upwards and learn by your mistake our next event is Norton Disney stepping back up to BE100.
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EMDG ODE 28th February 2016The last competition before the our first ODE of 2016 went very well at Brooksby EC with a good dressage test and clear showjumping- we were hoping that we could manage the same at Osberton (EMDG) ............... I have never managed to compete so early in the year but we aimed to get Guy to EMDG ODE as potentially we may have a bit of a gap from eventing mid summer if the ground gets too hard. Walking the XC the day before I thought Oooo its a lovely course and very much up to height! with plenty to gain confidence over with some challenging fences. Warm up for the dressage was straight forward and Guy behaving himself between some very high spirited horses being very fresh.It amazes me every dressage test I do with Guy how much more balanced he is producing a very competitive 30.8 test score. We were able to soon go over to the showjumping where they were wanting riders to come over early. Guy was flying the warm up fences unfortunately there was a unknown course walk announced which meant warming up a second time.....not good when i get nervous over showjumping!! I shouldnt have worried as Guy did a very forward going bold CLEAR ROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whilst I still had the happy adrenalin a quick change we whisked over to the XC-there was only me warming up- after a couple of fence Guy was wanting to go!!First few fences were straight forward and inviting, a couple of skinnies at 4 & 5, taking the straight route down the step and over a skinny at 7, Guy was pulling well at fence 9 a roll top going down hill to the water jump, a very narrow corner fence at 13- I made sure we stayed on a straight line and he just pinged it!!! fence 16 coming back into sight of the finish was a skinny, the next fence was a wide table style fence which Guy took off from a mile away and jumped the height of the next door intermediate fence!(see photos) the last challenge was a combination of angled roll tops. Coming over the last fence I was absolutely outstanded how Guy tackled this course,locking on to fences.Many of which were combined with some of the open fences!! The first event of the season and we did a double clear OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a very large section with 40 riders so I was very proud to come 9TH with mainly professionals 1st -8th. Now with less than a week to go for Oasby BE can we re-enact this result-I do hope so! Winter 2015/16 has been a mild one making getting out to competitions and training much easier. At the end of 2015 saw us concentrating on Guys dressage and improving vastly. Competing at Laughton Manor (November 2015 2nd place) and Elms farm (January 2016 first place) we have come away with very good marks averaging 69% in Novice tests. We are now aiming towards competing at elementary as he is working at medium at home. January 31st was a very exciting party for Guy as it was our first showjumping outing since last year, we decided to make the journey over to Brooksby EC, Melton Mowbray. The warm up was very entertaining in a small warm up area with Guy getting very excited over his job but jumped well. In the actual arena he was still jolly self and took over getting strong but this meant taking off when he wanted to at fences-not a good idea when you are trying for a clear round so unfortunately a fence down in each class. Plenty of homework was required and plus I was very competition rusty. Our next outing is this weekend doing combined training again at Brooksby EC and it will be soon our first ODE event of the season. although unaffiliated it will be a lovely course to start 2016 at Osberton in just over a fortnights time. Guy is now entered up for Oasby BE (March)-hopefully we are not balloted out! 1/11/15- Dressage test riding with Julie CorriganLast Sunday was a great opportunity to start our dressage winter training. Norton Disney saw us improve in this phase to get our best score to date achieving a 30.3, now the goal is to get sub 30! Julie Corrigan was holding a dressage clinic/test riding at Laughton Manor, Folkingham in their lovely indoor arena. I decided to ride a BE102 for her as we will be hoping to do BE100 next season again (fingers crossed!).The idea of theses clinics/test rides is to have a dressage test in mind where you ride through it first, julie then gives you tips/advice where and how you could possibly improve to get the better marks, the clinic is finished off by riding the test a second time. Both tests are judged by Julie and hopefully taking her tips on board you should have improved. Guy rode through the first test quite well but a little tense at times- he just tries too hard- Julie gave some great tips from softening through the transitions by breathing techniques and from a judges point of view what I need to show more of eg suppleness through showing more bend in the shallow loops. Putting all what she had advised I set off on doing the test again. A much better test but with the unfortunate bum swinging to the right in the last halt grrrr..!!!! Julie judged both tests like she would have done in a proper competition, first test would have scored a 33 and the second test was an amazing 28.5 fantastic- we are on our way to sub 30 scores!!!!!!
Wow a very early start and change of the clocks I felt like a zombie! I was fourth on in my section dr8.18,sj 9.20 & xc10.06. Brrr.... it was so cold! we even put Guy an exercise sheet on to warm up for dressage. Midweek I had got some useful tips from a very good friend who had seen our Oasby dressge test and I put these into practice. Guy was on his toes before the test trotting around the arena as he could see a pony through the hedge which was running around its paddock-argh!!! 'Come on Guy settle down we need to make this test a good one!!!' Up the center line and he was foot perfect-thankfully- and behaved throughout the test-- such a good lad.I tried so hard to do the most perfect 20mtr circles and the halt at the end was square and still yipeeee! Coming out with the best score Ive ever got 30.3!!!! Showjumping was running early trying to get riders through due to the short daylight hours. We only needed to do three warm up fences and Guy was ready, really pinging. He maintained rhythm and control and I was so determined to go clear-I put everything I had learnt over summer---- TO GET CLEAR!!!!! Crikey an excellent dressage score lying 3rd we just needed to get around the XC clear to come in the top placings-a great position to be in. Guy set off from the start box like a bloomin racehorse, hes so natural when it comes to XC. There wasnt a fence to worry about so I just went the speed he loved, jumping the fences out of his stride. Galloping over the last fence I did wonder was that a bit too fast?!?! Most importantly to us as a partnership we had ended the season on a double clear and very competitive. Results were out and we had picked up 2pens for going too fast so we dropped to 5th, out of a huge section of over 30 riders- what an achievement. BIG SMILE especially as we also got prize money...SUPER!!!!! On a final note I would like to thank all my friends and family supporting me especially my super groom-my mum- and my very understanding partner Brian Gilbert. Also the support of a great sponsor of Equestrian Solutions. A HUGE thanku and roll on 2016!!!
An event I always look forward to is Oasby Horse Trials, not only is it my most local event but its well managed and organised under Stuart Buntine with live feed results. At my last event (Brooksby) I felt the training over summer was starting to pay off, small things were starting to click and phases were getting better or I could see where I was going wrong. Guy certainly knew we are off to an exciting party-he loves his eventing. He was on his toes to the dressage warm up as we have to pass the xc to get there! To my amazement he soon went into work mode and warmed up beautifully. In the test he really listened to me and I came out rather quite pleased. We scored 34.3 which did reflect some areas I could work on-hence the 5.5 for stepping back in the halt (hes been very quick to have learnt reinback!). I always go on about my weakest phase- showjumping and this is what we have been doing a lot of work on over the summer. Also I have been trying out a different bit at home as he can get heavy in my hand which makes it very hard work to maintain impulsion with control! This would be the first event trying out his new bit a Neue Schule universal. Guy was certainly forward going in the showjumping but I did feel there was more control unfortuately I just held on to him from a spread to an upright too long got him too deep and had the upright down but coming out of the arena I was really buzzing, I didnt care about the 4flts it was the way he went round the course so much more like he does at home and in lessons-we were improving! Bounce, bounce, bounce......OMG was Guy excited to go XC! Thankgod for my martingale neckstrap! Guy flew around the XC making it all very easy just to get 0.4 time fault. Overall we came 11th but a great event to head to our last event of the season in a weeks time at Norton Disney. How guilty do I feel-not having done a blog since June-extremely!!! The need to have more than 24hrs in the day comes to mind, but thats life. Here is the general round up what we have been dong since our last event at Shelford. Many horses dont like the hard ground over summer and Guy is one of them. I made the decision to concentrate on showjumping over this period which is usually on a surface and have pads put on his front feet to help with the concussion working him at home (no arena just hacking and schooling on a field). Having improved unaffiliated showjumping we took the plunge to go on a ticket and have a go at affiliated showjumping. Never having done affiliated before we took Guy to Brooksby Equestrian centre, a fantastic venue and very friend soon being at ease with what went on. We entered two classes 85cm and British Novice-Guy jumped fantastically getting double clears especially as my trainer was there -John Steels- and the course builder was one of my instructors from my college days yikeeessss! no pressure then, we won both but being on a ticket no rosette/prize money . From then we have done a few unaffiliated competitions at Vale view/clear round with John Steels and finally the ground soften allowing us to go Xc schooling at Aylesford XC. Guy absolutely flew everything I pointed him at which turned my view to getting back eventing-I entered Brookby BE the same day! Brooksby BE event blogSaturday 26th September and we were back eventing yipeeee! We were doing the BE90 class in the afternoon,no rushing around and a lie in wow! The going was super so much I didnt feel the need to stud up for dressage. Guy was a pleasure to ride, in the warm up and test-to say he hadnt been down a centreline for 4 months and you could see the exciting jumping going on through the hedge !. Homework had paid off and he felt more balanced and better in his contact. The size of my circles let me down-lack of proper 20m circles in an open field at home grrr- but with a score of 32.5 I was really pleased. Brooksby has got the most fantastic facilitiies where we warmed up for showjumping in a huge indoor and showjumped in their new outdoor school. Guy was really pinging in the warm up feeling quite up for it but the walk to the outdoor I think he chilled out a bit and I should have ridden more forward to get a better canter in the actual round. He has been jumping alot higher at home and he didnt really taken this height too seriously which led to rolling one pole. All phases were running to time until we got to XC,unfortunately a rider had had a tumble and required being taken to hospital which meant the course would be without an ambulance and would be red lighted (stopped) until another one was on course. It ended up being stopped for over an hour, the organisers where brilliant trying to get everything going asap. Wondering if Guy would be a bit tired and ready to go home by this stage I was totally wrong. I had 20 riders in front of me to go XC and Guy knew when it was his turn! He was bouncing to get in that start box! Alot of riders were having problems at fence 3 and the water but Guy was spot on at every fence making it totally easy-a great confident giving event for us to start back at. A great end to this event was to hear over the tannoy we had come 9th. Such a bonus but my aim of the day was to have a fun day with no pressure and I loved every minute of it. We have two events to finish off the season, both BE90 at Oasby and Norton Disney-doing a rain dance as we speak lol!!!!
Crikey its a week ago since competing at Shelford! My computer went on a sicky and needed to get professional help to reset it losing all my files in the process hence the lateness of my blog! Now we are back up and running downloading all my 700+ photos and videos from my camera including my Shelford competition ones. Thankfully I had them stored on another device! Last Tuesday was our move back up o BE100 level, be it unaffiliated. Guy made Norton BE90 feel very easy, a bit too easy and I found especially XC he needed to have a larger course. My section was last of the day (XC 17.50!) usually a time when Guy has his tea and winding down so hoped he felt awake enough to compete lol! To my surprise after some rain we had had Shelford's ground was very firm. I felt in the warm up for dressage Guy wasnt liking the ground so took it steady and only did a limited amount. The actual test flowed quite nicely and Guy was the most balanced to date in a small arena which produced a great score of 32.5! With better ground he would have been sub 30! Our jumping had been improving immensely lately but we had done alot of showjumping on a surface and when it came to jumping on grass I was quite surprised how different I had to ride him. Teri England -a fab trainer- was showjump steward and came over to give me some great advice, she could tell I was chasing him into the fences and said just allow him a bit more time in front of the fence BIG THANKS TERI! My showjumping round was enjoyable-usually I want it over and done with-quickly. I took Guy steady and he jumped most of the course under control but yes riders fault I got him too close to the last oxer to get it down-4 faults. Something to work on still but defiantly improving. Off to XC which was causing chaos, the warm up had been placed right next to the start and fences 1-6. Fences 3/4 a simple log style fence running down to a dog kennel seemed to be causing the most problems. Guy took some bold jumps at the warm up fences he was up for it and the ground was more giving in this area. On course Guy set off well, a few fences I didnt have the best stride to but Guy kept jumping. half way round he settled and i was able to ride him better to the fences. My main aim was to get him round with confidence and finish well, which he certainly did finishing full of running. We came away clear but with 2 time pens which I was surprised at as he a quick horse but found I lost precious seconds settling him into a rhythm at the start of the course and with Shelford the time is usual tight there. Again a educational competition especially in the showjumping and xc. Whilst washing Guy off we listened to the commentary and we were placed 4th! I was over the moon coming away with a frilly and goody bag from Hy products. Our next plans are to get out to do some more showjumping -surface and grass..... and thinkover/look at finances to see if we British Event Guy for the second half of the season. if this happens we will be looking at competing at Buckminster in July. Blankney PC ODE -Norton Disney 26/4/15Sunday was our first ODE of the season after the Belvoir ODE was cancelled. Over the past few weeks we had been doing plenty of showjumping trying to improve this phase and a quick trip to Grange de lings to remind Guy what XC fences are all about. With my mind at ease that we had done all the homework possible we headed off to Norton Disney to do level 2 PC (BE90). Typical my last event was cancelled due to the ground being too wet and now we had to contend with rock hard ground. Guy doesnt particularly like hard ground so my aim was to take it steady, any problems I would pull him out. The dressage went well, Guy always tries his best but he did hold back due to the ground on the corners but apart from this did feel forward going with great transitions to get score of 34.6. Everytime I do showjumping I follow the warm up routine which John Steels taught me and Guy was flying -at times too much getting extremely enthusiastic! The showjumping course wasnt the best with a horrible line from 3 to 4 and some very tight turns with a quick optimum time. We set off from fence 1 like a rocket! just making the turn to 4 and quickly we were over the last fence-CLEAR!!!!! Wow our training had gone to plan so far with our best phase to come. My tactics for XC was not to get any time pens for going too fast!!! To say Guy hasnt been in a start box since last year he certainly knew what this all meant,trying to keep him calm to go through the box at the right time! The first few fences were a blur, at about fence 5 I was able to get Guy in a better rhythm and control with a combination fence at 7. The rest of ths course we maintained our steadiness but still took a flyer at some fences-Guy reminding me of his scope! Sailing over the last fence I was so pleased we had gone double clear I didnt care where we had been place just over the moon all the work we had put in over the past few weeks had paid off.Must have been the lucky XC boots I bought Guy from fellow Twittereventing member Suzie Claydon helping us on our way to coming 6th in our section, claiming a lovely purple frilly xxxx Guys next eventing outing will be Shelford unaff ODE at the end of May hoping that we have had some rain by then!!
Last Monday was supposed to be our first ODE of the season, unfortunately due to the soggy ground at Ropsley it was cancelled-such a shame as it was a well built course. We needed a Plan B ideally to go showjumping as this is what we need the most practice of! Hill House was running unaff showjumping so we decided to go there to do the 90cm class. I used all the tips for warming Guy up from John Steels-making sure he was off my leg and doing plenty of transitions,shortening and lengthening. Popping the warm up fences Guy felt amazing. I was one of the last to go in the class, it was quite a spooky school but Guy was a pro and just wanted to get on with his job. It was set over a single phase track so the jump off as such was within the course itself. My main goal was to go clear not worrying about time at all, we did a lovely forward going CLEAR!!!! round with a time of 26secs. John Steels lesson had been such a great help that I felt more confident and in control. Not only had we gone clear but was one of only two clears in the class only beaten into 2nd place by half a second. Which meant I got prize money too YIPEEE!!! We will be doing somemore showjumping competitions within the next few weeks ,hopefully to improve even more for our next ODE which will be Norton Disney at the end of the month. |