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!
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 blog
Saturday 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!!!!