Dudley has had his first proper xc session today, I don't think I could have picked a worse day for it. From the time we left to the time we got home the rain has been none stop but I was determined that we were going. First of all we used the show jumps on a surface and he was very brave jumping every fence first time and only having one fence down. Next we went out on to the xc, he was a little spooky to begin but within minutes he was pinging over all the little fences. He needed a little encouragement to jump his first ever ditch, which was as I expected but once he had popped over it a few times he found it easy. He was also very confident at the water and steps. Perfect little experience for him. Now he is ready to go and do a proper little cross country track.
Over the bank holiday weekend I have been away with my two babies to Offchurch Bury in Warwickshire for the annual Stoneleigh Riding Club Two Day Event riding for Nantwich Riding Club for the first time. Percy was doing the 90cm class and Florence the 100cm class. Most of the weekend went very smoothly. On the Saturday Percy did a beautiful test for 29.5 but had an unfortunate fence down in the show jumping to leave us lying 5th overnight. Florence also did a pretty much foot perfect test for 31.1 and jumped a super clear show jumping to lie 2nd overnight. The next day both horses had to contest the Roads and Tracks, Steeplechase, and more Roads and Tracks before setting off Cross Country. Percy was somewhat excited by the first three phases and was like riding a bull, but everything went to plan to pick up only 0.4 of a time penalty cross country to move him up in to first place. I'm thrilled to bits with his performance at his first two day event. And it was exactly a year to the weekend that he did his first ever one day event. Florence also didn't disappoint me, she was like a little pro and awesome on all 3 phases and the cross country, unfortunately I let her down a bit on the cross country and picked up 3.6 time penalties for going slightly too fast. This cost us first place and we remained 2nd, which was still a great achievement, but it would have been fab to win both classes. Both horses were also on the Nantwich Riding Club Teams for the competition and Percy's team with Helen Walker and two ladies from Bradley Dale R.C picked up 6th and Florence's team with Amanda Dakin and Lisa Cadman were 2nd, Amanda also won the class individually. The Nantwich crew were so helpful, I had travelled down with the two horses and my two dogs on my own and with out their help it would have been impossible. Overall a great weekend.
Dudley had his second dressage outing today. We went to a Nantwich Riding Club competition on grass. I allowed plenty of time for warming up just in case we had a similar episode to last time out where he bronced me off. But in fact he was a little angel. I did need a leg up to get on as he was fidgeting next to the mounting block but other then that he was perfect. He didn't spook at anything or put a foot wrong in the test. He scored a very respectable 63.75%, which for his first test with canter was very pleasing.
Frankie and I competed in our first ever International CIC** over the last two days. The dressage didn't go entirely to plan because of one little error where Frankie broke in his counter canter (probably because my legs weren't doing their job properly) which cost us dearly because with there being two judges and the error effecting two marks, the counter canter and simple change and with 3 x 3's and a 4 it dropped us quite a lot. Other then that though I was thrilled with how he went, he was very rideable and chilled. We scored a 56.4. Even getting an 8 for our entry, first collected canter, medium canter and extended walk!!! We did our show jumping and xc on the second day, it started out brilliantly with a super clear show jumping but our luck ran out for the xc and we had a really silly run out at fence 3b, a skinny on a turn. We flew round the rest of the track so I'm gutted :-(
I was really excited about going for my dressage lesson on Frankie today after he went so well last week at my Gill Watson lesson, I really wanted to show Zoe just how much he'd improved with the practise we had been putting in at home, but it wasn't to be. He was a little monkey!!!! It was almost like I wanted it to much and we fell to pieces. Zoe said it wasn't as bad as I was thinking but it wasn't like it had been 4 days previous. Zoe's advice was to have a large G&T before our dressage at the next event...lol
Took Dudley for his first ever dressage outting today. Didn't get off to the best start....as soon as I got on I was bronced straight off. I tried hanging on for a while, but you know when they are not going to stop til you are off, so I ended up hitting the deck and landing in the muck heap. Least it was a soft landing!!! But he certainly redeemed himself in his warm up and tests. He was very chilled and although being a little nosey in his first test when he saw himself on the mirror, he scored 71.74% for 2nd place. Then his next test was pretty faultless and he scored 70.87% for 1st place. I'm so pleased with him (apart from being dropped in the muck heap!!!)
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Bonnie FishburnAmateur event rider Archives
August 2022
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