Dudley was a complete star today at Somerford Park. First of all we show jumped and he didn't look at a thing, jumped his biggest ever track and only had a couple of little mistakes. Best of all he really enjoyed himself. After we went onto the xc fields and once again he was perfect. He did water, ditches, skinnies and even owl holes. He had a little question at the step down but soon sorted it out. Overall extremely
Dudley went to Southview for the combined training today. It was prelim dressage with 75cm jumping. Once again he warmed up really well but lacked concentration within the boards, but despite that he was lying 2nd after the dressage with a 60.8%. I was really pleased with how he jumped and he didn't get stage freight in the arena today. He rolled a couple of poles, typically the two small upright fences but he still finished 3rd overall.
I had 3 rides at the Area 20 Horse Trials Qualifier which was held at Berriewood. It was a day of many highs and lows. My first ride was Percy in the 90 and he was foot perfect all day for a 29 dressage and double clear, I did get 1.2 time penalties for going to fast but he still finished up 4th in his section and the team were 2nd so we are off to the Championships in August. My next ride was Florence in the 100 who got her best ever dressage of 25.8 then sj she was awesome right up until the last fence were she got a bit brave and jump too soon taking the pole between her front legs, this had frightened her by the time I came to xc and she was jumping her fences way too big then I came to grief at the third fence and hit the deck, such a shame for Florence she had never had anyone come off her before. Finally I rode Red, a friends horse in the 100+, we had a 33.3 dressage and double clear, again I picked up some naughty penalties for going a touch too fast but we finished 3rd and the team were first so he has also qualified for the Championships.
I took Dudley to a little dressage outing up the road from home tonight which was organised by my riding club. He was very good to be got ready and tacked up and getting on is becoming much easier. He did a prelim test. He warmed up beautifully but when he enters the white boards he lacks a little bit of concentration. He didn't do a bad test but he just has moment where he turns his head to look at something going on elsewhere...typical baby!!!! After his test I schooled him a little longer in the warm up area and the concentration came flooding back. He scored a 61.25% for 7th.
I also rode a friends horse in the Prelim and Novice as a practice run as I am doing an event on him in a few days time and have only ridden him a couple of times before. I find him quite strong on the flat but he was a good boy for 63.3% in the prelim for 6th and 62.5% in the novice. Dudley had his first jumping competition yesterday. It was show jumping which lead straight on to the cross country. We just did the 70cm class to make it nice and simple for him. There was lots going on with ponies and people whizzing all over the place. He coped quite well with all the other horses but he found the crowds and tradestands quite overwhelming and got a bit of stage freight in the SJ. He stopped at the first but then jumped round rolling a few poles. But then when he got on to the cross country he got all his courage back and jumped a lovely clear with 1.2 time penalties for going too fast. Overall I'm pleased with how he behaved, we just need to get some SJ practise in now. Even with his SJ penalties he still managed to finish 21st out of 48!!!!!
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Bonnie FishburnAmateur event rider Archives
August 2022
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