Hi all
As you know I am hoping that we can make the transition up to Novice this year and have been trying to get J fit for it. Last week I ran him at Eden Valley in the BE90 to get us a nice start run – this worked as planned where we got a double clear and inside the time (time is the thing we don’t get that often and usually have an average of 6-8 tf) so after a pleasing first run I had entered Kirrimuir BE100.
In the run up to the event Trudy the truck took a sicky and has another couple of weeks garage rest before the nice lorry fixer man will return her all ready and better. Until then I am loaning a friends trailer or H's lorry. Due to the winds forecast H said I could take hers.
So up and bathed on Sunday morning, set off at 7am, collected jnhuk on the way through as she was my groom for the day. Pootled all the way up there and then realized that I was maybe pushing it for time a wee bit and put my foot down!
Arrived on the showfield to find they were towing us on, it had rained and rained since 4am and the first lorry to arrive had sunk. We didn’t have long to wait, the tractor guys were pretty good (I hate being towed), and we were in our spot in a few minutes. Cue a mad dash to get number, tacked up, studded up and dressed, although at least the rain had stopped for a spell.
Got over to the Dr to find the rider after me had been sent in before me, so a very quick trot and canter and we headed over to start our test. Was a bit muddy and I rode a quiet test.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sUOKh6if7M
Had a long time between Dr and SJ, so studs out, hay’d, watered J and put back on the lorry and headed over for a cuppa and xc course walk. The SJ warm up was just mud but the SJ ring looked a bit better. Spoked to course builder who said they would be moving to fresher ground once BE90 finished. Went over to see my dressage score.
It read 25.5…
…….but only for 10 minutes before they came over and corrected it to 36.5!!!! 
Ah well, I did have a brief moment of total shock – thankfully my photo I took of the 25.5 didn’t upload to facebook so I didn’t have the shame of everyone thinking I’d done well, only to have to say it was a mistake
Anyway I’m pretty pleased with that score. Last week we did a BE90 and got 37.0, and this week moved up to BE100 and got 0.5 better!
So we headed out to walk the XC, the ground was getting pretty deep but the BE100 track was fresh and unused. I decided that I just wanted to go clear and wasn’t bothered about the time. It was a very hilly track and I wasn’t sure he’d be fit enough.
Didn’t get any photos of the course as we were caught in a proper monsoon, totally soaked right through to my knickers and I was wearing waterproof trousers!
The course looked nice, old fashioned but up to height and I only
thought the novice drop looked enormous so I must be getting used to
seeing those now too!
Headed back to SJ, changed completely and it managed to stay dry for the rest of the time, the wind however stayed and was very strong. I warmed up over a couple of jumps but J got stuck in the mud and nearly fell over them so I decided to just go straight in.
Popped round lovely, only clocked the audience coming round to fence 3 and he wasn’t really listening to my leg, jumped it a bit worried and had it down, popped the rest of the course lovely so not bad for our first time SJ on grass since last September!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sQ-ZiLBpWc
Got changed and headed to XC. Was a bit boggy in the warm up and again jumped one fence before heading over to start box – it was so windy I didn’t hear my 1 minute call, and wandered over to chat to the starter to be told 10 seconds! Oops!
Set off XC, popped everything but felt tired on the second hill and let him run at his own pace. Came home clear but with a bucket load of time faults – 19!! So not placed but clear, and needing to up the fitness if we have more hilly ones to do. Also didn't take shorter routes as I tried to stick to good ground so lost loads of time doing this. Had I been doing the BE90 I would have only got 8 tf so not really too bad when you add the ground, fitness and extra jump efforts. Just stuff to work on for next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WORh7qg_qpI
Headed home with a tired pony, Forth Road Bridge closed due to the wind so had an extra half and hour detour but J tucked into his grub when we got home and looked relaxed but tired. I’m pleased to report that he came out of his stable sound without a bit of heat in his legs and cantered off down to field when I put him out this morning so I’m pretty happy with that.
Pic of the xc finish – you can see what the ground was like.
Have to say that it was a good day and the organizers did a brill job to run it after such a downpour.
Thanks for reading
As you know I am hoping that we can make the transition up to Novice this year and have been trying to get J fit for it. Last week I ran him at Eden Valley in the BE90 to get us a nice start run – this worked as planned where we got a double clear and inside the time (time is the thing we don’t get that often and usually have an average of 6-8 tf) so after a pleasing first run I had entered Kirrimuir BE100.
In the run up to the event Trudy the truck took a sicky and has another couple of weeks garage rest before the nice lorry fixer man will return her all ready and better. Until then I am loaning a friends trailer or H's lorry. Due to the winds forecast H said I could take hers.
So up and bathed on Sunday morning, set off at 7am, collected jnhuk on the way through as she was my groom for the day. Pootled all the way up there and then realized that I was maybe pushing it for time a wee bit and put my foot down!
Arrived on the showfield to find they were towing us on, it had rained and rained since 4am and the first lorry to arrive had sunk. We didn’t have long to wait, the tractor guys were pretty good (I hate being towed), and we were in our spot in a few minutes. Cue a mad dash to get number, tacked up, studded up and dressed, although at least the rain had stopped for a spell.
Got over to the Dr to find the rider after me had been sent in before me, so a very quick trot and canter and we headed over to start our test. Was a bit muddy and I rode a quiet test.
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sUOKh6if7M
Had a long time between Dr and SJ, so studs out, hay’d, watered J and put back on the lorry and headed over for a cuppa and xc course walk. The SJ warm up was just mud but the SJ ring looked a bit better. Spoked to course builder who said they would be moving to fresher ground once BE90 finished. Went over to see my dressage score.
It read 25.5…
…….but only for 10 minutes before they came over and corrected it to 36.5!!!! Ah well, I did have a brief moment of total shock – thankfully my photo I took of the 25.5 didn’t upload to facebook so I didn’t have the shame of everyone thinking I’d done well, only to have to say it was a mistake
Anyway I’m pretty pleased with that score. Last week we did a BE90 and got 37.0, and this week moved up to BE100 and got 0.5 better!
So we headed out to walk the XC, the ground was getting pretty deep but the BE100 track was fresh and unused. I decided that I just wanted to go clear and wasn’t bothered about the time. It was a very hilly track and I wasn’t sure he’d be fit enough.
Didn’t get any photos of the course as we were caught in a proper monsoon, totally soaked right through to my knickers and I was wearing waterproof trousers!
The course looked nice, old fashioned but up to height and I only
thought the novice drop looked enormous so I must be getting used to
seeing those now too!Headed back to SJ, changed completely and it managed to stay dry for the rest of the time, the wind however stayed and was very strong. I warmed up over a couple of jumps but J got stuck in the mud and nearly fell over them so I decided to just go straight in.
Popped round lovely, only clocked the audience coming round to fence 3 and he wasn’t really listening to my leg, jumped it a bit worried and had it down, popped the rest of the course lovely so not bad for our first time SJ on grass since last September!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sQ-ZiLBpWc
Got changed and headed to XC. Was a bit boggy in the warm up and again jumped one fence before heading over to start box – it was so windy I didn’t hear my 1 minute call, and wandered over to chat to the starter to be told 10 seconds! Oops!
Set off XC, popped everything but felt tired on the second hill and let him run at his own pace. Came home clear but with a bucket load of time faults – 19!! So not placed but clear, and needing to up the fitness if we have more hilly ones to do. Also didn't take shorter routes as I tried to stick to good ground so lost loads of time doing this. Had I been doing the BE90 I would have only got 8 tf so not really too bad when you add the ground, fitness and extra jump efforts. Just stuff to work on for next time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WORh7qg_qpI
Headed home with a tired pony, Forth Road Bridge closed due to the wind so had an extra half and hour detour but J tucked into his grub when we got home and looked relaxed but tired. I’m pleased to report that he came out of his stable sound without a bit of heat in his legs and cantered off down to field when I put him out this morning so I’m pretty happy with that.
Pic of the xc finish – you can see what the ground was like.
Have to say that it was a good day and the organizers did a brill job to run it after such a downpour.
Thanks for reading
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