£0.00
March 2011 Diary
Aston-le-Walls Unaffiliated Event
I decided to take Dougal, Andy and Luca to Aston for the Unaffiliated event, as it was there first event. They were all fantastic, Andy scored 28.5 and jumped a super double clear inside the time to finish 3rd. Dougal was also super and scored 29.0 and jumped double clear with just a handful of time faults to finish in 9th. Luca was a bit fresh, he was unlucky that the XC had started when he did his test so he was a little on his toes, sadly rolled one pole in the SJ, but although very green was honest and genuine XC. All in all a good start to the season, and I feel they are already for there first BE event at Tweseldown next weekend.
Tweseldown
Tweseldown was an exciting event, not only because it was the first BE event of the season, but out of the 9 horses I rode over the 3 days, 6 of the horses were new rides for the 2011 event season.
On Thursday it was the Open Intermediate day, George, Barney and Tomi were competing. Barney did a super test as he can get quite tense to score 35.9, 2 fences rolled for 8 faults, and a steady clear XC was a good start to the season. George was doing one-time changes down the centre line, acting like a 5yo, but otherwise was lovely to score 34.1 and jumped very well, just catching the last fence in the SJ, but he too jumped a super clear XC. Next was Tomi, she warmed in beautifully but got quite tense in the arena to score 44.1, she too had one down in the SJ, but jumped a fantastic clear XC. It was our first event together, so a good starting point for the season ahead.
We were back again on Friday with the Novice horses. Woody, Mex and Rocky were competing. Woody did a perfect test, but was harshly marked to score 32, he went on to jump a super double clear, I just took him slowly but he finished 11th. Mex was a bit lazy in his test but scored 35, rolled one fence in the SJ, and jumped a lovely clear XC to finish 11th with a few time faults. Rocky was very excited to see ex-stable mate before he entered the dressage arena, so continued to whiney throughout his test, but produced some nice work to score 33.5, four-fault itus resulted in one fence down, but a great clear XC to finish in 8th.
We were home on Saturday, but back at Tweseldown on Sunday for the Intro with Dougal, Andy and Luca. Andy was on great form to score 30 in the dressage and jump a faultless double clear inside the time, and would have finished 3rd, but I had to ride HC as I have competed at Advanced level. Dougal scored 28, rolled one fence SJ, and he too jumped clear XC and would have been in the placings, but again I was HC. Luca produced a green but lovely test to score 29, he just tipped the last fence in the SJ. He was then very green and took a dislike to fence 1, and had two stops, but then popped round the course very well, he was quite keen and bold, but spent a lot of time in trot as well.
All in all a very successful 3 days eventing at Tweseldown, and I look forward to Aldon next weekend.
Two good days at Aldon Horse Trials
We were at Aldon both days. Saturday we took Mexico and Rocky. Mexico was competing in the novice, he produced a super test with just one mistake to score 30.5. He then went on to jump a faultless double clear inside the time, which was fantastic as the time was tight XC, and he really showed he could gallop, it was also a great reward to finish in 3rd place, winning 4 points which now moves him up a level so he is now intermediate.
Rocky was also very good, a good test, just a little fresh in the canterwork and it didn’t help that we followed William Fox-Pitt but scored 32.0. He to went on to jumped a lovely double clear inside the time, and finished 3rd in the Open Novice.
We were back again on Sunday with Ollie and Woody, competing in the OI and the I. It was Ollie’s first event of the season and he was super fresh, bucking in his medium canter, with the remark from the judge as ‘HAPPY!!!’ but he still scored 32.7. Woody to was excited to be out, and scored 35.0. They both went on to jump very well, with Ollie just rolling a pole, but Woody jumped an immaculate clear.
The XC time was also proving to be very tight, so I decided not to push them for it. They both jumped super clears, Woody had 14 time and Ollie 8. Overall a very good weekend, and these two horses head to Somerley CIC** next.
Your Horse – filming and photo time
Yesterday I was a ‘guinea pig’ for my boyfriend Tom. Tom and his father Richard, were doing a article for ‘your horse’ magazine on rider position, as well as an online video for ‘your horse’ online subscribers.
I took Ollie and Woody up to the Davison’s yard. Woody jumped a course that was videoed whilst Tom talked about the round, and what needed to be improved. Whilst Ollie took part in jumping angles, skinnies and combinations, whilst I had to ride on the flat and over fences without sturrips, working through exercises planned by Tom to help the readers improve the skills.