Having had a great outing at Rotorua, I was feeling full of confidence that with a little tweaking in our dressage marks, we had a realistic chance of being placed.
Hmmmm; not to happen.
Arrived Friday , and Sammie was his usual ignorant self riding around and trying to do some flatwork.
However, it was overnight that was the big problem. The place was riddled with Penny Royal, which was the initial instigator of his allergy problem, and he was very very unhappy....couldnt keep still in his yard, wouldnt eat at all (not even his dinner which I had dosed with Aller-G stuff). He was throwing his head around and just not a happy camper. Probably didnt help that his yard was separated from others by a few empty yards.
We moved him to a yard next to another horse and he settled a little, but didnt eat all night and continued to box walk all night (consequence his yard was a mud puddle). I did syringe him with some Aller-G which also helped relieve the symptoms a little also.
When I got on him mid day to warm up for dressage however, he was definitely off behind, so not sure if his nocturnal antics had tweaked something....however I pressed on. Unfortunately he didn't score too well, although apart from one skedaddle and a couple of course errors, he was 'irregular'. The canters were ok though, and the last few movements were spoiled by a squally rain cloud, which he took exception to.
However, not last.
Off to show jump.
Was not at all focused warming up....would then site the jump, hoon at it, boing up over it and run away with me. But, as he was jumping ok, I thought he would settle in the ring and get on with the job as he has tended to do in the past.
WRONG
Bell went....skedaddle with head in air, didnt even seem to notice the first jump till the last minute and basically jumped from a stand still. Round to number two, still not with it, and clambered over that one. Number three was an oxer on a slight curvy line up hill. I rode him forward to it, but getting nearer to it really felt like 'nobody was home'...not a pleasant feeling. Again he basically 'noticed' the jump at the last minute, kind of tried to stop (and I fell off over it, managing to twist to avoid landing on the back rail), but while I looked up I could see he was coming with me. Ended up with us both lying on the ground.
Not the best way to finish our day!
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