Kihikihi Easter 2012

So, after a brilliant (NOT) Autumn lead up; it was off to Kihikihi.

He was amazingly well settled in his yard, and although we had a few moments in the dressage warm up, he was going really nicely.

In the test though, he couldnt resist a couple of skedaddles, but they were short lived, I didnt react and he was back to good behaviour pretty quickly.
His test was ok, with some 7's just dropping marks on the movements where he "lost focus", final score 57% which I could live with, and definitely not at the bottom of the class.
Cross country, he was diabolical warming up, and wasnt really focused over the first jump clobbering it (which earned a telling off from me)...he then spooked really badly up at the turn into jump 2 but jumped it ok...so I carried on down the hill to the agapanthus oxer, which he jumped really nicely. So I pushed on to the big number 4 spread and he jumped it beautifully...we were on our way.

He was jumping really well, over 7a and 7b, and quick turn inside the tree (that many went around).... only to have branches in my face...oops - you would think that being 6' and on probably the biggest horse there, I would have taken note of tree branches etc. Anyway, I completely lost my focus and missed my line to 8a, and he jinked off the side (nearly decanting me in the process)
I was so disheartened at his first 20 xc, that I wasnt going to carry on...sitting for a while, before deciding to....again...why miss the opportunity for him to gather more mileage...and plus if I didnt carry on, how would I know how he would have coped with the rest of the course.
As it was, he was great....everything was so easy for him and he gave me a lovely ride.

Show jumping was surrounded by distractions, which did prove our undoing. He started off great, and we nailed the oxers (I rode him forward to them and was rewarded by good jumping). The second half of the course wasnt that great as he lost a bit of focus with the distractions, and got in very deep with very little impulsion to a few of them....however once again he still tried his socks off....I have no idea how he even got over some of them, only taking three rails.

Waitemata at Taupo HT 24/25 March 2012

The dilemma was whether or not to drop him back to training after our show jumping fall at Puhinui.

What affect had it had on his confidence? - it had certainly rattled mine!

Warmed him up for dressage and was absolutely wrapt with how he was going...he felt brilliant....was this the day for us to pull it together for the dressage phase?

NO it wasnt...when I went over to the arena he became very distracted by the goings on in front of Charisma hall etc...the horse in the arena next to us during his test, was also being very naughty, and several times hit the rails...just the excuse he needed.
He was AWFUL...(although he did get marked much more harshly than he should - for instance, one canter movement he skeddadled, lost the plot and I had to halt and start the movement again he was so awful....the other rein he cantered beautifully and didnt put a hoof wrong....we scored 5 for the first skedaddle canter, and scored a 5 also for the lovely canter!)

Anyhow, I was SO upset I bawled and then went on about how I hated him and was never going to ride him again....led him back to the truck during which time he was a complete and utter pratt (with me still bawling!).

Thankfully Carolien talked me into putting on his jump gear and doing the show jumping. He was a star. He took a couple of rails, but only because it was very slippery and I was a bit too cautious on the corners giving him insufficient oomph to get over the jump. But he tried his heart out..... completely redeeming himself.

However, I'm afraid I allowed the dressage score, which was not a qualifying one, sway me...I was so disappointed that I didnt even walk the XC, let alone ride it. Silly decision really as every outing is an opportunity for him (us) to gather experience.

Oh well....better luck next time!

Rotorua HT 25-26 Feb 2012

Talk about things coming in threes.

All loaded up and ready to go with the two ponies, off we go....reverse back into the turn around.. BANG...truck suddenly on one heck of a lean. Seems we had driven into an old offal hole, and the truck was stuck solid. Unload ponies....two helpful neighbours arrive with tractors and an hour or so later, off we go.

Unloaded, only for one horse to leave a front shoe on the truck ramp.
Then went off to ride the skedaddly pony, only for my reins to break in the middle of the ride.
I really began to wonder if I really wanted to be here doing this eventing lark!

However, pulled myself together and decided that I really did want to!

Sampson hadnt had a start since the Spring...was I being foolish making our first start a step up to pre novice.
It didnt help that the first XC jump was pretty ugly!
He just about held it together for the dressage, but I still havent worked out how to keep his focus in this phase. So we ended up near the bottom, but I wasnt too distraught (he did manage a couple of 8's).

Onto the show jumping!
Having jumped one round of 90cm since Spring, and jumped all of 30-40cm in my lesson that week!However, he was a star and tried really hard...going clear (although he had a jolly good look at that scary wall).
Cross country...although they had finally agreed to lower the first jump, it was still not pretty, and I pretty much decided that I would have to ride my butt off at the beginning of the course.
However, having done that, I found that I could just about sit and steer for the rest of the course...he was fantastic...just jumped everything I pointed him at, no questions. I had no idea how he would be with the coffin, but a moment's hesitation to look at the ditch, and we were over....then for the big concrete drop...eeeek....he didnt bat an eyelid...absolutely beautiful through the bounce....straight through the sunken road, and coped with the water brilliantly - I had been a bit hesitant as to how he would deal with the off set jump on the out, but he eyed it up in the middle of the water and just worked it out and took me to it. An offset log combination towards the end which I had walked several times and just could not find my line ...coming in I could just "see" the line and he jumped it beautifully.
And...just to top it all off, despite having a 'rest' half way round, he only had 2 time faults to finish in 12th place despite being at the bottom after dressage.
So, absolutely thrilled with him.

Puhinui HT 3-4 March 2012

Well, talk about the highs and lows of eventing.

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!

Hunua Training 21 Jan 2012

Well, talk about best laid plans!

Was to have done a XC SJ clinic with Donna Smith and Simone Kann, which I was thoroughly looking forward to (apart from the usual pre-lesson nerves)....only to arrive at the venue with a horse on three legs and a lot of swelling above the hind fetlock.

So back home we went, poulticed, and ice booted to cover all bases. He was happier next day (although still lame, happy enough to leap and bounce around in the paddock).

Farrier found that a cavity between his frog had essentially harboured an infection, so more poulticing etc, and Hunua four days later seemed a long shot.

However we went....he had his first canter on the Friday upon arrival essentially having had only walk exercise the preceding few days with the odd trot (slightly off still).

Dressage not good....LAST!
He actually warmed up not too badly, but the pre trainers were SJ directly behind the judges car and rails clanking was all he needed...big skedaddle before we even got into the arena. The right hand canter transition consisted of a leap up into the air, arched back, head between knees and a succession of rather large bucks...ooops....but we finished the test.

Show Jumping....a little full of it trying to warm up, and flew at the practice jump so I simply went and stood quietly by the ring entrance. In we went, and he actually went ok, apart from bulging his shoulder and getting number 3 to the down hill double wrong having lost focus, but he only took one rail during his round. He was quite forward but looking at the pics it doesnt look like he is really jumping that well??
Unfortunately during my round (probably during the bulgy moment) I had hit the end of my thumb on his shoulder with the impact travelling up and doing something very painful to my shoulder....I was in agony.

Unfortunately, that meant no XC for Sampson (and no SJ for Willie)...however, there was still swelling in the hind leg so probably not such a bad decision anyway; although it does mean going into his first pre novice of the season not having had a run at training...gulp!

Waerenga HT 12.11.11

For once he was relatively settled warming up for dressage, although the ground was so incredibly rough that it was difficult to really get any of them working. Unfortunately, the arena itself was of similar condition.
However, he did a relatively good test in the conditions, apart from a few moments where he got distracted by something in the distance, but all in all I was very pleased with his behaviour.
He got predominantly 6's and 7's for a score of 61.5, and 9th place after dressage. I was a little disappointed with the score given how well he went, but I guess the judge can only judge what she sees, regardless of ground conditions. But she did say in passing to me later that she thought he was a really nice horse :-)

Onto show jumping, and after popping over each practice jump once, it was into the ring. I'm afraid we were both a little lackadaisicle to start and didnt get a great jump over number one...however, we both then picked ourselves up a little and he jumped round really nicely, just taking the rail at the planks. I came off the corner and couldnt decide to go short or long...should have just sat and waited for whatever came up.

Cross country...all on one day at this event.
Warmed up happily, and off we went.
He just chugged around happily jumping everything very well, including straight through the water without backing off at all.
One slightly concerning moment when I could feel him eyeing up the bounce as a rather large oxer, and ignoring my signals to shorten....he did listen a little, but we were still a little strong into it...thankfully he is relatively athletic!
And interestingly, he came in ten seconds under time, only one of four in his ring to do so, and the fastest!

This meant despite going into XC in about 14th place he pulled up to fourth.

YAY
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RIverdale HT - 5/6 November 2011

Well, he was rather interesting warming up for dressage - but then had also been awful riding there the previous afternoon. Completely lacking in focus apart from wanting to get back to Willie and the truck - despite having Saarin's mare there with him.

Quite a few leaps and bounds etc while trying to prepare for dressage, only worsened by someone falling off when their horse reared and bucked, and then proceeded to gallop directly past us. The result of which was not pretty and culminated in me being tanked off with having lost my stirrups. But all salvaged, well, all barring the chance of a reasonable test!

However, we got to the arena, went around it once, and in we went. Once again, he did hold it together for the test and basically did everything he was asked - albeit leaning on my hands doing his rolkur impression, going nowhere.

All 5's and 6's for a score of 54% and second last in the class

SHOW JUMPING
Just popped over each practice jump once, and stood quietly waiting for our turn. He just toddled around popping over the jumps to finish with a clear round.

CROSS COUNTRY
Hmmm; interesting warming up!
Yes, had another moment of being carted around somewhat out of control when someone hitting the practice fence was just the excuse to be a pratt he'd been waiting for.
However, into the start box and off we went.
He was great at the beginning of the course, but when we had to start turning through gateways etc, (and I hung on I guess) he started to curl up and really lean on me and get very strong. Needless to say, I was completely worn out before even the half way marker, and I'm sure spectators could hear me coming I was puffing so loudly.
But, apart from lacking focus and getting completely distracted by everything bar the jumps, he jumped around happily.
Last few jumps I simply didnt have the energy to hang on any longer, and to be honest, I think he was much happier.

Although Saarin told me I looked to be going painfully slow, he only clocked up 7.2 time faults to finish the weekend in 5th place.

He had initially been in fourth, but having waited for an hour for a protest in my ring to be resolved, we found that we had been pushed back to fifth....only to find that placings only went to fourth!

So once again he missed out on a rosette by a very slim margin.

Project for next weekend is to try to leave his mouth completely alone XC.....eeeeek