The things we get up to!

Our first Trec!

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:03:43 +0100

Just a couple of photos from our Trec debut last weekend, thinks have been a bit quiet of late due to holidays and sheep shows, so it was nice to get out and about and do something a bit different!

Our next outing should be Burgham all being well, I have made the decision to withdraw Jack from Drumclog as I've found it hard to fit in his fitness and some jumping practice so he's basically living it up in the field doing nothing, not that he seems bothered! So I'll aim to bring him out in 2016 and spend the winter doing some BD/BS with the boys (and maybe a bit of Trec with Classy!)

Anyway - onto Trec - why Trec you might ask? well I blame it on Dot for telling me all about it, it sounded like something fun to do with the horses that would complement Eventing - they need to be fit for phase 1 - the POR which is orienteering on horseback and they need to be obedient for Phase 2 - COP control of paces, and phase 3 - PTV the obstacle course.

Dot was right - turns out Trec is alot of fun!

Sarah (Larrys jockey) and I decided to go as a pair and entered level 2. We packed our list of compulsory items (medical arm band, body protector, hat, fluorescent gear, waterproofs, map case etc - all items are listed in the Trec GB rulebook), and although not compulsory we also packed the hoof boots that I use in emergencies. We were very glad we did!

on arrival at the farm, we took the boys for trot up - they sailed through with low heart rates and trotting with a spring in their step.
The time between trot up and POR gave us chance to speak to others and observe the Level 4 riders heading out on their routes for the day. it gave us a chance to check we had everything we needed.....cue a mad panic when we realised Sarah's hat hadn't been packed! thankfully John popped over with it and we were ready to start!
Map room - we tied the boys up outside, then went into the room with our pens and were given a map of the area. we had 10 minutes to copy the route making notes etc before setting off. I took a bit too long to write mine down and ended up nearly running out of time! it meant I didn't accurately write some of it on the map, and this is where the penalties come in as we discovered!
Out of the map room, we set off, it took us a good 5 minutes to get started which added to our time and then proceeded to get lost in the forest spending about half an hour trying to find the right route! eventually we made it to the checkpoint but our map drawing cost us some penalties as we went down the wrong path to one of them! It was a good ride but we discovered that we really did need to push on to make the 9km/hr time for the first zone, the 8km/hr for the second one and the 8.5km/hr for the last one. there are places where trotting and cantering can be done, but as we were just going for the ride, we didn’t push them hard. We made the time on two sections - mostly by fluke rather than good judgement and we know now we need to consider our speed for future ones (yes I did say future ones!!).
What a relief we took a hoof boot with us! on the very last canter loop Larry pulled a shoe off! He wasn’t too happy about this, and despite a hoof boot being added he was a little unlevel on the walk back, however he soon recovered one the emergency farrier (Brian) came out to pop a new heart bar on (Thank you Brian!!!) and he sailed through the trot up on the Sunday. As did Classy!

So Sunday came, and after trot up, we went to look at the COP and PTV courses, the COP was a long 150m corridor up a slight hill with timing lights at either end. The PTV route involved 16 obstacles varying from low branch corridor, S bend, immobility, steep incline, bending poles, and a couple of fences (log and ditch) etc. The route looked lovely and fun, although nothing like an eventing course!

We headed over to COP, Classy was awesome in the canter, gaining full marks for cantering as slowly as possible but we ended on a zero score for our walk due to jogging although I did expect him to do this. Larry did a great canter until he spotted the scary photographer in the hedge line and jumped out of the corridor to get away, he did walk back though so came away with some points for his fast walk.

The PTV course was the last phase, tacked up like an eventer Classy and I headed out, and flew round - speed wise, but some obstacles we didn’t manage to do so well!! We need to work on cantering down a corridor, going under low branches and immobility although I suspect immobility is not going to be our thing it was definitely Larrys best part! he stood for full marks for his exercises, and picked up several points along the way for various other obstacles so for the two boys it was a fun outing and the photos show how much they enjoyed it!!

we were chuffed to finish in 3rd place and ended up on a decent score. and yes, we are planning on having another go!

Hopetoun CCI1*

Mon, 29 Jun 2015 11:09:59 +0100

Exactly a year ago since I had spinal surgery, I was tacking up the
superstar that is Classy Touch for my first ride in a CCI1*. We had done
our dressage on Thursday - worn a tailcoat (early birthday present with a
hint of orange!) -  and had finished on a better score thanks did at
Floors in the CIC1*.

For anyone new to eventing the CIC and CCI are the international eventing
classes. CIC is just like our normal one day events where the three
phases are completed on one day with showjumping coming before cross
country. CCI is a more technical class running over three days with trot
up on the first day, followed by dressage then cross country runs on the
second day and a final trot on the last day is carried out before the
show jumping phase. The three day event is much more taxing as the cross
country is longer and as showjumping comes on the last day it can be
difficult for a horse to stay careful if they are a bit weary so fitness
is very important and trots must be passed or you are eliminated.

Classy was feeling fabulous in the dressage and showed me his enthusiasm
for being there by throwing out some flying changes (which weren't in the
test) but we both came out grinning as it was just so much fun to be
there despite the pouring rain!! Our score left us well down the
leaderboard but who cares! Classy, myself, the eventadors (aka the labs)
and my husband were all settled in the lorry with the gazebo out and The
West Wing on DVD to watch in the evening. The rain really didn't spoil
things at all as we were well prepared (years of doing showjumping shows
I guess!).

The first half of my dressage, it doesn’t show how bad the weather was https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VSgCmwxa1Y

We walked the cross country course with pro rider Rosalind Canter and I
felt like the course was big, twisty and nowhere to really catch up the
time so inwardly I was a bit nervous! Outwardly I was surprisingly calm!

Friday was a rest day and I took classy for a ride - well tried to! - he
was wild and full of spring being there! Our hack around the park was
fairly short but I was confident he felt really well and raring to go.
The event is quite spread out but there is plenty of room to hold horses
out to grass or places to ride. The stable area was quiet and peaceful
especially before 6am in the morning (picture!). The dogs had a ball -
esp my young lab who met a friend to chase (video of chasing dogs to go
here)

Walking the Xc a couple more times, it began to feel a bit smaller. I
could see my lines and where the minute markers were and felt very useful
when I was asked my opinion on the markers after a short rider briefing!
I used the Cross Country App and have found it to be worth every penny!

The rider briefings were useful. They introduced the tech team and what
their roles were plus if any schooling sessions were planned (you are not
allowed to jump out with schooling sessions). They also gave an
opportunity to ask about fences on the course and introduce everyone to
their rider reps in case of queries.
The venue was calm, and well run.  It was a fair trek to walk to the SJ
rings, so we didn’t really see very much of anything else going on.  I
briefly saw the arena eventing, and spoke to a few trade stands as well as
bought water buckets at short notice due to my mistake at the end of XC
(see below!).

Then the fun day arrived!  I have to say I did think I would manage it on
my own, but as I found out you really do need helpers following XC! And a
huge thank you to my helpers who very kindly volunteered for me and took
Classy off me after the finish and washed him down (extra buckets and
sponges bought to cope with this!).  I am pleased to say we had a storming
round, and even when writing this several weeks later I’m super chuffed
with it!  I took an extra pull at the last double and it meant we were one
second over time, but it was fabulous to finish clear at my first CCI1*.
Despite several parts of the course that were causing problems I felt that
I rode the course well.  It helps when you are on an expert horse, but I
do feel like I played a part in our round and saw mostly good strides,
collected when I needed to and let him run when I didn’t. We finished
strong and Classy soon cooled down and recovered so we were signed off to
leave the finish box - this was my mistake - I didn’t realise that you are
not allowed to leave a finish box after XC and your horse must be
recovered enough to leave.  I was just expecting it to be like a CIC or a
one-day and be able to return to the lorry to wash down (hence my
mistake!), so it was a bit of a mad rush to pack away the power washer I
have, and get buckets of water filled ready for XC finish! Thank goodness
for a wheelbarrow to carry all the stuff!

Some videos -
corner to water jump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHdPAfwgt5U
Water jump second visit to owl hole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xNG4c_3K4A

Anyway all was grand, Classy didn’t look like he’d run a XC and I took him
for a wander around in the evening.  He was looking super so I was hopeful
that our trot up on Sunday would be fine.  And I was right!  The heavens
opened on the Sunday but Classy pinged through his trot up for a pass. He
pulled my arms out all the way back to the lorry and felt really fresh.

Went to walk the show jumping, it was miles away from the lorry park but
the ground was nice and the course looked lovely.  I normally ride related
lines ok, and felt that it was a fair show jumping course.  Sadly I was on
a day of muppet show jumping so fluffed my related distances so we
finished on 12 faults.  It didn’t really affect our final placing (a SJ
clear would have put us up two placings) and we completed in 19th place.

Show jumping video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a0Az19I-vQ

Photo credit to my husband and Advanced Roller doors (XC pic)

Floors CIC 1*

Sat, 16 May 2015 11:09:32 +0100

What a fantastic few days getting to experience my first international competition. Classy was as always, fabulous and deserves a gold medal.
Arrived on Thursday morning to walk the XC, after 5 fences I realised I was walking the wrong one (thankfully!) and finally walked the correct course! The course looked fun, up to height, and fences were placed on making use of the undulating ground at Floors Castle.
tacked up and headed up to dressage to meet the FEI vet team, handed my passport over, and trotted up then went to warm up. I was in awe watching the pro's warming up around me and should have spent a bit longer going through my test - can you over learn a test? I think so, I managed to miss the last 20m half circle in counter canter. Idiot rider!! Anyway we still had fun, Classy loves every minute of being at an event!  Headed over the the overnight stabling provided by Floors - due to the race course being full we stayed at a lovely place (thank you Penny) and Classy had an enormous stable! The sun was splitting the skies yesterday morning and as we had a leisurely start, the Eventadors had a great walk around the field and Classy had a good pick at grass with the sun on his back.
On arrival the event was in full swing, and we walked the cross country once more to make sure I knew it properly. Headed over to SJ warm up and popped a lovely round, but I made an error in the related distance from the triple bar to have a pole, and the last two fences (planks and combination) to come out with 16 faults.  Tacked up for cross country and headed off to XC warm up. Watching Oliver Townened warming up making full use of the position of the warm up fences, and having a chat with him about a couple of fences on course, I set off to the start box. The usualy 5-4-3-2-1 and we were off. I need not have worried that Classy wasn't fit enough, he flew round jumping fences on angles, and popping through tricky lines to come home clear, picking up only 1.6 time faults (my fault for missing a minute marker). We both came home grinning I think, and with a qualifying score to use towards qualifying for Hopetoun CCI1*.

Love Classy, such a dude
Photo credit - Grossick Photography and my hubby (dressage pic)

Dalkeith Horse trials report

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:03:03 +0100

Hi All

I’m on a roll with this blogging now! Just need to find time to update the website design etc but thats a job for John I feel!

Headed to Dalkeith last Saturday for our first run in the Open Novice. I was a little nervous but not unduly worried, more nerves due to it being our first outing. I bounced out of bed on Saturday morning, and set off to get ready. After mucking out, bathing, plaiting, sorting stud holes and getting the lorry ready I felt a bit odd as I am normal having to leave at a ridiculously early time and I didn’t have to load up until 11am! weird!

Headed off to my most local event at Dalkeith Park, and the sun was shining, parked up, collected my number and headed off to walk the XC.

We ambled back to the lorry to tack up for the Dressage, Classy had been happily munching and slurping away in the lorry and looked pretty happy with himself. Not as happy as he was when he found out he was eventing though - he lit up, and spend a wee while jogging sideways all the way to the dressage arenas. The excitement at being at a horse trials was just too much, and I couldn’t get him to stay calm enough for his test and we ended up on 40.3 to be tailing the section after the first phase. He is such a fun horse, I just need to work out how best to calm him (blind fold and ear plugs maybe?!)

Dressage over, now for the fun bit!

Video here: http://youtu.be/PGd0cPldY-Q

Off to our show jumping, and Classy was super keen and once in the ring he knew he was there for fun jumping. He popped round for one fence down which was totally my fault.

Video here: http://youtu.be/YH3UMDDCWAI

Big pats and a quick change to head down to XC start. Its been a long time since I have heard the 5-4-3-2-1 but we were off and what a fantastic ride round the XC he gave me. Classy is a superstar, and deserves to win medals pinging everything on the course to come home for 1.6 time penalties (I didn’t wear a watch as I just wanted to get to know him and let him run at his own pace), he finished full of running, and both of us with a big grin!

Our final result was 13th place, which I think isn’t too bad for our first attempt. Heading to Warwick in a couple of weeks and have a BD outing planned in the meantime.

Love these photos taken by John on the XC.

Fence 7a

Fence 7b

On the way to the water

Fence 13a

Potato box fence 16 (a bit blurry but you can still see Classy is loving it!)

On the Sunday I returned to Dalkeith to help for the day, I found out on arrival that I would need to use some maths - this is not my strong point and I spent the first half an hour in sheer panic!

I was calculating XC times and penalties! EEK!!

However in reality it wasn’t actually that bad! The starter sent most riders off at the ’00’ seconds so that we were able to easily work out how long it had taken everyone to ride round, and we had a penalites crib sheet to review for time faults. Phew! It was a long day (started at 9.30am and finished after 6.30pm) but really enjoyable. Meeting everyone as they headed off to XC was great, and I got to watch Jack storming round with his current rider Danielle as well as cheering on several people I knew. Dalkeith horse trials people supplied us regularly with tea and coffee which was received gratefully as it was a bit chilly in the start box, however I sorted that out by wearing walking trousers under my jeans! In future, I will remember to take more layers - as it had been so hot the day before I went with the plan it would be repeated - not to self - never pack the sun cream if you want the sun to stay out!

Fun day, glad to help, and very enjoyable company!

we gave BD a go!

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 09:52:22 +0100

Hi folks.

This blog is a very long time coming! Apologies for the huge gap in blogging, following our run at Floors life was a bit busy with Skipton Horse Trials and the Royal Highland I had meant to write a mahoosive update but sadly things got in the way.

It's taken a while to get back up to speed but I'm now aiming to catch up! Here is my first blog of 2015

Inspired by the fab tuition I have been getting from my instructor Liz and the wonderful horse, Classy, I have on loan I decided that I should start to try to make more effort at dressage!

In training I found that my saddle I was using was not helping me at all in both sitting trot and when asking for mediums. I have always loved the concept of the WOW saddles and contacted Gaynor to come up for me to have a sit on a selection. I knew the instant I sat in the saddle on Classy which one suited both of us - it really was a WOW moment! Classy was immediately relaxed and soft over his back even when riding the sitting trot!

My very understanding husband gave me the go ahead to buy it and I'm thrilled! I am riding longer in the stirrups than I ever have, and I don’t feel unbalanced at all. I love it - so much so, I'm now saving to change my jump saddle over as well!

Anyway, recently Liz has suggested I try some affiliated dressage, (something I've never done before) and aave a go at elementary, try for the area festival qualification and then perhaps venture into Medium. I am actually really excited about this and with Classy I’m beginning to really enjoy dressage!!

So I took the plunge and entered my first BD! Heading off to Snec I even purchased some white breeches and a bridle number to look the part!

Arrived to find a civilized car park and warm up area. A far cry from BS shows! Warmed up and Classy felt awesome, our first test was E42 In the short arena. Once we headed up the centre line Classy decided it was too exciting and pony parties were fun!!! He liked to show off his medium trot and canter at every opportunity which just led to me giggling - sadly giggling means I lose the ability to ride so we came out of the test expecting low scores and went off to try and learn the second test.

It's quite hard learning two tests!! I had to resort to the only way I know how and started trotting round the warm up (Classy stood and watched me) on foot to go through the test. Watchers-on awarded me 70% amidst a few giggles and the threat of videoing me! It was lovely to meet some friendly strangers even if they think I’m a little odd!

Warmed up for the long arena and really tried to concentrate on accuracy to prevent throwing away marks and to control the Mediums.

Classy and I like the long arena and we had a fun time trotting and cantering where expected. It felt much better and I was really chuffed to gain 66.43% for this test to finish in 2nd place. Our scores for the first test were 60% which was expected but we still finished in 3rd! Had we been members of BD we'd have won our first points! I decided to compete on a ticket, as it is a bit cheaper to start with and we could still use our scores towards area festival qualification!

Love classy. Such a dude!! We had fun. Doing Dressage!!

Our next outing is Dalkeith Horse Trails this weekend to have a go at Novice. We had entered Eden Valley but with the cancellation this will be our first go -eek! Wish us luck!!

I've taken the plunge and entered another BD to do some more Elementary. Need to then think about registering!

Now my blogs are underway I'll be back to update you all very soon!