27th September - Hunter Trial

I love HT's that give you start times! The whole day was lovely and relaxed, never more than 6 in a very large warm up arena.

D warmed up sweetly and was popping the warm up fence really sweetly.

Headed off for the start box and D looks over the hill and notices horses appearing, cue completelack of concentration! Had to proper boot her over the first fence :S but perked up on the way from 2 to 3. Almost stopped at 4 as she saw the car and focused on that! Down the drop and over the skinny at 5a and b and no worries over the little telegraphpole. Next the ditch! Made her trot and she went straight over *HUGE SMILE!*. Up the hill to no 8...

Which she flew! Fine over 9a and b the log to ditch, didnt put studs in so had to take it slowly down the hill and over the skinny arrow head.  Round the corner and straight over the pheasant feeder and brush fence. Sweetly over a log with drop on the other side, no worries with the next skinny log. Straight up the step and down the next two, round the corner and straight thru the water to finish clear =D

I had no idea how to judge time and ended up 20secs over but still good enough to get 9th rosette out of 35 :D yayyy

Tomorrows HT course :)

Off out tomorrow and really looking forwards to it. Just doing the little max 2.6ft course and *fingers crossed* there should be nothing to worry D!

Start over a very little log and then a tiny brush. Then a little log, followed by a small palisade. Then its a little drop followed by a skinny log before a straight forward telegraph pole then the first challenge - ditch! Jumped it before and D was totally fine so hoping she'll be the same tomorrow! Then its up the hill to a nice log pile then left handed to a log ditch double (although ditch it more like a step up so again should be no worries!). Down the hill and right handed over a little arrow head thing, then round the corner and up over a pheasant feeder followed by a little brush fence. Left handed again to a log with a drop on the other side followed by a skinny log. Up the hill to a tiny step up then two step downs then through the water to finish.

SO! Hopefully all should be fab!!

Photos from fence 6 :)

20th September - Dressage Championships

Well today I headed off to one of my local EC's for their end of year dressage championships. I wasn't sure what to expect from Deanna as I havent managed to have a flat lesson recently and she's been going very badly in the school. Thanks to a bit of rain I have been able to school in the fields where she is like a different horse, forwards into my hand and lovely to ride. I think the arena is getting too deep for her at the moment.

Anyway. We did the warm up prelim 12 first, she was ok but I felt she could have been rounder however she was lovely and light in my hand so I didnt want to interfere. Only real blimp came in the B to X, X to E half circles change of rein in walk...Deanna started throwing her head everywhere and umm yeh..that earnt us a 4 ;-) haha oh well, pleased to finish on 61.2% from a BD judge. Nice comment too "lovely willing and obedient pony with 3 active and correct paces" and then a little tip to use my corners more to gain accuracy and more marks!!

Then the championship class, prelim 13. I got Deanna more forwards for this test so I could get her a little more uphill and round. A few movements on the left rein were truly terrible! Dee was trying to drift inwards with her left shoulder and just makes right off leg, unsuprisingly a 5 for the left circle to canter movement!

Otherwise a much better test with 8's for trot and canter work woop!! Finished on 62.92% yay!

More lovely comments "a charming and hardworking pony with attractive, active paces & a lovely attitude" :)

Finished 4th in both tests so happy with that =)

Few piccies...

Wally of the week...

Goes to me :P

Turned to for some BSJA today, arrived around 8:30 and there was no other lorrys there...course was half built but most were X poles, office door is locked and theres no-one in sight. Eventually find someone and umm the BSJA is on sunday...not saturday :P Ooopsss! He very kindly said we could school round, didnt take any money so I think I got off better than if the show had of been on?!

Very pleased with Dee, not a stop or silliness the whole time. Didn't even back off the fences :) Should have put them up a bit/worked on the canter as watching the video she's quite flat but I was just chuffed she was taking me forwards and jumping so nicely. 

Now to find some actual SJ for next weekend!!