Marvellous Munstead

Finally FINALLY out event season started.

On my birthday, none the less. I had slight heart palpitations when I saw the course photos and saw a rather bushy owl hole which is our archille’s heel. Lexi just doesn’t quite ‘get’ them. This led to an impromptu last minute xc school instead of an SJ lesson (god bless my instructor) so we could actually jump one. She had a stop the first time then was class and was perfect over everything else although we didn’t do too much.

The day dawned, dry if not particularly sunny. My civilised times became less civilised with the clock change so I dragged a slightly begrudging partner up at what felt like 4am. We arrived slightly behind schedule (4am starts not being partner’s strong point) and hustled round the course. There were a couple of things to think about and of course, the dreaded owl hole.

We racked up and rode to the dressage before I realised I’d left my number bib at the lorry to had to hurtle back and grab it then had a quick warm up. She felt fabulous in the warm up and we trotted down to our ring. Of course we had the wettest one with a very soggy corner. Lexi went a little tense (Weee we are on grass!) but overall did a good test. She relaxed as the test went on and did everything where I asked, including one of her best free walks. Walks have been emotional for us in the past as Lexi is very sensitive and pretty sharp so keeping her relaxed and avoiding jogging can be tricky. I was pleased and felt in another outing or two she would relax to being back on grass.

We went on to the show jumping. The ground was very soft and getting pretty cut up in the ring. Thankfully, possibly because our fields are pretty wet and our school is a bit deep, Lexi wasn’t fussed at all. She warmed up well then we went in. Towards the end of last year, she’s become very consistent in this phase and produced her customary clear. Show jumping was causing a few problems so I was very pleased! 

I was equally pleased when I heard our dressage score of 22.8! I checked the results after the SJ. The judge was using a full range of marks; the leader was on 22 and a few more in the 20s but equally plenty in the 40s so a real mixed bag.

Time to set off for cross country. My heart was in my mouth. I was excited but also nervous - after last season, I wasn’t sure what I would have coming out of the start box.

Lexi warmed up well then off we went. She started jogging as we went over to the starter and frankly flew out of the startbox.

I kicked on as we set off as I know from previous experience she goes far better if ridden forwards. So over fence one. By fence 3 I was smiling. She was galloping and jumping, not at all looky, just galloping and jumping. Fence 5 were a couple of angled palisades on two strides so I got her back a little but she was as straight as a die and knew what to do.

We had a great shot to the trakhner and the hay wagon then rounded the corner to the water. She did grind her brakes here and stopped to sniff it then went in. Bit naughty as she has done plenty of waters and been fine but I’m sure she’ll get back into the swing of it. Popped the fence coming out.

Time for the owl hole. We came round the corner, I sat deep and leg on. We got a bit deep to it but she never hesitated and went straight through. At this stage I glanced at my watch and realised we were going far too fast so I applied the brakes a bit and tried to steady our rhythm. Next was a step up, stride across and a step down. Not an issue for this mare.

The next fence was the only other fence I thought could be a bit tricky for us. It was a step down then 1 stride to a hanging log on an angle. The trouble was the 80cm fence was straight on from the drop and there have been times my steering has gone a little awol in my bitless so I was slightly concerned we would lock on to the wrong fence. Didn’t happen - popped down, turned and over the log.

Popped a couple of easy fences then a double of relatively narrow hanging logs. Again no problem. At this stage I felt a bit like I was playing one of those eventing pc games - press spacebar and horse jumps. 

Tried to slow down and pop the last and cantered through the finish line 22 seconds too fast 😳

Sadly the too fast pens cost us the win but we came 4th in a competitive section and with 41 starters, our first regional Q under our belt!

I couldn’t be more pleased (or had a better birthday present!). In 2016 she was an xc machine. She would need a bit of encouragement over the first couple then cruise control would come on and I would point and she would jump.

Our fall lost me my nerve which ended up coming through to her and most of last season was spent retiring or eliminated with stops either SJ or XC. We dropped down the levels and regained it but after a break I wasn’t sure what we would have. Just need to go a bit slower next time! It’s hard with her, she isn’t unsafe when she is going quick - she doesn’t need setting up for the easy fences, just jumps out of her stride and her stride is very long. And she goes better when ridden forward. But we will figure it out.

And yes it might not be socially acceptable to post pictures of a dressage sheet but I’m proud of it. Pity about the awol quarters, this isn’t our strong point. I usually manage in trot but I came into the arena on the right rein (all my tests recently have been track left at A and instructor said to enter on the rein you go into but I wonder if she finds it harder to stay straight in the R rein so I couldn’t correct her? And walk I would always struggle with as she can be inclined to jog if I apply leg).

How to not do dressage

Preperation is key right?

So 3 days off due to sodding snow that came AGAIN was not ideal. 

I hate snow. I work for the emergency services on the front line for a start so snow = a death defying 40 mile commute which I really HAVE to make because with me, all the people who crash don’t have anyone to call.

My car is not suitable for snow, it’s a convertible and I love it but it’s built for warm sunny days, not snow. 

Then the horses can’t go out. I’ve tried everything to stop snow balling up and after I read an article about balled up snow resulting in fractured pedal bones I gave up trying.

So they get mad. 

Then you can’t ride because again, snow balls. 

Then when it finally melts everything is soaking wet AGAIN. What is it with this winter?!

To be honest, in a way it was good as it forced me to keep Lexi in for 3 days as she’s got some nasty mudfever which didn’t want to shift. I’ve even had the vet..twice...for antibiotics as it developed a bit of a secondary infection. Then as she hates being in she starts to not eat...all good fun. It’s almost there though and yesterday the vet said we have to balance the legs with her gut as if she doesn’t eat much that will trigger her ulcers and so on and so forth.

Anyway I digress.

I managed to ride Tuesday - if I can say one positive beyond totally unrestricted turnout on my yard, it’s that our school is quite deep and actually very rarely freezes. So I managed to school Tuesday.

I hate schooling the day before a competition because I feel it has to be perfect and then obviously it goes wrong. Combine that with 3 days box rest and there you go. Actually she wasn’t too bad. She’s a bit stiff to the right at the moment but she has physio due on Tuesday so I think she’s likely a bit tight.

I got to the yard with tonnes of time spare then ended up running late as I had a pellet delivery which almost ended up with me meeting my maker under a tonne of pellets.

I then set off. We arrived in time and I tacked up and warmed up. I didn’t have quite enough time warming up as I was loitering by the full warm up instead of just forcing my way in.

First was elementary 40. One of the simpler elementary tests in my opinion. She went very sweetly in my opinion up until I managed to ride into a dressage board, in walk no less, pull it into the arena which resulted in a leap and a canter and a lost stirrup and ALMOST a rider on the floor.

We very coolly put ourselves back together and finished the test. I thought it was a pity as she actually produced a nice test.

Next was elementary 57. I prefer these types of busier tests and I find she tends to go better. I was pleased. I fluffed up my canter serpentine a bit as I had a mind blank how to ride it but she did her simple changes correctly. There is also a cross over the arena from E to B in canter with a change through trot. With the numerous canter to walks in this test, I knew we would struggle a little here as she can sometimes suck back and try to go directly to walk. We managed it but it wasn’t the most beautiful of movements.

I was pleased with the test. I felt it was one of her better BD tests.

We found we came third in the first test on 67% which I was thrilled with given the dismantled arena but only a 62% under the other judge which left us 6th. I was a bit disappointed with that mark as it’s her second worst Mark literally ever and the test felt good. However there were a couple of tests which were marked significantly lower which I felt looked respectable enough. That’s how it goes with dressage!

My membership now expires and I was pleased to end on that note.

I might renew sooner than the winter, just depends on money and show opportunities. Eventing is still my summer love.

Now it’s time to perform a sun dance as we’re meant to be eventing on Sunday which is also my birthday! 

Cloud 9

I'm on cloud 9 and I know from bitter experience that this is a dangerous place to be - the only way is down and usually its down with a bang..

But I'm going to enjoy it whilst it lasts.

As expected,  Tweseldown BE was cancelled. We rerouted and went BS instead.

We went to Wellington - a venue I have neglected over the years and I must go there more often. Unaffiliated its quite pricey which is partly why I havn't been there often, but affiliated it doesn't make much difference.

We went for the British Novice and the 95cm dengie qualifier.

They didn't have a 1m and I didn't feel brave enough for a 1.05m BS class.
I figured it would be a nice quiet day, first two classes, home for lunch right?

Well I didn't consider that EVERYONE would be going there. 60 in both my first classes.

It was a well built course with a good jump off, and we were going for it.

Lexi was superb. She didn't miss a beat and I even rode well. We took a turn no one else did; angled an oxer and inside fence 2. She turned quicker than I expected and I lost a stirrup and had to jump the last two jump off fences without a pedal (guess those no stirrup dressage lessons paid off!) and she won by 4 seconds!

This class was split into BN and Open; turned out there were 45 in the BN and 15 in the open so I'm very proud she won!

The 95cm was 1 class and it was fierce. We went out there and I was in lala land until after the second fence of the jump off when I remembered where I was and kicked on. She pinged this fence on a hell of an angle (photo doesn't do it justice!)

weee! Isn't she ADORABLE?!

 

 



We went into the lead but with 40 more to jump after me, sadly we didn't keep it. We finished in 3rd though which out of 60 sure isn't shabby! Being BS we actually won some prize money and Lexi paid for her entries with £4 profit. We won't talk about the diesel costs haha but it meant we could have a cheeky indian takeaway thanks to her!

 

 

Lexi had different plans for her dinner treat...

me :O

 

I've been walking on cloud 9 since. It suddenly feels like everything I've worked for in the last 4.5 years has come together. The sweat (buckets), tears (swimming pools), blood (marginal) and A&E trips (Okay, 1 thanks to her) have given me this fab little horse who will generally go out and do her job and do it well. Apart from when she's sore or mad at me.

 

 

I'm just feeling proud. Proud that I've managed to make her into this great all rounder. Proud I've made a horse who does half pass and a medium trot that feels like floating. Proud that my dressage instructor says advanced medium is our 2018 aim. Proud that she can win big, competitive BS classes. Proud that she will hack out on the buckle yet only needs a click of my tongue to speed up. Proud that as long as I ride her right, she will do literally anything. Hopefully I'm just cynical and nothing will go wrong and we're about to enter our prime; where I've put the work in and now we can reap the rewards and go out and enjoy ourselves.

 

 I won't count my chickens. It never stays this good for long but I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts.

 

I've managed to squeeze in 1 more BD entry before my membership ends. I'm almost sad about that in a way but equally feeling that way is good as when I'm an officer next year, weekends off will be less regular than now so continuing with BS and BD means I can compete more weekdays.

 

 

We're next meant to be eventing on the 25th and that's my birthday so I will be PISSED if it is also rained off. It needs to stop raining. Lexi's legs are rotting off and she's too much of a hypochondriac to let me treat them. 

 

Xc xc xc snow and cold

It has been a busy few weeks and as per usual I have not blogged.

We have been xc schooling twice, both to Tweseldown and Lexi was frankly delicious. She jumped very well on both occasions and we are getting braver and braver, jumping numerous BE100
Combinations. We did have a discussion regarding jumping a house into the water - she wasn’t sure and I wasn’t brave enough to keep my leg on when she slowed down but we got there in the end.

We then went to a combined training. I took Squirrel for lols and he was terribly behaved although junpedna lovely double clear! His lorrypark behaviour was shocking though. Rude 20 year old beast.

Lexi was a dream. We did the novice 28 and 90cm and scored a pleasing 67.5% and clear SJ for second place. She was delicious!


We were supposed to go to our first event of the season last weekend until the world ended as the Beasrbof the East swept in. We are supposed to be at tweseldown this coming weekend but with rain forecasted I’m not too hopeful!

I jumped her today over a 105cm-110cm course and she is on point so I really wanna get this season started!