Our next trip was Borde Hill. I love this venue. Squirrel gave me the ride of my life round a big meaty novice track here and gained his BE point so I have fond memories.
It was very hot and muggy but the course looked nice.
Lexi was super chilled in her warm up and did a beautiful test - bar the jockey trying to get too much walk which resulted in a jog! However she scored 29 and was up there with the leaders!
The show jumping was on its usual slope and causing its usual problems. After our recent stops, I rode like a demon and Lexi delivered and went clear!
This put us into the lead so I just needed a clear cross country...
It was a Lexicorn day and she sailed! No hesitations at anything, she just gunned round and I managed to stay within the time by the skin of my teeth. It was a win for us!
Our next outing was Ascott Uunder Wychwood. Another baking hot day.
Not much to say about the dressage and SJ apart from that she was fantastic, scored 28 in the dressage and popped a lovely clear SJ without as much hard work from me.
I hadn't ironed my shirt so had to sweat it out in my jacket and I was really feeling this by the time I went cross country. I felt rubbish! I'm not sure whether Lexi picked up on that or whether she was seeing ghosts, but she set off from the start box spooking at every blade of grass, fence judge, leaf, everything. I managed to keep her going until the fence before the water where we ground to a halt. She jumped it second time and then completed feeling far better!
Following this, we went to Rackham. I felt the cross country was quite strong; few skinnies, fence from sun into woods, and an interesting combination which was a half coffin to a mound to a big skinny log!
Again she warmed up well for the dressage but I lost the connection a bit trotting endlessly round waiting to start. Halfway through our test, a couple of helpful people burst through the hedge next to my arena, resulting in a spectacular half pass. Not in a BE90 test Lexi! We finished with a 32 in a harsh section.
She was fantastic in the SJ, possibly more out of control than perfect but she was keen and felt fantastic.
We were in a strong position but still needed to get through the cross country. I needn't worried - she was a superstar. No spooky demons, it was a point and kick kind of round and she really delivered. I love riding her through the trickier combos as she's so quick and clever about them.
In the end we finished 4th so bagged a THIRD regional final!
Our next outing was Offchurch Bury. They had done a beautiful job on the hardening ground and watered it! It was fantastic.
Lexi warmed up well for her dressage but the judge wasn't keen and only scored her a 34.8 which left her in about 10th. I guess she can't be up there every time! She stormed another great clear show jumping.
Cross country started off tragic. She was seeing demons again and spooking and not moving off my leg. I managed to get her over the first fence fences although it felt awful and can't of looked pretty. Finally we ground to a halt infront of a shiny tube fence. Again, like Ascott, afterwards she was fantastic. This did set some cogs whirling in my brain - what changes that makes her so much more forward and confident? It can't be the kicking....
No comments:
Post a Comment