Back to it for 2019...

Wow, where has the time gone? It doesn't seem two minutes ago I was wrapping up for 2018 and pondering about the long winter break ahead. 

I took Ziggy out competing a couple of weeks ago for the first time since October and I’ve had him long enough to know by now that his first time out for the season is ALWAYS spooky! However Kate is always saying the spooks make him expressive so I was adamant to ride with it.

I drove to the competition freezing cold, with a headache and wondering what the heck I was doing in January going competing. I’d used a half day holiday from work for this. However, method in my madness, I wanted to get my qualifying scores for what I needed early on, so I could focus spring and summer with training. 

So for some unbeknown reason I decided to skip Prelim and start focussing on novices. So I’d entered two novices. Whilst driving I called myself a prat for doing that when I knew full well he’d be spooky!

Arrived at the venue in plenty of time, had a wander etc and then got on.
SPOOKY. arrogant!! As I got my foot in the stirrup he shot off and I’m clinging on..... I managed to hoist up and we jogged for the next 5 minutes... joy.

Finally he calmed down to start trotting and the problem with this venue is the small warm up that’s flappy. This didn’t help! So I warmed up best I could, doing some leg yields, transitions and making the best of a spooky pony! 

All of a sudden it was our turn for Novice 23. He went into the arena with his bum tucked under, whinnied, and I thought bloody hell! 

Two years ago we would’ve lost it there, but so proud of his one whinny then focussing on work. 

It actually felt quite nice. The energy I had allowed me to really ride quite deep in the seat and use my legs to guide him round, and into the corners. Felt some tension on the left rein with a bit of that nodding but a boot with the right leg sorted that! 

Medium trots I wanted to be careful not to push too much to push him into canter; felt some difference over the centreline then slowed him as it’s only “show some medium strides” - didn’t want to risk any more. 

Canters okay, medium canter Ziggy quite literally went “WAYYHAYYYYY!!” And so definitely showed a difference there!! 

Then onto novice 38, a championship novice test. Felt a bit silly for putting him in this so soon. He’s not ready, really! Lots of stuff he’s very green with at the moment. 

We lost one counter canter and I did one circle far too big but actually, I was thrilled with him. It’s a lot to ask from him but he was obedient, medium trots had some medium strides and the only struggle was left rein counter canter which is expected. 

He was so spooky today warming up though, flying everywhere, jumping as the sand hit his legs. He is a plonker at times. But if I take the positives from there I feel like I’m comping with it better. I went and spoke to the judge afterwards who remembers him from the green baby I first took into an intro class and she said the difference in him is amazing, but also how when you can see he just gets a bit hot, i ride him more now. Points from her to work on are medium trots and don’t let him go downhill. She said he’s very workman like though and his outline just doesn’t move in everything else. 

Absolutely thrilled and just beyond proud to have WON both his sections with 67.41% and 69.58%!! I completely didn’t expect that!!!

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