I cannot believe it has been over 10 days since I last blogged or even gave a second thought to blogging. To be quite honest I am mad with myself, but unfortunately as my masters degree nears to the end I am finding myself more and more busy as the weeks go on. However, the end is near and I only have another three pieces of work to hand in. I am sure once that is over there will be no stopping me - but I must prioritise.As I am sure you are aware, whilst I have found very little time to blog over the last few weeks, I ensure I always still find time to jump in the saddle on a daily basis and compete as much as I can.
I have been out three times I think since I last blogged. To be quite honest the first outing wasn't anything huge, just a local show that I like to support every year as it raises money for Cancer Research. I lost my Grandma to lung cancer so we sponsored a class and I like to think entering the classes every year does my bit for the charity. As it wasn't much of a qualifier for anything I asked my young cousin if she would like to come along and have a ride on Ceaser in one of the classes. She can barely ride and I have been teaching her myself when she visits but she has absolutely no fear in her - which is fantastic.
We decided to do the Family Pony class together which required both an adult and child to ride the pony, in a snaffle bridle and show he is suitable for all ages. My cousin cannot even rise in trot properly yet, but Ceaser did an ace job of looking after her - so much so that she managed to walk around the ring on her own and only needed me to run at the side of her for the small show piece! Next it was my turn to do something and as the adult I was required to show a gallop and more of an extension. Put it this way, it was fun to do in a snaffle bridle but I must have grinned through it as onlookers said he went fantastic.Isabella, my cousin was absolutely delighted when we were pulled in 2nd, behind a big 16.2hh cob! 3rd was my best friend, Katie riding our newest addition to the family, the riding school pony, Sooty. It was also Katie's first ever show and she did a grand job with Sooty.
Next up for me was the ridden veteran class, which when I booked in showed barely any entries, however when it came to walking into the class I counted about 20 odd! Ceaser was being a little testing as it was his first time competing on grass for the season so of course the head shaking began because of his pollen allergy and he felt like a ticking time bomb! Despite this he produced a fantastic show piece and I was over the moon to be pulled into 2nd place! In fact so much so, when they called me forward I did the embarrassing "What, me?!" expression to the judge. 2nd out of 20 entries was my idea of a very successful day and I thought it would set us up nicely for an afternoon of dressage.How could I be so wrong..
I allowed Ceaser to have a lunch break, took his tack off, fed and watered him and then went to get lunch for myself. When I came back it was like someone had swapped my pony. He was difficult to warm up, not listening, bucking and quite frankly exploding everywhere! Only CP!
What was even more embarrassing was, our riding instructor for the yard was judging. I swear he did it on purpose as she has always said what a good boy he is. Anyway, put it this way, I am not sure how we ended up finishing two dressage tests whilst only on two feet. The second time the buzzer rang for my second test to start Ceaser exploded with all four feet in the air and only returned back down when I think he realised there was no way he could touch the sky. Out came my "I'm really enjoying this, my pony is such a joy to ride" smile as I grinned my way through two tests. This is why I love him.
Anyway, I was more than happy to finish on two tests of roughly 64% and a comment of "I think someone was feeling fresh today". You think? A friend of mine described him as looking like a tank and just wanting to finish those tests as quick as possible. Apparently his veins were up, nostrils flared and from the outside it was evident he was being a little difficult. Nice comments like I sat well and my hands didn't move an inch did however make me feel better and I put it down to having an off day. To be fair, how could I be mad with him when he had been so fantastic in the morning?
**
Showing.
I know, I know, I said I wasn't going showing again this summer but for some reason I find myself digging out the canary jodhpurs and show shirt all too often. No, quite honestly, I wanted to get my Royal London qualification for the end of the year and as a yard we decided to attend another local-ish show to try and get qualified.
I had decided earlier in the week to do a working hunter class and 2 showing classes, to vary Ceaser's work again. Despite my best made plans, Ceaser had other ideas again as soon as he realised we were supposed to warm up in the dreaded arena. Let me explain...
The dreaded arena is the arena I cannot blooming get this pony anywhere near. If he goes in he spends his whole time tense and won't work for toffee. So, with no where else to warm up I had no choice but to attempt to jump him a few times and practice a show piece. After a few hairy moments of tanking full speed into a few 12.2hh ponies we survived and I decided to exit the warm up before we were removed! (Oh the joys of owning CP!)I felt confident when entering the workers class. As you all know I have been having jumping lessons and Kathryn's screams of "Sit up, look up, kick on....LEG!" was ringing in my ear and I was adamant we would get a clear round to please her. My friend Megan and I joked that if we fell off our parents would be livid. Megan is always coming off one way or another but this particular arena is dirty and would stain our jodhpurs. "Don't fall off Megan" I shouted before trotting in myself. Again, with a Ceaser Pony, don't make plans.
We went quite speedily into fence 1. Brilliant I thought, this is going well. Fence 2 - check. Fence 3....spread. Ah, we don't like spreads. I kicked. Ceaser stopped. Then as I was about to pull him round he leapt over it and I ended up very comfily on his neck. Laughing uncontrollably (you've got to laugh or what's the point) I shuffled back onto my saddle, shouted to my friend I was fine and off I shot around the rest of the course. Thankfully we were clear after that but after the rest went clear we had no hope of placings. It just shows you, don't joke about falling off.....it comes back to bite you on the bum.
In the line up the judge came up to me and said "maybe you should stick to dressage next time - haha!". Yes, maybe!
Anyway, thankfully after lunch the workers arena had been vacated so I could warm up for my afternoon classes in there. Again, I had a changed pony who was now listening to my every command. Thank goodness. We went on to have a successful afternoon of taking second in the Style & Appearance and winning the ridden veteran class! He can behave and thankfully we qualified.
**
Next up was the Area 16 Riding Club Dressage Qualifiers which I was really looking forward to. I haven't competed as part of a team since I was team captain of the equestrian team when I was at De Montfort University and I sure have missed it.I had decided to do the Riding Club Novice test and Novice 30. Both of which I had never ridden before but I was more than confident we would be fine.
I was due to ride the Riding Club test at 9.58 and then the Novice 30 at 2.08 so I had quite a while between them - which sometimes doesn't quite work so well for me nor Ceaser.
The Riding Club test was a whole new territory for me. I didn't really have a huge idea as to what the judge was looking for - only that I would be judged more than Ceaser in this instance. After another few difficult weeks with him I just wanted him to go out and have a good day competing, with no difficult movements, nor testing times (what I really meant was spending the whole tests on two legs).
Thankfully as soon as I sat on him he felt calm and very relaxed. Of course, Mr-Mark-Know-It-All (the boyfriend) had to get a word in and tell me he was relaxed because I was relaxed. No, I'm sure it's the other way around. Anyway, he walked, trotted and cantered on both reins nicely when asked. All of his transitions were spot on as soon as I asked for them. I couldn't have been more pleased with how he warmed up to be quite honest as once again we were the smallest in the arena by about 3 hands and there was roughly 6 horses warming up at once - if not more! Ceaser wasn't fazed at all by it and did everything I asked.
Once we were in the ring he didn't change, but quite frankly got even better. His transitions were right where I wanted them and he felt like he would move the earth for me if he could. If I was to be critical I think I needed to sit up a little more as he tends to pull me forward, but that was it.
When the scores came out I was a little disappointed with 65% but such is life and I know if that had been a BD competition it would have been higher, if not 70%. The comments were fair though and I agree with the judges comments - she also agreed I needed to sit up!!
Next up was Novice 30 which looked to be a nice test. I wondered if Ceaser would be difficult after such a long break between tests but how wrong could I be - he felt better!
His medium trot felt huge and I think my grin spread from ear to ear after I had finished warming up. This pony never ceases to amaze me and I think he really knows when he needs to step up to the game. I do feel my riding was a little tense because my Dad had arrived to watch - something he never does! I know I wanted to impress him with how far we have both come over the years so I felt a little pressure. Marks mum had also come to watch, so the pressure was definitely on to do well.
This test is judged differently to the one earlier in the morning and I found I came out with 65% again. Again, I received some fair comments and was just really pleased with how the day had gone.
Mark stayed to find out where I had been placed for me whilst Dad and I took Ceaser home after such a long day. I was over the moon to find I had got 7th in the Riding Club test, 4th in the Novice 30 and as a team we were 2nd overall!
I will say it a million times, but Ceaser is just fantastic. He knows when it's time to step up and really tries his hardest for me. I had a fantastic day and cannot wait to get back out again in a couple of weeks for some more BD!
That's all for now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment