Winter league
A new league was put together by the region's riding clubs, to be held over the next few months. The first date of which was our own show. I decided to only do dressage at it as I hadn't jumped since May.
Cu Chulainn was up first, as he's easier to leave alone, once you've tired him out. Luckily they had a stable for the day. Warm up went well, but alas, when we went into the indoor he had a bit of a meltdown. So that was a bit of a let down, but still, it's good to get out and about. Poor Fred had about 15mins of a warm up or less and was beaten to first place by 0.25%!! Every cloud and all that.....
Cu Chulainn had a break then for a while. Just a bit of pottering around. Fred and myself did some unregistered Dressage Ireland, and of course we were having a bit of an off day (few arguments in the warm up). He still came out in the 60%s but would have be nice to see how well he'd have done on form. The following week was some XC, which we hadn't done since maybe March? Fred loves his XC, but loves to be in front if doing pairs......this was not the case and boy was he mad!! Also he was mad because I put the XC bit in ( rubber straight bar pelham, because I knew he'd be strong). Then when we did our single round he flew it, popped everything at a nice steady pace.
As I moved home from the yard, I don't have any arena to ride/practice in. So we've been schooling down the road in the equestrian centre, just squeezing in to lessons. This has been fantastic for CC!! Horses & ponies coming from all directions in walk/trot/canter. I found it relaxed him no end, as it was no longer scary.
For the next leg of the Winter league poor Fred came in lame from the field, so CC was off on his own. We headed off down to Ennis, Co. Clare, which with a box is about an hour and a half away. He travelled like an angel. We went down early enough and I plaited him down there. He was lovely and relaxed in the warm up. He's not one to stand still for too long is the only thing. So we walked around while waiting to go in. He scored 65% in his test!! I was so happy with him. He's in the 60s now!! And he came 5th in his class, so a nice pink rosette for him to bring home!
The next week we were in Claregalway. Again CC scored in the 60s and Fred scored an excellent 69% considering he wasn't fully right, and was promptly put on holiday. The week after it was back to Claregalway again for their Halloween show...........poor CC didn't know what was happening!!
He also did a dressage to music test!! And scored an excellent 69%. Very proud of him.
At the start of October CC started his jumping career and he took to it very well. Just once a week in a lesson. The second week he was jumping 3 jumps in a small course. The following week we moved up to more jumps and put in some small barrels. That Friday I put him in the clear round competition for Primary. We did the bigger barrels that we'd never done before, but skipped the double ( we'd never done one and I didn't want to completely scare him) and he went clear!! So soo sooooooooo proud of him!! The following week we did a full course, double and all. With the double he kinda went 'ah mam there's another jump here?!' But he still did it, first time every time.
So then at the next show, I decided to put him in the novelty class. Which was basically jump all the jumps, any direction, in any number. It was his first time to jump outside and somewhere new, and he was brilliant! We just knocked the last, no refusals!! And his dressage was much improved too. His canter transitions are getting better.
Fred is coming back in to work. We've been doing some hacking in the morning and getting to admire the sunrise.
Cu Chulainn was up first, as he's easier to leave alone, once you've tired him out. Luckily they had a stable for the day. Warm up went well, but alas, when we went into the indoor he had a bit of a meltdown. So that was a bit of a let down, but still, it's good to get out and about. Poor Fred had about 15mins of a warm up or less and was beaten to first place by 0.25%!! Every cloud and all that.....
Cu Chulainn had a break then for a while. Just a bit of pottering around. Fred and myself did some unregistered Dressage Ireland, and of course we were having a bit of an off day (few arguments in the warm up). He still came out in the 60%s but would have be nice to see how well he'd have done on form. The following week was some XC, which we hadn't done since maybe March? Fred loves his XC, but loves to be in front if doing pairs......this was not the case and boy was he mad!! Also he was mad because I put the XC bit in ( rubber straight bar pelham, because I knew he'd be strong). Then when we did our single round he flew it, popped everything at a nice steady pace.
As I moved home from the yard, I don't have any arena to ride/practice in. So we've been schooling down the road in the equestrian centre, just squeezing in to lessons. This has been fantastic for CC!! Horses & ponies coming from all directions in walk/trot/canter. I found it relaxed him no end, as it was no longer scary.
For the next leg of the Winter league poor Fred came in lame from the field, so CC was off on his own. We headed off down to Ennis, Co. Clare, which with a box is about an hour and a half away. He travelled like an angel. We went down early enough and I plaited him down there. He was lovely and relaxed in the warm up. He's not one to stand still for too long is the only thing. So we walked around while waiting to go in. He scored 65% in his test!! I was so happy with him. He's in the 60s now!! And he came 5th in his class, so a nice pink rosette for him to bring home!
 | ||
| First Dressage Rosette |
At the start of October CC started his jumping career and he took to it very well. Just once a week in a lesson. The second week he was jumping 3 jumps in a small course. The following week we moved up to more jumps and put in some small barrels. That Friday I put him in the clear round competition for Primary. We did the bigger barrels that we'd never done before, but skipped the double ( we'd never done one and I didn't want to completely scare him) and he went clear!! So soo sooooooooo proud of him!! The following week we did a full course, double and all. With the double he kinda went 'ah mam there's another jump here?!' But he still did it, first time every time.
So then at the next show, I decided to put him in the novelty class. Which was basically jump all the jumps, any direction, in any number. It was his first time to jump outside and somewhere new, and he was brilliant! We just knocked the last, no refusals!! And his dressage was much improved too. His canter transitions are getting better.
Fred is coming back in to work. We've been doing some hacking in the morning and getting to admire the sunrise.
League Final day is here!! Both Fred & Cu Chulainn are going. Only Cu Chulainn is actually qualified, but another league is starting today too............so the competitions aren't ending yet!! I rode Fred first, just to practice leaving CC in the box by himself first at a competition (usually I ride him first). And he was grand! He gives out a bit at first and then realises he has the hay all to himself!!
It was so nice doing a test on Fred. Not that Cu Chulainn isn't lovely, but you have to put so much thought in to it with a young horse, and with Fred it was so easy. And his canter is so lovely......this is why he is the king!! Unfortunately, the judge seemed to be fairly tough on us. Cu Chulainn got 5th place in the whole league though, so absolutely delighted with that!!
Only two more competitions left this year.............and I'm kinda glad of that now. Need to take a break, take stock and chill. Cu Chulainn will be having a nice break after the last one, while Mr. Fred will keep going over the winter so that he'll be nice and fit come the dressage league in January. We're thinking about upgrading, so we need to do well in it if we want to consider going up.
Comments
Post a Comment