Soaring high

 Going forwards from our SJI debut in Claremorris, I thought some more about the RDS Amateur
Qualifiers. There was one in Tubberbride the start of June. In the A Amateur the first round is 1m and the second can be 1.10. So that would mean that I would have to get my ass in gear and start jumping that height if I was even considering jumping it at a competition.
So that Friday I’d organised to practice 1.10 in a lesson. As I said in my last post, I am still nervous
about jumping and I was almost weak with the nerves at Claremorris initially. So asking myself to do
1.10 was a big (and maybe silly) ask. We warmed up and did a few cross poles in the warm up arena.
Then Damien called us in. He’d put up the course to 1.10 with some at a metre. As he was putting
them I was consciously looking away and trying very hard not to notice. Straight away he got me to
jump two of the 1.10, which was one of the best things he could have done. I didn’t have the time to
worry or question myself. CC didn’t know any better and just popped them. One was a spread and
was a lot harder. Jesus, I was in the air for what felt like forever!
Then we started the course. The first two jumps were 1m and after that it was the big guns. Eek. CC
was fantastic. We knocked a spread one a few times, but that was my fault. I went to early, then I
went to late but didn’t give him his head. It all happens so fast that my little brain is not adjusting
quick enough. But we got it in the end. We had some issues at the water fence as well, but I am
pretty sure that was just me. You had to turn from the left rein in and had a few strides, so I wasn’t
riding him on enough from the turn.
Needless to say I was on cloud 9 after it all!! Not alone was it my first time to ever jump a course of
that height, but it was his first time too and he didn’t baulk! Just flew over them (once his pilot let
him!). It was a great feeling updating my Horse Planner to say I had one of my goals for the year
achieved nice and early.

Check out the size of that jump!!!

And the width!!

Chill Bill

Goal ticked!!

That Sunday we went back over to do the 1m and 1.10 registered. I had one unfortunate pole in the
1m. Then a short break and we did the 1.10. I couldn’t even do it in the warm up. I needed the
adrenaline of the competition and the course to get me over them. We had one down in the first
round and then a few pilot issues in the jump off course. But I was delighted. I was going around the
course saying ‘it’s only 1m, just 1m’, so as not to poop myself.

Not to forget fantastic Fred. He is full on back at flatwork again. Unfortunately he got a stone under
his shoe, so he had a few days off, but then we got the shoe back on again. We are working towards
our first elementary test. I was hoping to do it the June Bank holiday but jeep issues held me back.
The elementary is a LOT harder……….holy cow. It’s a serious step up. The tests are all bang, bang,
bang with various movements. There is no time to breathe. At the minute we are working on our
lateral work to get him to supple up and for me to be able to lead him from movement to
movement.

Daddio watching myself and Cu Chulainn

Fred

Hugs and kisses for me too!

An unexpected guest in the jeep....

The final weekend of May myself and Cu Chulainn had a 3 day show in Ballinasloe. On the Friday I
did the 90cm + 1m classes. For the 90 I was a bit nervous. Not necessarily of the height but of
everything. I rode terribly. But we still got around clear-somehow. I watched a video of myself riding
and got my shit together. I rode far more forward for the 1m and we just had the 1 down, but I was
much happier. The day was a scorcher. Throwing on suncream non-stop and downing water like it
was for free(lol).
On the Saturday we just did the 1m class and we went in later. I learned from the day before not to
be too early. We didn’t manage to go clear, but again I was happy with how he went and how I rode
him. I brought Fred with me on the Saturday to give him a few hours off from eating grass and help
him lose a few pounds. I rode him after and he felt really good. He was off my leg and forward and
listening. It was another really hot day on Saturday. I watched the Puissance which went up to 2.10.
A whole metre more than my top height!! Lads, that puts it all into perspective.

Earlier in the day I thought I was getting a bit nervous but then I looked at the arena beside me
where they were jumping 1.35 and I thought to myself, ok I can handle 1m.
On Sunday I came in earlier as I wanted to watch the Ladies Top Oil 1.10 qualifier. I wanted to see
what the height was like and if I would be able for it. I don’t know what height Damien puts his
jumps at but they made the 1.10 there look small!! I felt like I could do it and the height of the jumps
weren’t making my stomach turn. That was HUGE for me.
Unfortunately we didn’t have a great day. Cu Chulainn was tired after the 2 days and the heat and
everything and he was having none of it. He still tried a bit, but we had to retire in both classes. I
didn’t mind as we learned so much from the whole weekend overall. My fear of heights has
definitely gone down – not that I plan on doing any Grand Prix’s any time soon!! The only day CC had any refusals was Sunday and that was only down to him being tired. He didn’t baulk at any of the
jumps and he was forward all weekend- even when he was tired! There will be plenty of other days
out and rosettes for us in the future, we don’t have to have them every time. As long as we don’t go
backwards.

Bluto joined us for some exercise

It's been so hot lately the lads love just staying in the stables

18c at 8am....this is not Ireland!

Morning exercise for Rusty

Tree huggers

What an amazing sunset

The boys had the following weekend off from competition. I had planned on doing the RDS Amateur
competition in Tubberbride on the Saturday. I had a lesson on Tuesday and Cu Chulainn was wired to
the moon. I brought him to Milchem Eq centre on Wednesday to try the 1m to see how we got on.
He was way more chilled which was great. But that meant that I didn’t push him on enough when I
needed to and we had a few poles down. It was a nice meaty course and plenty of fillers and again
he didn’t baulk at anything and took it all in his stride. It was a good day as in he jumped lovely and
chilled and it helped me decide not to go to Tubberbride, which would be a 2 hour journey for
possibly one round of jumping. He has nothing to prove to me, I know he is capable of doing it but
why bother throwing him in the deep end. Instead, I decided to go to Headford SJ show.