She did well!
I wish I could say the same for her rider, but more of that later.
I have to say I am completely bemused by her dressage score of over 47 (under 53%). She bounced the whole of the trot on both reins in a way she has never done before and still only scored 5's and couple of 6's. The canter deserved low marks and got them, but the arena was as hard as rock and on a very pronounced slope! Next time I'll plait and see if that pacifies the judge a bit!!
Then the showjumping. Well, what a change in attitude. She was completely different from any of the last three events. Confident, happy, she popped round and just tipped two off. I rode carefully, again the arena was far from flat. I knew that she could not come around a downhill corner in canter in balance and then jump, so three times I took her back to trot, took a huge wide sweep out to the very edge of the rope, and then came in on a straight line in canter. It worked every time, the two she tipped were other fences. I was thrilled with her attitude, she was perfect.
Then the cross country. The first fence was a very big hedge. I can't recall her jumping a hedge before but away she went. She stormed around, through a horrible double of rolltops at six, where the first was a drop and the second up a very steep rise. On to nine, a bank and a sizable telegraph pole post and rail a stride away. She was confused, jumped onto the bank, ground to a halt totally perplexed. And stupidly, instead of turning away and trying again I urged her to jump it. So she did. She hit it very hard. I can't quite recall the sequence of events but I was pretty sure she actually fell over it and didn't get a front foot down at all. I was on the floor and I was convinced she was coming over on top of me in a rotation fall (they're the ones that kill people :-0 ! ). Anyway, the lovely girl did everything she possibly could to avoid treading on me. At one point I was lying on the ground looking at one of her feet wavering in the air inches from my face, thinking "whoaaa, this is going to HURT". But she managed to stop, carefully stepped back, then I got up, got a leg up and we carried on!
What a wonderful horse she is. After all that, she was prepared to go on and finish the course. The next fence wasn't even a decent distance away, she had all of five or six strides to it, and it was a double. But she did the whole of the rest of the course in style. So she got another clear round, but I didn't!!
No marks for rider stupidity. OK I'll take some for bravery but that was no time to encourage such a novice horse to do an impossible jump. Tetley and Scooby used to do the impossible if I asked, but I really should have had my head screwed on enough to know that it wasn't sensible or safe to ask that of Tia. But I am so thrilled with her reaction, both in having a go and in not letting it upset her, so that she could complete the course.
There's not a mark on her, and I hope to report the same tomorrow. Meanwhile I'm off for a bath.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:20 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Ouch! THe lessons we learn on the cross country....The time I went off at the bank, with my first horse, Russell, he stopped on top and I did the rotation. I also don't remember much except luckily ending up on my feet, facing the horse who was looking down at me with that "what are you doing down there," expression. I remounted, tried the fence again and almost took another header.
Bless Tia's heart and her athletic agility. She is a gem, figuring out how not to land on you. This, I think is one of those "mare plusses." The school horse mares I used to ride would stop if they felt the rider falling off. Please give her and extra carrot and a big hug from me for saving you!!!!!!!
Otherwise, what a brilliant success. Bad footing will really account for the dressage score. Neither Russell nor PJ ever could do well with bad ground under them. Don't know about Tucker as the dressage rings here are phenomenal.
Remember the lesson of the drop fence. One more proof that Tia's talent hides her inexperience. Something to remember when you start Caddy too. Better take the safe route with the green horse. Have your fun with Mr. Tetley!
Hope you are feeling OK.
ouch!
Well done, I bet you were REALLY pleased about the show jumping - the arena has really paid off.
This is why so many people go eventing - it is so hard to get it all right all together, both horse and rider.
My niece's horse once went up a step, stride, rail so fast he tripped on the step and whacked his nose on the rail and broke it - his nose. It was very sad because it was nearly at the end of the course and I was wondering if she was going to first or second to Mark Todd. That was with a horse that was TOO confident and a millisecond lapse in concentration by the rider.
Give yourself and Tia a big pat.
Judith
glad to hear that all is well!
Great that it didn't shake her confidence either.....sounds like a right heavy fall.....oooyah.
Wish I could say it was the arena that put her bottom of the class Jean but everyone was on the same one! I can't agree with her placing, I just know it was her best trot work by a long way. Oh well, judge didn't like her, that's fair enough.
Judith do you know that the research shows that more people fall off when they know that they have a chance of winning? The only other fall I've had was when I was in the lead and knew it! That was a purler, too. It just doesn't do to take your mind off the job and be too competitive, does it! I just did not approach that bank properly. When I walked it, I reported that the flagging was incorrect ( the class was already half way through and there was no right hand red flag - inexcusable at that level of event!) As I came in, I took my eye off the ball looking to see where the flag was - BAD mistake. And then to push her at part B when she was confused just topped it off.
We are both fine though, thanks for your kind thoughts.
C
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