We came second .....
We came second ..... or bottom, depending on how you look at it :-) There were only two in the elementary! He met my objectives for his first ever elementary -
- he scored over 60% (nearly 60.1)
- he was controllable and fun.
I didn't ask for too much movement, so as not to get too much trouble either. There was no doubt that he would have been a nightmare in a snaffle. The arena was waterlogged with standing puddles right down one side. The warm up was either the showjumping warm-up, with people jumping in it and about ten metres wide :-0 or a totally completely 6-inches-deep waterlogged arena with less than 10 metres usable at all. So all in all, I am jolly please with him and SH was amazed at how well he went.
He lost marks, guess what's coming ...... , for flying changing three times when there aren't any in the test and for refusing to take true canter because he wanted to strike off in counter canter so that he could change. The judge commented on how much he looked as though he was enjoying doing them :-)
I will enter a competition where I can do 2 elementaries next time, but the sooner he knows enough for medium tests, the better as far as I am concerned. It is SO much more fun doing more complicated tests.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 4:52 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Sounds like you had a fun day out & well done for achieving what was aimed for :-)
x
You got it, girl!! The harder, more complex tests are way more fun....especially if they have flying changes. *VBWG* I have to laugh with you about Jazz and his canter. As I've said, unfortunately, that is the penalty you pay for teaching the flying change. Until they become just a matter of routine, and nothing special, he will offer them at unplanned moments. It takes a while depending on the horse.
Sounds as if it will take a little more time with Jazz because he finds them so easy and kind of fun. He needs to get bored with them. Still, 60% with those errors is nothing to sneeze at. And I love how the judge recognized what was happening. Clearly a rider in the booth. *lol*
By the by, Steffen Peters, USA swept the whole Grand Prix at Aachen over Anky on Salinero this past weekend. The only reason I mention this is because at the Olympics and World Cup (which he won too) Ravel had an over-exuberant flying change at the beginning of his tempis in both freestyles. So here was an Olympic horse still not settled in the flying change. At Aachen, though, the tempis were beautiful! Takes a while, even at that level.
The winning freestyle is on the Internet, but you probably don't have a fast enough connection to really enjoy it. But the glory of that ride is how absolutely relaxed Ravel looks. Brilliant movement, amazing movement in the half passes and happy "floppy" ears is if he is just out for an afternoon hack....taking everyone's breath away just because.....
So, now you have something for Jazz to aspire to. (Won't happen with Tucker...Mr. "Attitude.") *G*
ah well done, over 60% first time out, and in those conditions, is a good job indeed!
I was pleased Claire. I know I can get much more movement out of him now I am not scared to upset him by asking for it.
Great news that the US is up there beating the continental European Riders, Jean. About time someone played them at their own game, shame on the UK that we still can't do it after all this time!
The lousy warm-up and below standard arena surfaces kind of reduced the pressure to perform Sarah, so we did just have some fun.
C
Meeting those objectives means you are where you belong. Between the footing and his first ever competition at that level, I would have ridden conservatively too, not asking for too much movement. There is plenty of time for that later! I expected him to throw in a few extra flying changes didn't you? Keep having fun!
I'm just about to post some pix ML, so you can see the footing!
On the video all you can hear apart from him splashing through the puddles is me laughing as he attempts to flying change!
C
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