Well, it’s been very busy since my last blog. Guinness has been working brilliantly at home and he’s really starting to take the contact forward and down. This means we now have much better control of the shoulder and are much straighter in all aspects of our work.
We’ve also been doing lots of hacking now that it’s light enough to fit a 30 minute trip round the woods before work and Guinness confidence and trust in me continues to grow. We’ve even been past the scary pigs by ourselves a few times!
Dressage at Waylands
On Sunday 26th February, Guinness and I hacked up to Waylands to get some dressage practice. It was organized by Susie and Marcus Bicknell who raise funds to maintain the fabulous tracks and bridleways we are blessed with in Hodgemoor Wood. I'd entered Guinness for the novice but even though we’d been there a few weeks prior for jumping practice, Guinness was fresh and high on adrenalin and was quite spooky. He managed a few of his trade mark leaps in the warm up just for good measure as well. Despite this, we managed to keep it together during the actual test and I was very pleased with 68.85% to win the class. Not a bad way to start the year!
First Affiliated Dressage Competition on a very special day
So it was off to Windmill Farm on Wednesday 7th March for our first British Dressage Competition and it also happened to be Guinness 6th Birthday! The weather was not on our side though… thankfully Kevin Malyon, who runs a livery yard round the corner in Seer Green gave me a lift up there. As I warmed up for my first class the wind was blowing a gale and the rain had soaked me through. Guinness wasn’t very impressed and combined with the adrenalin of a new venue, meant I had to sit tight a couple of times during the warm up! Needless to say he wasn’t as relaxed or forward as he could have been in the test but it was reasonably neat and accurate.
In the second test I pushed for more impulsion but consequently lost a little balance and rhythm. This is something I need to continue to work on at home, but the buck in the canter transition didn’t help our cause.
I was delighted to discover I came 1st in the first test with 66.95% and 3rd in the 2nd, with 61.81%. Clever pony… however Kevin was already on his way back to pick up his horse for a later class so despite the rain, Guinness and I hacked home. We were both very wet and tired by the time we got back but it was well worth it and Guinness ate almost half a bag of carrots (well, it was his birthday after all!)
Jumpy jumpy!!!
On Sunday 11th March we went to Rosehill for the Thames Valley Riding Club Eventer Trial, the going was perfect and the sun shone all day. I’ve not done one of these with Guinness before but the format suited him as there is no waiting around between showjumping and cross country. Guinness warmed up well and jumped the best showjumping round we’ve ever done, a beautiful and very careful clear.
On the Cross country, he went straight through the start without any disagreements and although he backed off a few fences, he tried his little heart out and jumped a couple when many others would have stopped. Unfortunately the 4 steps down (we’ve never done 4 in a row before!!!!) was a little too much but the very kind stewards allowed us to continue.
We jumped the sunken road, several ditches, banks, and although he only walked in, conquered the water as well so I was grinning from ear to ear! He also didn’t disgrace himself at the lorry and stood calmly and quietly throughout, he was an absolute pleasure.
Marcus and Susie Bicknell from Hodgemoor were also there and Marcus came home with a beautiful purple rosette!!
Next on the calendar is more British Dressage at Windmill to see if we can get another 1st placing in the Prelim to qualify for the Regionals and then maybe some more cross country practice.
Also I’ve got my first lesson with Sue on Guinness since before Christmas which I’m really looking forward to……
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