Solway ODE- Prince

Prince hadn't done any classes on Saturday, but had his first overnight away from 'home'. I was really pleased with how he came through the night, he'd eaten all his dinner (& brekkie) and drunk a reasonable amount of water. So that was a good start! He was extremely distracted in his warmup - calling out to the others and not settling well.

He focused on me a bit more while we were trotting around the outside of the arena, but it was still certainly a bit of an ugly dressage test. He was also finding the arena quite tight and slippery. Still, I was happy that he was listening from time to time even if we didn't manage to pull it all together in the ring. His transitions were at the correct markers and his halt was immobile... so can't complain!

Showjumping was a marked improvement over Onslow show for us. Prince was calm for the entire round and happily coming back to me between fences. I was stoked with how much improvement there was.

Crosscountry I wasn't sure how we would go, as his last time out he'd been very strong for the previous rider. He tried a couple of times to be a bit tanky and I had to give a few good strong half-halts, but he did come back each time. He wasn't quite as responsive as the showjumping, but still really good.

He did a super clear round, and within the time (which not many horses did... as the distance was measured on an incredibly tight line). At the end of the day he came 5th, which I thought was a good effort.

After the crosscountry, while removing studs, we noticed that Prince was feeling a bit stiff. So he will head home to his owner to have some more recovery work done and get his muscles in tip top condition before coming back to do some more dressage and jumping outings.

Solway ODE- Beau

Beau (Distelfunque) was up first on Sunday. Thankfully I had a lot of volunteers to hold the rest of the horses while I got him warmed up. They didn't provide a gear checker for our arenas, and the other gear checker wasn't interested - but we finally got gear checks done on all 4 horses and then headed back behind the grandstand to the dressage arena.

Beau had been in a dressage arena before, but he'd been quite wary of the arena ropes and a bit arena-shy. I hadn't had a chance to try him in an arena before the ODE, so I just made sure to ride him nice and close to the ropes while warming up around the outside. He didn't seem bothered at all! And I was stoked when we came up the centre line and he didn't even bat an eyelid, he just marched on in. His test was nice and tidy, though lacking a bit of impulsion - I might pop some spurs on for the next one we do.

Showjumping was such a lovely course - beginning with a crossbar! Of course Beau already knows how to showjump so he cruised around no worries.

Crosscountry was going to be more of a challenge for us! Beau hasn't done XC before - and he was throughly horrified by the practise log (he kept his eyes firmly planted on it the whole way over, and I think several strides after landing the first time we jumped it!). He was laid back at the starting area and calmly trotted off towards fence 1.

He gave me a really easy ride around the course - didn't need to kick him on too much or hold him back. Mostly just steer and give him some reassurance into these strange solid jumps I was pointing him towards.

We took a corner a bit too sharp towards a rolltop type jump and scooted past it which is a real shame (rider should have been paying more attention!), but of course he popped over it without any hesitation when I re-presented him. He was absolutely unphased by the bank and the staircase too, which is great.

We were about 4th in dressage, and 8th overall I think. I was really pleased with how he went and how he coped with all of this new stuff happening over the weekend. So now we've got our sights set on Manakau Sports to do some hunter flat classes, and some round the ring jumping, and probably a few showjumping classes too!

Bideford Sports

Headed up to Bideford on Saturday. It's a little bit north of Masterton, so ended up having to get up at 3 and on the road about 4am! Swifty came along, and we were set to meet up with Mum there. We ended up being the first to arrive, but that was good because it had only just got light and meant that I could plait Beau and take him in a ring class. I only did the maiden, and didn't even have a dressage saddle in the truck - so we just went in our jumping gear. I still think he looked very handsome though!

For his first time doing flat classes he was really quite good with all the other horses. It all turned to custard for a bit when another horse rammed into his bum, but I guess these are the things that we need to learn to deal with (and the reason we take green horses in flat classes! the best way to learn their manners for tight showjumping warmup areas!). Sadly Beau didn't even get called in but I was happy with him. I'd also popped an entry in for the "handy hunter" jumping event, but there were 2 lowered barbed wire spars, and a full wire. I wasn't keen on jumping wire (let alone when the top wire is barbed!) so we scratched from that. Beau must have thought this was all rather odd to get tidied up and just do one class then go back to the truck! Mum had a quick potter around on him too and he didn't seem at all phased by having a different rider - so that is good to know.

Mum and Alfie did the rest of the flat classes (certainly can't go in Maiden anymore!). Alfie was going nice enough, but a bit inconsistent in his contact at the walk (one of the flat classes was judged entirely at the walk as well... I think best combination?).

Alfie certainly seems to have grown up a lot. He still likes to have a good look around when you first get on at shows, but he's just so much more relaxed about the whole environment now. Mum ended up with some 3rd placings (open hack - where he did a lovely tidy workout, and something else? maybe p&m).

I'd entered Alfie for an intro ODE on Sunday. We were hoping that Mum would get a chance to lunge him over some small jumps (he's not jumped before at all!) but where she was grazing him is in the middle of changing hands and all the jumps were taken away before she got a chance. She assures me that she'd jumped him over some thistles, but I'm not sure that counts! So we spied a SJ practise fence that nobody was using and I went and got my back protector. The first few attempts (just over a teeny crossrail) were pretty horrid! It certainly took quite a while for him to work out where to put his legs. Interestingly he seemed more comfortable jumping from a canter (but also less precise when we cantered in, and would sometimes veer almost into the jumpstand!). After 5 minutes though he was kindly popping over a little crossrail 'pseudo spread' fence. Decided to leave it at that as he was trying his little heart out and didn't want to spook him.

Neo was doing his first showjumping course since January! I wasn't sure how it was going to go, but he was jumping really nicely. He seemed to be happy taking the longer stride (which is something that had been slowly improving this season) and also seemed just so much more bold than he has before. I was stoked.

We demolished a jump in the TYOL (just came in way way too fast) but he just kept going and didn't let it phase him at all. He's really maturing a lot. I am all enthusiastic about getting him out to more shows again - as he's such a pleasure to ride. I can mostly just sit there which is a nice 'rest' for me after the greenies! So no ribbons for us this time, but stoked with how the horses went.

Prince & Princess weren't doing any classes - but had come along for the trip. They both stood tied to the truck eating their hay all day without fuss. At the end of the day Mum left Alfie with me so I could take them all over to Masterton to stay the night at Solway for the ODE the following day. Got them all unloaded at Solway and into yards and was so tired from the day that I had a nap before feeding them!

Jump schooling

As it was a super sunny day, and the horses have a big weekend ahead I thought I'd take them down to the arena to get in some jumping schooling. Swifty came along again to man the camera so we could get some progress shots to see how the horses are all coming along. I'm heading up to Masterton this weekend and for many of the greenies it'll be their first time seeing XC fences! Scary.

Beau was really good about loading and travelling and heading somewhere different. He was a little spooky at first, but once he'd seen all the monsters around the outside of the arena he was fine. He's lost his huge tummy too - and is looking much more athletic!

He was a real dude when I popped him over the first crossbar - he doesn't rush or anything and wasn't at all bothered by the time off he's had since he last jumped. We did the crossbar a few more times then headed around the arena and jumped a few different things. I'd like to see him standing off his fences a little more - and a good run around the cross country on Sunday should help that heaps.

Neo was a right little snot on the flat - counterbent and ignoring me! So he had a bit of a telling off and we did lots of boring walking and trotting work on both reins till he was a little more responsive and soft.

His jumping, of course, was perfect. We got in a bit close to a few early on, but after I let him get into his stride he was happy to takeoff from pretty much anywhere. It's been several weeks since he's done any real jumping (aside from logs & banks at home) so I think he enjoyed the change.

Prince tossed a shoe last night, so I only did a short ride on him. He was very settled, even when warming up in and around the jumps. Hopefully he'll stay nice and laid back this weekend.

He's still jumping quite inside-out, but seems very happy. It will be interesting when he has a bit more recovery time and builds his muslces back if his shape over the fences improves. In the meantime I am trying to incorporate jumping as often as possible so that he doesn't see it as something to get excited about, just as something that happens.

I was stoked with princess today - softening really nicely at the walk and trot. Not the whole time, but most of the time she was really trying. I've been mouthing Zak recently, so sometimes I will also do some basics on Princess (not daily, just once or twice a week) and I think that's really helping her to accept the bit and a contact while she is being ridden.

Her jumping was so much better today too. She's beginning to push herself over the jumps and really building her confidence. She's never spooky at the fences, but does sometimes get distracted by other things (horses calling out to her or things like that). Hopefully as she gets more mileage over fences it will be easier for me to get her focus back on the rider quickly so that we can keep a good rythm into the jumps and get good straight lines too.

Devon is just being ridden around home until his new Mum can pick him up, and Pippa is out on the back hills at home at the moment - eating the lush grass in the cow paddocks (seeing as we currently have no cows, I figure it shouldn't go to waste!).

Zak is coming along slowly, but really well. He is wearing his roller most days with the elastic side reins either for a short while in a yard while I groom or feed the others - or some days he goes out to be long reined up and down the driveway. He's still a bit pushy on the ground, so I will sort that fully before I even start to saddle him up and back him. I'm really pleased with his progress though. He looks like a real horse with his bridle on!