Wicked Wickstead!

[pboy]

Today we had a yard outing to a local place called Wickstead Horseplay. They have a big all-weather with a xc loop that has water, steps and ditches - it's a great little facility. I was so excited about a jumping outing that I woke up at 6.30, half an hour before my alarm!

We rode into the jumping arena past a smaller arena where a lovely rider was on a classy looking grey. The rider smiled as we wandered past and we exchanged 'hellos' - luckily I didn't realise until later that the rider was Paul Tapner as I'm hopeless around famous people

Indio was absolutely pinging as we warmed up. He's had a very quiet week so he was fresh, plus it's the first time he's got off the lorry and straight into a strange jumping arena! Our only other time jumping away from home was at the Rockley Rehab Reunion at Boomerang, but he was staying over so he felt quite at home there. We warmed up over a small x-pole and he started out quite sticky, then he started to put in huge leaps that almost jumped me out of the saddle! Ali asked us to come in a much bigger canter than we've been doing until now and it took him a while to 'click' to the new surroundings and the new way of going...

...which ended up in some jumps like this!! The photo is taken from a video, hopefully I can get a copy from Ali as he went as high with his back legs as his front

After a while he settled and worked out how to organise his legs from the bigger canter. We introduced him to each new fence before going over it so he wasn't surprised by the fillers (it was sunny so anything with white in it was quite bright), but the fillers weren't worrying him so we cracked on. The penny suddenly dropped and we went smoothly over quite a few of the jumps, he's such a star!

Then we moved onto the xc. Through the water, log piles, steps and the first time over the ditch (towards home) were all no problem. Then we went back over the ditch and he stopped! They are much spookier and darker than the ditches at Boomerang and I wasn't really prepared for him to hesitate. We jumped it a few more times and had no more problems, then popped some tyres and a little red house, then finished. Love my horse, he's just so up for anything!!

I had my GoPro on so have some video. Please excuse all the giggles and 'good boys'!

[racaille]

Brilliant fun! I do admire the way you are always very organised with pix/vids ... I must get my act together

[pboy]

Well it helps to have a YO who has a large social media following - she's very business-focused and constantly looking for sponsorship - so she always has her camera at the ready! Then the GoPro was my Christmas present and I was quite pleased with myself for remembering to take it along I do prefer 'on the ground' videos though so you can watch them, analyse your performance and hopefully know what to work on for next time.

[haffyfan]

Sounds brilliant, the jumping photo is superb, what a spring he has and the onboard was fab! It was lovely to go round the fences with you, i think he's missing his vocation, he wants to be a jumper or eventer!

[pboy]

I think you could be right HF! He was swaggering afterwards as if he owned the place

[brigadier]

Gosh you have a fabulous time. The pic is amazing. One to have on your wall! I'm loving his ear flick, you have a special partnership! He is really responding to you?

[pboy]

I hadn't noticed the ear until I was editing the videos - it's so cute. He does listen carefully and he tries so hard. I love him to bits!!

[pboy]

Ali just sent me this - look at those hind legs!! Bless him.

[Blonde Donkey]

I am sat here as green as a green thing. Wish we had such things so close. You two look such a lovely pairing, Indio always looks so happy.

I think I used to follow your yard owner on HHO. Was a big fan of her on there.

[pboy]

Thanks BD :-)

She was Ali17 or something like that on HHO. She tends to use Facebook and Twitter these days. It's a shame that most of the old posters on HHO have drifted away, there used to be so many good reports on the comp & training page but it's very quiet now.