Post by fimacg on Dec 13, 2009 17:17:35 GMT
went on the Trec day today, the orienteering phase was a mini 8km but the ground was horrendous...
It was -5 when we set out and headed up the hill where Forestry Commission had been harvesting christmas trees. The tracks were cut up by tyres and were a foot deep, with frozen puddles in the bottom, one hill we had to get off and walk down as the horses were skidding down with both front feet stretched out in front of them and sliding 2 feet at a time. we got very good and pushing through christmas trees as we simple couldn't ride on track itself. I don't think I have got on and off so many times in that distance before, but more due to the ground conditions rather than anything else.
The control of paces and obsticles section Brave was doing airs above the ground in the indoor arena before we could go but broke from canter and I couldn't get him going again. in the walk he was doing really well until a horse walked by outside when he jogged a couple of steps.
Finally the obstacles and how proud am I, he has never seen any of them before and he did the lead through a narrow space over a 'bridge' and through the S bend without any difficulty. I thought we were going to have problems with the low branches, we started in walk, ended in canter and only knocked the last one off cos I sat up too soon, he even dropped his head to help out. I was really pleased with his rein back as it was a fair distance then the 1st jump we have done in ages and yes we massively overjumped it, but didn't hesitate, back through the S bend, this time with me on board, I didn't judge it right and we knocked one bit off. He didn't like riding over the bridge an so one of the judges walked over in front (as they know we had not done it beore) and he went on the 3rd attempt the we finshed off with teh ridden corridor and again he went really well although we did toach the poles a couple of times.
But he did them all.
Chompy on the other had couldn't see the point of any of it apart from the jump and poor H's round was so bad it was brilliant, the look on Chompys face was 'you what?' I can just go around!
Fortuantly H saw the funny side and by the time she left she could hardly sit up on him she was laughing so hard!
I was a bit pants with the camera, but H's dad was there too and got some really good ones.
It was -5 when we set out and headed up the hill where Forestry Commission had been harvesting christmas trees. The tracks were cut up by tyres and were a foot deep, with frozen puddles in the bottom, one hill we had to get off and walk down as the horses were skidding down with both front feet stretched out in front of them and sliding 2 feet at a time. we got very good and pushing through christmas trees as we simple couldn't ride on track itself. I don't think I have got on and off so many times in that distance before, but more due to the ground conditions rather than anything else.
The control of paces and obsticles section Brave was doing airs above the ground in the indoor arena before we could go but broke from canter and I couldn't get him going again. in the walk he was doing really well until a horse walked by outside when he jogged a couple of steps.
Finally the obstacles and how proud am I, he has never seen any of them before and he did the lead through a narrow space over a 'bridge' and through the S bend without any difficulty. I thought we were going to have problems with the low branches, we started in walk, ended in canter and only knocked the last one off cos I sat up too soon, he even dropped his head to help out. I was really pleased with his rein back as it was a fair distance then the 1st jump we have done in ages and yes we massively overjumped it, but didn't hesitate, back through the S bend, this time with me on board, I didn't judge it right and we knocked one bit off. He didn't like riding over the bridge an so one of the judges walked over in front (as they know we had not done it beore) and he went on the 3rd attempt the we finshed off with teh ridden corridor and again he went really well although we did toach the poles a couple of times.
But he did them all.
Chompy on the other had couldn't see the point of any of it apart from the jump and poor H's round was so bad it was brilliant, the look on Chompys face was 'you what?' I can just go around!
Fortuantly H saw the funny side and by the time she left she could hardly sit up on him she was laughing so hard!
I was a bit pants with the camera, but H's dad was there too and got some really good ones.
