Show hunter

Just going through some old photos, and found this one of possibly our first ever show hunter round.

Pukahu Show 2007.

(By the look on my face, I was seriously freaking out, but Miss P is cool with it!)

Are we ready? Yes, we are!

Right, ODE tomorrow.

Dressage test learned. Yes, I know, walk at X, halt at G. Dumbass got that wrong last time...

Float hooked up, hay bags full, dressage whip at the ready (in case Miss P decides to be difficult)

Gear in the ute - 2 x saddles, bridle with multiple nosebands, saddle cloths, jumping boots, my boots, jacket/stock/cc jumper, back protector, helmet, jumping armband. Do I get brave and take the bitless bridle too? Or will that completely freak out the gear-check Mums? Can't remember the PC rules...

Food to take including bananas (potassium and carbs) lots of drink, chocolate for cheering-up purposes. May throw in a bottle of wine and/or the whiskey too.

Money, camera, phone.

There can't be much left in my house by now. Do hope the trusty Hilux will be able to move all of this plus slightly chubby horse! Toyota Power!
Will probably discover tomorrow what I have forgotten.

Already - don't forget the water container + bucket. Rescue remedy for me and horse. Carrots.

Right, will try going to bed now and visualising great things! Wish me luck...

Cross country training night

Our wonderful La Presidenta of the riding club has organised some twilight rallies for us. Darned good of her, considering she's gestating and so is forbidden to ride herself.

We had a chance to train last night over some of the Park's cross country fences with coaching from one of our local eventers. I just wish there was a competition where you could just do the cross country! I know, the dressage is essential for everything, but I just want the action! Show jumping is fine but doesn't compare the the adrenalin thrills of galloping at solid fences.

Miss P was very full of herself, tanking off into canter as soon as we got out into the paddock. I tried to slow her back to trot to warm up, but as I had not put her drop noseband on, and only taken along two left-hand gloves, I was at a bit of a disadvantage. At least, I thought, she must be feeling very well to go hurtling about like a maniac!

We started with some canter work, lengthening and shortening the strides. Somehow we have lost our right canter lead in the last few weeks so that was fun. Especially as she was trying to get to the jumps she could see. Sigh, back to the dressage training then...

The group then went out and schooled over some of the training and pre-training fences. We have jumped most of these before so I just played around trying not to wear the girl out. It was nice to be asked to give a green horse a lead several times, so I guess I am not too hopeless. But then I got a bit cocky and took on the down hill log followed by the big spider (see previous post for photo). She stopped at the spider and decanted me off the shoulder. That is the 5th time I have fallen off her and I have regained my teenage ability to fall off and land on my feet, still holding the reins and whip! Its impressive to see, but hard on the back. No-one had seen as there was a bit of dust but I saw the coach look over, so I gave her a bow to show her I was okay. Just not on my horse!

That shook my confidence a bit and she was pulling like a train, dragging the reins out of my hand. I just feel she still isn't right and I am reluctant to push her to jump at the level we were last season. Might be time for the chiropracter again, and maybe the physio? The herbs seem to have helped while she is in season although she was much more "mareish" than I have seen her before. But there is something I can't put my finger on, and it is affecting my confidence, which leads to a downwards spiral for both of us.
Any suggestions, dear readers?

Bravely Bitless and Barefoot!

At the Steed Health/Eventing Nthn Hawkes Bay Showjumping Series, August 2009


Brave? Or just open minded?

We were only jumping a max of 85 cm, so it wasn't that scarey. But it certainly caused some comments around the rings. I like to shake things up a bit, so there we were, barefoot and bitless, and having a ball!

I often have people ask how I get on with a barefoot horse. While we are only competing at low level eventing, my competitors are often using studs and wonder how we survive. Then they say, oh she's a nippy little horse, she doesn't have to have studs. Or, you don't need to worry about that with these little jumps. I just smile, and especially when we beat them!

Take, for example, the PARC Christmas ribbon day '08. A tight, twisty show jumping course with several roll backs. It had rained that morning and the ground was still hard with wet, slippery grass covering it. We watched as horse after horse slid through the fences. All they had to do was hesitate a fraction coming in, and BOOM! Poles and stands everywhere, horse and rider parting company.

Out we went, set up a nice little canter and popped around. The first clear round, and one of only a couple in that class. (GRIN)