(Tess goes into the water!)Here is my sidenote! Southern Pines HT's is an event I have not been to in about 2 years, which in the eventing world is a long time! I decided that the past courses were just not the type my horses neeeded; this year was so different (due to an awesome new course designer). The courses were amazing; big and gallopy, so friendly and yet asked all the questions. Such a nice course to be able to ride!
My mom and I headed down to the Carolina Horse Park on Thursday. I had two quick flat lessons with Sharon White Thursday afternoon. Clif was great (that's becoming a theme!) and Tess was also great (She gets many people to watch and compliment her when she is good, this makes her very happy). So we went into Friday on a positive note.
My mom and I headed down to the Carolina Horse Park on Thursday. I had two quick flat lessons with Sharon White Thursday afternoon. Clif was great (that's becoming a theme!) and Tess was also great (She gets many people to watch and compliment her when she is good, this makes her very happy). So we went into Friday on a positive note.
(Clif and I studying Friday Night--he typed!
Photo by Marisa Notarnicola)
Friday was a nice, relaxed day. Clif did not go until 10:30. He warmed up really well, relaxed, happy and lovely. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a melt down before going into the ring (Clif wanted to know why there was an XC advanced skinny near the ring?!?!?). His test was still fairly solid, but just lacked the relaxation he has had in his previous two tests of the year. So while not the end of the world, it was a bit of a bummer, but his test of 33 did put him in the top 5 out of 20 or so horses. Tess was quite good in her warm-up, unforunately we lost it about 3 minutes before going into the ring. Instead of just trying to negotiate with her throughout the test, I decided to ride her and make her do atelast something productive. This should serve as an example of how obnoxious she is; in her test which was about a 45, she received three 8's (I mean really Tess!). Talented and naughty is a not such a fun combination some times! Oh well, we will conintue to work through this phase she is going through, especially since I feel that it is mostly due to the fact that she is actually close to be submissive (hence the current state of anger for not being able to do whatever she wants!)
Friday was a nice, relaxed day. Clif did not go until 10:30. He warmed up really well, relaxed, happy and lovely. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a melt down before going into the ring (Clif wanted to know why there was an XC advanced skinny near the ring?!?!?). His test was still fairly solid, but just lacked the relaxation he has had in his previous two tests of the year. So while not the end of the world, it was a bit of a bummer, but his test of 33 did put him in the top 5 out of 20 or so horses. Tess was quite good in her warm-up, unforunately we lost it about 3 minutes before going into the ring. Instead of just trying to negotiate with her throughout the test, I decided to ride her and make her do atelast something productive. This should serve as an example of how obnoxious she is; in her test which was about a 45, she received three 8's (I mean really Tess!). Talented and naughty is a not such a fun combination some times! Oh well, we will conintue to work through this phase she is going through, especially since I feel that it is mostly due to the fact that she is actually close to be submissive (hence the current state of anger for not being able to do whatever she wants!)
(Clif into the water!)
Saturday was XC day! Tess went out first and was really quite perfect. She had a very very very unfortunate stop in the sunken road which was A,B,C. She went at 9 AM and the sun was right in both our faces, she never quite saw the C element until she was about to take off for the B element! I saw C, so I assumed she did as well...not so smart there Hillary! She jumped all the tables (which were nice and big) very well, she jumped the water super (which was again quite big for prelimb)and she was great and very straight for the skinny and corner. Clif went at about 10 AM when it was a bit warmer. He was a bit more relaxed in warm-up than he has been. I let the fences help me with his wildness, especially for the first few fences, this seemed to make a big difference and helped me a good bit. The course was made for a horse like Clif--it was big and gallopy, he was right at home. He was quick and solid jumping through and over everything, I couldn't not have asked him for much more. Saturday was a good day!
Sunday everyone got to show jump. Tess jumped first once again. Her show jumping was not exactly stellar. I did not ride her forward enough to the first two fences, which were taking you directly into the crowd and patron tent (this event was part of the Professional Riders Organizations series of sponsored events, hence the tents and people!). She did not quite know what to make of the crowd and I was not quite sure what to do with her (Let this be yet another lesson that two "I don't know's" does not lead to a know), let her be quiet and take it in, or keep her forward and not quite have her attention, I choose the quiet...not so bright as it turns out! We had the first two fences down, which is totally unacceptable for a horse that can jump as well as she can. After about the third fence we settled back into a good forward rythm and she jumped well, so we at least ended on a good note. Clif jumped next, and he was in 6th place heading into SJ. He was quite good, as usual these days, and jumped one of his most responsive and accurate rounds ever. He ended up 4th out of about 20 horses, finishing with only a few time penalties from XC added to his dressage score of 33 (Clif says "if she had let me run off like usual, we would not have had those dumb time faults and I would have been 2nd!").
Sunday everyone got to show jump. Tess jumped first once again. Her show jumping was not exactly stellar. I did not ride her forward enough to the first two fences, which were taking you directly into the crowd and patron tent (this event was part of the Professional Riders Organizations series of sponsored events, hence the tents and people!). She did not quite know what to make of the crowd and I was not quite sure what to do with her (Let this be yet another lesson that two "I don't know's" does not lead to a know), let her be quiet and take it in, or keep her forward and not quite have her attention, I choose the quiet...not so bright as it turns out! We had the first two fences down, which is totally unacceptable for a horse that can jump as well as she can. After about the third fence we settled back into a good forward rythm and she jumped well, so we at least ended on a good note. Clif jumped next, and he was in 6th place heading into SJ. He was quite good, as usual these days, and jumped one of his most responsive and accurate rounds ever. He ended up 4th out of about 20 horses, finishing with only a few time penalties from XC added to his dressage score of 33 (Clif says "if she had let me run off like usual, we would not have had those dumb time faults and I would have been 2nd!").
(Tess over the jump on a lump!
Photo by Marisa Notarnicola)
Clif is funny, when he gets to a show these days he puts on his game face. He went into to show jumping with a new attitude and he was not messing around, I think he quite likes being the center of attention and getting ribbons (too bad he removed it during his victory gallop and proceeded to step on his new white ribbon, getting dirt all over it!). Tess was also improved, although her score does not reflect it, she was much more confident on XC than she ever has been and her SJ was good after our yucky start.
(Clif over one of the many tables)
Our next outing will be Chatt Hills outside of Atlanta, GA. Tess will continue on her road to the Virginia Horse Trials CCI* with another preliminary run. Clif will make the big jump up to intermediate! He feels great and very ready to be an intermediate horse, hopefully the feeling will be the action!
I will give everyone an update before we head towards the great unknown in April!!
I will give everyone an update before we head towards the great unknown in April!!
Hillary
No comments:
Post a Comment