Disasterous Day!

Part of me doesn't want to write this!

I had the brilliant idea of finding some showjumping for Mr O to do so he could get some practise in before his second round of Trailblazers on April 17th. We had a look around and found a competition at a place called Hargate Arena. As it happened, it was part of a combined training competition, which meant there was dressage on at the same time. So clever old Mrs O. has a brainwave and decides to enter the dressage, just as a bit of fun for her and The Bardy Lad.

It was quite warm on Sunday morning so I got up early and bathed Barnaby. I have to say, he looked stunning afterwards. His tail was like silk. I put him back in his stable and he promptly rolled. He stood up and had straw all over his head, grinning away at me like the village idiot.Marvellous.

Anyway, the time came to load up, so we set off for Hilton, just south of Derby. We parked and decided to leave the horses in the lorry for a few minutes while we went for a look round. It was a beautiful place, with a huge show jumping arena, a big indoor arena to warm up in and then we walked further along and found a huge dressage arena. The warm-up arena was completely separate too, the whole place was vast and looked fabulous.

We came back and got the horses out of the lorry. They stood quite happily munching on their haynets so we went off to sign in and watch the showjumping. There was a 1'9" class, followed by a 2' class, with about 8 competitors in each. Then there was a 2'3" class which seemed to go on for ever. We'd been there for ages by then.

My dressage was on at 1.22pm and it was 12.30 so I thought I'd better go and tack up. Mr O didn't come with me which felt a bit odd. Barnaby was quite calm so I tacked him up and got on and rode off to find Mr O but he'd vanished. I get very flustered when things like that happen but decided I had better concentrate on what I was doing so I carried on round to the warm-up arena. Once we got in there Barnaby completely changed as he realised he wasn't with Zak. I tried to trot him round and get him to concentrate but it was awful. I was in a snaffle, remember, so had a lot less control than I would normally have. The test has canter in it, so I thought I'd risk a little practise, but Barnaby just cantered round with his head between his knees. I knew it was ridiculous to keep going and decided to quit while I was ahead so I rode up to the judge's caravan and said I would withdraw. So that was that.

I rode back to the showjumping area and found Mr O. in the warm-up arena. Zak was behaving very oddly as well. Basically, he just refused to jump. It was so strange, he was getting right up to the fence before running out. He has never done that in his life. He did it a couple of times, then Mr O asked me to leave, as Barnaby was being a bad influence on Zak!

I walked back to the lorry and made Barnaby stand and eat some grass. After a few minutes of worrying that Mr O was going to get thrown off, he appeared at my side and said that he too was going to withdraw. He tied Zak up at the lorry and stomped off to the secretary's caravan.

So what a total and utter waste of a day. We were both so disappointed and frustrated. We loaded the horses and drove home, knowing we were going to have to say to Pongo and Missis that we hadn't even done it, whilst putting a brave face on it. As so often happens on these occasions, we talked and talked about why on earth it had happened. Basically we've decided that apart from the Amber Valley rides, the horses aren't going anywhere together in future. I really don't understand how a horse like Barnaby, who is as bold as brass at home, can't be separated from his best buddy once he's travelled with him. He used to do it with Max. We were at a hunter trials once years ago when it was announced over the tannoy, "Could the owners of the blue and silver lorry please return to their vehicle as their horse is distressed." Distressed? Barnaby was rearing up and typing his name into the bodywork with his hooves. As soon as he saw Max he calmed down.

So, bear in mind that we sold Max last year. And what happens? Barnaby immediately latches on to Zak. Blooming marvellous.

But the good thing is, we've had a look at the things we want to do and Mr O has finally agreed that I can do some TREC on my own. Because it does seem that if Mr O wants to go somewhere, like the showjumping, he goes, but if I want to go somewhere I can't unless Mr O wants to do it too, and if he doesn't it never occurs to him that I might want to do it on my own. Or he'll make an excuse such as the entry fee is too high or it's too far to travel. It doesn't seem fair to me. So we have decided that if one of us wants to go somewhere they can go. If we both see something on the same day, the most important competition wins, eg, I can't go somewhere on April 17th because we've agreed that Mr O's second round is the most important thing on that day. I think this will work out very well, and am so excited to be able to do the TREC training day and a ride in Clumber Park on April 16th which I am desperate to do.

Oh, and just to cap it all, when we got home the heavens opened with hailstones, thunder and lightening so we got drenched. And then, the cat came in and threw up in Barnaby's water bucket, just to finish the day off nicely. It's a good job I can see the funny side now, isn't it?!

Have a great week, everyone.

Mrs O.

Dressage Diva - Again

I've been so busy I haven't really had a chance to tell you about the dressage on Sunday.
The first thing was, the weather was beautiful. I was dreading doing it in the rain (again) so was thrilled to see clear skies and realise there was no wind. Perfect.
I booted up The Boy, ditto Zak, and we set off. We only had to get to Derby College, which took about 40 minutes. We unloaded the horses and tied them to the lorry. It soon became obvious how things worked. Instead of a warm-up arena and a competition arena separately, there was just one enormous arena, divided into two. One side was for warming up and one side was for doing the test. Brilliant.
We couldn't find a secretary or anyone to sign in with, it was all a bit chaotic really. I decided to tack Barnaby up as I was on at 10.15 and wanted to get as much warming up time as possible. I rode down to the arena with no problems about leaving Zak. There was a steward down there who explained where the secretary (his wife) was. (In a classroom up the hill). He said just to do my test and go and see her afterwards. You pay on the day here, you see, not in advance.
At this stage, the judge was in her car but there was no writer, so I decided to crack on and warm up. To my astonishment and joy, Barnaby was really well behaved. He still had energy, but was quite willing to be schooled, and could hear Zak whinnying for him but wasn't bothered. I had to go carefully as there was a young woman on a grey mare who looked extremely nervous. I didn't want to go whizzing past her and upset her horse, so I just kept things nice and steady.
In the end Barnaby was so calm I could stand talking to Mr O and Barnaby just stood there. It was lovely to think I was going to actually do a dressage test on my own horse.
Soon the first girl went in, and I was second, so I decided to keep Barnaby moving until it was our turn to go in. Before I knew it, the girl had finished and came out, and we were waved in.
I set off in trot. For those of you who don't know, there are lots of letters around the arena and the test says things like, 'Walk at A, trot at B' etc. You have to be accurate and your horse has to go well, in a good position, what we call an 'outline'.
You always enter at A, and as I approached it, I expected the judge to beep her horn so I could start, but she didn't so I went sailing past. I actually went past three times and went back to walk before she beeped the horn. I stayed very calm, as I never let this phase me now, went sailing round and entered at A.
Mr O called the test, but actually I knew it anyway. It always pays to learn it in case you can't get a caller (or aren't allowed) or it's so windy you can't hear them anyway. It just helps you not to get flustered if you know what you should be doing at every stage.
Barnaby was really listening to me and was extremely well behaved and obedient. I was thrilled when I finally halted, and saluted the judge. I couldn't have asked for more at this stage.
We left the arena and I gave Barnaby a big pat.
We had quite a while to wait before Mr O's turn, but the horses stood contentedly eating their haynets. We went up to the secretary's area to introduce ourselves and to pay.
Then Mr O tacked Zak up and went down to warm up. Barnaby did want to go with him, so I untied him and led him along. We came to a big patch of grass, where he decided he'd rather eat than follow Zak, which was fabulous. He looked as if to say, "I know where he is, I'm not blind!" and carried on eating. I was delighted. The only drawback was that I couldn't go down to call the test for Mr O, but fortunately he remembered it. (Actually he said his mind went blank twice but he remembered in the nick of time!) Zak looked rather beautiful, actually, I was quite surprised myself.
Eventually the results were put up and we were disappointed to find we were 9th (me) and 10th (Mr O) out of 12, which isn't brilliant. I have to say, I do disagree with a couple of comments on my sheet, but there we are, can't be helped. It's a different test next time, one I've never done on Barnaby, so we'll see.
Really I didn't want the results to take the shine off the occasion, because I am delighted with how Barnaby behaved. At least it means I can do some dressage and next year we should be able to do some showing, which is all I ask.
So all in all I thoroughly enjoyed it. And now, of course, I want to go again in December, but I dare say we'll have snow by then.
I do love Barnaby. He is really everything I've ever wanted in a horse. Thankyou, my man, the boy done good.

Dressage Diva

I just can't believe what today was like. But I'm going to backtrack slightly to yesterday. As you know, I've been quite ill, and saving my meds for emergencies (like today!) but yesterday I finally managed to get on Barnaby, ride him for half an hour, clean my tack and clean up after the farrier's visit on Wednesday. So all in all, I was feeling quite a bit better.
Last night I had the worst night's sleep ever and woke up this morning coughing and choking. a good start, then. I could hear the wind howling round the house, whilst trying to rouse myself with a cuppa. In the end I decided to brave the outdoors and went to get Barnaby in. I had really wanted to bath him as he's so lovely when he's clean, but I felt a bit mean and just decided to do his legs from the knee down. Then I took his rug off and realised how bad his neck looked so gave that a scrub as well... then a bit of body... then Mr O came out and said we had five minutes left, so I took Barnaby back to his stable, looking a bit like a black and white minstrel. I'd have been better off if I'd left him. Oh well, the judge can only see one side at a time!
I stuck a rug on him, put a tail bandage on and travel boots, and we were ready to load. My dressage time was 10am. It was 8.50am. Cutting it a bit fine, but not too bad.
We drove down the steep hill and pulled up behind a coal delivery lorry. There was a car behind us. The coalmen were determined to deliver all thirty bags to this cottage. A year's supply of coal, presumably. Mr O got out and told the woman behind us what was going on. She wisely reversed up the hill and went the other way. We pulled into a side road and waited and waited until eventually the men finished and drove off, and the tractor behind him and the other ten cars all drove past us, and once again we were on our way.
The next stop was at the petrol station to fill up a bit otherwise we couldn't have got much further. We were now officially late. Mr O couldn't go much faster through the wind and the rain, though. He was driving so fast I was starting to hyperventilate. I had a tingly sensation in my hands and my chest was really constricted. I was worried I was going to pass out and kept talking to myself to calm myself down. I've never passed out in my life and I don't intend to start now. But if I do I want Mr O just to keep driving and sort me out afterwards.
But eventually, we do arrive and pull into Parklands car park. There was hardly anyone there. We got the horses out, then Mr O went to sign in. I had to pull myself together and start tacking Barnaby up.
I hopped on, and to my surprise, he left Zak and made his way down to the indoor school to warm up. He did his 'hoo-hoo' sound deep in his chest, but accepted that Zak wasn't there and settled into a decent warm-up.
I should have been next in but the steward said another woman on a dapple grey would go in next to give me more time to warm up. If I'd had any sense I would have insisted that I take my proper turn, as the next thing I knew Mr O had arrived on Zak, and that's when the trouble started, really. Barnaby did his usual thing of not wanting to be separated from his best buddy.
Sure enough, the previous competitor came out, having completed her test, and then it was my turn to go in. This means leaving the indoor school, going across a little path, then into the outdoor school where the test takes place. Naturally, Barnaby doesn't want to go. I get him to go out, but he spins, then trots back into the indoor school. I try again. We get into the arena, but this time, for variety, Barnaby decides a little rear might be in order, goes up, comes down and trots merrily out of the arena, with me hauling on the reins, to no avail. (He may have got a ten for that, I'm not sure). I go in a third time, with a whip as back-up, smack, smack, leg, leg, you will go in, you little blighter! Bingo, back into the indoor school. By now the judge is wetting himself.
Desperate needs call for desperate measures.
"Come here, please darling!" Mr O looks at me in surprise.
"Get off Zak, please, get on this horse and make him go in."
Mr O leaps off Zak, onto Barnaby and trots him into the outdoor arena. Barnaby spins and then rears vertically. "Sit forward!" I shout as Mr O is upright and I have visions of him going over backwards. Barnaby comes back down, Mr O spins him and enters the outdoor arena. He walks round. By now the judge is nearly falling off his chair. (It turns out to be Darryl Thicket. If I'd known that I wouldn't have had the nerve to enter the arena in the first place!) Barnaby calms down. The next thing I know, the bell has gone. Oh well, Mr O had better do the test.
Barnaby calms down and realises the game is up. The wind and rain are howling, but there is a job to be done and Dad is in charge. The test begins. I am holding Zak and calling the test at the same time. A pallet falls over behind Zak, who leaps forwards but doesn't crush me. I know the test off by heart. It should be me out there. Never mind.
The test is over. Mr O has done me proud. He bows to the judge and leaves the arena. He comes back into the indoor arena and jumps off. I thank him profusely. He leaps onto Zak and prepares to go in again (like Zorro this time) I ask him if he wants me to call the test again, and he does. Remember, Barnaby doesn't want to leave Zak, so I realise he will have to stand outside with me while I call the test. I lead him outside, and he says, "You must be joking, I'm not standing out there getting wet through!" Grrrr!
Fortunately my friend Anthony is there, who very kindly agrees to hold Barnaby while I read the test for Mr O. It goes by in a blur. Zak looked quite good actually, considering Mr O's schooled him five times in his life.
So we take the horses back to the lorry, Barnaby perfectly calm now that his bosom buddy is with him. We tie them up and put turn-out rugs on, as it is pouring.
Anthony appears and says that the results are already up. We run back to the arena to see what's what. And after a great deal of counting and calculating, it turns out... we are fifth! I don't believe it. My clever (naughty) darling (naughty) boy! And I must say that Zak came 6th which is amazing (especially as he put in a dynamic canter where none was required, I think it was the flying change that swung it!) So we came away with a rosette, and a huge grin each. Mine is pink. Barnaby is not impressed.
I got lots of sixes and sevens, and came out with a much higher score than last time, when I rode Lindy. Does this mean that if it's not chucking it down, and Zak isn't there, Barnaby might be able to produce a decent score? Only time will tell, but it has certainly motivated me. I always knew he could do it, and it's not as if we haven't put the work in. Of course, this is all providing I can actually get him into the arena in the first place!
So after an equally traumatic journey home, where Mr O nearly went into the side of a lorry on the roundabout and a car on the road, we are home in one piece. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though, and can't wait to go again. And if appearances are anything to go by, the judge thoroughly enjoyed it, too. It'll give him something to tell everyone back at the yard, won't it?

Hot To Trot

On Friday Missis and I went to the dressage competition at Parklands. We unloaded the horses, who were very chilled. We didn't need to collect a number or anything, just get warmed up and be ready to go in when our names were called.
We tacked the boys up and went into the indoor school to warm up. We actually hired this arena on Wednesday night and I am glad we did it now, as on Wednesday it took me ages to get Lindy to walk into the indoor school. I know it was dark in there and he didn't want to leave Lindy, but he was still being naughty. This time Lindy wasn't phased and walked straight in, which was a relief. The school had been levelled and emptied so there were just horses milling about warming up.
Nicky arrived with her beautiful boy, Connor. I have to say, Hugo was easily a match for anything in there. It's obvious he's a quality animal. I asked Nicky if she could read our test, but she said it would take ages to get Connor warmed up and working well, but her friend Amy would do it. I'm so glad, as I know at one point my mind would have gone a complete blank.
Missis was due to go in before me, and once she'd gone in I couldn't see her. I warmed Lindy up a little bit more and went in once Missis came out.
There were new white boards around the arena that hadn't been there on Wednesday night, so I let him have a little look at everything. Then the bell went, so we came round, entered at A and began the test.
I got quite a good score but not high enough to get placed, but now I've seen the playback on the video I think the judge was generous with her marks and I totally agree with her comments. Lindy wasn't really on the bit at all, and my legs still move about too much, because he feels as if he's going very very slowly, but actually on the playback he doesn't look too bad, so I have to make sure I keep my legs still and not keep nagging. I think the other thing that's noticeable is that he's very wobbly where he's not very fit. Barnaby doesn't look like that at all. But Lindy is very upright and straight and I will ask a lot more of him next time.
But apart from a few nerves, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would like to do a lot more. Missis has agreed to go again, and I am going to learn to be firmer with Lindy because he does come on the bit and can look stunning. When he works properly he trots a lot faster, which makes me feel as if he's going to take off with me, so I don't let him, even though if Barnaby did that it wouldn't bother me. I need to have confidence in Lindy, but last year when I schooled him once he threw his head down and really cranked my neck, so I'm trying not to upset him really, as I don't want him to do that to me again.
I have to say, my heart has always been in dressage. This is not to say, in the slightest, that I am any good at it (and don't think I'm being modest here, because I'm not!) but it really fascinates me. I wanted to do dressage when I got Max, but he was so good at jumping I just went with the flow really. Now that I've got a score and some comments I know what to work on, and I'd be thrilled if I could do some more competitions and gradually work my way up. I find it so relaxing and stress free compared to jumping. My only disappointment is that Barnaby hates it, because he's beautifully put together. If only he'd be more obedient I'd take him instead, but hauling on his reins as I go down the centre line is not going to look attractive, is it? So I'm very grateful to Pongo for a) taking me and b)lending me his horse!
Finally, I must say that Hugo was a different animal to the other day when he chucked Missis off. He seemed to love being with Lindy. In between tests he nodded off with his chin on Lindy's back, and Lindy was nibbling at his plaits, trying to undo them, as if to say, "Don't worry mate, I'll soon have those out for you!" I think he's been quite a lonely horse up 'til now. Oh, and Missis came 6th in the Intro test and 5th in the Novice, even though she went slightly wrong. She could have a lot of fun with that boy, I think.
So came home as high as a kite, really, and can't wait to go again.