Post by admin on Aug 27, 2006 18:49:46 GMT -1
I've had an AMAZING day today - loved every minute of it (well except maybe not the three jumping rounds!!!)
It was just excellent. Here is a blow by blow account of my day (apologies for boring everyone!!).
First was tack and turnout and Mair and Rick did a great job getting Tilly all clean and shiney - not helped by Tilly putting poop all through her tail on the journey in. THere was some stiff competition and we didn't get placed - but got a lovely "commended" rossette.
Next was WH which I was soooooo nervous about. Tilly was a little star and was lovely and steady the entire way round. Unfortunately I had a bit of a wobble going into the spread and we had a refusal, so we didn't get placed, but again a lovely commended rossette.
Straight on into the ridden show class. We all rode round together and the top six were pulled in and we weren't in it. But we then all did our individual show and after that we got ........ SIXTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Against some really love registered Dales ponies (15 in the class overall) - I was delighted - Tilly went really nicely despite some seriously dodgy riding on my part.
Next was the handy pony. Sue had set up a very testing, but fair course. We did well, even me getting on wasn't toooooo awful. UNTIL we got to the dreaded taupauline. We didn't get within 6 foot of it before Tilly was snorting and chucking her head around. Lots of napping and little circles later we eventually got over it - once she put a foot on it she was fine - silly girl.
It was then time for a well deserved lunch break. Tilly stuffed her face with a huge hay net and a couple of pears - I stuffed mine with a chip butty - yum!
After lunch it was dressage and show jumping. I went into SJ first and Tilly was a star - so well behaved and calm. Even going into the "big" fence which was terrifying me! I rode into it yelling "I can do this I can do this I can do this" and I DID - we flew it. That meant we were into the jump off - yikes!
But it was then time for my dressage - so a swift change of bit and whip and we raced into the dressage with zero warm up. Many thanks to Lucy for calling for me - I didn't know the test at all. Tilly was ever so good - if a bit whizzy (didn't understand all this trotting when she wanted to CANTER - woohoo!). She also seemed to totally forget what an inside leg was - cut off corners left right and centre!!!
Straight out of there, back into the pelhem martingale and body protector for the jump off. All the fences had gone up one hole - including that scary big one. I decided to go for the steady clear - and again Tilly was a star. We took a good canter at the last and she did a perfect jump. I nearly cried when they announced the placings - I'd come 5th!!!!!!!!!!! I'd actually beaten other people in a SJ course. I was going to do horse and hound, but it was such a good note to finish on I decided not to.
We all then gathered to get the final results and have the traditional gallop. They annouced the T&T and handy pony results. I was made up - the last thing they announced was the dressage - I had come - FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it. There were several really nice ponies in that novice class. I've never won dressage before - I was GOBSMACKED!
The final thing was to announce the championships. The day was just perfect - I don't think it could have got any better - but it did! I had won the Novice Unregistered Pony championship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You could have knocked me off Tilly with a feather - it was just wonderful.
We all then went for a celebratory gallop, what fun that was. Tilly was a star and didn't get over excited, and pulled up as soon as I asked.
A HUGE MASSIVE ENOURMOUS THANKYOU to Mair and Rick. They worked so hard getting Tilly ready for me, then spent all day running around after us - getting her tacked up, un tacked, change of tack. Rick took LOADS of brilliant pics. It was such a perfect day - and all thanks to Mair and Rick.
I have not got a very sunburnt face and I can't actually move - soooooooo stiff. But it's all be totally worth it.
Olivia
It was just excellent. Here is a blow by blow account of my day (apologies for boring everyone!!).
First was tack and turnout and Mair and Rick did a great job getting Tilly all clean and shiney - not helped by Tilly putting poop all through her tail on the journey in. THere was some stiff competition and we didn't get placed - but got a lovely "commended" rossette.
Next was WH which I was soooooo nervous about. Tilly was a little star and was lovely and steady the entire way round. Unfortunately I had a bit of a wobble going into the spread and we had a refusal, so we didn't get placed, but again a lovely commended rossette.
Straight on into the ridden show class. We all rode round together and the top six were pulled in and we weren't in it. But we then all did our individual show and after that we got ........ SIXTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Against some really love registered Dales ponies (15 in the class overall) - I was delighted - Tilly went really nicely despite some seriously dodgy riding on my part.
Next was the handy pony. Sue had set up a very testing, but fair course. We did well, even me getting on wasn't toooooo awful. UNTIL we got to the dreaded taupauline. We didn't get within 6 foot of it before Tilly was snorting and chucking her head around. Lots of napping and little circles later we eventually got over it - once she put a foot on it she was fine - silly girl.
It was then time for a well deserved lunch break. Tilly stuffed her face with a huge hay net and a couple of pears - I stuffed mine with a chip butty - yum!
After lunch it was dressage and show jumping. I went into SJ first and Tilly was a star - so well behaved and calm. Even going into the "big" fence which was terrifying me! I rode into it yelling "I can do this I can do this I can do this" and I DID - we flew it. That meant we were into the jump off - yikes!
But it was then time for my dressage - so a swift change of bit and whip and we raced into the dressage with zero warm up. Many thanks to Lucy for calling for me - I didn't know the test at all. Tilly was ever so good - if a bit whizzy (didn't understand all this trotting when she wanted to CANTER - woohoo!). She also seemed to totally forget what an inside leg was - cut off corners left right and centre!!!
Straight out of there, back into the pelhem martingale and body protector for the jump off. All the fences had gone up one hole - including that scary big one. I decided to go for the steady clear - and again Tilly was a star. We took a good canter at the last and she did a perfect jump. I nearly cried when they announced the placings - I'd come 5th!!!!!!!!!!! I'd actually beaten other people in a SJ course. I was going to do horse and hound, but it was such a good note to finish on I decided not to.
We all then gathered to get the final results and have the traditional gallop. They annouced the T&T and handy pony results. I was made up - the last thing they announced was the dressage - I had come - FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it. There were several really nice ponies in that novice class. I've never won dressage before - I was GOBSMACKED!
The final thing was to announce the championships. The day was just perfect - I don't think it could have got any better - but it did! I had won the Novice Unregistered Pony championship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You could have knocked me off Tilly with a feather - it was just wonderful.
We all then went for a celebratory gallop, what fun that was. Tilly was a star and didn't get over excited, and pulled up as soon as I asked.
A HUGE MASSIVE ENOURMOUS THANKYOU to Mair and Rick. They worked so hard getting Tilly ready for me, then spent all day running around after us - getting her tacked up, un tacked, change of tack. Rick took LOADS of brilliant pics. It was such a perfect day - and all thanks to Mair and Rick.
I have not got a very sunburnt face and I can't actually move - soooooooo stiff. But it's all be totally worth it.
Olivia
Ridgelane Duke 
Country Rose
