Unaffiliated ODE @ Solihull

Dressage Test: BE95 (2012) Judge: Sue Bullock Dressage Mark: 31.5
SJ Jumping Penalties: 4 SJ Time Penalties: 0
XC Jumping Penalties: 20 XC Time Penalties: 0 XC Time: 4:17
XC Optimum Time: 4:18 Placing: 35th

I had Chris with me today for support, but also had more visitors: Mum and Britt came and watched the Dressage and Show Jumping, and Lynsey, John and the boys came for the Show Jumping and XC.  It was a nice day and we had plenty of time – Finn even had her massage pad on before the dressage today.

I was quite pleased with the dressage, the writer needed to take a comfort break though, and we were trotting around the outside of the arena for about 5 mins before we could start.  I was especially happy with the halt, we have moved from a 4 in our last test at Aston-le-Walls, where she just didn’t want to stop, to an 8 today (the only 8 in the test).  Judge’s comments were: “Super fluent test showing correct training.  Could work with a little more impulsion to develop the lightness of the forehand.  But lovely trot work.”  I was really happy with the comments about fluency and correct training; it’s so encouraging when you get comments like this.

SolihullUAShow Jumping felt good – balanced and rhythmical. The pole down was due to Finn spooking at some poles at the edge of the arena on the corner before fence 4, and I couldn’t get her back quickly enough to focus on the job in hand.  However, she came back to me and the rest of the course felt good.

The Cross Country was very wet and heavy, so much so that they had to omit fences 6b, 7 and 8 in the back field.  Finn was a little bit sticky to some of the fences but generally felt good, I had to ride positively though as she wasn’t really taking me to every fence.  We completed the water and the drop fence and then rode away to the house on the hill going back towards home.  After the house Finn was pulling me to the right, we needed to go left and I had to fight with her to get the line back.  I tried to present her to the last but one fence which was a box to a step.  Finn put the brakes on about 3 strides out and we missed the jump.  I circled her round and re-presented her to the fence and she jumped it nicely, she jumped up the step and then on home to the last fence.  Even with the stop we still made the course inside the time.

I was disappointed with myself, I should have caught hold of her more quickly after the house jump.  I won’t do that again……..  Every day’s a school day!