Anyway, today we were at Buckminster Park to compete in the BE100. It was my first time at Buckminster, so I wasn't too sure what it would be like, but it was a great event and one I'd love to return to!
So, the dressage! The warm up started with us bouncing all over the place, but I did a lot of work on pushing her forwards (in my lesson this week, Mark got on her and said she was behind the leg and that I needed to work on having her more forward to encourage her to be more active through the hindleg) so I started out just doing that. This worked well as by the time I was ready to go in, she was sooo soft in my hand and felt wonderful. She had a couple of "Emmie moments" in the test, but we scored a 31.8 (68.2) which is a pretty respectable score. Unfortunately my test sheet wasn't back when we left so I will have to wait until it gets here to see what the scores were. Given that she broke in the canter and also had a tantrum in one of the loops to X, I was quite pleased with the mark. We are getting closer to a lower score!
I'll add the test video when it uploads (I fear this may be never).
I then went to walk the XC, which as always had me pumped to get out there. But first I had to get through the horror that is SJ....
So the course had a couple of huge oxers in it (well, I thought so!) but the course itself wasn't too mean. So on I hopped and warmed up. As always she was clearing everything by miles in the warm up. Got in there and was thinking positively, but allowed her to run on too much. We had a couple of fences down that were catching a few people. I was up to the final double and thinking.. omg! I'm only going to get 2 poles! when disaster struck! I completely messed her up to the final fence, tried to send her on a long one, and she crashed through both of them. Such a disappointment as she was jumping so well. So yet another 4 poles to add to the collection on my record... big sigh!
Anyway - the worst part over with, I got changed and went over to the XC. As ususal she jumped the warm up fences in a manner that makes many a person cover their eyes and think "oh my god, she's about to take that XC, does she have a death wish?!" I swear, I want to tell everyone she is safe!!!
She set off out the start box like an old pro and took everything in her stride, The memorable fences were a timber trailer (see photo below!) that she just took in her stride, two steps down to a skinny arrowhead (she was a bit confused I think, but went with it and popped straight down) , and a big corner. Now the corner is kind of my nemesis, because I had a fall at one two years ago that was entirely my fault and now I'm terrified I'll do it again. She's SO trusting and will always go when I say go, and even when I get it wrong she just keeps on saying ok!
So the XC machine strikes again :) Unfortunately with the 16 faults we were well and truly out the placings - even with no faults on my dressage we wouldn't have been in the top 10! - but I feel like the dressage is ever improving, my confidence is improving loads every time we go XC and the SJ.. well, we'll just keep working on that!
Unfortunately she was a little bit lame when we pulled up off the XC. She had a couple of tight nails on Thursday, but had them pulled immediately and she was right as rain by the next morning. This is the same foot she went lame on today, but not as bad. She got better as time went on, and by the time we got home she was barely lame at all. She also has a bit of soreness in the shoulder muscle on the same leg, so I think it's one or the other. She will be getting lots of TLC over the next few days!
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