So brief round up of the events this week, after our dressage outing on Sunday, I had an easy day Monday, then schooling (again) on Tuesday. And Wednesday, in fact I'm getting a bit bored going in the school doing flat work around the jumps, 'cos the lights aren't good enough, and I know there are gremlins in the shadows. Trouble is Dad thinks I'm being naughty, whereas I'm actually saving his life!!
Thursday I was lunged, then Friday off to Vale View for a jumping lesson which was fun, on Saturday we went to another yard for outdoor cross country schooling (they even had a water complex!!!)
So that takes us to the JAS competition at Vale View today!!
Dad had entered us for two classes, the Novice (1.10m) and the Open (1.15m). He went to walk the course early on and then came back for me (only a couple of miles from us).
Warmed up enthusiastically because I could tell this was a competition, and in we went. For some reason Dad was a bit tense, (first affiliated competition for some while!!) so he falpped a bit into the first and I knocked it down. It was then a circle to the left then a skinny to No.3, wavy planks, round to the right to 4 an oxer, then for some reason Dad lost the plot, missed the sharp turn to no. 5, a large oxer, and then tried to get me to jump it on the most ridiculous angle, which was impossible, so we glanced off it!! When we represented Dad did his flappy thing again ...it is sooo distracting, and I tried to stop but we went through it, next thing I know Dad had his arm up and we retired! Dad popped me over an upright a couple of times and then popped me back on the lorry
Just before the next class we went back in the ring, Dad was now even more tense, and if we weren't on a good one he got really tense and we ground to a halt!!!! His groom (middle daughter) gave him a good talking to and things improved. In we went and he was so much more relaxedwe sailed over the first five then down to number 6 which you had to double back to get to, 7 another oxer, then round left handed to 8 a brush fence, 5 stides to a corner, then again double back to a gate. No 11 was a double of arrow heads on a left curve down to a wall, as I went over this I noticed a big spooky sign that wasn't there on Friday so I jumped left, and then realised Dad was pointing me at a roll top, jumped this but was a bit unbalanced round the left turn to what turned out to be a triple so Dad waved his hands around again and I stopped we circled, I jumped the first part and Dad went tense again so, second refusal, finally Dad got his act together and rode properly without going for impossible long strides and we were fine, we then had 5 strides to an upright of planks, then a 180 degree turn over last, an plank upright with a water tray. We finished with a couple down, the 2 stops (only get 4 faults in JAS) and loads of time.
So not the best start to the season, however Dad has realised we did a lot more competing over the winter last year, and the problem is his nerves, so hopefully he'll "man up" and get on with it.
Well, thanks for reading folks
If there are any not to embarrassing photos, Dad will work out how to load them
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