I took Brook, Trigger & Rupert, this was Triggers first ever "proper/big" show. He was very overwhelmed and confused and didnt have a clue what was going on. Living out all his life he didnt udnerstand why he was suddenly in a stable 24/7 and just gazed out the window most of the time trying to work it all out. I didnt know what Brook was going be like as she never jumps well on grass and Hickstead the past 2 years she has only ever jumped about 2 clears! but i set up an arena on grass at home and she hasnt jumped in the school since April, so i hoped she would now be used to the difference.
Rupert hadnt jumped or been to a show since the last time i rode him which was at arena uk in september! although he was very fit and ready thanks to his owner doing lots of hacking with him for me!
Day 1- Wednesday
Brooke- Jumped the 1m and the newcomers, I was hoping to jump the 1m first as a warm up then the newcomers but being in different rings and over 200 in each class it didn't quite work out! She jumped a lovely double clear in the newcomers which i was really pleased about as she hasnt done much at this height and first time on grass this year, aswell as the comparison to the other years bad experiences at Hickstead too! i had to go very slow in the jump off as i need 4 double clears to qualify for the second rounds and you are only allowed to win up to £300 and before i even had 1 double clear brook was on £251, so i cant fford for her to win much more! we came 23rd out of about 300!
In the metre I decided to go for it, and had a really quick time but the 2nd to last fence down! which was my fault i let her cut the turn!
Trigger- was very excited in the warm up having never seen so many people/horses or anything as busy before. He jumped the metre and just had an unlucky 4 faults at the planks, which was jumping towards the warm up which as very busy, i dont think he even saw the jump as he didnt really take off, to focused on the other horses! but he jumped everything else brilliantly so i was really pleased as he has never seen anything like that, so was great experince for him.
Rupert- Jumped the 1m and the amateur qualifier, again I was hoping to jump the 1m first as a warm up but this also didn't quite work out! he was very mental walking down to the ring and warming up having not seen a jump for 8 months, and didnt really settle down after working in a bit either! he jumped the amateurs really good, just had really bad luck towards the end of the course, to an downhill oxer which had really bad bog patch in front of it, and he seemed to get his back end stuck and didnt take off behind, taking the whole thing with him! luckily he was ok!
In the metre, I had hold of him a bit more making him wait and not run on, so he didnt knock any down, which worked, until half way round when he got the hump because i was making him do it properly rather than how he wanted and just locked his jaw and ran past the 2nd to last fence!
Day 2- Thursday
Day 3- Friday
Rupert - Clear to last fence
Day 4- Saturday
Day 5 - Sunday
Rupert hadnt jumped or been to a show since the last time i rode him which was at arena uk in september! although he was very fit and ready thanks to his owner doing lots of hacking with him for me!
Day 1- Wednesday
Brooke- Jumped the 1m and the newcomers, I was hoping to jump the 1m first as a warm up then the newcomers but being in different rings and over 200 in each class it didn't quite work out! She jumped a lovely double clear in the newcomers which i was really pleased about as she hasnt done much at this height and first time on grass this year, aswell as the comparison to the other years bad experiences at Hickstead too! i had to go very slow in the jump off as i need 4 double clears to qualify for the second rounds and you are only allowed to win up to £300 and before i even had 1 double clear brook was on £251, so i cant fford for her to win much more! we came 23rd out of about 300!
In the metre I decided to go for it, and had a really quick time but the 2nd to last fence down! which was my fault i let her cut the turn!
Trigger- was very excited in the warm up having never seen so many people/horses or anything as busy before. He jumped the metre and just had an unlucky 4 faults at the planks, which was jumping towards the warm up which as very busy, i dont think he even saw the jump as he didnt really take off, to focused on the other horses! but he jumped everything else brilliantly so i was really pleased as he has never seen anything like that, so was great experince for him.
Rupert- Jumped the 1m and the amateur qualifier, again I was hoping to jump the 1m first as a warm up but this also didn't quite work out! he was very mental walking down to the ring and warming up having not seen a jump for 8 months, and didnt really settle down after working in a bit either! he jumped the amateurs really good, just had really bad luck towards the end of the course, to an downhill oxer which had really bad bog patch in front of it, and he seemed to get his back end stuck and didnt take off behind, taking the whole thing with him! luckily he was ok!
In the metre, I had hold of him a bit more making him wait and not run on, so he didnt knock any down, which worked, until half way round when he got the hump because i was making him do it properly rather than how he wanted and just locked his jaw and ran past the 2nd to last fence!
Day 2- Thursday
Day 3- Friday
Rupert - Clear to last fence
Day 4- Saturday
Day 5 - Sunday