Today we went to Draycott House British event. It was the earliest start I have had in a long time getting up at 5! I decided to warm Puzzle up for 15 minutes then take her back to the trailer to chill. I got back on her ready to do the test and I did feel an improvement she was much more relaxed. We managed to pull off a 37.5 which was about middle of the road in the sense of the leader board. I always feel in the BE100 open there are really good dressage schoolmasters so Puzzle is a bit out of her depth, and it's strange that the best she can pull of in an BE100 is around 35 but when I moved her up to Novice you would expect to get worse but in fact she pulled of a 33! I personally think its because there are more moves and things happen faster in the Novice tests so Puzzle concentrates much more, and if you perfect the medium trots and canters as well as a good long rein walk your heading for good marks.
We moved onto the Show jumping phase which was 10 fences long and had 2 doubles in it. Puzzle did a really nice round if you look at the video below, I felt I had took on board what Sarah had taught me earlier in the week using my medium canter well and softening at least two strides into the fence. I even went for the long one a couple of times which surprised me! Unfortunately Puzzle was clumsy and left her back feet behind on 2 fences so we picked up 8 faults. I was a bit disappointed with her as she jumped so nicely I felt I didn't know what had gone wrong as I couldn't of placed her any better, but I suppose that's the game of Eventing your either lucky on the day or not!
After I had ran round the cross country course which was only 15 fences long and had an optimum time of 3.20! Yes 3.20! I couldn't believe how short the course was it would have suited Candy well as her stamina isn't quite ready for 4 and a half minutes long but I could of done with a bit more of a challenging course for Puzzle to set her up for Kelsall Hill as the Novice there is decent. Normally Draycott House is full up and very long with a quick optimum time so don't expect it to be like this for their second event! We seemed to be back before we had even set off! I thought we had done it in half the time! Puzzle flew round she was definitely made to do cross country she knows courses better than me and she hasn't even walked them!
We finished on a score of 45.5, I think il forgive her just this time for being clumsy as it was her first event! Think I will school her next time in lead weight back boots. Just been told the correct theory behind these boots.. they alter the way the muscles through their hocks and stifle move and react which gives a higher action behind over a fence. Thank Claire! If they work or not I will let you know.
We moved onto the Show jumping phase which was 10 fences long and had 2 doubles in it. Puzzle did a really nice round if you look at the video below, I felt I had took on board what Sarah had taught me earlier in the week using my medium canter well and softening at least two strides into the fence. I even went for the long one a couple of times which surprised me! Unfortunately Puzzle was clumsy and left her back feet behind on 2 fences so we picked up 8 faults. I was a bit disappointed with her as she jumped so nicely I felt I didn't know what had gone wrong as I couldn't of placed her any better, but I suppose that's the game of Eventing your either lucky on the day or not!
After I had ran round the cross country course which was only 15 fences long and had an optimum time of 3.20! Yes 3.20! I couldn't believe how short the course was it would have suited Candy well as her stamina isn't quite ready for 4 and a half minutes long but I could of done with a bit more of a challenging course for Puzzle to set her up for Kelsall Hill as the Novice there is decent. Normally Draycott House is full up and very long with a quick optimum time so don't expect it to be like this for their second event! We seemed to be back before we had even set off! I thought we had done it in half the time! Puzzle flew round she was definitely made to do cross country she knows courses better than me and she hasn't even walked them!
We finished on a score of 45.5, I think il forgive her just this time for being clumsy as it was her first event! Think I will school her next time in lead weight back boots. Just been told the correct theory behind these boots.. they alter the way the muscles through their hocks and stifle move and react which gives a higher action behind over a fence. Thank Claire! If they work or not I will let you know.
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